Sometimes life throws you strange curve balls. Working on this organic garden with pigs has given me lots to think about. But more than anything, I find on a day-to-day basis something or another directly challenges me in ways I never thought possible.
This past week, I did something I never thought I would. I harvested cow and horse shit. Literally. Now when it was first proposed we go collect such droppings, I was not exactly thrilled, but wasn’t quite ready to comprehend just exactly this would entail. Likewise I was not prepared for when Pablo comes around asking us to grab our gloves.
We headed to the field next to our property where there were already a number of the animals in question lazing about in the mid-morning heat. While donned with two rice sacks, a bucket, one trowel, and two pairs of gloves, Pablo, Sara and I wandered off to the field. Perhaps the funniest part really was watching how much Pablo enjoyed himself. Knowing full well what we girls were in for, he was relishing a bit too much how uncomfortable we were.
Sara and I found our first mud pie and literally just stared at it. We knew what we had to do as soon as Pablo told us to bring gloves, but I don’t think we expected things to be so “fresh”. We bent down and then felt a sweep of relief when Pablo swept in before us. That was until he told us to fan out. Addition to the hilarity of the task ahead of us, we had to walk through some significant thorned weeds. I was scratched, hot, sweaty, and trying to pick up partially dried cow shit with my hands. I can honestly say, that the universe has a wonderful sense of humour.
All in a days work at the farm I guess.
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