Fall Update

It does not take a calendar to tell me that autumn has arrived on Harrison Farm, thanks to the current chilly mornings and cool nights.  It was quite brisk out this morning -- despite the sunshine -- as I chased three nefarious escapee goats.  Admittedly, my attire of pajamas, bathrobe, & muck boots were not the warmest or most functional clothes in which to be chasing goats through the bushes around the (currently dry) creek -- but the goatherd must respond to goat escapes immediately!  (And apologies to my neighbor who drove by as I was herding the goats back across the road while making such a glamorous fashion statement!)

My junior farmers Joseph & Eliza have been learning many lessons about goatherding lately, as they are now the proud owners of Jodie the Country Goat and Cute Face.  Joseph & Eliza have been working on my farm to earn their livestock.  Joseph picked out Jodie, and Eliza was determined to have Cute Face.  Joseph used some of the metal that the summer storm took off my barn roof, reconfigured it to create a goat shelter, and then put up fencing for a small pasture.  He is an extremely industrious young man!  Cute Face is a buck and Jodie is a doe, so in about a year their herd should expand.  Until then, Joseph is manfully learning the responsibilities that go with feeding goats, protecting goats, and attempting to corral goats . . . and every few days I respond to assist in goat wrangling when Cute Face finds a new spot to escape from the pen that Joseph built for him.

Last week, Joseph & Eliza got to ride Flirt the Horse for the first time and they were very, very excited!  Flirt struggled with some hoof issues which required regular treatment for much of the summer.  It also took her awhile to bond with me.  It seems as though just in the last few weeks, I have begun to notice a change in her interactions with me -- I have gone from "that person" to "her person".  I have been riding her a little bit around the farm bareback, and finally got to the point where I was comfortable having Joseph & Eliza each take a turn riding her.  It was Eliza's first time on a horse, and she grinned from ear to ear!  I feel very blessed to be able to share my love of farming with these two young people!  They are remarkable individuals, and add so much to my life!  It amazes me that it has only been a few months since they first began to visit the Farm, yet they have mastered so many new skills -- and are now learning to ride a horse!

I will admit that I gave Flirt plenty of time to adapt to me before I began climbing on her to ride.  I begin to think I have found a horse too much like me: she does NOT like change!  Flirt has had quite a bit of change in the last few months.  In December she left a large group of horses to come live with me.  At that point, my two visiting horses TG & Carson were here.  Flirt slowly adapted to living with them, but they soon moved closer to their owners on the west side of town.  After that Flirt lived with Baby V and D Calf for a few months, until they departed to be slaughtered.  Following her cow experience, Flirt moved in with a group of goats -- no wonder my horse is opposed to change!  Yesterday, my new sheep arrived, including a ram that is now living in the same group as Flirt . . . and she is NOT happy!  Flirt spent the first hour chasing him relentlessly, but I am confident she will soon accept his presence and carry on.

The biggest change on the farm this summer, though, has been Grandmother's move to a retirement community.  This was a very big surprise for me (I literally found out when my aunts came to pick up Grandmother), but both Grandmother & I are learning to adapt to a new normal.  Grandmother moved to Sterling House in Urbana at the end of May.  I was travelling for much of June, then July was busy with visits from friends & family to the farm.  Grandmother had a difficult July, as she took a nasty fall that resulted in three separate trips for medical attention.  By August, she began to recover and I began to adjust to living on the farm solo.  Grandmother has recently been appointed as co-chair of the Resident Grievance Committee at Sterling House, and is enjoying wielding her new authority.  She maintains her feisty spirit, even as her memory struggles.  (Case in point, Cousin Eric asked during his visit with her how the food was at Sterling House.  Grandmother smiled sweetly and replied "crappy!")

