When Cassandra Conety came by to help with morning farm chores when Maria was in India, she impressed me in many ways, one was the businesslike and efficient way in which she scraped and raked the manure out of the barn. Farm kids know how to do stuff.

I mentioned this to Maria when she came back, and this sparked her very competitive instincts, I could tell she didn’t like the idea that Cassandra was scooping out the barn so well (nothing personal, Cassandra, she is just not as gentle as she sometimes appears, she is half Sicilian).

She tried to show me her new raking technique, and I unthinkingly blew her off and got into trouble. Then I kind of embraced Cassandra’s technique, which was to use the rake turned upside down, all the better to collect the small sheep pellets, as opposed to the much larger horse or donkey droppings.

This week, Maria upped the game a bit, she came out with a broad and heavy shovel and scoops the pellets into a pile, and then removes them. This, I must admit, is impressive, as good as Cassandra’s technique and it might even be easier. I dare not say this, for fear of enabling her further and encouraging her competitiveness.

I am raking my half the old-fashioned way, but may soon switch to the back-of-the-rake concept. The Pole Barn is looking good.