Fundraising -- 2009 Desk Calendars

The latest 2009 desk calendars are in and available at a cost of $20. Of this, $10 pays for the calendar and the postage to send it to you. $10 is a donation to the Reserve and for this Canadians receive an income tax receipt.

The 13 calendar photos are recent ones showing a year in the life of a fallow deer buck. We are always amazed at how much the deer change from one month to another!

The calendars are 210mm by 95mm and Jane McDonald's photos are reprinted on premium paper stock with a glossy finish.

To order, send a cheque payable to the Fallow Deer Reserve c/o 204 Simmons Road, RR2, Odessa ON Canada K0H 2H0. Allow one week for delivery in Canada.

Paper Stock: Premium, 215 gsm card stock with a glossy finish.

The rut continues

Here's a photo of Mike which shows how swollen the bucks' throats are in the rut (mating season) which has been experienced by our deer for the past two or three weeks. It is difficult for them to eat too much or to chew their cud. Also, they make a kind of deep "croaking" sound. We think the younger bucks (Spike, Moki and Buddy) are starting to come out of the rut as they are showing interest in grazing and are starting to eat hay when offered.

Everything old is new again

Jane draws water!

Allan and Don prepare the pump for final placement

Closeup of the McDougall pump

On Monday, October 13, Don Murphy assisted by Allan Park and Jane McDonald installed our "new", winter-ready hand pump. For Jane, this is the fulfillment of a dream held since childhood when she spent many happy hours in Boissevain, Manitoba where every house and garden had a mysterious backyard pump that magically brought cold, clear water from nowhere.

The pump was been lovingly and effectively restored by Don after his boss, Dennis Chadwick, donated the giant cast iron beauty that had been lying in one of his fields for years. The pump was made in Galt, Ontario by R.McDougall Company and there were traces of its orginal colour, forest green. It weighs many, many pounds, but thanks to Don's ingenuity and Allan's strength, it arrived safely at its new home on the Reserve.

This Thanksgiving, the deer and the deer keepers are very thankful for Don Murphy and Dennis Chadwick and for the simple wisdom of "old" technology.