Changes at Sheep Pasture

There will be many changes in Sheep Pasture in the coming months. Our Executive Director Jennifer Cummings has resigned to take an assistant principal's job in Fall River. Jen was surprised to get the offer and had been working hard to develop an expansion plan to add staff and buildings to meet the needs of the 21st century.You'll be reading more about this in the coming months. One part of the plan will make its debut in this blog later in the week after the big forestry meeting on Wednesday.

Our "new"  teacher will be arriving this week. Miss Amanda who did pre-school as a Stonehill intern and then substituted for Miss Katie in the K-6 program will be expanding our pre-school program and working to create weekend family and adult events.

Simba, a Jersey calf, will be arriving at Sheep Pasture on Friday. Simba is technically a steer or young ox which means he has been "fixed." Oxen generally have a reputation for being phlegmatic, but Jersey oxen are more active than many. Simba and his siblings were infected with a virus in vitro when their mothers were shown at a fair last year. His operation was performed to prevent testosterone from interfering with the medication that cured the disease and saved his life. Right now Simba is about half the size of a calf his age, but stories abound of small calves eventually catching up in size. A full size Jersey ox can reach 1,600 pounds-small for oxen in general, but about six times heavier than any animal now on the property. Simba will be start his stay with our remaining brown pygmy goat. She recently lost her life long pal to old age.

Max, one of our mini-horses, is being treated for Cushing's Disease, a condition that effects the pituitary gland. If you noticed that Max didn't shed some patches of his winter coat, you saw the most visible symptom of the disease that has many insidious effects. Luckily, Max is responding well to treat and now has a good looking coat and a trim figure. Teddy, Max' girlfriend, is totally unimpressed with her newly buff partner. Of course, Teddy is generally unimpressed with everything-we've thought about painting her gray and renaming her Eeyore.

Maggie, my amazing Pomeranian, also suffers from Cushing's. It is a diagnosis that is becoming much more common as good treatment of pets is extending their life. In most cases Cushing's is a manageable disease like diabetes. Right now both Max and Maggie are doing well.

By the way, Maggie may be the only "person" at Sheep Pasture looking forward to winter. Believe it or not, the tiny Poms were developed in a cold climate and have many of the same adaptations for cold as Huskies and Malamutes. Besides, Maggie has a deer hunter fantasy-they're the only animal she ever wants to chase-and the snow slows them down!