Busy Times

Alison (left) and Pebbles

The last four weeks have been non-stop down on the farm. In the Rescue we have taken in two horses and a blind pony. This puts us at full strength based on our current accommodation and funding rules. More on our new arrivals will be found on the rescue web site.
To ensure that we have stalls for everyone, should we need them, the milking parlor has taken over the connex hut adjacent to the red barn, so that the sheep can return to their old stall in the red barn. This frees up a stall in the 10-stall barn and allows both Star and Wonder to return to that barn. Change is always useful as it wakes me up from my strict routine and makes me aware of any other jobs that need to be done. So easy to fall into a daily round that ignores potential problems.

Our two silkies became proud parents (no photo yet) and we are hoping that the unseasonal weather will not be too cold for the chick. Mum is keeping a good watch on him/her, and Merlin appears to be shaping up as a good Dad.

Last week we played host to a group from Charlotte Crossing in Charlotte Court House. CC is a psychosocial rehabilitation day support center, offering individuals an opportunity to work on Crisis stabilization, appropriate social interaction and daily living skills. The corner stone of the organization is that: "through Dignity and Respect, each individual can rise above, and over come, adversity in their daily lives as a result of positive interaction. Virginia has had a poor record with regard to mental health support and the farm and the rescue are pleased to join with Charlotte Crossing in providing an outreach capability to the group. We welcomed:

Chris, George, Henry, Larry, Linda, Quang, Stanley and Viola, along with Mr. John Deem and Ms. Owens.
After a short presentation by Tom and Jorg, the group took a tour of the farm, which included seeing Priscilla milked. Despite a cold, damp day a good time was had by all, and the farm and rescue animals were on their best behaviors. Refreshments and a bagged lunch were taken in the tack room, giving everyone a chance to warm up. On a sad note, we learned that Stanley had had a heart attack and died a day or so after the visit. Our condolences were offered to the group and the family.