We left our house at 8.30am on Sunday to drive to a nearby town. Sauntering down our country road was a handsome young steer. It was dark chocolate brown with a few white patches. In the rear view mirror we could see one of our neighbours on his quad bike, attempting to wrangle the lad back into his field. We thought nothing more of it.
1pm we were driving home, and who should be stood in our driveway but Mr Chocolate Horns. I got out of the car and it ran down towards our house and towards our paddock; the poor lad was spooked. I managed to herd him back up the driveway and out onto the road. Many phone calls followed to various farmers. It transpired the lad had just been weened and he didn't like being separated from mum, who was grazing somewhere else on the road. He had started quite a hullaballu with the other cattle who were also contemplating breaking for it in the field opposite our house.
Sunday evening, I thought I would go for a walk, and blow me down if Mr C H wasn't still wandering up and down the road. He was completely uncatchable and wouldn't stay put in the field when he was caught. As of Monday evening he was down at the river bank still giving his owner the slip.
I called our immediate neighbours to tell them to shut their gates. One neighbour threatened a hangi* if Mr CH appeared on their verandah.
So if you smell wafts of beef steaks coming from the general direction of our bit of paradise, bring a plate and salad.
*Traditional Maori feast cooked in the ground on hot stones
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ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious, I just wish you had gotten a photo of him :)