The New American Gothic.

Diaper changin and bottle feedins? Nah- we got leashes and grain buckets.

Please allow me to introduce to you Buddah and Tenzin

Looks like we are goatsitting....

A couple that we know that own these precious little guys were heading out of town and asked if we would be willing to goatsit.  Without containing an ability to turn away anything with fur and feathers how could I say no?  I looked forward to having these goats for a week and it will also help to see if we will get some in the future.  Not only is it goatsitting, but its goat practicing:)  

So far- so good.  These two little guys are wicked sweet, and have different personalities.  While Buddah bleats and bleats, Tenzin is a little quieter.  They are both incredibly intelligent and have so far surprised me by what they notice, and retain.  Our dogs are obsessed with meeting them on the regular basis and the chickens are enjoying the company outside.  I'll be sure to get some more pictures up after today. Until then may your grains run freely today and may your water bucket be full.

Look at all dem pretty boxes!!!

The whole place

HoneyBabyChilal!

Roll Out!

I asked David if he could bid on one of these sweet Amish chillens to take home- but he said that was illegal.


They roll in the produce on horse drawn wagons and the bidding starts:)

First Farm Auction!

A farm auction!!!!

So what is this and what is happening???

David went down to southern MD this morning to watch a farm auction and its inner workings today.  We want to get a feel of what we are to do when it come time to start selling at our stand and how to bid on produce. This here how we will be getting our produce to sell at our farm stand. Although we have land, and a small garden - we would not be able to keep up with the demand of produce. So what you do is go to a farm auction- bid on produce- bring it home and sell it for comparable prices.  Prices will vary for both bidding and selling depending on what is in season. This is how MOST roadside farm stand like ours work.  The farm that we are getting produce from is Amish run and this is part of how they make their living, by selling to small time farmers like ourselves.  

Mustaches ain't got nothin on this beard.

Yes indeed- the actual term for what these gals are doing is "bearding."  They call it bearding because it looks as if, well, the hive has a beard.  The bee's are doing this to cool off a bit. Especially after a hot, humid day like today the girls hang out on the porch to lower the temp of the hive. The hive has to maintain a certain temp for the brood and all around comfort of these oh so pretty girls.

Get well crew.

"Ain't nobody here but us chickens." The chicken dramm of Glory Downs.

Was it a viscous street fight that involved a fox, and two muggers?

Was it a run in with a boyfriends ex girlfriend?

Was it a roll into a bramble bush?

Is it the scary "bubbly eye disease zombiefied chicken," that google suggest it is?

Or was it a ground hornet that taught you a thing or two about playing in his dirt pile....

I believe it was the latter. Here's the story.

It was a little cloudy that day but it looked as if the sun was struggling to poke through the clouds, and in doing so, was winning.  The chickens were restless and just scratching to get out. Feeling their wild animal call I let them out of their chicken yard to run in the wide open space of our human yard.  Since the clouds were fighting back- the chickens scattered into the woods to take shelter, as well as eat things that appear inedible to our trained pallets.  You see, chickens tend to take cover when the clouds roll in as a form of protection. If they can't see a hawk shadow on the ground because of the clouds, then they can't defend themselves in an instance of a hawk dive. I walked around our yard and figured their wild animal instinct was working for them, and I let them be to do chickenlikethings.

Awhile later, feeling the need to be a wild human, I ventured outside to do some yard work.  Normally the chickens come running up to me to chatter about their adventures, but on this day none did.  Pondering this for a bit I settled in the thought that all was fine and they possibly found a gold mine.........of grubs. Just then, I heard a shriek. 

My heart sank and I froze for a minute waiting to hear the next sound of a struggle. To see feathers fly in the air, branches breaking, and to see a fox run off with a chicken in its mouth- but none of these followed. The chicken shriek was followed by silence. No other chickens ran- no chickens panicked- nothing.  

I went back into my thoughts to think this through- maybe one got startled. Maybe one pecked at another. Maybe I just heard something that wasn't there...... none of these thoughts completely settling, I continued to my yard work.

As the day grew long, the chickens grew tired. Around 5 pm I called them into their house and counted them as they walked back into their home.  There they all were- alllll 15. Phew! With one exception... One came back with a swollen cheek.  

I picked her up and she was as normal as can be. Other than a little dirt on the side of her face and a swollen cheek she was the picture of  happy chicken.  She ate with the rest, clucked away and did chickenlikethings.  I figured that she had gotten into something but tried not to think to hard about it...

Then I went on the internet.

Upon doing so I came across the fact that my chicken could possibly have "bubbly eye disease," (true stuff folks) or "zombiefied chicken disease"  (my interpreted exaggeration) and that we are going to have to (gruesome part) kill her, burn the carcass, bleach the coop, and hope for the best for the rest of the flock.

I was sick.

I made the promise to my husband when we got the chickens that if one chicken were to get sick we weren't going to go crazy trying to fix her, spending tons of money, taking her to the vet ect......but here- one chicken - could have possibly caught "the zombie," and now I had the rest of the brood to think of. What does one do? Take a chicken to the vet? Have a sacrafice to save the rest? Or do what my heart sad to do- hug her, love her, and give her a chance. Zombie or not- I was going to.

