Up in the country, you find people when you most need them or they find you. Ray Telford is a handyman with a genial, honest nature and good ideas. He helped us rebuild the back of the barn, which had been steadily eaten by the donkeys over the past few years.

He put up new boards and heavy chicken wire. He just build two new gates for the back of the Pole Barn, to keep the animals in for shearing or vet visits. He’s putting hinges on the other two gates, this is where people stand during the Open House to watch the shearing (Saturday, Columbus Day Weekend, 2 p.m.).

Ray is also going to take out that ugly plastic window on the side and replace it with an old barn window. A farm is a needy child, it always needs something, and one never gets to all of the things that need to be done.

The barn is probably 200 years old, it needs some love. We are grateful to have Ray in our lives.