Sugar Camp Farm: the Animals

In due time, I'll show you my non-Pinterest perfect room that I've finally settled into in Nashville that includes a 3'x4' black and white poster of the ducks. They're pretty much lifesize. Which is nice, because I miss them along with the rest of the farm.

I've been lucky enough to be able to go out there at least once each week to visit and help out. But they just recently had their last farmer's market for the season last Saturday, so not as much harvesting to do anymore.

There's always a good reason to go out there though. Just this past Sunday, they actually had a little house concert which included a band called Pilgrim — composed of a really sweet family that sold everything to travel around the US in an airstream doing these house concerts. Seriously fantastic. 

But back to the animals. I talked about separating the sheep (full disclosure: some went to get... well... slaughtered on Monday. You should have seen my face when Lizzie told me. I'm just glad they lived a great life). And here's a little photo documentation of everyone else:

Winnie the dog

I just really love the name Winnie in general. And although she and Stormy the cat haven't hit their best friendship moment yet, I feel like Winnie clicks with most people, including me. She has the best characteristics of any dog I've met. I love that she would come out with us on the farm and just lay in the dirt while we're harvesting. Or watch us dig sweet potatoes. My absolute favorite was when we'd ride in the gator and she'd run along beside us with her tongue hanging out.

Stormy the kitten

I am not a cat person. And I blame it on my best friend's cat growing up — her name was Sassy and she really lived up to her namesake. I would pet her and I thought we were getting along really well. She'd be purring. I thought, for a second, she liked me. Maybe, just maybe, she loved me. And then, she'd bite me. Story of my cat life.

Then I met Stormy. Stormy is such a collection of cool kitten with piercing blue eyes and a temperment I could trust. I'd often find him taking a nap on the porch, or trying to catch something in the field. I sat with him the day he was sadly castrated (no little Stormy kittens to come). It had to happen. But he handled it like a champ. 

The cows

Lizzie was really surprised that I was so comfortable with the cows. And I was secretly thrilled that I could surprise her like that. Animals just don't scare me as much as bugs do. Although, I have to say that the chickens that we have (yes, I moved into a house in Nashville that has chickens) kind of freak me out a bit. 

The cows though. They're just slow and keep to their business. They're similar to the sheep and get tense and try to get away from me if I get too close. And they have a more serious demeanor than the other animals I interacted with. I mean, look at that cow's face below. She means business.

The three little piggies

But actually they're kind of large. And when they're hungry, they'll gladly take my shoe as food and try to eat it. They're pretty funny creatures with their big floppy ears and snorts. When Jesse and Tony moved them to a larger area my first week on the farm, they actually frolicked around their new pen. It was really cute. 

The ducks

I actually recorded them quacking and played the sound back to them. They stopped quacking themselves and moved their heads curiously toward me. It made me wonder what exactly they say to each other in all of their quackiness. 

Taking care of the ducks became my unspoken designated job my last week on the farm. I'd dump out their kiddie pool, get the hose and start putting fresh water in while getting their food. Then I'd stand and watch as the water filled up and they would one by one get into the pool. Whenever I'd move too close they'd immediately jump out and waddle a little farther away. Quacking of course.

We had moved their place of residence the last week I was there. Which actually turned out to be not-so-good. Because it was closer to the forest area, although the electric fence was on, somehow some animal got in and Lizzie informed me last week that there are only two survivors. I'm glad I got these pictures of the five of them together. The black and white poster has now become a tribute to their memory. RIP little ducks. And sheep too.