Interview with Sister Ida-de-Jésus

Transcription: 

P: Interviewer

I: Sister Ida-de-Jésus

I: I worked at the henhouse.

P: I’d like to hear more about that.

I: There was a henhouse on the cape, with about 500 hens.

P: And you’re the one who looked after them?

I: Yes. Every morning. Later, we needed that space for the Generalate offices. We moved the hens to the farm. I had some 5 to 6 thousand by then.

P: And you looked after them by yourself?

I: All by myself. Keeping it clean, feeding the hens. And then I killed the rabbits to take care of the ducks.

P: You had rabbits, too?

I: Yes, here. But once on the farm I killed the rabbits because the ducks were much more useful. I had up to 5 or 6 thousand ducks.

P: You lived on the farm?

I: Yes, I lived on the farm. And I had ducks and pheasants, turkeys and geese. And many, many hens, there were up to 6 to 8 thousand hens.

P: That must have been a lot of work.

I: Yes, but it went well.

P: So, you always put your heart into your chores then.

I: Yes. And we also had to work the slaughter. Some of the Sisters helped me with that. Sister Sainte-Geneviève, Sister Marie-Elzéar.

P: That must have been quite a job.