The Walking Stick

There are many pieces of equipment that farm folks need. Items like tractors, welding equipment and gear, axes, saws, feed buckets, water hoses, good gloves to work fencing, vet wrap, etc. The list is probably endless and I've never met someone living on a farm who would say "no" to another tractor or other conveyance used to haul ________ (hay, critters, wood, feed, fill in the blank). I bought my husband his tractor for his birthday and I really have enjoyed driving it myself. It helps us take care of the animals who in turn take care of us and help us work the land. I think, however, my favorite piece of farm equipment is...my walking stick.

On our farm here in the Ozarks, you cannot take for granted that the ground on which you are about to tread is solid or level. You cannot take for granted that the "domesticated" livestock animals you are working around are not going to spook and react from their innate prey instinct which is usually to fight and /or fly. You cannot take for granted that a wild animal will not be lurking around or in your chicken coop, searching for eggs, chickens, chicks, ducks, ducklings, or "D", all of the above. You cannot take for granted that your docile Highland cattle are not going to crowd you or try to force you to give up some cookies. You cannot take for granted that your horses are your best buddies in the whole wide world and would never harm you unintentionally.

With my walking stick, I have a longer and higher reach, a stabilizing extra appendage for navigating rocky, steep and/or soggy ground, and I a light weight but useable weapon. I can push away something I don't want to come closer. I can use my stick to hold back brambles and thorns so I can pass through. My stick helps me to appear bigger and bigger (along with louder sometimes) usually wins the psychological intimidation game with critters. I can firmly tap a Highland horn from a safer distance and establish my higher ranking in the herd, backing off those that are pushing forward more assertively. I can walk up and down the rocky and sometimes incredibly steep slopes on our property and not worry that I will be rolling to the bottom of our valley and into the pond when gravelly footing unbalances me. I can walk through hay fields where the armadillos have burrowed and left a hidden gaping hole for the unwary foot. I can (and have!) launch an opossum through the air and out the chicken coop door with the greatest of ease. When I approach the sheep pen with my stick, I give a clear signal to my young (and learning) Anatolian female that when I say "enough!" I mean it. (Regarding this last statement, I never use the stick to physically correct our dogs; it is a prop I use, along with a deeper voice and intense face to enforce my command. It works...no physical force is necessary...partly because I'm alpha and that Anatolians are wickedly intelligent.)

You don't have to be old, feeble, crippled or timid to use a walking stick. You don't have to live on a farm or in the mountains to use a walking stick. You don't have to be an avid hiker to use a walking stick. You don't have to be short or tall, young or old, busy or leisurely to use a walking stick.

I got this walking stick on my one and only "I am a strong, independent woman and can vacation by myself" experiment back in the early 90s. I bought it at a small "artsy" store near Oxford, Maryland. I think it is birch, but I am not certain. It probably cost me all of $10, it is light weight and fits my hand well. I have lugged it around for nearly 20 years and I believe I found it's true worth here on the farm.

My walking stick, regardless of my purpose when I pick it up, is always ready for me to use when and if needed. And sometimes it merely says "walk with me and let us see".