(Well, maybe we could, but we'd be really tired and cranky.)
 
Several AMAZING people now help us out at the farm. Every one of them has a fantastic way with the animals, and they are each graced with an excellent sense of humour, which is helpful when you are about to do a faceplant in a pile of manure while chasing a pig who needs a shot of Ivomec.

Their smiles are all geniune, and they warm our hearts. We are deeply touched by the great care and attention these people all give to our animals. 

A huge shout-out and big thanks to the crew at Bee Meadow Farm who help me keep my sanity, and make is possible for Gordon and I to spend our free time doing things other than shovelling poop and scrubbing dirty buckets. And thanks for letting me post your photos here, too. 

grace

Grace has been coming to the farm for many years, first to cuddle cats, then to ride Finney the pony, and now she has taken on handsome Flash as well. He is her main equine squeeze.

She regularly does barn chores here, and the animals love her. She also likes hanging out with the horses, especially her Flash. She has ridden almost all the equines here at the farm, including Saul the donkey and Ella the Percheron.

Grace can now throw hay bales with the best of them, and is accomplished at anything and everything that needs doing here at the farm.

We are lucky to have Grace in our lives!

Photo of Grace with Flash, credit © Deborah Wilson Deborah Wilson Photography

kirsty

When our friend and neighbour Kirsty isn’t working as a pet relocation manager, she can often be found here at the farm doing chores and snuggling lambs (and dogs and cats and horses and…) She has a really lovely way with animals! She’s also ready and willing to do anything asked of her here, and it’s such a pleasure having her around.

Kirsty is originally from Australia but has lived in several countries and has travelled extensively. We’re glad she now calls Glengarry home. When not cuddling lambs, she can often be found cuddling her English Mastiffs Arnold (250 lbs!) and Indiana Jones (140 lbs) Kirsty dreams of owning a rescue farm herself one day.

Thank you, Kirsty, for all your help and kindness towards our animals!

JOSEANNE

Joseanne worked here for almost six years, and will always be a part of the place! She is now the barn manager of a large animal sanctuary in Kemptville, and loves spending time with her horses Cookie and Quinn.

•••

Joseanne is an accomplished equestrian, and sometimes when she finishes her chores early, she hops on Sandy the Fjord horse (often bareback!) and gives her a workout. Joseanne is also an expert at cuddling foster kittens. She has a soft spot for our donkey Saul, and she has been teaching him a number of tricks.

Joseanne loves all the animals here... except the rats and mice. Let's just say she usually leaves those critters to the cats to deal with, although lately the rats have come to fear her. And the turkeys. She’s not a fan of turkeys.

We know that whatever path Jo chooses in life, she'll excel at it. When Joseanne isn't at busy our farm, she can be found barrel-racing her amazing Paint horse Cookie, bonding with her new horse Quinn, or teaching little kids to ride. 

Photo of Joseanne with Cookie, credit © Deborah Wilson Deborah Wilson Photography

kim

Kim has now married and moved east to New Brunswick, but she used to work at the farm. She and Monty have a thing! She and Finney the pony have an even bigger thing, because she worked with Finney to transform him from Ass Pony to... FANCY PONY! 

When she wasn't sweet-talking her chestnut pony boy, Kim could be found doing pretty much any of the other barn chores around here. She attacked everything with military precision and a smile. She still visits from time to time and the animals are always happy to see her (us too!)

Kim does get pretty excited over watermelons, though. Almost as excited as the pigs do!

Thank you, Kim, for all your help.

JACKIE

Jackie is the animal whisperer. She used to spend hours looking after absolutely everything here (this after working hard all week in Montreal!) And she knows just where to give Kevin the goat a good scratch!

Jackie loves all animals but her favourite place on the farm is down with the birds. She enjoys spending time with the chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, quail... she even cuddles the turkeys that everyone else wants to roast!

Jackie always has great ideas and suggestions for making the animals' lives better.

How can you not love someone who holds your goat kid's back legs for the vet, gets squirted with the fetid contents of said goat's HUGE lanced abscess, and never utters a complaint?

Thank you, Jackie. We are so glad we met you!

jack

Jack began his Bee Meadow Farm “career” by volunteering for us for 40 hours. He did such a good job, we hired him on! Jack comes once a week to do barn chores. He is a whiz at cleaning the goat house! Sometimes he gets butted by Kevin, sometimes he gets stuck in our icy laneway, but he’s always got a smile on his face and is ready to work. Here he is with his box-stall supervisor Missy, who highly approves of Jack’s work! Thank you for all your help, Jack. Missy wants you to stay forever. Unfortunately, university was calling your name…

Photo credit © Ang Waterton Moment.us Photography

ALYSSA

Alyssa has been working here for a couple of years now. She is a lovely, quiet presence at the farm, and she has a special way with the animals. Our foster cat Kwazii (RIP) was one of her favs. She is a true friend to our animals. She loves our donkey Saul and has been known to slip him a bag of his favourite mints.

Alyssa is a conscientious, hard and reliable worker who has mad skills for cleaning box stalls! She’s a smart, capable young woman who will go far in life. We’re so happy to have her working here. Thank you, Alyssa! You’re the best.

Alyssa is now pursuing film studies at Carleton University in Ottawa!

SHARRON the CAT WHISPERER

Sharron works magic with our foster cats. She volunteers many hours at the farm, cuddling, playing with, and caring for our foster cats and kittens. She also sweeps, vacuums, mops, does dishes, scoops cat poop, cleans windows, and helps us get ready for fundraisers and special events. She also brings us all sorts of goodies for the kitties! And Sharron is our cat rehab specialist. She helps turn shy felines into loving, adoptable pets, with a little help from sardines. She makes life happier for all the kitties while they are in our foster rooms, giving them the kind of TLC most cats can only dream of. You will often see Sharron here at the farm, quietly working away in the background. Her ability to bond with cats is very special. We are so lucky to have Sharron as a friend and a volunteer here. Sharron also fell in love with and adopted our one-eyed foster kitten Georgie! Cats make Sharron smile, and Sharron makes us smile. Thank you, Cat Whisperer!

We stopped fostering and adopting out cats in 2022 but we thank Sharron for her years of help!

ROBERT

Robert comes twice a week to do barn chores. He's a retired guy who likes to keep busy and he keeps the coops and pig pen spic-and-span. He also picks up and drops off grain and wood shavings for us. Robert is one of the few here who appreciates our turkeys and admires their awesomeness.

Robert is reliable, honest, trustworthy, and a pleasure to have around, and we hope he never retires from the farm. Apparently he's also the world's best grandpa to the little humans in his life!

Robert retired from farm chores in 2022.

MALCOLM

Malcolm helps out once a week in summer and on PD days during the school year. He does AMAZING work, and on top of that, he creates artwork in the goats' supper pans. It is always a pleasure to have Malcolm around. He works hard, he works fast, he's independent, and he's always flashing that great smile of his. Malcolm loves animals and it shows. 

I asked him if he would quit school to come work at the farm, but wisely, he said no. Somehow I can't blame him.

Thank you for all your hard work, Malcolm. We are looking forward to the next PD day!

bethany

Bethany used to work at the farm twice a week. She always has that lovely smile on her face! She’s reliable, responsible and a joy to have around. Anything you ask of her, she’ll do without complaint, and she loves all the animals, but ESPECIALLY the foster kittens. She has two cats of her own and a Newfoundland dog named Piper.

Thank you, Bethany, for being a true friend to our animals, and a hard worker to boot!

Bethany is now in university in Ottawa. She is also an amazingly talented bagpiper!