Two nights ago it was very cold in the old farmhouse, and so I turned on the heat.  It was a liberating moment when I realized I could now leave the door open to the upstairs so my bedroom could have some heat (previously forbidden).  It was always a running joke that thanks to the "no heat upstairs" policy, I would wake up on winter mornings with frost on the INSIDE of my bedroom windows -- true story!  I never look forward to a change in temperatures, but I am optimistic that fall & winter may be easier now that heat is permitted in the farmhouse!  Alas, this probably will not change the inclination of the goats to escape their places of residence on cold mornings, but at least I will be able to return to a warm house after dealing with "livestock at large"!

Why Water Quality Is Important To Me

Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved water!  I have very happy memories of visiting the beaches of North Carolina with Auntie, of fishing on Lake Erie with our family friends Whitey & Nancy, and of sailing in the waters off the Florida Keys with my father.  Even though I detested Saturday morning swim lessons at the YMCA that kept me away from my beloved cartoons, my mother's insistence that I know how to swim was definitely beneficial.  My favorite waters, though, are the mountain streams that I have visited on trips out West.  I can recall watching my Grandfather bend down and trail his fingers through the cold, clear waters of numerous notable streams, and then lift a handful of water to his lips -- savoring it like the finest nectar.  I have adopted the same habit, and was delighted to be able to take some of girlfriends to visit those places during our trip this past summer: Two Ocean Pass (where Two Ocean Creek divides and eventually reaches both the Atlantic & the Pacific) and Lemhi Pass (where the headwaters of the Missouri River & the Columbia River start).

Places like Two Ocean Pass and Lemhi Pass appear in so many treasured memories for me, but water also has a very practical value in my life.  As a farmer, water is needed in so many ways for my operation.  I rely on our well to furnish the drinking water that the animals need.  We had a major storm at the end of June that knocked out the electric on the farm for a few days.  I was fortunate enough to be loaned a generator, otherwise I could not have run the electric pump that supplies our water.  Without a reliable water source, I could not raise livestock.  Even though I am a livestock farmer, the current drought is also impacting my operation.  Less rain results in a smaller hay crop, which in turn causes hay prices to climb.  Since I purchase the hay that I feed my animals through the winter, my expenses will increase.  In addition, the drought meant that the summer pastures I rely on had less forage for my animals.  Most summers I feed just a little bit of hay to the animals; this year I never stopped feeding hay.

I am not unique to the farm community -- water is a very important factor for all farmers!  Water quality issues are a prime topic of discussion within the farm community.  Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a symposium on livestock issues.  There was a panel discussion on water quality featuring the Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Director of the Ohio EPA, and the Director of the Department of Agriculture.  These gentlemen are very knowledgeable on agricultural concerns and understand that for farms to flourish, the environment must be healthy.  Ohio has faced many water quality concerns in my lifetime -- from the difficulties in Lake Erie during my childhood to the current challenges with algae blooms in Grand Lake St. Mary's.

I was delighted to hear all three Directors discuss the importance of perspective and collaboration in solving water quality concerns.  The media and a variety of environmental activists have far too often labelled farmers as prime contributors to the problems.  As a farmer, I am actually rather proud of the response of the farm community to these challenges!  Farmers have voluntarily stepped up to create nutrient management plans to regulate the handling and application of manure.  Opportunities to protect waterways on farms have been embraced as farmers have created buffer strips, monitored the impact of grazing, and tested soil nutrient levels.  Through its policy development process, the Ohio Farm Bureau has encouraged farm families  to become engaged in protecting water quality through such initiatives.  Far too often, however, farms are easy to blame for water quality concerns -- without looking at the impact of all Ohioans.

During the panel discussion at yesterday's symposium, I was amazed to learn from the Director of the Ohio EPA that roughly 8 billion gallons of raw sewage is released by municipalities into the Western Basin of Lake Erie EVERY YEAR!  It can be quite expensive to update treatment facilities and drainage lines, thus municipalities often operate under the idea that it is more cost effective to treat the problem later than to prevent it now.  Along with older drainage lines, heavy rains can contribute to the problem by washing chemicals into sewers from lawns, golf courses, and other treated areas.  Listening to the Directors discuss these concerns, it illustrated that we are all a potential part of water quality problems, but we are all a potential part of the solution as well.

