Shall We Gather At The River
June 26th, 2006 by Northern FarmerToday a lot got done around here again, but this time it was finally around the farm yard instead of out in the fields. I was pretty refreshed today after a wonderful Sunday and even a Saturday evening with Pastor Josh and family stopping in for a visit that evening. Sunday’s service was wonderful as always ending about twelve thirty and then we stay around for at least another half an hour talking with folks. Easy to do out here with zero traffic and a beautiful summer day. June is just a beautiful month with the trees so green and full.
But we got home and at a quick dinner, because we had to move 150 three week old chicks to the chicken pasture. We were going to do that Saturday afternoon but the lightening bolts put an end to that. No need for a fried farmer working with the chickens. So after eating we went to the brooder house to get the first box full of chicks and then hauled them down to the chicken tractor. Before putting them in the tractor I figured we should move it to a different position, much easier before the chicks are put in. As I was getting ready for the move I heard a metal on metal noise near by and then it dawned on me, hey, that’s the live trap! Alright!! It was only a couple of feet away from my foot so I leaned down there to take a look, seen something black in there, (lookin good!), and stuck my nose closer to get a better look on our catch when I seen the white stripes. Oh brother! Well, technically a skunk is a weasel, so…….
Now I’m not nuts, so I wasn’t going to pick up the live trap and move it by hand, there was a bit of an aroma around it when you were down wind, lucky there was a breeze, that’s why I didn’t notice it at first. But after some computer like thinking I figured one of them four tine garden hoes would work, at least I’d have five feet of distance in between me and that pole cat. With some fancy maneuvering I got it away from our work area and would still be allowed in the house that evening so things were going good. Got the rest of the chickens moved and as we got finished up we had some friends from church stop over for a visit. Great time that afternoon, and they even came over to admire “Flowerâ€. Now, I’ve been collecting a lot of critters lately but this is where I draw the line, OK? Besides, I didn’t get the prints for the ark yet so the decision was made to teach that member of the weasel family better ways. Now rule #1 with a skunk, don’t shoot it if possible, it can ruin your social life, love life, family life and your own outlook on life for a few days. What do I do?
That evening after our friends left, (I saved this job till they left because I want to keep them as friends), a song kept coming into my mind. “Shall We Gather At The Riverâ€. Hmmm! That’s it! Yes! That would take care of that weasels family members transgressions, dirty chicken killers, so I decided in full immersion. Perfect. So using trusty four tine hoe to pick up the trap, placed it in the little trailer behind the four wheeler we headed for the river. Family, some extended family, both adults and children came for the event. Although they stayed a respectful distance away from yours truly. We arrived at the river and parked on our homemade bridge. After a brief ceremony the trap was lowered into the water and all the impurities were washed away. Now we figure being it is from the weasel family it might have a lot of impurities so the full emersion lasted a bit, like almost twenty four hours and today that skunk is guaranteed to be a different creature, never to kill chickens again or ever have the temptation even cross it’s mind.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Great story! I have no love for those things, either. Last year in the middle of the night our dog “discovered” a skunk just behind the house; the thing sprayed so close to the building that I thought it had come into the house itself! What a way to wake up! Took a while for that dog to be welcomed back into the house.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
“……so I decided in full immersion.”
Always effective for all critters, human or otherwise! (grin)
Though I don’t know if (flower) had a chance to call upon the name of the Lord, or receive the gift of the Holt Spirit, so I don’t think regeneration will be possible, spiritual or physical. I do think he may have been contemplating the error of his ways (entering that trap) and quite willing to repent of them, if given the chance.
“After a brief ceremony the trap was lowered into the water and all the impurities were washed away. Now we figure being it is from the weasel family it might have a lot of impurities so the full emersion lasted a bit, like almost twenty four hours and today that skunk is guaranteed to be a different creature, never to kill chickens again or ever have the temptation even cross it’s mind.”
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11)
I always like the way that verse sounded in the KJV - ‘reckon’ ‘indeed’ - quite “flower-ly” language! (::grin::)
June 26th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
Tom:
This is hysterically funny. Fantastic post.
June 27th, 2006 at 3:57 am
poor poor Flower, he was so cute in the movie!
never a dull moment at your place, is it Tom, :0
have a great day!
June 27th, 2006 at 5:42 am
Great post. It is amazing how we have to think quickly when you live out in the country.
Scott, loved your humorous response.
By the way, our dogs have “found” skunks several times. We take 3 quarts of hydrogen peroxide 3/4 cup of baking soda, and 3 squirts of dish soap. You mix that together put it on the dog and rinse. It takes the smell away. If the dog gets wet again in the next week or so, there is a faint smell of skunk, but that is it.
June 27th, 2006 at 7:31 am
Good thinking with that skunk, I made the mistake of shooting one in the barn some years ago, naturally he crawled into the return chute of the barn cleaner to die and STINK!
June 27th, 2006 at 8:54 am
I like the full submersission. WE had a friend catch one also a while back. The DNR told him to shoot it. He only at a 22. Needless to say after 15 shots and a lot of smell. The skunk was finally dead. Your way was the best way.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:31 am
Very funny, Tom! Good old “country bumpkin” ingenuity put into practice. We haven’t seen - or smelled - any of “Flower’s” kith and kin around here yet but I imagine once we get our birds outside permanently, the word will spread among the predator population. I’ll have to remember the full immersion method. By the way, my husband loved your tale about tying the rooster to the tree to bag the fox. He said he could only imagine what the poor bird would have been saying if he could talk….”Um, what are you doing there? Hey! Where are you going?!! Don’t leave me!! Heeeelp!”
June 27th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
I’m a country person, been living on a farm all my life. I fully recognize the need to dispose of predators but believe in doing so in a humane way. Unless I misunderstood, the skunk was drowned? They’re all God’s creatures, predators and otherwise. Please, folks, be humane. There’s no need to let an animal suffer in death. I’m not a fanatical PETA type person. Just a Christian who believes that God is concerned with all his creation. If we have to dispose of something, shooting is the best answer. The stink goes away. Ask me how I know. *grin*
June 27th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Lynn,
Oh yes! That’s always the big one, dog and skunk by the house, ee-gad! I hate that when that happens!
Scott,
That got me laughing!!! Thank you!
Christina,
Thanks, but to tell you the truth there were some nerve wracking moments, but all’s well!
Janice,
Thanks!
I know, seems like there’s always some big adventure around here
Marci,
Thanks! And also thank you for the de-smeller recipie, I wonder if it would work on me too
Brent,
Oh man, I can just see and smell that, and that’s exactly how it goes too. There’s something about a skunk that’ll always work against a person. Thanks!
PJ,
Thanks!
Yup, I know, sometimes they’re hard to kill and then they stink everything up to high heaven. Around here the DNR is kinda regarded a little skunky too, but that’s another story
Emily,
We’ve been having lots of predator action here lately, with the predators losing. Oh, and that rooster still is dragging around the twine, keep it on him for a quick-tach, never know when he’ll come in handy again!
Down Home Farm Girl,
I beleive that full immersion is better than sprinkling, (with lead).
Thanks for dropping by. Now, I never like to debate subjects as emotional as a skunk, now that I know somebody likes them, so I’ll refer you to the comments above from Brent and PJ. Believe me, I’ve shot alot of skunks in my time and I truely feel no guilt about gathering at the river
July 1st, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Poor Skunk
July 1st, 2006 at 3:59 pm
p.s. If it was killing my chickens I’d kill it too but I would still think….Poor skunk….
July 1st, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Patti,
Well, not really 
Yea, I know, I feel so guilty