This past month, the men in our family were able to attend an Outlaw Nationals sprint car race in Knoxville, Iowa. This involved packing up the trailer, coolers and outdoor cooking equipment for several days of camping and race going.
I stayed behind to help move our oldest daughter into her dorm room at the University of Arkansas. This was quite an adventure, but she was well-organized and prepared to make the move into town on her college campus.
The guys shared photographs, videos and funny scenes from their trip through text messages. There was one video where our youngest son was standing on top of a dog box imitating a race car driver on the podium after winning a race. I blew up the photograph on my phone to confirm that they really had taken a dog box on this trip. I had to take a deep breath because I knew what was coming home with them.
The men in our family love bird hunting. We have had a few family discussions about bird hunting dogs. I had vocalized a firm veto against dogs and puppies. Much to my dismay, the three of them had conspired to acquire some German Shorthaired Pointer puppies on their way home from their trip to Iowa. As they rolled home after being gone for several days, the first thing they unloaded was a dog box with two jovial female puppies that ran wildly all over our front yard. I was severely outnumbered, and the boys were already in love with these dogs.
So that is how Shelby and Yenko (the dogs) came to be part of our family story. Every morning, our youngest son wakes up early to go let out his Pekin ducks onto the pond. We had lost of couple this summer and now have to pen them up to protect them from predators at night. He stops by the dog pen and lets the puppies out to run around and play a game of fetch. Their formal hunting training is slowly beginning by learning to walk and obey some simple commands.
I have been impressed by all of them consistently playing with the dogs, scooping poop and making sure they have feed and water every day. There have been a few times when they have been out of town this past month and we have helped them with their chores but for the most part, they are taking responsibility for this new adventure. They love the dogs and the dogs love them.
I often think about what life might look like if we downsized animals and the amount of yard and field work that needs to be done. Then I laugh, that would be so boring. As we have now officially sent our oldest child off to college, I am thankful we have always lived out here on the farm. There have always been animals to feed, water and scoop poop after. There has never been a short-age of responsibility and love.
I am happy to report that our oldest daughter is enjoying her college classes and is getting to them on time. She has embraced the dorm laundry mat, the dining hall and has even taken on paying some of her own bills. If learning some responsibility at an early age on the farm can be attributed to that, I think we can call child rearing on this farm a success, neighbor.
Jody Harris is a freelance communications specialist, gardener, ranch wife and mother of four. She and her family raise Angus beef cattle and other critters on their northwest Arkansas ranch. She is a graduate of Missouri State University. To contact Jody, go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’