Farmers face many challenges that we cannot control: droughts, floods, animal and plant diseases, market instability.  We keenly understand the need to protect our natural resources, especially our waterways.  I want to be able to have a reliable water source for my animals, so that I can keep farming for the rest of my life.  I want to contribute to protecting our waters, so that I can enjoy a clean water source for my own use.  And I especially want to see all Americans embrace the opportunity to protects our waters, so that I can continue to enjoy their beauty and share my favorite riparian spots with more of my friends!

What a Baby Bird Taught Me About Mentoring

I have been thinking a great deal of late on mentoring.  This has been a prominent discussion item during my time as a member of the board of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.  How can young farmers be aided in their development as farm community leaders?  How can young people be encouraged to consider agriculture as a career?  What can we as farmers do to illustrate that agriculture is fun and engaging?  To me, the most important question addresses how we shape young people into the future men and women who will lead our communities and our nation.  

My perspective on mentorship is probably different than most, since I have had the opportunity to work with a bounty of young people.  I thoroughly enjoyed my years as a teacher, I adored teaching my brothers how to do things on the farm, and the time I spent working with my student assistants has allowed me the privilege of interacting with young farmers as they grow in their abilities.  I have had many FFA students work with me to complete their Supervised Agricultural Experience projects, I have had the pleasure of hosting OSU students for internships, and this summer will bring two different visiting students to stay & work on the farm.  Over the years, these young people have become extended members of my family.  I fondly think of them as my kids -- human variety -- and I love keeping up with their adventures!

This year, I have also been blessed with two new "junior farmers"!  My neighbors who live west of the farm are a wonderful family.  Their two youngest are Joseph and Eliza.  Joseph is a very intelligent & industrious young man of 13, and Eliza is adorable 7 year old with beautiful doe eyes & a gap-toothed grin.  If they see me working in the barn, one or both will often pop over to see if they can help out.  I thoroughly enjoy their company, and have been impressed with how much they have learned over the last few months.  Joseph was an indispensable aide to me while I was in Wyoming, by helping out with the morning chores.  I have been especially pleased to observe the manner in which Joseph will master a skill or learn something new, and then share it with his younger sister.

Last Friday was a busy day for me as I prepared for the weekend.  I had a planned three hour drive to Van Wert that afternoon, in order to attend the annual educational event "Sheep Day" on Saturday.  On Saturday evening, I was excited to attend a wedding in Lancaster, then I had a catering job scheduled for 6:30am on Sunday.  With all these fun items on my agenda, I was mindful of a short time period for preparation on Friday morning.  Joseph & Eliza arrived at 10:00am to help me with some basic tasks on the farm, which I anticipated would allow me time to pack and organize myself.

Shortly after starting the morning chores, my junior farmers came back to the house.  I was in the midst of a telephone call, but could tell from Joseph's serious expression as he stood at the door that he needed me.  After finishing the conversation, I stepped out to meet him . . . and discovered he was holding in his hands a baby bird.  Joseph explained that he had found it on the ground in the box stall.  The barn swallow's nest (that we had first observed just the afternoon before) had fallen to the ground and was in shambles.  This one baby bird lay all alone.  As I looked at the poor little thing with only tiny feathers, I knew the reality that it would probably starve or be eaten by a cat.  I knew it was simply the way of the world.  I also knew I had to focus on the tasks at hand if I was going to be on time to my meeting later that day.  Then I looked at Eliza's big brown eyes -- so worried for the bird, so full of hope that I would know what to do -- and I realized that there would always be another meeting.  There would never be another chance to capitalize on this opportunity to teach two precious young people.

