Mailbag – Fall 2022

ANIMAL RIGHTS IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM

Dan Needles unfairly demeans the intelligence of sheep (“Animal Rights in the Laundry Room”, Summer 2022). For instance, sheep can recognize the faces of up to 50 original flock-mates two years after they were placed in a different flock. Sheep can also read the emotions on the faces of others, preferring to enter a door with a picture of a contented (just fed) sheep, while avoiding a second door showing a stressed (very hungry) sheep. In northern England, one enterprising sheep learned to cross a cattle grate by lying down and rolling over it. When we look closely, animals defy biases we have developed against them to ease any misgivings we may feel when we exploit them for their body parts.

Jonathan Balcombe, Belleville

Y’ALL REALLY NAILED IT

I wanted to email you about the Summer 2022 edition of Watershed. Y’all really nailed it on this one. My parents live in Belleville and pick up a copy every time a new one is out.

This edition got high praise from my stickler mother. When I told her I was going to send you an email about the stand-out edition, I asked her to point out some highlights. She said the article that made her actually laugh out loud while reading it was “Animal Rights in the Laundry Room.”

Please pass her praise on to your contributors and of course take some for yourselves too. Editors need love too!

Kate (on behalf of her mother, Sharon), Belleville

A SUCCESSFUL AD CAMPAIGN

Our ad in Watershed was part of a campaign we undertook to help increase membership which had dwindled from about 95 down to 65 during Covid. This year we have 62 returning members … and 71 brand new ones! The 133 total is more than we have seen in 20 years. You could say our ad campaign worked.

Bob Bates, Treasurer, Cobourg Lawn Bowling Club

OPTIMISM, FAITH AND GOOD WEATHER

Always enjoy this gem of a magazine. Thank you to everyone who pulls this together. I particularly enjoyed the farming feature (“Optimism, Faith and Good Weather”, Summer 2022 Issue). Because I live in downtown Toronto, I am as far removed from farm life as one can possibly be. Thank you for giving a revealing overview of all the hardworking farm folk. Oftentimes we take farmers for granted. Your spotlight is deserving of many kudos.

William Leith, Toronto

Correction – Our feature, “Optimism, Faith and Good Weather” in the Summer issue stated that the early practitioners of agriculture in the Bay of Quinte region were the Mohawks and the United Empire Loyalists. We neglected to mention that the Mississaugas also had a long-standing agricultural tradition throughout the area. Thanks to Chris Amos of Colborne for pointing this . . . omission out to us.