I must have picked up and put down the computer numerous times. Why couldn't a swollen cheek on a chicken be something simple? Why did it have to involve biohazard suits, burning chickens and cleaning the coop as if its the house from E.T.? So I did what any good farm girl who doesn't know much would do- I went to Tractor Supply.

We were lucky enough to talk to a chicken farmer there who said no doubt the chicken got stung by a ground hornet. Since she had dirt on the side of her it was a giveaway. Just then I remember the shriek I heard and it alll started to make sense.  Needless to say we got some chicken medicine incase "the zombie," is a reality and I need to treat the flock. But until I see signs of that I just have to quarantine the hen so she can be settled, rest, and let the venom work its way through her little chicken face.  

Lessons learned here- 

Chickens get stung.

There are such things as ground hornets.

Google "swollen chicken face," is not a beneficial thing to do when you are a first time farmer.

Tractor Supply is a better google search for a first time farmer.

Chickens have cheeks.

Hope you have an enjoyable day. If you decide to roll in the dirt please be careful of your cheeks, for they are beautiful targets for ground hornets.

If a chicken has to stay at the Betty Ford for a couple days- I mine as well put her next to the flower garden to detox, and think about life.

Cause it taste better.

Wicked good jam for a wicked good cause.






Hey All! I have all natural strawberry jam from Massachusetts for sale. Its from this seasons strawberries, freshly picked, homegrown and homemade! They are 7$ per jar. All proceeds go to the Tornado Relief Fund in Massachusetts to benefit towns like Monson and Brimfield that were devastated by the 6/1/11 tornado. Message me if you want one. There is a limited amount:)




http://boston.cbslocal.com/massachusetts-tornadoes-relief-fund/

Sweet delicious little gifts from God we found all along our property line!

"Please excuse our appearance while we are under construction."

With all those millings delivered David has been busting tail making a small roadway with the last pile of them.  Here are pics of a small roadway leading from driveway/farmstand to the back of the bamboo patch.

Pad behind the bamboo- halfway laid out.

Standing in the corner of pad.

David in the steam engine hauling millings from driveway.

David's foreman.  Mind my finger getting in the way for a couple seconds. I was a little nervous that he didn't see the boss standing on the roadway.

Harlem and Indie "taking it from the top," photo shoot.......2011

I left to do some errand's the other day and the  dogs had the run of the place like usual.  When I came back I noticed that some things were out of order and my Ipod (which takes these photos) was missing.  I later found the Ipod in Indie's crate. Upon finding- I was amused to see the dogs did a photo shoot while I was away.

 Here it is in all its beauty.

Chicken Catalog 2011

47 pictures- count em, 47 pictures of chickens. 

 If you are wondering why, well I am too. But God gave me a soft heart towards anything fuzzy, and these hens crack me up.  I will try to add clever, witty, and unbelievably awesome captions to make this picture gazing worth your while. If its not worth your while, my sincerest apologies and may you enjoy finding other mindless websites to spend your time at.

When I looked out the door to head out this hen was in my our mud room. Her face looks insulted. Probably was because of the look I gave her which was "Oh! so sorry to need the mud room at the same time you do." "I should knock the next time."

These three photo are the chicken eating our lettuce. It was more like an experiment. You see- I had some lettuce that grew out of hand in the garden, when I tasted it (the over grown part that is) it was like licking a rusted copper pipe.  I gave some to the chicken to see if they have taste buds. They definitely don't. They kept eating.

As I yelled for the chickens to come- this one hard a hard time figuring out that the gate was wide open. I stood and watch in awe at her determination to make her hen-like body try to fit through this fence.  But soon enough I got bored and I believe she did too.

If this were in a art studio it would be titled: "Chicken in mid canter."

The elusive "David Ortiz."  Yes our hen's name is David Ortiz. And yes we do refer  to her as "him," because of his name.

Heavy Hitter

This hen pecked hen's nickname is "Madame." She came to us picked like this and is slowly getting better. But mentally I don't think she has quite healed from the pecked trauma. You will see why I say this in the next couple photo's.

Exhibit A.

Showing off her fancy footwork. This hen's name is Foxtrot. She follows me everywhere. True story.

Exhibit B.

"Amazingly awesome caption."

Dirty face.

Exhibit C.

Exhibit D.

She's going in for the bite

Boo Tay's

"Say what?! Gurlfriend?!"

The herd.

Dance moves.

"Oh wise and nobel chicken......... will there ever be a Speed 4?!"

"Yes- and it will star Justin Beiber."

Exhibit E.

Exhibit F.

Exhibit H.

Exhibit 34.

"I know you have my eggs....." "Suckah."

I have come to understand that chicken do tribal dances. Here they are demonstrating in these past photos. I try not to interrupt but they play such good music when they dance. They are totally in to Lionel Richie!

Hope you enjoy Chicken Catalog 2011.