Bean family never gave up hope in finding Buck

It was a cold day in the middle of a Macon Christmas season four years ago. Members of the Bean family made the trek from their 50-acre farm in Jones County to the Mulberry Market.

They were accustomed to coming to Mulberry Market. But this day was different.

The Bean’s farm, known as The Little Farm, is where they conduct organic farming and participate in the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF program. Students, known as WWOOFers, from around the world come to live on the farm and learn about organic and sustainable agriculture.

The Beans have had a number of exchange students over the years and consider each of them as family. They view them as their children in addition to the seven children of their own.

As they were navigating the Mulberry Market this particular day, Miss Amy Bean saw a family trying desperately to find loving homes for six tiny, fuzzy puppies. Although they had their share of animals on the farm, Amy’s heart began to melt for the puppies.

Dr. Rusty Bean, a beloved local veterinarian, and Amy had a void in their lives since their dog, Pete, went to heaven. Pete and Dr. Bean were regulars on television, where they taught health tips for pets.

Dr. Bean thought the black, fuzzy puppy would make the perfect Christmas gift for Miss Amy. So they added Buck to their family and to their farm.

Buck loved the farm, the family and the wildlife. And everyone loved him. He claimed his seat riding in the golf cart overseeing farm operations. His family was amused by his endearing, almost human characteristics of pouting when he didn’t get his way or jealousy when someone else got more attention.

While life on the farm is wonderful, it also has its share of hazards. There are snakes, feral pigs, bobcats and anything else you might imagine lurking in the woods of a Middle Georgia forest. In fact, the Beans have seen more poisonous snakes this year than they can remember seeing before.

Then their worst fears came true. One of the Beans’ other dogs, Scout, was bitten by a copperhead. The very same day Buck mysteriously disappeared. Scout was rushed to the hospital while the Beans launched a search for Buck.

They exhausted every means available to find Buck, yet there was no sign of him. As days turned into weeks the Beans feared the worst. They were afraid he was a victim of a poisonous snake as well.

The Beans were so sad they couldn’t find their cherished Buck. Three weeks passed and the heartbreak of his absence was overwhelming.

Finally the day came to bring Scout home from the hospital. He had recuperated from the copperhead strike.

As the Beans were helping Scout settle in they saw a black blur pass by the window. What was it? Was there any way it could possibly be Buck after all this time?

They ran outside and saw it was indeed Buck. He was hurt, limping and covered in puncture wounds, but he was alive. He clearly tangled with a formidable forest foe and was severely injured. But he had survived and found his way home.

He’s been at the hospital for quite a while being nursed back to health. But he’ll be back at The Little Farm riding in the golf cart before you know it.

We’ll never really know what happened to Buck in the three weeks he was missing. But the message is clear: When you love someone, never give up hope. And never take anyone’s hope away. There’s always hope.

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Bean family never gave up hope in finding Buck."