We once had a lively flock of geese at Aanandaa—until bird flu swept through and left us with just two survivors. We didn’t know whether they were male or female, but when they began laying eggs, we waited hopefully for goslings. Year after year, they made their nest, laid a clutch and sat patiently on their eggs. Nothing ever hatched.

Eventually we realised the simple truth: both our surviving geese were female.

What followed was my surprisingly difficult search for a gander, and a growing awareness of just how much these birds seemed to miss having a larger flock and the opportunity to raise young. I never managed to find them a mate, and eventually we lost them too.

In this episode of Permaculture Living with MLG, I recount the story of our last two geese—and reflect on what keeping animals teaches us about companionship, instinct, responsibility and loss on a farm.

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