THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 19, 1994 TAG: 9410180099
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Coastal Journal
SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
``Poomba,'' a miniature Brahma Bull, is the barnyard darling these days at Princess Anne Produce on London Bridge Road.
Although Poomba even has a characteristic hump on its back, the tiny youngster is mainly gangly legs, big floppy ears, large doe eyes and long eyelashes. When he's full grown, he should equal the size of a large Labrador retriever.
Poomba is nothing but a baby now, however. Only 2 1/2 months old, he is still being bottle-fed. He is especially attached to Kathie Vogel, sister of J.D. Vogel who owns Princess Anne Produce.
After sucking down his bottle in record time, the little bull gets frisky and kicks up his heels, Vogel said. She puts Poomba on a halter and leash and walks him around the pumpkins and hay mounds that decorate Princess Anne Produce, and takes him to visit the other pampered pets in stalls about the grounds.
Poomba was shipped from Texas to the Petting Farm at Princess Anne Produce. He joins animals such as a potbellied pig, reindeer, donkey, goats, sheep, miniature horses and rabbits. Although Poomba has the distinction of being one of only 500 miniature Brahma bulls in the United States, he's just family at Princess Anne Produce.
``He's just one more addition to the Pumpkin Patch,'' Vogel said. ``Children can pet him and all the other animals, too.''
Thousands of schoolchildren take field trips to visit the Pumpkin Patch and go on hayrides around the farm, she said. There also are hayrides for the public from 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The cost is $2.
But you can stop by Princess Anne Produce and see Poomba for free.
SPEAKING OF NEW ANIMALS, several farm animals are in residence through Halloween at Stoney's Produce on First Colonial Road. But Wihelmina, the pig, has been the show stopper.
Initially she managed to root out of her pen and escape the day she arrived. Although the errant Wihelmina caused quite a stir as employees chased her down the road, she also has stolen the show back in her pen, too. Children love her, said Stoney's owner, Bill Hudgins. She's even taken the spotlight away from Princess, his famous corn-eating Labrador.
STUMPY, THE LITTLE BLACK KITTEN that was rescued from a tree at Stumpy Lake by the Moss family and then lost its leg in a freak accident, is coming along fine. The column prompted a call from Sarah Kesler, a volunteer with Wildlife Response, to say the group recently had received a little black rabbit that was dropped off in Seashore State Park.
The rabbit was in terrible shape, suffering from parasites and starvation. It's doing fine now, Kesler said, but she wants folks to know that domesticated rabbits cannot survive in the wild.
``It's a real shame that these people dump these poor rabbits,'' Kesler said. ``It would be better to euthanize it. He was half starved when we got him and his legs were paralyzed from the parasites around his spine.
``It just breaks your heart.''
A TIME TO MOURN is the October offering of Hunter House Victorian Museum in Norfolk. The parlor in the historic house is draped in black crepe and the curtains are drawn.
House tours will discuss mourning customs in Victorian times. For example, black netting covers the mirrors because you would be the next to go if you saw your reflection! And women had far from equal rights when it came to mourning. A widow mourned for three years while a gentleman had to mourn his wife for only six months.
Hunter house is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. In conjunction with ``A Time to Mourn,'' the house is offering tours of Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk at 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday. House and cemetery tours are $3 each. Reservations are needed for the cemetery tours. Call 623-9814.
P.S. HAUNTED HAYRIDES for the brave also are available at Princess Anne Produce at 7 p.m. daily, starting Friday and continuing through Oct. 31.
Scout troops, school classes and individuals also can enter the farm's Scarecrow Contest. Make a scarecrow at home or at the farm and then display it this month on the grounds at Princess Anne Produce. Six cash prizes for categories like best group effort, most scary and most original will be awarded on Halloween. Call 427-9520 for information.
MAKE A 17TH CENTURY MASK at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Adam Thoroughgood House. The cost is $2, but Adopt-A-School partners are admitted free.
A GOLF TOURNAMENT to benefit the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Virginia Marine Science Museum will take place Oct. 25 at Honey Bee Golf Course. The Hospitality Open is sponsored by the Virginia Beach Hotel and Motel Association. Entry deadline is Thursday. Call 428-8015 for information.
FABRICATED NATURE, 40 large contemporary sculptures of oversized vegetable forms, and other shapes reminiscent of plants, seeds, pods and other natural elements, are on display at the Virginia Beach Center for the Arts through Nov. 6. Call 425-0000. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? And what do you know about
Tidewater traditions and lore? Call me on INFOLINE, 640-5555. Enter
category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my Internet address:
mbarrow(AT)infi.net.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY REID BARROW
Poomba, a 2 1/2-month-old miniature Brahman bull, eventually will be
about the size of a large Labrador retriever. He is especially
attached to Kathie Vogel, sister of Princess Anne Produce owner J.D.
Vogel.
by CNB