The Farm is Growing

I must admit, I didn't know the Peace For All International compound was going to become a farm. I knew there was a project helping disadvantaged women learn to raise egg-laying hens more effectively, humanely and sustainably, but I didn't know the chickens would be onsite - especially not 1000! At this stage they are still small and fluffy, although they are growing (and eating) fast. In no time there will be a lot of "singing" adult females here....

It is funny how in life sometimes we go full circle. I used to volunteer at a vet clinic (about 15 years ago), and actually planned to become a vet at one point. As well, for the past 5 years I have been working on improving farm animal welfare. I never imagined that when working in human security in Uganda I would be right back to where I was before. Every week I have to climb in with the hens and vaccinate, one by one. It's kind of fun. At least I know everything is being done humanely.

But the hens aren't the only ones sharing this space. Each day there seems to be a new arrival. Yesterday, two turkeys joined us. A few days before, five jungle fowl. A bit before that there was a goat. No one is planning to eat anyone, thankfully, and they are here simply to teach about humane and sustainably farming. I made the president of the organization promise me...once he agreed I started working with the local folks to name them. So far we have come up with names for three of the jungle fowl:

Mungufeni - Gift from god
Asienju - Peace
Mundu - Whitey

Having these folks sure makes for a colourful morning! The sounds of all the birds is quite an alarm clock, especially since the night beds for the turkeys and jungle fowl are right behind my mud hut - RIGHT behind...

Cockle-doodle-doo!

(as I write this at 5am because I can't really sleep with all the singing)

Note: Farming is growing in this region. By teaching people about more humane farming and negative effects of large-scale, intensive factory farming, I hope we are able to create a natural, local opposition to massive farms that are sooner or later going to try and set up here.