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Judith Giusto: Animal Abuse Accusations

The Middlebury Campus posted an article describing Judith Giusto’s ownership and operation of Round Barn Marino’s in Ferrisburg Vermont. Featured in this article is Oliver, a Bactrian camel, and my old buddy. I was briefly mentioned in the piece as “the recently hired farm hand.” Montana, Judith’s son, is pictured with Oliver.

The article put a very positive spin on the operation. This had much to do with how Judith presented her management of the farm to the reporter, Santiago Azpurua-Borras. In this post I want to read between the lines of that press release, put a stop to the spin, and bring the readers -especially my fellow friends of animals, back to hard reality.

“When you live in a place that is as exposed as my farm is, your life becomes very public whether you like it or not. People complain to animal control, and I have to address those complaints. Once you’ve been reported to animal control you have to explain how you’re not abusing your animals.”
“You could get annoyed,” Giusto admitted.

As much as Judith asserts that her animals are not abused, I beg to differ. Within days of my arrival at the farm, I had to drag an emaciated dead lamb out to the back of the property, and throw it over the fence for the coyotes. Weeks later, I found another lamb, that I never even noticed mixed in with the rest of the herd, stiff and dead, just outside the barn.

I pried it’s stiff frozen carcass from the ground and put it in the well house to thaw out. I skinned it with plans to at least make some use of the hide, and salvaged the meat for my new puppy. There wasn’t even a handful of meat on the entire animal. It should not have been mixed in with the ewe herd. It should have been kept separately, with it’s mother, until it was big and strong enough to compete with the others for hay during the winter months. At this time it was the end of January, 2010.

“But the thing to do is to educate people. Sometimes people complain that the sheep are outside during the winter, and I say, ‘If you lived your life with a wool sweater on, you would be warm.’”

Judith needs to be educated herself. She needs to fish or cut bait. This fiber farm, with it’s reported $63,000.00 in annual sales, according to Judith, “is not profitable -but it could be” I can understand operating a small farm, keeping wonderful animals like sheep, goats, alpacas and a camel as sort of a “hobby” that hopefully at least comes close to breaking even. However, this is not the function of this farm according to what I know about Judith Giusto’s occupation and avocations.

Judith is a corporate spy, who works for Fletcher CSI, a company that deals in “competitive intelligence.” She works mainly from home, calling on the developers of new drugs, earning her salary “a good salary” as she put it, pumping those people for information that Fletcher turns around and sells to their competition. Round Barn Merinos is nothing more than a front for Judith’s “real job.” I don’t think the farm is even a hobby for her. It’s just a pain in her ass.

If you know Judith, and have seen her operate, you’ll agree that she is a micro managing control freak. She is a very proud woman, who will never admit defeat. This is what motivates her to take advantage of others, like myself, and her own son Montana. He and I worked hard together to try to get the farm cleaned up, fixed up, and maybe even profitable. All we got from Judith for our efforts were complaints, highly detailed instructions, and general bitching. I didn’t receive a single dollar for my 200+ hours of labor, and she confiscated my seafood store and other materials. I just sued her, and am waiting for the Judges decision.

When Giusto receives complaints that Oliver’s water trough is empty in the peak of summer’s heat, she must explain that Oliver, as is appropriate for his breed, receives water once a day, and that he doesn’t take his water from a trough, but from a hose.
But despite people’s ignorance, Giusto is thankful for the visitors.

So about the Camel, my buddy Oliver. Judith, in true form, is full of shit with this statement. Oliver does in fact drink out of a 30 gallon tub that he shares with the alpaca and all the ewes. When I worked at the farm I filled it twice a day, and if it wasn’t frozen over, it was usually empty every time. I offered to install a watering system, but she refused to put out any money. The camel was never given any grains other than leftover bread and cereal I would bring him, and use as rewards for his training. I spent time every day walking him, and getting him to obey commands. Eventually earning his trust enough that he allowed me to climb on. I wanted him as docile as possible for the flood of visitors I was expecting to Judith’s farm where I would sell seafood.

“People stop all the time,” Giusto said.
“One of the reasons I did get Oliver was to help bring recognition to the farm. Sometimes it’s inundated with people.”

