There is a big difference between city life and farm life – as if you didn’t know. On the farm, alarm clocks (cockerels) start crowing at 04:00 in the morning – an assortments of animals and birds start the day with farm chatter cacophonies. The sunrise stretches its rays over the horizon to welcome the new day.

One morning this month started a bit differently –  with a shout for HELP! from the neighbouring farmer’s wife. Their blind cow had fallen into the Umgeni river and was drowning. The cow couldn’t see where to get out. The water is icy at this time of the year and the animal was very distressed.

With a combined team effort from staff, neighbours and eventually even calling her calf to assist, mommy cow found the strength to drag herself out of the mud. This took a fair amount of pushing, pulling, falling into mud and cajoling this exhausted, blind mammal. Nothing like watching a little miracle unfold on a cold Midlands Friday morning.

Who would have guessed that disability also extends to farm animals? How do you write that into a job description?