Enjoyable Activities for the Whole Family EXPLORING THE FARMERS MARKET Mission of Care
FOR OUR HEAD TECHNICIAN, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PETS
This time of year, we harvest fruits and vegetables in abundance, and farmers markets across the country are brimming with locally grown goods. Taking advantage of these wonderful events where local farmers and artisans sell the fruits of their labor is a great way to support local small businesses and explore all your area has to offer. Moreover, it is a perfect opportunity to share some wholesome fun with your family, as there are activities and attractions at farmers markets suitable for all ages. Learning Firsthand Your local farmers are a treasure trove of agricultural know-how. Many farmers will happily talk with you or your children about their favorite crop, what’s in season, and their recommendations for recipes that incorporate their produce. It’s a great way to grow your kids’ social skills and get them interested in gardening and farming. Scavenging for Samples There is no shortage of variety regarding the fruits and vegetables offered at farmers markets. Engaging your family in a scavenger hunt to discover various produce among the local farmers’ stands is a great way to broaden their minds and keep them entertained. Plenty of farmers will offer you and your kids samples of their wares, allowing you to try before you buy. Homeward Bound After enjoying the farmers market, you may want to take what you learned home. Starting a small garden and growing starter plants with your kids is a great way to bond and create lasting memories. Growing and caring for plants and vegetables is a wonderful experience for children and helps them connect more with nature. Do yourself and your family a favor: Explore the farmers market and discover the flavor of your local area.
For many years, Melinda Jean was on the front lines of emergency veterinary care in Phoenix.
As a technician for a 24-hour animal hospital, Melinda, or Moe, as she likes to be called, met emergency arrivals at the door, performing triage for patients from rattlesnake-
and dog-bite victims to parvo patients and pets hit by cars. “We even took in strays that the Phoenix Police Department found on their overnight shift,” she says. “It was crazy busy.” The best part of the job, Moe says, was learning to understand the patients, interpret their body language, and comfort them.
After 13 years at the emergency hospital, Moe and her husband, Jamie, moved to Colorado in 2021 with two of their three
sons and Moe’s mother to be closer to Jamie’s parents. After a six-month break, Moe decided to return to work. “I just really enjoy working with animals, and I’m not one who can sit home for long,” she says. While Moe values her experience in emergency care, she appreciates the importance of preventive care for pets’ well-being. “Doing regular checkups is really important,” she says. “Dogs and especially cats are really, really good at hiding symptoms until it’s almost too late. The sooner you know about problems, the better you can manage them in the long run.” Growing up in a small town in southern Arizona, one of Moe’s earliest animal-care memories is using a heat lamp to warm a crow’s egg her father found and brought home. The hatchling survived and greeted her each day when she returned from school. When the crow was ready to fly, “we took him down to the river and turned him loose,” she says. At Surface Creek, she handles many aspects of patient care, from preparing vaccines and helping doctors keep appointments on schedule to training new hires and purchasing supplies. “The bottom line,” she says, “is that I take care of animals.”
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