With recent temperatures climbing into the 40s (about 107 degrees Fahrenheit), and tree-induced shade still a few years away, we’ve constructed another moveable sheep shelter to ensure our sheep and alpacas have a cooler place to recline on the most hostile of days.

Employing the off-grid carpentry prowess of Jeremy and Pete, we knocked up the second shelter to the same rough plan as the original: salvaged hardwood for a sled base, allowing it to be dragged from pasture to pasture, fallen redgum for uprights, and tin reclaimed from the gullies for the roof. The previous life of the tin means that a hole is already cut for the installation of a pot-belly stove, should the sheep find one that fits their budget. This sheep shelter also includes a perch, should passing birds need a break while searching for a tree.

Despite almost constant winds that range from brisk to gale-force, the original sheep shelter has stood up admirably. As a gesture of their affection, the sheep regularly rub their lanolin-drenched wool against the timbers, oiling them to deep chocolate colour. Is this the carpentry equivalent of a perpetual motion machine, where the more it is used, the better preserved it becomes?