I missed writing my blog last week as I had hoped to do.  I found our beautiful Great Pyrenees dog, Hannah, in the ditch Thursday morning.  As we pieced things together we realized she had been hit the previous night.  I have been overwhelmed emotionally and physically.  Now her vitality is stronger and her infection diminishing, but it is far from clear if she will be able to use her rear legs.  And, like a traumatized human, she has to face fears she has never had before. The vet showed us how she must sit up on her front elbows as a first step towards walking.  We have tried a few times, with Jerry hoisting her up by a strap underneath her chest while I try to get her to relax her front legs and sit.  She would rather resist.  However, the motivation is powerful: raw meat!  Did I mention that Hannah is a VERY LARGE DOG?  She’s come a long way, but there’s that disturbing UNKNOWN about her back legs.  No run?  No fun.  I won’t put an animal through that for very long. 

Jerry received the book “THE SHEER ECSTASY OF BEING A LUNATIC FARMER” by Joel Salatin last week as a gift. (www.amazon.com/Sheer-Ecstasy…Lunatic-Farmer/…/0963810960) I’ve heard Mr. Salatin speak, heating up a room with passion and exuberance, as well as seeing him in movies like “FRESH”.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbXU5iR2P4) He is a potent writer as well, revealing how his family recovered soil on their devastated farmland in the Shenendoah Valley and the ongoing practices that make his soil, animals, and family thrive.  I know that when I see cows and calves confined or cattle out grazing in pastures which one makes my heart sing.  I’m proud of the work that Jerry has done here to set up rotational grazing paddocks for our neighbors’ heifers.  I’ve seen those grasses grow thick and plentiful in just a few years.  This is noble and inspiring work indeed.

Hey!  I don’t think that I’ve put in a plug for the documentary “FARMING FORWARD”.  Jerry, my father Willard (long time environmentalist), and even our beautiful dogs Hannah and Zaphyre are in it, as well as a host of growers and sellers of sustainably grown food.  Film makers Martin Lang and Ethan Marxhausen set out to explore the positive future of farming in Minnesota and they accomplished their goal perfectly.  Check out some sme scenes, read a review, or even purchase your own copy at http://www.sfa-mn.org/farming_forward.php.

P. S. I also shared the screen with Hannah the Dog in my music video of “I LIKE GARLIC.”  Take a tour of our farm and see me lip sync (it’s not that easy!!!) by going to: http://www.youtube.com/user/mariennekreitlow  It’s also on my “GARLIC & OTHER FORCES OF NATURE” CD.

Remember, I love hearing from you!