In an email exchange with Judith, the one that I think helped to get me fired, she mentions how she can barely tolerate the intrusion on her privacy when potential customers visit the farm. At the risk of getting fired for criticising the boss, I wrote:

I know that this is your home. I'm also aware that you do your job AND run your business out of your home. You showed me and my family the store in the front part of your house where you sell wool products so I left with that impression, and developed my plans and ideas based on an opportunity to have access to an awesome, well known ( thanks to Ollie ) retail location on rt 7, to sell my seafood. Having ran a business and also having done my loan officer job out of my own house, I can completely understand how that can be more of a curse than a blessing. Yes, it's an invasion of privacy but also a convenience. But as you said, it's also a necessity. Having a store yet not being enthusiastic about the patronage of customers is not the best business outlook I've ever heard, Judith!

My plans included training Ollie to cope with customer traffic, controlling that traffic as politely and safely as possible while limiting the impact on our privacy, especially your privacy. I was going to do some interesting things to make myself a Ferrisburg celebrity! Overall, all my plans that don't have to do with improving the farm are about drawing people to it. So, before I start in on that I'll wait for your response to my well intentioned criticism of your business outlook.

Oliver responds well to the attention. Camels are social animals by nature.
“He is a very intelligent animal,” Giusto said of Oliver.
“He wants people to acknowledge him and he’ll run and play for attention.” This behavior took Giusto, who had been accustomed to sheep, by surprise.
“It was an eye-opener,” Giusto said.

Attention is not something that poor Oliver gets much of, especially since I left. I tried to leave on good enough terms with Judith that I might be able to continue working with him, but it was useless. Judith should really open her eyes and act on what she claims to already realize. I told her:

-I continue working with Ollie and continuing his training that I'm making great progress with, even if you don't recognize it and think he would be better off cooped up in the barn 24/7 with no socialization or human interaction. He is NOT just an "appreciable asset" as you put it. He is a pet, a creature with a soul, and should be treated humanely and paid attention to.

I’m hoping that organizations that protect animals will contact me for my help in improving the situation for this amazing creature. I will be glad to do what I can to see that Oliver gets a better life. I would love to see him again! klleland@gmail.com

29 comments:

  1. Aww, that is so very sad. Oliver looks like an interesting animal with intelligence. It is sad that he is being so mistreated, neglected and abused. Animal abuse is wrong. something needs to be done to help save him. Hopefully the animal activist people or humane society might be able to get him the assistance he needs. Move him into a better home environment for the type of animal he is and in a safe place where people really do care about taking care of him.

    Help Save Oliver the Camel Today!

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  2. It really is sad Sara. He is a Vermont celebrity. He deserves red-carpet treatment. Instead he is cooped up in a old barn where his humps rub the ceiling and drop paint chips into his hair. Some people think that he is uncomfortable in a cold climate. This isn't true. He is a Bactrian Camel. They are well equiped for cold weather. It's just that he is not worked with anymore. He needs attention and interaction. He needs a better diet than his penny pinching owner, Judith Giusto provides. He only gets hay. I'm hoping to get the attention of some group that can help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have to be careful about giving a camel more than hay. They don't need high protein food. If they have enough good hay, then that is all they really need. Not defending the lady, just the camel's diet.

      Delete
  3. Kevin you seem quite bitter and like your just searching for attentiom and money.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Close N.C. -I'm quite pissed and searching for attention for Ollie, an audience for my stories (I'm a blogger)and the money Judith ripped me off for (the judge is figuring that now). I'm not asking for donations, right? Just looking for a statement from you: Tell us that you know for a fact that Oliver and Judith's other animals are properly cared for.

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  5. Well N.C., You had almost two weeks to back Judith up. You must know what I know: Judith Giusto neglects and mistreats the animals on her farm. When I left, the goat in the above picture was crawling around on his front knees due to a hoof infection. Judith said she would get antibiotic, and never did. She left the goat in that condition for over a month that I know of.

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  6. It's just shameful how this owner treated this camel and the sheep. Imagine finding little lambs dead.. just awful! I'm glad you wrote this article to expose this person. I'm also glad that you made a difference in this camel's life. Wish you could still see him.

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  7. I'm trying to make a difference for the rest of his life too. You know, camels live over forty years! He's got another thirty years ahead of him. Judith considers him an "appreciable asset." She paid about $5,000 for him, so she probably wouldn't let him go to a happier place for any less than that. I'm going to try to find out what she would take for him. She may just close up shop, leaving the sheep to be placed too. Judith returning to New York would be no great loss for Vermont, that's for sure.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry sir but I do not believe she would sell off Oliver, she loves him. And I know I wouldn't be that happy if she went back to New York