As luck would have it, I had recently come across some information on handling baby birds -- although at the time I had no idea I would need it so soon!  We searched through the recycling for a suitable plastic container, drilled holes in it so we could use baling twine to hang it, and then carried it to the barn.  We placed some hay in the new "nest".  As Eliza held the bird, I explained to her that we would try to put the replacement nest as close to the previous nest as possible.  Even though we could not feed & teach the baby bird ourselves, we could at least try to put in a position where its mama bird could find it.  We discussed that all animals are different, and since this was a wild animal, it was best that we help it stay wild.  Joseph manfully helped prepare the nest for hanging, and then steadied the ladder as I tied it up and placed the bird in it.  Just as we vacated the box stall, a swallow flew through.  Eliza was delighted that this could be mama returning!

I was -- of course! -- late for everything that day, but the baby bird was only the first item that delayed my schedule.  I love being a farmer, and I believe that it is my responsibility to contribute to our farm community by supporting organizations that look after the best interests of farmers . . . and part of that responsibility is going to meetings.  But more important than that is my responsibility to help teach boys and girls who are interested in farming.  While I am proud to raise livestock, I am much more proud to help raise the young men & women who will be the future of our country.  Those of us who farm are so incredibly blessed to be involved in a truly noble endeavor.  We were fortunate enough to have someone teach us how to farm, how to be a contributing citizen, how to be a good human -- and now it is our responsibility and our great opportunity to help those who follow us learn these same things!

Farm Adventures with Emma & Aubry!

The Harrison Farm Blog is now proudly back after a summer break!  There have been many changes -- both joyful and sorrowful -- in that time, and there are numerous new stories to share!  Grandmother has embraced some new changes in her life, I had an amazing experience traveling to Wyoming for 17 days with my girlfriends, and I had the pleasure of attending my first annual summer retreat for the Ohio Farm Bureau board.  It has been a busy and delightful summer thus far!


Most recently, I had the wonderful experience of hosting a student from Brown University for a week.  Emma is a biology major, who plans to continue on to vet school.  In an effort to gain more knowledge about farming and livestock, Emma traveled to Ohio for some on-farm experience.  By the time Emma arrived at Harrison Farm, she had already visited two of my favorite local operations: Pleasantview Farm (an organic dairy near Circleville owned by the awesome Perry Clutts) and Jorgensen Farm (a diverse organic farm and event venue owned by one of my personal heroes Val Jorgensen).  www.jorgensen-farms.com  From there, Emma braved the world of the goats and the Goatherd at Harrison Farm!


Emma's arrival managed to coincide with a powerful storm and the return of my student assistant Aubry -- both of which are remarkable forces of nature!  Aubry worked for me for two years while she was in high school, and has worked as-available with her college schedule since then.  She is a beautiful & remarkable young woman, and I am flattered every time someone asks if she is my daughter!  Emma and Aubry got along wonderfully!  This was a good thing considering the conditions they had to survive during their visit . . . trees toppled over from the storm, no electricity (thus no running water or air conditioning), and 100 degree temperatures.  All of this was in addition to the usual craziness of life with the Goatherd!  Fortunately, Emma was absolutely charming: intelligent & kind, with a thoughtful inner beauty!  Midway through Emma's visit, we did regain power.  We were most grateful, however, for the loan of a generator from Blystone Farm -- which had given us just enough power to water the livestock and take showers!  www.blystonefarm.com


During my week with Emma & Aubry, I was incredibly appreciative of all that my friends did to welcome them and help them to learn!  We had fantastic meetings with Beth Vanderkooi (Director of State Policy for Ohio Farm Bureau), Dr. Leah Dorman of Farm Bureau's Center for Food & Animal Issues, Jody Carney (Organization Director for Delaware, Franklin, Madison, and Union County Farm Bureaus), Janelle Teeters Mead (Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture), and Angela Ottman of the State Auditor's Office.  These women illuminated Emma & Aubry on their work in agriculture, discussed how it is related to what I do as a livestock farmer, and shared their perspectives on being a professional woman in their field.  For two biology majors, it was a great opportunity to understand the diversity of careers in agriculture -- and I learned a great deal as well!  We also had fun adventures like having dinner with Auntie, meeting the Meat Inspectors at Blystone Farm, riding in the Hilliard Independence Day Parade, working a morning at the slaughterhouse, watching the movie Elf, touring the Animal Diagnostic Lab at the Department of Agriculture, and trying kayaking!

