Looks like another farm in my home time is about to bite the dust. A few months ago a homemade sign was up that said the 20 acre farm was for sale. Not soon after, the sign was gone and the sheep were gone. Then they had an estate sale. Now it's vacant. Before all this went down, I saw the telltale signs...wetlands flagged, various stakes in the ground, and test pits being dug. But I brushed it off saying that no one would buy it since the housing market was tanking. But I'm sure there's going to be like 20+ McMansions that will fall from the sky any minute. Sigh. It sucks that my home town is possibly one of the richest in the state and country, but there's no interest to preserve the few remaining farms. I guess they've met their one farm quota. They've preserved the Wagner dairy farm. I can't say that it's really preserved because there's no cows and its just hayfields. Yeah sure they have a community garden there. But why have a community garden for a town where everyone has a yard?
In the past few weeks, I've seen another old house and farm bite the dust. Nevermind the wooded lots across the street that are being developed with McMansions as we speak. Then there's Kim Labno's old house, which was clobbered and about to be rebuilt with I don't even want to know how many McMansions. And their idea of green acres is to create soccer, baseball, and football fields. If I still lived in that town, I'd be raising hell. I do realize that my job is dependent on development, but why can't the development be smart and in the right places rather than sprawl? And can we stop building McMansions and start building normal sized houses? I don't think any family should need a 4 car garage....well unless you're the Hudsons..but that's different.
There used to be another oldie time farm with junk all over the fields. It was owned by some old dude and when he died he willed to the town. He was not even cold in his grave when they started removing the junk and laying out the ballfields. I guess I just was so deprived as child because I didn't have a zillion ball fields around town. Of course these ballfields are no where near any schools or walking distance to any houses. Brilliant!
A few years ago I found the bagel eating sheep. When I approached the fence, they had in the past ran away but this time they thought I was the giver of bagels. This action was repeated this past early spring when the cutest little lamb ran up to the fence baaing it head off. Then it realized that I was not the bagel giver and ran away. Unfortunately I was so camera phone ignorant, I didn't realize I need to save the pictures each time.
So bagel eating sheep, I hope you are at greener pastures where there's ample bagels...or at least something yummy to eat. Let me know when I can come visit.
I was getting back from harvesting some firewood at my parents place. On my way back, I was drove past the bagel eating sheep and saw that three sheep had escaped. The three escapees were in road or right next to it. Two were eating grass in someone's lawn and the third was eating the deliciousness of salt and dirt covered leaves, twigs, and road debris along the road edge. Apparently not the brightest or more discerning of the three. I stopped my car and tried to find the hole in the fence. All I found was a slightly bent over section of fence that they must have jumped or walked over. They must be rams, because there was a bit of competition between two of them and I really don't see how ewes with lambs would jump a fence that the lambs would not be able to. 
I was debating whether to stop by the house to let the people know about the sheep, but it didn't look like anyone was home. Besides I think their neighbors must be used to this sort of antics and can maybe even herd the sheep back in.
The rest of the herd was hanging out in the corner and baaing a bunch.