      Delete
  8. I’m calling myself The Blogger Investigator.
    I have lived in Vermont all my life and I own two businesses and my businesses makes me drive past this farm at least twice a week. It just so happens that I was looking for some manure for my garden and I went on line to find a number for this farm and what I found was this accusation - about the camel that I have always seen, and by the way, certainly he looks out of place.
    So I went there not only with the purpose of getting some manure but seeing what condition this camel was in since now I am investigating you as a blogger. Upon my arrival I met a young man, probably the son. I met Oliver - he was outside and very friendly. I checked for paint chips in his fur - none. Looked at his back and humps checking for injuries and there were none. There was water for him. The camel seemed ok to me. Then the son took me to the barn to see the baby lambs and of course, Oliver the camel follows us in the barn and there was more than plenty of room for his height and his humps. Much to my surprise - the barn was VERY clean. There was plenty of clean hay and the troughs had clean water. Oliver and about 5 male sheep actually share half of that huge barn (approx.40 x 120 feet and plenty high enough for Oliver.)
    So I want to tell your readers these accusations are not true. I even investigated the Humane Society, the town and Animal Control to see if there were any accusations against Oliver and the farm. None. I think the camel and animals are living in very decent conditions.
    But I’ve read some of your other blogs, Kevin, I’ve noticed that you are quite an authority on just about everything. You’ve taken the blame for the housing market - you should have listened to your wife because you burst your own bubble. I read about your advice to men about women, when you’ve gone through four wives.....and now you want this camel!
    I read the emails you exchanged with this lady at the farm - you were hired just to feed the sheep but yet I read about you building a building, rearranging a cottage, growing a garden, selling lobsters, jumping and taming a camel. And it seems that you hardly ever showed up to feed the animals, there was always the excuse of being late or of your truck not working. Looks like you really didn’t live up to your part of the agreement, Kevin.
    And you have your fellow writers, “Sara Valor” who’s sitting somewhere in Mississippi... no where near Vermont and she’s making accusations about the neglect of the camel. Again another person “Sally” from Alabama, accusing animal negligence towards this farm and camel, from so far away?
    Being such a small town, I did a little investigating of you Kevin, and what I’ve heard I don’t like. Why don’t you tell your readers that you’re also suing someone else in town..... And tell your readers about how you scuffled at Moose’s house and you ran right to the cops like a little girl. Word gets around. I don’t know what you think about us people from Vermont - but stupid we’re not. Don’t ever think that we’d buy “live” lobsters from you - bringing them in the back of your pick up truck for a few hours in the sun! And as far as this lady is concerned, let the court decide what is fair – this to me is slander.
    I hope I get to meet you in town, now that I know that your carrying a gun and a tape recorder. I can’t wait tell my friends at the summer bike rally all about you and what you’re doing to this lady who’s been here a lot longer than you. And who seems to work a lot harder than you. Thanks to your picture they will have no problems recognizing you.... I will also mention to them that you said you carry and gun and a tape recorder. (they’re not going to like that one) ....
    A word of advise to a person who thinks they know it all: keep some of your tools in your tool box.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sincerely, thank you for your comment. Many people, especially "know-it-alls" usually tend to be full of shit, and you are smart to investigate...me especially. If you dig deep enough into my history, you will find out that I really do know it all! ;-) I'm glad to hear Oliver’s living conditions have improved. I think that had something to do with the information I've published, which was all completely true at the time I saw it. I guess I forced her to clean up her act. There have been complaints about her, I’ll try to track down those sources.

    I don't like being called a liar, or especially a little girl, but I do like being challenged. You've definitely done that! Although, doing it anonymously makes me think you are the one wearing the panties in this conversation. Are you a friend of Andy Megroz, the other person that you mentioned I'm suing? I've got a lot to say about that douche...stay tuned.

    Now let me respond:

    I don’t know what you think about us people from Vermont - but stupid we’re not.

    Vermont people rock! I think they the most generous, down to Earth, friendly and capable people I've ever met -by no means stupid. Remember, Judith Giusto and Andy Megroz are New Yorkers. I've heard them both say negative things about VT. I've only been here just over a year, but I plan on staying. I love this state! I couldn’t have picked a better place to get back on my feet. I’ll tell some positive stories here too.

    Looks like you really didn’t live up to your part of the agreement, Kevin.

    The agreement I had with Judith evolved. I definitely held up my end, which involved a lot. All she had to do was let me run my business from her farm when I was done for the winter. Instead she fired and evicted me. It's not a big deal if the animals eat at 11:00 vs. 8:30, i just emailed those times I was running late. Enough. You're right, the judge will decide. I'll keep my readers posted.

    And you have your fellow writers, “Sara Valor” who’s sitting somewhere in Mississippi...