I sincerely hope that Emma & Aubry enjoyed their time at the farm as much as I enjoyed having them!  Despite our "frontier" lifestyle -- thanks to the storm -- it was wonderful to have houseguests!  I felt so blessed to have the house filled with laughter and happiness!  I am constantly amazed by the good people that God puts in my life: my friends & family who welcomed my visitors, my dear Aubry who is the best personal assistant a Goatherd could want, and the lovely Emma who is now a treasured part of our circle!  I truly believe there is an intrinsic noble quality to farming that inspires people, and a beauty to the food it produces -- which in turn serves to bring people together over nourishing meals.  I feel most fortunate to have shared such a special time with these two remarkable young ladies, and am reminded yet again that -- while I may not have biological children of my own -- God has gifted me with wonderful kids . . . human and caprine varieties!

Rebecca

This is a beautiful morning on the farm, full of sunshine -- much as it was four years ago on 15 May 2008.  It was dark out that morning at 5:15am, but by 6:00am the sun's rays were starting to show on the horizon.  By 8:45am, I was setting up the slaughterhouse for the day, and we opened promptly at 9:00am as we did every morning.  The first customer was a grump, and he complained a great deal about having to wait for his sheep to be processed.  He then proceeded to accuse me of stealing some of his meat.  Under normal circumstances, I probably would have laughed: I am not a fan of mutton and my Somali workers were dedicated goat consumers . . . we had no interest in stealing the meat of a fatty, old cull ewe!  Unfortunately, I reacted poorly that morning, and severely reprimanded the customer for his accusation.  Once I calmed down, I apologized to him.  He could not have known that he chose a very poor day to make such an outlandish insinuation.  That morning I had lost my best friend, my business partner, my mother.

My mother is still so much a part of my life and my heart that it is difficult to believe it has been four years since she passed on.  Four years that seem like decades; four years that passed like a whispered breath.  My memories of my mother are so entangled with my childhood on the farm, and these memories still surround me -- much as the farm does -- like a living testimony to her existence.  I live in the house where she grew up, I ride my horse in the fields where her ponies lived during her youth, and as the days pass by I see her face more and more often in the bathroom mirror that she also used.  Every inch of this farm holds memories of our life: baling hay on hot summer days, working the sheep in the barns, harvesting produce from the garden.

My mother taught me to read, to cook, to sew, but most of my memories revolve around outside activities.  I cannot say at what point I began to recognize that the existence of our family was so enmeshed with our lives as farmers, but even from my youth I had the innate understanding that our farm was virtually a living part of our family.  We were Harrisons; we were farmers.  Many of the hardest lessons I learned from life on the farm were accompanied by adages from my mother.  I recall being thrown by Abraham the Mule when I was nine; he managed to step on my ankle as he ran off.  Through my tears, I protested as my mother led him back to me so I could ride him on the return to the barn.  "If you get thrown, you get back on."  It was a hard lesson that day, but as I matured I grew to understand that it was not simply an instruction for horseback riding.  So many of my mother's sayings that I heard over and over have proven to be such.

