Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hello from Akko!
I left the farm this morning and what craziness it has been this week. After i wrote, Lisa and Andy (the couple from New Zealand) left to hike the National Trail, which meant that I got Lisa's job- caretaker of the animals. I am pretty sure I am the least qualified person to have that job- but I kicked its ass. It is also the busiest job on the farm, with the most responsibility which I really enjoyed. Here was my schedule:
Morning:
1) Let Sheep out of pen (they spend the night inside to protect them from wolves) and feed them grain. I feed them first because they are so loud I cant think until they eat and shut up.
2) Feed Orphan goats grain and formula except for three of them who still need to be bottle fed. The bottle fed ones were new to the bottle and hated it, a couple of times I almost drowned them from impatience, had to make sure they were still blinking until I continued. The best part of my day happens during this time- I get to feed Pan. Pan is an irphan goat who is the coolest animal ever. He follows me around by hopping and drinks a TON of milk but so easily. We call him Pan because he was the runt so he looks really young and small, we think he will be young forever so we named him after Peter Pan.
3) Feed Mother goats/ pregnant goats grain and then milk them. Yes, I milked goats. Well sort of. I wrangled them and made the boys do it because they had all kinds of nasty stuff hanging back there and I had to do enough gross things during my day.
4) Feed teenager goats who are rowdy.
5) Feed horses and cows.
6) Feed man goats which is almost impossible because they knock so much out just trying to headbutt each other-typical.
7) Go to the isolation pen and feed Tina. She has an eating disorder so I have to force her head into the bucket. Big man doesnt get any grain because he is still on his diet- he HATES his diet. I got head butted by him several times.
Had a small break during the day which I generally used to help other people out. The past two days were INSANE because we had two groups of 50 at the restaurant so I was helping cook, clean and serve inbetween feeding times.
Afternoon- do it all over again, except at the end of the day I had to let the teenagers back in with their moms who are back from grazing the hills. This was nuts because we had some serious helicopter moms who could not wait to see their babies even if it meant trampeling everyone else along the way.
Generally, everything ended around 6 or 6:30 so we had down time til dinner, which I almost always fell asleep during and went to bed by 9 every night. Ahhh the farm.
Interesting stories from the week:
1) We had a farm mystery! 3 goats and two sheep had seizures and died, it was an epidemic. Amnon didnt seem to care as usual. We never did find out what happened, or maybe we did and my lack of Hebrew kept me from finding out.
2) I dug my first grave for a puppy. This was a hard day. I was exhausted and I finally had a break which I was going to use to do laundry when I stumbled across the same dead puppy for the 80th time. Interesting fact- mother dogs eat their dead babies and when you take them away, they just keep on finding them. This puppy was basically in two pieces, having had all of its insides just eaten by its mother and brother. I wanted Nitai to do it but he didnt care that a mutilated animal was lying in the road for all to walk by which pissed me off to no end. So I did it. As i was digging, which is really hard by the way, the nasty mother came back for dessert. I got so mad at her for being such a sick, disgusting beast that I just started crying. Could not handle it. What is this world we live in? I covered the grave with about 9 rocks so it wouldnt happen again. Except it did with about 2 other puppies. Never looking at dogs the same.
3) The sheep escaped- they are wiley. Luckily, they were too scared once they were free, they didnt know where to go that I coralled them back in.
4) The turkey escaped- they are fast. Chased her around for a good hour until I rugby tackeled her and brought her back. Lucky for her it was not thanksgiving or else she would be the first to go.
5) Fell in love with the goats. They are definitely gross but they are so funny. They absolutely have personalities and goat drama which is hillarious. I miss Pan already.
6) Started to really enjoy the farm. Amnon had a lot more respect once he saw how hard I worked at my new job and how organized I made the process- it was chaotic before hand. Daliah and I got pretty tight during long restaurant days and, in general. I just got the hang of the farm.
I am now in Akko, which is just north of Haifa in a hostel WITH ELECTRICITY! Its the little things in life. I am going to just chill out here for a night, its right on a peninsula which sticks out into the Mediterranean and relax. Tomorrow, I will head to Tel-Aviv by train which goes along the coast, and I have heard its beautiful. Devon is coming to Tel-Aviv also, so we will spend some days there before I head out.
Glad to be back in the big lights, big city for a bit.
Linz
- comments
BJH I'm Overwhelmed....this trip is going to be a life changer for you..
Dad Just woke up from nap after reading your blog (shout out for best blog yet!) since I was completely exhausted after the many vicarious encounters with animals. Linz 3, Critters 2 (rugby tackling results in 2 point bonus which gave you the edge).
Cass Tel-Aviv I said hello. (NO SHE DIDNT) Also what are you a 40 year old divorcee? "Men butting heads-typical" I cant even believe all the physical labor you did. What an animal. I love Pan. And do you think Tina just needs some confidence? Broke my heart a little bit about the digging of the grave. Its always nice to feel in touch with humanity and that part of yourself that experiences life and death in the purest form. When you write your novel that will be so symbolic and a chapter in itself. Miss you.
Diego 1st off Cass killed those first two lines. You'll need to consider your audience when writing these blogs please ma'am. I've started reading these to my co workers while we drink coffee and the s*** has yet to hit the fan. You're an amazing blogger and hope you don't forget about the little people when you write your chronicles and be actin like jk rowlings up in this b i itch. Miss you duder keep that pimp hand strong on those animals.