    Good observation. Their commenting, and some other promotional efforts by my other friends in the blogging and SEO business is what made it so you found my article when you were searching for her business, Round Barn Merino’s. This is good competitive intelligence. This is beating Judith at her own game. Your comments carry a lot of weight because you are local and you’re investigating the story. So again, it really is appreciated. And by the way, you are a good writer. You should think about being a blogger yourself.

    A word of advice to a person who thinks they know it all: keep some of your tools in your tool box.

    Good advice, although here’s the rub: I’m a blogger. Like any other kind of professional journalist I have to put myself out there. I always make sure I can back up what I say. I wouldn’t slander anyone. People like Judith Giusto and Andy Megroz make my job easy. I don’t need to come up with damaging words to use against them, most of those come out of their own big mouths.

    I would like to meet you too. No hard feelings! As much as I want to, some of the other stuff you mentioned like the fight at Mooses, I can’t talk about online yet, and could only tell you about in person. I would want you to know more about me before you start talking to your friends. Never before have I gone to the cops after a fist-fight, and I’ve been in lots. I completely agree that’s usually a girly thing to do. Cut me some slack. I’ll be able to explain my reasoning for doing that later.

    I plan to track down other locals Judith Giusto has screwed over and give them an opportunity to tell their stories here at Camels and Shepherds and Spys...Oh my! Hope to see you around this blog, and in person sometime...Peace.

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  10. In Judith's own words, in her interview with the Middlebury campus, she admits that people have complained to animal control: "When you live in a place that is as exposed as my farm is, your life becomes very public whether you like it or not. People complain to animal control, and I have to address those complaints. Once you’ve been reported to animal control you have to explain how you’re not abusing your animals.”
    “You could get annoyed,” Giusto admitted."

    Source: "There Once was a Camel that Lived on RT 7" http://www.middleburycampus.com/2010/01/21/there-once-was-a-camel-who-lived-on-route-7/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey A! Read about your buddy Jaques Andrew Megroz getting his ass handed to him in court yesterday. I think winning is fun! :-D

    http://judithgiustovskevinleland.blogspot.com/2011/06/jacques-andrew-megroz-bigot-vermont.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kevin , you are a liar and a scam artist , yeah , your an artist after all . Whats up with all the kiddy porn and problem with controling your desires ? We're wondering just how sick of a motherfucker are you ? Yes , you've been nothing but a pest since comming to Vermont . What are we gonna do with you Kevin ? It's not looking good for you at all . Were looking forward to you upcomming arrest for your involvement in Charlies murder , you are indeed guilty of accessory after the fact and by your own admittion guilty of extortion . Better giddy up n do what ya gotta do ya f'n idiot . Yeah , your involvement in kiddy porn is comming to light and we neede you off the streets ASAP !

    ReplyDelete
  13. Just came across these posts....I know Kevin Leland he's a scum sucking bottom feeder....watch out for him he's always trying to scam some one....a true low life...

    Signed,
    A Friend From Hinesburg, VT

    ReplyDelete
  14. Some friend you are, calling me names! If I ever decide to become a scam artist, you will know it, because I won't be poor and I won't run my mouth like I do. I'll keep a much lower profile. So what scams are you trying to accuse me of? Who were my potential victims? You are full of shit anonymous. I'm sure everyone appreciates the warning though.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I happen to know this family very well, and I have stayed at their home many times, and I have NO idea what you are talking about.... Montana and Judith give Oliver a lot of attention, and it's easy to see the love that they have for this amazing animal. They do a lot for him, trust me, I know. When I found this blog article I was really shocked.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What is "a lot" of attention? I've seen how they treat Oliver in front of visitors. It's not the same as day to day. Remember, I was there everyday. I worked with Oliver at least an hour or two every other day. I took him on long walks. I was even able to get on his back before I got fired and evicted and ripped off for all the hard work I did at Judith's farm. Montana was great with Ollie, I agree. He probably would have done more with him, but Judith is a micro-managing control freak, and afraid that her "valuable, appreciating asset" as she referred to the camel, will get injured if he leaves the barn. Montana is a good kid, and we both put up with a lot of Judith's bs while we worked together on the farm. --work that I had to sue her to get paid for, and still came up thousands short because she lied her ass off in court.

