In this image taken from video, sheep form the shape of a heart in a field in Guyra, northern New South Wales, Australia, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. Ben Jackson, a sheep farmer stuck in lockdown, was unable to attend his aunt's funeral, has honored her memory with the ultimate tribute, sheep organized in the shape of a love heart. (Ben Jackson via AP)
An Australian farmer couldn’t go to his aunt’s funeral because of pandemic restrictions so he paid his respects with a novel alternative: dozens of sheep arranged in the shape of a love heart.
Drone-shot video of pregnant ewes munching barley in a paddock while unwittingly expressing Ben Jackson’s affection for his beloved Auntie Deb was viewed by mourners at her funeral in the city of Brisbane in Queensland state this week.
Jackson was locked down at the time across a state border at his farm in Guyra in New South Wales state, 430 kilometers (270 miles) away.
“It took me a few goes to get it right ... and the final result is what you see. That was as close to a heart as I could get it,” Jackson said on Thursday.
Jackson started experimenting with making shapes with sheep to relieve the monotonous stress of hand-feeding livestock during a devastating drought across most of Australia that broke in the early months of the pandemic.
He discovered that if he spelled the names of his favorite musical bands with grain dropped from the back of a truck that the flock would roughly adopt the same shape for several minutes.
“It certainly lifted my spirits back in the drought,” Jackson said.
“This heart that I’ve done for my auntie, it certainly seems like it’s had a bit of an effect across Australia,” he added, referring to emotional social media responses.
“Maybe we all just need to give ourselves a big virtual hug,” he said.
Jackson said he was lucky to have any grain left on his property after a mouse plague this year that followed the drought.
He continues to supplement the pregnant ewes’ diet with grain to improve their condition before they give birth.
Brad Pitt’s production company “Plan B” wants to bring “Beetlejuice” back to the big screen. The sequel concept is in its earliest stages as there is no word of a script yet. The production company is also set to produce “Parasite” director Bon Joon-ho’s newest film as well.
Airbnb.org has announced that it will provide up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees with free housing. Airbnb.org is the philanthropic branch of Airbnb that provides free housing for those affected by disasters. Joe Gebbia, co-founder and chairman of Airbnb.org, joined Cheddar News to talk about how the company has helped thousands find shelter in times of crisis. "A lot of people are saying this conflict is likely to be the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, and I believe Airbnb believes that companies have a responsibility to step up and to help out in times like these," he said.
As companies struggle to recruit and retain employees, major retailers are raising wages. According to Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank data, the country's youngest workers are seeing the fastest wage growth of any group, even outpacing inflation. Daniel Altman, chief economist at staffing firm Instawork, breaks down the impact of inflation on the labor market, the power shift from employer to employee, and how the Russia-Ukraine crisis might impact jobs and salaries moving forward. "There's a feeling that the wage increases have been postponed for quite a long time and with prices going up, there's just a little more urgency right now," he said.
Chris French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, joins Cheddar Reveals to break down the psychology behind ghosts and what we perceive as the paranormal.
Paul Patterson, Associate Professor of English at Saint Joseph's University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss why we find ghost stories so compelling and how the horror genre has grown and evolved within American culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted blood donations leading to severe shortages throughout the country. Chloe Aiello reports on the desperate need for new donors.
JPMorgan Chase celebrates black culture and our communities every day as we continue to celebrate Black History Month. Cheddar News is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their industries. Today we turn our focus to one leader helping shift the culture of amateur sports across the U.S through esports. CEO and Founder of PlayVS, Delane parnell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
