Percy has arrived and while Percy might be considered a somewhat predictable name for a pig it has been carefully considered. Percy is named after Percy Jackson. My 13 year old daughter Natalya is in charge of all naming protocols on our property and her process is simple. Generally animals are named after her favorite fictional character when they arrive.
It became clear to us that a process was necessary after our first venture into animal husbandry nearly 11 years ago. When we moved into our property there were three cows already in residence. They belonged to the previous owner, Tom. Given all of the changes a foot when we moved from our suburban 700 square meter plot he offered to continue to tend the “herd” while we settled in. He lived just 3 doors down on the opposite side of the road so the arrangement was a blessing for us. The land was essentially bare apart from a very small, very old wooden cottage in one corner, a car port and a big old garage with huge old freezer work doors that gave it an ominous appearance from the road. Quite how any of the buildings were still standing is testament to the virtues of lead laced paint from the 1960s. The carport was held together by the world’s largest, most productive passion fruit vine that kept the entire neighborhood supplied with delicious delicacies. It was legendary, until we killed it through neglect that was, we clearly had a lot to learn.
Natalya loved the cows with their huge brown eyes, dribbles and gurgles as they drank from their trough. When Tom wondered up the road to fill the water troughs Natalya would run to the window to greet him, knowing the cows would also come to see him. One morning we asked him if the cows had names. He looked Natalya in the eye, smiled and raised his arm, steering her gaze around the paddock, he identified the cows, One, Two and Three. Natalya was delighted, she could say one, two and three amongst a handful of other words and she repeated the names after him. It was the perfect plan.
As time went on Tom would come less often to check on the cows, having seen that we were capable of the responsibility, even if we had killed the passion fruit vine much to the disgust of the neighbours. Cows have always been such great animals to have on the property, so easy to care for, gentle and calm. Although, as I write these words I’m registering that most of the cows we’ve had have given us stories worthy of telling. After several months the time came for the cows to leave our paddocks, arrangements were made and we, with the guidance of Tom herded them down the road to his paddocks. As we counted them out of the gate, one, two and three Natalya looked up at us with a look of disbelief and despair. The first through the gate was apparently Three, followed by One, with Two at the rear. This was not a topic for discussion and Tom’s smile and nod offered all the arbitration needed. There was no doubt, we had been unfocused and inattentive. So, Natalya is in charge of names around these parts.
P.S. Percy is a sow.