People always ask me how I do this alone. It’s really not that difficult…until you’re ill. Then life sucks pretty hard.
I’ve been able to manage through most illnesses. The lack of rest and physical exertion tend to prolong illness a bit. Sometimes the animals are easy on me, other times, not so much.
The worst time was this past year. I was so ill I would throw up if I moved too much. I have family in town but they were all out of town at the time and I generally don’t reach out when I’m ill anyway. I would hate to make anyone else sick so I suck it up. But this time was different. I was so weak that the walk to the goat pen exhausted me. I lost all sense of vanity and concern and collapsed to the ground and laid there with all the animals surrounding me. I could barely talk them down from their confusion trying to tell them I was OK when it happened. Projectile vomit. Yeah. Not only was my head and face resting in filth I threw up on my animals. Good times.
After their initial 2 seconds of shock the goats, turkeys and chickens dove in like I’d just provided a buffet. I was disgusted and weakly tried to kick and swat them away but it didn’t work.
I laid there, my face on the cold, hard, feces covered ground until I had enough strength to continue my tasks. I stopped twice to lay down in the coop to rest while two of the hens took advantage of my warmth and perched on me for a nap. I was too weak to care about anything.
It’s one of my worst moments since moving here but it’s bound to happen again. Life as a solo farmerette can’t be great all the time but it’s certainly worth it.
I’m Jake Keiser, a former city girl seeking self-reliance and a fabulous farm life in Oxford, Mississippi.