My mother was vibrant, she was fiery, she stated her opinion clearly, and was more than a little stubborn.  We could exasperate each other, but we loved each other fiercely.  Undoubtedly, the bond of a mother to her only child is unique.  For us, it was unbreakable despite any tests.  That stubbornness served my mother well when she was diagnosed with cancer.  A routine mammogram revealed a spot, and a further biopsy proved that it was not breast cancer, but rather metastisized melanoma.  Easter 2007 was a difficult holiday as we awaited the results of a full body scan.  The following week, we learned that the melanoma was throughout my mother's system, including a brain tumor.  Despite no symptoms, my mother was given the devastating news that she probably had only six months.  Her response was classic Becky, as she informed the doctor that six months was not even Christmas and so it simply was not enough time.

My mother had always loved being outdoors, and eventually that lifetime spent outside in the sun resulted in this horrific illness.  Those who have lost a loved one to cancer understand the terrible progression of watching someone fight and fail: the overnights at the hospital, the chemo, the blood draws, the prayers, the frustration, the anger, the tubes, the weight loss, the fear.  It is a time of my life that is so burned into my memory.  When I see pictures of myself from that year, it is as though I do not know that girl.  But I can feel the extraordinary fear and exhaustion that haunted her, and I pity her because I know what is yet to come.  In December 2007, the cancer spread to Mother's intestines, but she rallied and survived a risky surgery to remove part of her intestines.  That was the first time I rushed my brother Joshua to the hospital to say goodbye, but it would not be the last.  Before she went into surgery she made it clear that despite the small chance for survival she had no intention of missing Christmas.  And she didn't.

The challenges kept coming though, and my step-father & I were helpless witnesses as the person we loved the most bravely endured this illness.  While I adore pictures of me & my mother taken during the adventures of my childhood, I am convinced that she was never more beautiful than in those last months of her life.  My mother lost her hair and lost an astounding amount of weight.  But as those physical things fell away, it was as though her soul radiated through such temporal barriers.  Her smile and her heart only grew more profoundly and breathtakingly gorgeous.  All she wanted was to spend her last days with her family, on the farm that she loved, in the house she had painstakingly restored.  She wanted to be surrounded by her friends and her books and her dogs.  I am grateful that she had this.

In 2008, May the 15th fell on a Thursday.  My mother died at 5:15am on 5/15.  It does not matter how old you are when it happens, the moment you become an orphan changes you forever.  There will never again be someone to parent you through life's challenges, to protect you from the pains of the world, to stand in your corner whether you are right or wrong with a parent's love.  I called Auntie at 6am, I called the hospice nurse, I called the funeral home, I called my mother's friends.  And then at 9:00am, I opened the slaughterhouse and I worked.  My mother was the toughest human being I ever knew and she was a worker -- I had a legacy to live up to.  On Friday, Joe & I planned the funeral, and on Saturday we endured the calling hours.  I had a migraine, and I wore my favorite black hat that my mother loved.  We buried my mother on a Sunday.  The funeral home had lost power, but the staff had lit hurricane candles throughout the chapel.  I have never seen so many flowers, and I was grateful for the people who overflowed the chapel.  My mother's friends, her fellow teachers, her former students, farmers, local business people, my friends, our customers from the slaughterhouse.  The outpouring of support was sincerely appreciated, and will never be forgotten.

I miss my mother every moment of every day.  I doubt a human ever heals from such a profound experience, and I do not know that I would want to.  My mother was a character, and was one of a kind.  I am eternally grateful that I had her for a parent.  As her illness progressed, my mother lost her ability to speak.  My mother died on a Thursday; the last time she was able to speak was on the previous Monday.  As I did every night, I told her I loved her before I fell asleep on the couch next to her hospital bed.  That night, my mother was able to respond.  Her last words to me were "I love you".  In retrospect -- whatever words she used -- that was all my mother ever said to me.

