Jade, with the Swalls in their orchard, left, retrieves a duck decoy, above.
Eating the profits Jade is so fond of the family crop, she sometimes stuffs several walnuts in her mouth at once, chewing on them like a bone until she gets to the tasty treat inside. In fact, Lee Swall said Jade is a bit “rotund” from eating so many walnuts, and sometimes so stuffed on them she doesn’t want to eat dinner. One of her favorite things to do is go to the farm’s walnut dehydrator at night during harvest to feast on leftover nuts. “Her favorite activity is to walk around and gleanwalnuts. And it’s not uncommon for her to have two or even three walnuts in her mouth. Just walking around, smelling, looking for walnuts,” he said, laughing. Unconditional loyalty Lindsey Swall talked about the emotional support Jade and other dogs give farmers. “Farmers work hard to provide for others, and their job is never ending. Farming can be taxing both mentally and physically, so it takes a strong dog to support us in what we do,” she said. “Mental health is a topic often neglected on the farm, which is why it is important to highlight the work that dogs do to support farmers.” Swall and her family—which also includes mother Serena and sisters Kelsey and Amy—live in the same house her great-grandfather built on the family’s land in Tulare more than 80 years ago. When the workday is done, Jade curls up inside on her mat and cuddles with the family’s two cats, Cheddar and Gouda. “During our day-to-day, Jade is a familiar face that reminds us that we do what we love. She runs to meet us everywhere we go on the farm and is always by our side,” Swall said. Her father agreed. “(She’s) somebody to be along with you, even when you’re by yourself, working on equipment or going to town and back for parts or in the office,” he said. “They’re always glad to see you. The tail’s always wagging.”
Photo by Taylor Perry
Hondo with Wyatt Perry on the family rice farm.
First Place Hondo, Australian shepherd Brett Perry, Colusa County
Hondo, 5, is named after the 1953 Western film starring John Wayne. Owner Brett Perry described Hondo as a fun, energetic dog that enjoys going to work on his family’s rice farm in Maxwell, accompanying Perry as he’s checking rice boxes and drip lines in the orchards, hauling hay, fixing machinery and working cattle. Perry said Hondo, who has his own Instagram account, keeps life entertaining with his quirks. “One of these quirks is his odd choice of seating. You can find Hondo sitting on the fuel pump in the back of a pickup or sitting on your thigh in the side-by-side. He always has to have his butt propped up on something,” he said. “Having him around while working makes the long days go by faster and eases the tensions when equipment breaks down and things don’t go right,” Perry said, adding Hondo is so eager to help, he sometimes sleeps in the bed of the truck at night. “Work feels less like work when Hondo is around.”
Judy Farah jfarah@californiabountiful.com
Powered by FlippingBook