Have you met Olive?? Olive is our Director of Security. You might have seen a quick profile for Olive on our About tab. Please allow me to formally introduce Olive, in detail. Olive is a pretty famous little lady at ESH. She is very important, and she takes all of her jobs seriously.
Olive came to ESH by way of her mom, Alicia. (Alicia is a pretty big deal around ESH as well.) You see, Olive hit the jackpot one day. It was the same day Alicia hit the jackpot, when Olive needed to come live with Alicia. Alicia didn't know it then, but Olive would become the best roommate/coworker ever. Many times we have speculated about Olive's breed. Lately, we have decided that she looks a lot like a cur. She's pretty, huh?
Olive is a very special girl, because she used to have quite a bit of separation anxiety. That's why she came to work at the farm with Alicia. She did not like to be without her human. So, Olive started out as Alicia's shadow, but fast forward to today- she runs the farm, and has been named our official Director of Security. She is a good example of overcoming fear, and we are so proud of Olive's progress.
Now that Olive is the Director of Security, she keeps us very safe. As you may have read, Olive has extensive training in visitor alerting. You might call this barking, but it is so much more than just barking. It's important to know when we have a visitor. Olive is much better than a boring ole doorbell. She even chases away the occasional bogeyman.
Olive is also an expert in treat acquisition. There's nobody more experienced in this, really. I dare to say that treats are more than a part of her paycheck...(Don't tell her mom.) Her favorite pastime is stick chewing. Make no mistake, no stick is safe, when Olive finds it. No treat is safe either, now that I am thinking about it.
While Olive is not making her rounds, you will find her on her recharging station. She loves laying out in the sunshine, or on her big fluffy bed (be jealous!!). Other times, you might find her hanging out in the greenhouse, while Alicia is working. Sunshine naps are the best. Olive recommends them.
Olive is not a real huge fan of men (sorry, fellas). It takes a while to get Olive to warm up to visitors (ladies too). But she's growing and progressing in human acceptance. So, if you come to the farm to grab a bag of your favorite lettuce, don't be afraid. She's not going to pose any risk to visitors. But don't be sad if she keeps her distance, as she lets us know that you are there. Keep coming back, she'll get to know you.
On occasion, we will have another canine visitor to the farm. Olive is happy to meet other dogs and play, as long as her new buddy is also friendly. There is nothing like doing zoomies with a friend, where the wide-open space allows for such antics.
Speaking of zoomies, Olive just got back to doing her routine zoomies. Just this past year, Olive managed to tear both of her CCLs (ACLs in human knees). She had two surgeries to fix these injuries, and she is back to 100 percent! It was not the same, not having Olive at the farm, while she recovered. But now she is back, full force, no restrictions (other than not having too many treats).
Olive has an occasional helper at the farm. The other security team member at ESH is Jax - our Deputy of Security. He is a most handsome boy, and he also brings his expertise in treat acquisition. He is also very adept in receiving scratches and hanging out. Jax rides shotgun sometimes, when his dad is out delivering. Jax-protector of the greens... unless he's napping..
Some of you may be wondering if Olive and Jax help in the day-to-day lettuce preparation activities. While it would be nice to have an extra set of hands sometimes, the answer is no. Also, ewww. It's safe to say, your greens are far away from paws. They are really more concerned with security and companionship duties. Olive and Jax leave the prep work to the bi-peds with opposable thumbs, and carry on with their assigned work.
Really, there is nothing better than a good boy and a good girl to hang out with while you're working on the farm! I dare to say that we have the best. Maybe you can meet one or both on your next visit to ESH.
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