The Noble Buck

Buck

Buck came to the farm in late May 2011. Jeff and Nancy went looking for a dog who could keep T-bone in line and Buck took on the challenge. Part red heeler, part amazing, Buck spent his days leading the pack, taking care of stray animals, keeping pests at bay, and keeping one eye on his beloved Nancy.

Buck didn’t start out as Nancy’s dog. Buck, at the time named Rambo, had been riding around with the sheriff on the Winnebago Reservation for a few days before he was surrendered to 12 Hills Animal Rescue in Nebraska. Nancy and Jeff headed down expecting to take home a different dog. However, their dog Conrad did not take to him. After meeting several other dogs, the owners of the rescue brought out Rambo. He immediately ran to Jeff and ignored Conrad and Nancy. On the way back to the farm, Rambo became Buck after the author of The Good Earth, Pearl S Buck.

Over time, Buck became close with Nancy. They shared their many days on the farm together weeding, harvesting, and chasing cats under the hot sun. He intimately cared for Pearl, a baby deer brought to the farm for recuperation, by instinctively preparing her for life. He was a natural care taker of those he loved, and his loyalty shone through as he never let Nancy stray far from his gaze.

Buck spent his final years lounging on his memory foam dog bed and getting hand fed treats. His long life was a gift to the farm and its inhabitants, and his memory is forever a part of the farm and its story.