Farewell to Penny

​It is no surprise that death and new life are often intermingled.  

On December 31, in the waning hours of 2021 our friend Sage came and helped us put our goat matriarch down (euthanize).  I have been present at times of death before.  I remember sitting vigil with my brother and at his time of passing called out, “I think he died.”  At that point his breathes were so far a part and his passing so gradual that the moment of death was very soft.  I’ve been witness to the time of death when we have butchered cows. Sometimes it has been a smooth passing and sometimes it has been hard.  For Penny it quick.  Karin and I held her, reassuring her of our presence and of calm, I began to hum softly (probably more to soothe myself) and then with the final needle her breath stopped immediately.  One moment her lungs were inflating and then next there was absolute stillness.  It was very final. 

Penny came to our farm with her daughter Amy in April of 2019.  She was gentle, her eyes conveyed wisdom. She was calm and attentive.  Since then she’s birthed 7 more beautiful kids who’ve gone on to other farms at this point.  But Penny struggled to maintain health and enough fat on her to make it through the winter.  She had a bad bacterial infection in the end.  

I am grateful for the ease with which we were able to journey with her in her final journey, and for the accompaniment of Sage and Karin.  Thank you to all those that have come to Kingfisher Farm visited her through the years.  She was well-loved.