| Visiting
with Curington is more educational than a trip to the zoo. You will see
her 24 dogs that trace her every move, the Dominecker and feather-legged
chickens that are as unique as they are colorful, the 33-year-old horse
to which she has attachments equal to those of a family member and the
baby goat which she bottle feeds and has potty-trained. You’ll hear
about the calf to which she gave mouth-to-mouth respiration and the cow
she coached into taking the calf of a mother that rejected it. And you
will also see the garden and orchard that rival ones found in Better
Homes and Gardens. Curington feasts on their bounty in the summertime
and cans what she needs for the winter.
When she was asked,
"What would you do if you couldn’t live in the country?"
Curington’s answer
combined seriousness and humor.
"I’d starve
because I couldn’t afford to buy the fruits and vegetables I now grow
in my orchard and garden. I prefer home-grown beef, pork, chicken and
eggs to the store-bought kind," she added. "More than that, I
would not want to live without the love and companionship of my
animals."
Curington is a member of
the DeKalb Farmers Co-op in Rainsville, where she purchases her farm
supplies.
Conservation is important
to Curington. She feels it extends the life of the natural resources
which give her the country lifestyle she treasures so highly. She said
her farm experiences keep her busy, but not necessarily trouble-free.
"When I make it to
the bed, I have no problem going to sleep!" she laughed.
Cecil Gant is
Coordinator for the Sand Mountain/Lake Guntersville Watershed
Conservation District. |
