鈥業t was unbelievable鈥�: Shuswap farmer overwhelmed by kindness of residents

Sidelined by injuries from a fall, 91-year-old Tappen man wondered how he鈥檇 handle the hay crop

Martha Wickett
Aug 1, 2022 5:00 AM

29946729_web1_220803-SAA-Syd-Wand-cows — Syd Wand and his spouse Jean have raised mostly Red Angus cattle for 25 years in Tappen. On July 29, 2022 the cows were busy grazing on a field that was not used for hay this year. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

With fields full of hay bales and a body suffering from two broken ribs and a possibly fractured collar bone, Syd Wand was pretty worried about his hay crop.

Syd, 91, has been working for 29 years on farmland in Tappen alongside his spouse, Jean.

They鈥檝e had cattle for 25 years, mostly Red Angus. He speaks highly of the animals.

鈥淚 like them, they鈥檙e gentle. And if I want them, all I have to do is stand at the gate and whistle, and I get a stampede. They鈥檙e just a good breed to take care of.鈥�

Once the hay is cut and baled, Syd and Jean usually move the bales off the fields together. Syd, however, was injured in a recent fall. This time Jean tried dragging the bales herself 鈥� but it was too much.

Concerned about the chance of a thunderstorm soaking the bales, Syd was at a loss what to do. With 10 head of cattle to feed, hay is a necessity.

鈥淚 was just sitting there thinking, what in hell do we do next?鈥�

Then, without warning, help arrived.

He couldn鈥檛 believe his eyes when, on July 22, pickup trucks, tractors and flat-decks drove up to their place. About eight people got out, ready to work.

In approximately three hours, 248 bales were picked up and moved to the hay shed.

The neighbourly workers even brought beverages and cinnamon buns, so they stayed for a while afterwards to visit.

Asked how all this felt, 鈥渇antastic鈥� was Syd鈥檚 enthusiastic reply.

鈥淎ll of a sudden people who you don鈥檛 know pop up,鈥� he remarked, adding that the work isn鈥檛 without risk; anytime a person lifts a bale of hay, there鈥檚 a chance they could hurt their back.

He said the assistance was a wonderful contrast to all the rotten things you hear about in the world.

And the group wouldn鈥檛 allow him to do anything, which, with his injuries, 鈥渨as just as well anyway.鈥�

鈥淪ome of them didn鈥檛 know me, I didn鈥檛 know some of them. They came just out of the goodness of their heart. It was just goodwill on their part 鈥� because they were good people to begin with. That basically is what it is.鈥�

He emphasized the whole reason for him telling his story is to express his gratitude for such overwhelming kindness.

鈥淚t was unbelievable.鈥�

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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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29946729_web1_220803-SAA-syd-wand-hay — Syd Wand of Tappen says he is immensely grateful for the people who showed up unannounced to move about 250 bales of hay from the fields into the hay shed after he was injured in a fall. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.

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