I didn't give much in the way of holiday updates, and unless you have been following the scarcely documented story that is my life for the past several years, you will not have heard a farm story.
My parents run an emu farm. If my brother ever starts an antiflux log, he might tell some of the more disturbing tales. But I should mention this ramp we built over the holidays.
Emus need shelter. On Vancouver Island, the weather is nice enough that they don't need fully enclosed barns or heating or anything like that. But they are provided with some sort of roof in case they notice they are milling about in the rain.
One such shelter is a converted semi-trailer container, which in this case has a door in the side and doors in the back. A floor has been built in the front two-thirds of the structure, which gives it a second level about four feet off the ground. Possessing no real ability to climb, the emus would be unable to reach the second floor of these deluxe accomodations. So we built a ramp.
The work crew consisted of myself, Brian and Dad. Or the three, I am the least skilled at (among other such handy things) carpentry. My job mostly involves carrying things to the site and holding fence while nails and screws attach it to the ramp.
The result was a ramp that will last for generations. The boards used are about fifteen feet long, two inches thick and the total width is about three feet (comfortable for emu and emu farmer alike). Fencing lines either side in case of slips or panic (emus panic sometimes). "These fucking emus live better than I do," Brian exclaimed at one point. We only hope the emus use and enjoy the ramp.
Posted by warcode at January 07, 2003 10:40 AMi think it's time someone committed the sack o' kittens vs. barn door saga
to the internet. that is the sort of reality-based, true-to-life-on-the-farm
story that your readers are clamouring for.
i think the story about the bad dogs that weren't shadow would therefore also be appropriate. oh, and likely a story about how hot your sister is.
and pictures of the ramp too, please.
Posted by: r. on January 13, 2003 02:29 AMI guess I should elaborate. pictures are for reconnaisance in case I ever happen to be at your parents farm with a littlebike - prior knowledge of your surroundings is the best asset one can have as any competent littlebiker will tell you. oh, and I guess also because when I saw the word "ramp" in the subject "we built a ramp" my visual subsystem substituted in the word "jump" far before the meaning of this statement actually reached the conscious part of my brain and then it proceeded to draw for me pretty pictures in my mind's eye of me on a littlebike racing up to and jumping off warrens newly constructed ramp, clearing an emu or two, and landing in a manual and then maybe doing a powerslide in the mud (I assume that there might be mud where there are emus. don't ask me why). I think I better paint this tomorrow at work.
Posted by: r. on January 13, 2003 02:38 AM