Mary Beth, Goat of Destiny

As I write this, I am cooking Oreo the Goat.  Oreo the Goat was the mother of Mary Beth, my bottle baby.  While I was sorry to reach the conclusion that Oreo needed to meet a quick death, it actually ended up being in Mary Beth's best interest that she was already being fed on a bottle.  Mary Beth and her brother Timmy were born on a cold January day.  She was named after my current intern from Ohio State, and almost mirrors her sunny disposition.  Oreo made it clear from the start that she had no problems with her daughter, but there was no way in the world that she would feed her.  In contrast, Oreo allowed Timmy to nurse without problem, but was deadset that Mary Beth would not be allowed the same nutrition.  Thus, I became Mary Beth's surrogate mother . . . and Mary Beth learned to drink her milk from a recycled Yuengling bottle!

If a new mother rejects a baby, I have found that this typically means the goat lacks proper maternal instinct.  In that case, the goat has no place on a working farm.  It will be sold, for the betterment of the rest of the herd and of the human.  Every creature on this farm must contribute.  If an experienced mother, however, rejects a baby, I have found that there is usually a reason why this happens.  God has gifted humans with brains that cause us to analyze our behavior, but animals are blessed with the simplicity of acting with an instinct that involves no need for reason.  Oreo was an older goat, and was thinner than I would have liked.  Her instinct must have told her that she could only raise one baby.  Timmy was the baby she chose, and Mary Beth became my baby.

Mary Beth has become a superstar visitor to local schools.  Her first visit was to a pre-school near Ashville, where she entertained numerous little children . . . who all wanted a turn to pet the baby goat!  This was a quick trip, where she was able to stay outside.  Although Mary Beth was not a fan of riding in the Goatmobile, she gradually adjusted.  Her second event was an educational day at Plain City Elementary sponsored by Madison County Farm Bureau.  To my surprise, the school chose to place a Goatherd and a goat in a classroom!  Mary Beth was quite a professional: she relieved herself outside the school after we arrived, and then calmly followed me right through the front door of the building!  We got our fair share of double-takes as students and teachers observed me taking "my kid" to school!  The picture at the top of this post shows Mary Beth entertaining a classroom of students.  Although I could tell she was tired by the end of the day, I was impressed with the calm manner with which Mary Beth handled a public appearance.  Truly, she was made for the limelight!

Sadly, Oreo began to go downhill quickly when Mary Beth & Timmy were almost 3 months old.  I found her in the barn one day, unable to get up.  The other goats were out grazing, but Mary Beth & Timmy had remained inside with their ill mother.  As I examined Oreo, I realized that at her advanced age this was not an illness she would recover from.  I could treat her -- with an antibiotic and with a de-wormer -- but more than likely, she would still pass.  I decided the most humane thing to do would be to end her suffering and give value to her body.  I moved Mary Beth & Timmy to live in a small pen in the front of the barn with my new calf E. Shackelton and Mop & Fuller the Goats.

Once a friend was able to arrive to help me, we moved Oreo from the barn.  I typically butcher animals by the hydrant so I have plenty of water available.  Oreo's blood pressure was very low, and she passed quickly when I bled her.  I was once told by a vet that there are two things that can kill an animal: the one big hammer or the fourteen little hammers.  Sometimes death is triggered by a major thing, but other times it is a number of small items that combine to cause illness.  In Oreo's case, she was elderly and was dealing with a heavy case of parasites.  This was combined with lungs that were not in the best condition and a swollen gall bladder . . . and these were just the things that a simple goatherd & butcher immediately detected.  While I hated to say goodbye to this longtime member of the herd, it was my responsibility to show her the respect of a quick death.  When humans were given dominion over animals, we were also given the profound responsibility to treat them with love and respect.  This dominion is a great power, and thus requires great responsibility in our human behavior.

Mary Beth & Timmy are adapting to their new location.  When I examined Oreo, I realized that she had stopped producing milk, and therefore Timmy is not struggling due to a quick loss of dairy nutrients . . . he had already been forced to stop drinking much milk.  Mary Beth is quite used to humans, and her relaxed attitude is helping Timmy to adjust to being around me more.  Oreo's meat is going to feed the Pyrenees pups.  She is keeping them strong, and has left a legacy in her daughter -- a goat that is educating many young people on the wonders of farming!

