The Old Skunk

Posted on: August 8, 2011 by Jeff Willmore - Maintenance Manager Subscribe

I have an old orange tabby cat that I often call “the old skunk”. This is due to the fact that after a visit to the litter box he sometimes stinks up the whole house. It is an odd habit I have of exchanging species names as a term of endearment for the animals in my life.

I must confess to you now, that I have carried this bit of nonsense into the workplace. Here, I sometimes refer to the sheep as my “goats”. I realize that sheep and goats are not related and very different animals, but I see all the similarities. Both have the standard cloven hooves, the same kind of face and similar, slightly evil looking eyes. Both are opportunists and they share a common mischievous disposition. I am sure the sheep understand that the goat reference is just good natured ribbing. They know it is a teasing put-down, being well aware that they are superior to goats; smell alone would bare this out. They handle this kind of “trash talking” well, confident in their sheep-hood, and the fact that I am their buddy.

This is the kind of unique, personal attention that the maintenance crew now brings to the farm program, and I think it shows. As I write, dear reader, your farm labourer, is at the barn doing his twice monthly cleaning. Every two weeks, to promote the comfort of the animals, the stalls are completely mucked out, fresh bedding put down and all water containers are washed. Furthermore, he has worked hard early this summer to upgrade the barn-yard. Fencing repairs have been made and posts set to accommodate new gating. The livestock and the staff now benefit from completely hinged and latching gates that interconnect to create passage from one pasture to another. Supplementary to the improved hardware and to ensure the animals health, we rotate our pastures, keep the water fresh on a daily basis, maintain consistent feeding regimes and schedule regular veterinarian care.

As for the creatures themselves, we have a slightly diminished, but enthusiastic herd this season. As follows: nine sheep, three ewes and six lambs, two filthy, fun loving pigs and a gaggle of birds, mostly chickens and a couple of obstinate ducks. For the loan of all these beasts and birds I would like to thank Bill Thirlwell for the sheep, Mac Brown for the hogs and Dick Nieuwland for the fowl. All suppliers can rest assure that their livestock are receiving consistent care and are living in the lap of barnyard luxury.

However….. the goats still complain.

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