Usually we have limited our offerings to working cattle and occasionally responsible living. There are other things going on out here. As I am sure you have picked up, we have a relaxed relationship with lots of other animals.  For example, the local flock of turkeys knows that I feed the oxen and that they will get the scraps. OK, so I do throw them an occasional handful of grain from time to time. They have not been hunted here for two decades. So they have no fear of me and are willing to come very close to steal a bite to eat.

The deer come to our salt blocks and eat out of our hay feeders. Since they intermingle with the oxen, and the oxen act like we are safe, they think we are safe. Another example, I had a doe give birth an hundred feet from me the spring before last.  Deer almost walk up to us. I’ve posted this before, but Maria thinks it is because we are vegetarians we do not smell like predators. Certainly the local bird population thinks we are the source of food.  I have to brush birds off the feeders to fill them.  We just got a laugh out of a determined Titmouse that continued to feed at the tray of the feeder while I was filling it. They are pretty sure we are safe. Our barns are home to two Rat Snakes, both have no fear of us at all. So this is a strange little chunk of the country. I am going to post more about this in the future.