The Goatherd at the Statehouse

Some days, Sheba looks at me when I get ready to depart the farm and gives me her "sad puppy eyes".  I know that I will be home soon, but at the same time I always wish I was staying on the farm with her.  I am happiest when I simply have a quiet day to work with my animals.  It seems as though those days are more rare, and more treasured.  I sometimes wonder if I like meetings, since I seem to attend so many.  In truth, I do not -- but I believe so strongly in agriculture that I am more than willing to participate in sessions that better our farm community.  Along the way, I've had some amazing experiences and great adventures.  And I hope that these have made me a more fun dog owner for Sheba . . . even if I have had to be away from the farm!

Yesterday, I had the fantastic opportunity to offer testimony to the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on Senate Bill 281, which expands Ag-Link.  Ag-Link is a linked deposit program which offers low-interest loans for farmers.  It has been in existence for over 25 years, and has helped more than 40,000 farmers.  I was quite honored when I was asked to represent Ohio Farm Bureau to speak out in support of legislation to expand Ag-Link.  One of the greatest attributes of Ohio Farm Bureau -- in my opinion -- is that it is truly a grassroots organization.  Its policies are directly established by its 60,000 farmer members.  Ohio Farm Bureau members support the Ag-Link program and support its expansion.

When I was first asked to offer testimony on behalf of Ohio Farm Bureau, I will admit I was a bit hesitant due to my lack of experience with the program.  I have not been a participant in Ag-Link.  I have, however, known many farmers who have benefited from it.  I also know firsthand the challenges that young farmers face in starting agricultural endeavors . . . and one of the greatest is having access to enough capital.  My friend Beth, the Policy Princess, offered me great support in learning about the proposed legislation to expand Ag-Link, and I found that I personally supported the ideas.  Senate Bill 281 raises the maximum loan amount from $100,000 to $150,000.  While $100,000 might initially seem like a large amount, when it comes to funding land, equipment, livestock, seed, etc, this dollar figure can be exceeded very quickly.  Raising this amount keeps the program useful for farmers.  Senate Bill 281 also directs the State Treasurer to increase annual funding from $125 million to $165 million.  This increase is a reflection of growth in the state's treasury, and allows for the increase in individual loans without decreasing the number of farmers that can participate.  Finally, updates were made in calculations of the lending rates for farmers that keep the program in line with current financial practices.  It is important to keep such a program fiscally responsible.

As usual, I was running around like crazy to be on time for my testimony.  Plus, I needed to make a special delivery after I finished at the Statehouse.  I actually awoke on time, and managed to do what immediately needed to be done in the barn.  (How do you know you're a farm girl?  You find yourself hustling out to the henhouse to let the chickens out while wearing a bathrobe and muck boots!  Apologies to my neighbors . . .)  The Policy Princess was an excellent guide in preparing me for the day.  I had my notes all ready on the technical aspects of the bill so I could answer difficult questions, and I had studied up on each of the committee members so I could tailor my answers to their interests.  I did acceptably for my first time offering testimony, and I sincerely enjoyed it.  Much to my sadness, not a single question was asked to test my knowledge!  It was, however, a great experience and I was so grateful to have the Policy Princess & my Sister-in-Slaughter Angie both there to support me!

As I departed the Statehouse, I called my friend Chef Seth to let him know I was ready to make my delivery.  What had I taken to the Statehouse with me?  Well, Seth is working on a garden and needed some horse manure.  I agreed to a trade in exchange for his delicious Lamb Bacon recipe.  Thus it was that I had a container full of horse manure in the back of the Goatmobile.  While it might be said that some people bring a load of "crap" when they come to lobby at the Statehouse, I literally did!  And I like to think that my animals would be proud that -- no matter what I may be doing -- my heart is never far from the farm!