The feast continues...

Early in the morning on the day after Thanksgiving, my sister and I went through the house and took down all the fall decorations.  I had quite a few pumpkins and gourds, some I had purchased, some I had been given, and we chucked all of them over the fence and into the pasture.  There they stayed, looking forlorn and abandoned, their bright flesh glowing incongruously on the frosty grass.

Until today. I happened to be looking out the window when Luna goat, the herd queen, decided it was time to add some pumpkin to her diet. She marched over to the scattered gourds and began to sniff each one.  In a few moments she had chosen a likely candidate and taken a firm bite of it.  

She was soon joined by Jane Doe. 

And they squabbled a bit, rearing up and butting heads. 

Then the settled down to share the treat. 

Meanwhile a few of the chickens looked on, expectantly. 

Once the goats had opened up those globes for them, they joined in, pecking at the flesh and gobbling up the seeds.  There is some evidence that the seeds aid in removing intestinal parasites in some animals.  I don't know if that is true, but I do know that the animals are enjoying autumns last fruits.