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    Replies
    1. Alright, I'll admit that I see Montana doing most of the work, but I definitively don't think that they are neglecting him in anyway. I have even helped them with some of the small farm work. I also heard a few stories about you... and it's funny that I came across this article. I don't know what happened when you worked on the farm, but I know that things seem perfectly fine now. I love animals, and I wouldn't be able to say all of this if I thought something was wrong. I'm not sure it is entirely fair that you seem to be trying to ruin Judith's reputation because you were not on good terms with her. I just don't understand why you would keep a grudge on this poor woman, she is just doing what she can to keep her farm running and a roof over her head. She cares about her animals, I have seen the amount of care that they are given, at least in the past 4 months that I have been really close with Montana. You say she ripped you off, I heard you ripped her off from her son, it doesn't matter, fighting like this and trying to ruin a reputation is not fair!

      Delete
  17. If you were her ranch hand and you and her son were responsible for feeding and caring for the animals, it would seem to me that you were responsible for making sure those little lambs were looked after and didn't die. You said yourself that she didn't do the work and that is what you were hired to do...

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  18. Good point. However, I found the first dead one on my second day there. I think it died before I got there. I found the baby about a week later. That wasn't really her fault or mine. accidentally We kept rams and ewes separate, yet before I got there one accidentally mated. The baby was born in the dead of winter, and no one ever saw it until I found it dead. There was no excuse for the goat. It needed to be treated. She said she would buy medicine, but never dd. Remember...I worked 10-20 hours per week for 5 months for that stiff. She never paid me a single dime. She was supposed to let me run a seafood store on the property in exchange. When winter ended, she fired me, evicted me and confiscated the store a started building...then accused me of stealing the lumber I earned by demolishing her barn, and fixing her carriage house. I sued her, but she lied in court so I only got $580 of the $3000 she owed me. Her son wasn't responsible for feeding, I was. He only took care of it 20% of the time (my days off) Now I hear he is calling me a thief. I called him on that but he won't respond...He's a spineless whimp. Too bad, cause I really liked the kid and felt bad about the way his mother treated him. She's a psycho-bitch. He told me so himself...And, I witnessed it first hand.

    ReplyDelete
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  20. A little background on Judith. I worked for her many years ago when she was still married to her husband. She makes it sound like she moved herself to VT to start a sheep farm. Her husband was part of this deal. He drove from Ferrisburgh to St. Albans to work every day. He paid the bills. Weekends he was home trimming sheep hooves and doing farm work with her son on his knee on the tractor. In other words, he appeared to be pretty devoted. Judith has a bad habit of whining to the people who work for her. She was not happy with her husband and was more enamored of her farm hand that she thought more sensitive. I thought she was nuts because I could see the good in her husband. She refused to accompany him on business dinners or really support him in his job and if she did go, often insulted the people she was dining with. I thought the entire thing bizarre. Eventually she fired me abruptly, seeming not to care that I was a single parent depending on this work for income to feed my family. Later, I discovered quite by accident that during the divorce from her husband, she claimed that I had stolen jewelry from her so that she wouldn't have to give his family heirlooms back to him. I was really angry because I never stole as much as a penny found under the bed from anyone. I took great pride in my honesty, courtesy and discretion. Further, there were at least 3 different people coming and going from the house freely at the time, besides myself. The police weren't called and I was never told of this by her. Wouldn't you want to do something about it if you were robbed by someone of valuables?? It got even more strange when I ran into her years later by accident in another state. I was so upset that I emailed her to tell her that she had made a terrific mistake in accusing me of something I never did. She snottily said that it wasn't jewelry stolen, it was a good amount of money. No apology at all. As for the kid, he was little at the time and already preparing to become a problem later in life. He engaged in animal abuse and at one time shoved a baby in a carrier down a flight of stairs in their home. I do know Judith was very concerned about his behavior. My observation of her was that she had very volatile relationships with people, that often ended abruptly and that she took a certain pride in having people describe her as difficult. She basically told me that. My opinion is that she has a mental illness called Borderline Personality Disorder and that this affects her interpersonal relationships. As for you, I think you entirely overwhelmed her with your enthusiasm and energy which was more than she was prepared to contend with. She just thought you could do what others have done and do what she wanted and then buzz off. This is her M.O. which has been repeated many times. Be glad you are done with her and move on. That's all anyone can do.

    ReplyDelete
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Kevin Leland: Investigative Blogger

I’m not a reporter or a journalist who is prevented from making myself part of the story. I’m a blogger, and these stories are a part of me. Therefore, expect me to be making more than a cameo appearance in them. I know I’m not the only one out here who has had a life. I welcome anyone with a good story to share a guest spot. I will help anyone with a good scoop to investigate. Bring it on! (I’ll share revenue) No slander, no gossip -just true, emotionally riveting, newsworthy drama.