LUGLIO
ANIMAL POWERED SOLUTIONS ARE VITAL TO THE
CA’ MUSU FARM.
FOLLOWING NATURE MEANS ACCEPTING BIODIVERSITY IN ALL ITS FORMS, ANIMALS INCLUDED.
ALONG WITH THE ARRAY OF WILDLIFE WITNESSED ROAMING THE PROPERTY, WE HAVE INTRODUCED A SMALL, BUT MIGHTY, FARM FAMILY TO LEND A HAND (OR HOOF! OR PAW!).
WHO ARE THE ANIMAL FRIENDS THAT WORK ALONGSIDE US? WHAT ARE THEIR STORIES?
BUSTER.
HE IS OUR ENGINE. INDISPENSABLE, VERSATILE AND FUNNY.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD. HE IS A SUFFOLK PUNCH DRAFT HORSE, A RARE BREED WHOSE ORIGINS ARE IN THE UK. LESS THAN 700 OF THESE ANIMALS ARE KNOWN TO RESIDE IN AMERICA.
BUSTER WAS THE FIRST HORSE WE LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE. TRAINED AND CARED FOR BY OUR MENTOR AND GOOD FRIEND. HE IS SMART, KIND, AND OCCASIONALLY A BIT OF A RASCAL! IN THE SUMMER HIS COAT, SHORT AND SHINY, SMELLS OF HOT DOGS. IN THE WINTER, HIS HAIR GROWS LONG AND FUZZY, ARMORING HIM FROM THE FRIGID WINDS. HIS MUSTACHE FORMS A DISTINCT HANDLEBAR TO PROTECT HIS SUPPLE UPPER LIP.
WHAT DOES BUSTER DO? WHAT DOESN’T HE DO! MOVING HEAVY LOADS ON THE FARM, OF COURSE. ASSISTING IN THE VINEYARDS WITH A BESPOKE SPRAY CART. MOWING GRASS WHEN THE SEASON ALLOWS, ONE NIBBLE AT A TIME.
A COMFORTING PRESENCE, HE QUIETLY LISTENS AS WE SOMETIMES VENT OUR FRUSTRATIONS, ONLY INTERRUPTED BY A PUNCTUAL FLATULENCE- WE TOLD YOU HE WAS FUNNY!
BASKETBALL CAT.
WHAT IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT A MAGICAL FELINE? RUMORED TO BE OVER 21 YEARS OLD, THIS GOLDEN GIRL HAS NEVER REVEALED HER TRUE AGE AND A GENTLEMAN NEVER ASKS.
MANY YEARS AGO BASKETBALL CAT WAS KNOWN AS FAT LOUIE, AND WAS AN EXPERT MOUSER WHO KEPT BUSTER’S FORMER BARN RODENT FREE.
LIVING HER BEST LIFE ON OUR FARM FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SHE NO LONGER HUNTS. INSTEAD, HER EXPERIENCE IS BETTER SUITED TO MANAGING PROJECTS ON THE FARM. SHE ALWAYS LETS US KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME TO TAKE A MANDATORY BREAK FOR A tender, THERAPEUTIC PETTING SESSION; WELL DESERVED BY BOTH PARTICIPANTS.
SLEEPING MOST OF THE DAY (AND NIGHT), HER GENTLE SNORES BRING SOLACE. THERE ISN’T VERY MUCH THAT DISTURBS BASKETBALL CAT FROM HER SLUMBER, APART FROM A PASSING THUNDERSTORM.
WEE MAMS
DON’T LET THE YOUTHFUL AND ADORABLE FACE FOOL YOU- THIS PRETTY KITTY KICKS ASS! HER HUNTING PROWESS IS ESSENTIAL, BUT HER OTHER TALENTS ARE JUST AS IMPRESSIVE.
ABLE TO HOLD A CONVERSATION WITH A VARIETY OF MEOWS PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD OF. SHE IS JUST AS COMFORTABLE WALKING THE ENTIRETY OF THE FARM, HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE.
WHEN THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE IN THE VINEYARD, WEE MAMS WANTS TO BE THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. WHAT’S THAT? IS SHE MEOWING WITH HER MOUTH FULL? A SURE SIGN THAT A PEST HAS MET ITS DEMISE. HOW LONG WAS SHE STALKING IT? HER PATIENCE IS ADMIRABLE. HER FEROCITY, INTIMIDATING.
WHEN ELISE STEPS OFF THE FARM, WEE MAMS KNOWS IT’S TIME TO FIND MIMMO. HE NEEDS ATTENTION AND HE NEEDS IT NOW! IF MIMMO IS TWENTY MINUTES LATE FOR PRANZO, YOU KNOW WHO TO BLAME.
LE SIGNORE
TWENTY LOVELY LADIES. FOUR DIFFERENT BREEDS. LOADS OF EGGS. SIGNIFICANTLY LESS BUGS. WHO NEEDS TV WHEN THE CHICKEN CHANNEL CAN’T BE BEAT. ALWAYS AN ENTERTAINING AND HUMOROUS WATCH.
EACH BREED HAS A DIFFERENT TENDENCY. CINNAMON QUEENS LOVE TO LAY. BLACK AUSTRALORPS ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND THE WORM FIRST AND KEEP PREDATORY BIRDS AWAY FROM THE FLOCK. LAVENDER ORPINGTONS ARE EQUALLY ALOOF AND CURIOUS. THE BUFF ORPINGTONS ARE AFFECTIONATE ABOVE ALL ELSE. EACH BIRD HAS A DISTINCT PERSONALITY. SNUGGLE WITH LANI, THE CUDDLIEST OF HENS!
OLD TIMERS INFORMED US THAT IT WAS A SAD DAY WHEN THE ANIMALS MOVED OFF THEIR FARM. NO TRACTOR, OR TOY, COULD EVER REPLACE THAT SPECIAL BOND.
NOI SIAMO CA' MUSU.