It was a lovely day out at Mt Vernon a week or so ago. The crowds were thin, the weather cool and clear. I had a nice long walk. I always stop to say HI! to our friends the sheep. I was walking away from one of the pens and a young family was coming the other way. The daddy asked, is there anything to see? I replied, why yes, the sheep our out in the sun. He replied, did they have sheep in the 18th century?
Yes they did. Sheep are one of the oldest domesticated herd animals in mankind. The variety varies and includes goat (in my opinion inferior animals) but shepherding is one of the oldest forms of agriculture and existed pretty much any place there were humans. Sheep provide, fiber, milk, and meat.
I realized something while I was walking about, I can tell what kind of animals are in the pen, by the smell of the manure. I am sure that talent will serve me well someday.
I enjoy historic farming exhibits. Mt Vernon has a nice one. I'd like to see more demonstration and narration. Perhaps while I am in Kentucky I will venture out to Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill.
What is your reaction to agriculture?
We are surrounded, no, immersed, in agriculture here in France. You have to like it!
ReplyDeleteSheep's cheese is lovely, like goat's cheese only......sheep!
"I can tell what kind of animals are in the pen, by the smell of the manure." I don't know if I should be impressed or stunned!
ReplyDelete"did they have sheep in the 18th century" - what an ignorant twatwaffle! sheep go back to biblical times.
ReplyDeleteALWAYS nice to see livestock (cows) and growing food items (corn).
And, yes! What anne marie said. That twatwaffle!
DeleteEducational. But the smell of the manure?
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to agriculture, in the narrower sense, is "Look, corn!" That and remembering hauling manure for dad's asparagus - not my favorite task growing up, but it beat weeding the beans. My reaction to sheep is, of course, "Awww! What truly divine creatures!" (I'm sitting in the living room, so if I'd say anything else, I'd become the latest sacrifice the the sheep-god.)
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that sheep were invented before the industrial revolution? 😉
ReplyDeleteSeriously though I miss the countryside I grew up with in SW Virginia. The rolling hills with grazing cattle was beautiful. I don't miss it enough to move back but I do miss the beauty of it.
I live in the middle of London so the nearest I get to animals are my fellow commuters. Sheep smell better.
ReplyDeleteJP
bwhahahahahaha! they stink like that in washington dc too (exception - this blog's author)!
Deleteusually an allergic one.
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