Animals
Donkey, Donkey
Elijah’s best little buddies, Gressett and Mcree have a fun, blue toy donkey (almost like a rocking horse without the rocking) that they can jump on and ‘ride’ and when they do, I can hear them (especially Mcree) yelling: ‘Donkey, Donkey!’ as only a 2 year old can. As I laugh thinking about all … Continue reading
This little piggy went to market…
I attended a dear family friend’s birthday party a week or so ago and while I was sitting by the firepit, a ‘well-meaning’ woman asked me, why in the world I’d raise hogs? I was a little caught off guard, because I don’t generally go around asking people why in the world they are teachers, accountants, … Continue reading
a comparison of agricultural enterprises
We raised turkeys for the first time this year and we learned a lot. We learned that we enjoy having them around. We like their noises and personalities. They are much more laid back than chickens and they move more gracefully. We raised 4 different types of heritage turkeys. The gentle bird in this picture … Continue reading
20Eight
The last of the year’s sweet potatoes were distributed on Saturday. We’ve found them to store very well and have enjoyed the flavor and texture that they add to our meals here lately. Turnips (SO, SO TASTY), Assorted Greens (choice of Arugula, Spinach, Lettuce Mix, Asian Mix, or Kale) and Radishes were also delivered this … Continue reading
A Hard Part of Farming
I found a nest today. A mama Buff Orpington made her home in an old plastic pot, filled with pine straw, tucked under some scrap wood pieces, underneath the old mule wagon. I heard chicks “peeping” and the knew the dogs had been curiously scouring the area for the last few days, so I decided … Continue reading
Poultry. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good. This is Willie; he was a “Blue Slate” heritage turkey. I put Willie down today and it breaks my heart. I hate these kind of decisions that come with animal husbandry. Willie had one eye that didn’t work and one eye that kinda worked. When he was small he got food in his … Continue reading
fine dining
Dear Readers, I apologize for not blogging much lately, I’ve been sitting around watching Green Acres re-runs. Just kidding, but we do have a pig named Wilbur. Here he is eating some good ‘bad’ tomatoes. I think that our pigs appreciate our tomatoes as much as we do. Wilbur is the smaller brown/red pig. We made him … Continue reading
Chicken Butchering
We spent a day with the Brant Family yesterday as we butchered our Freedom Rangers on their farm. After the Brants and Radford Harrell helped butcher our chickens, we butchered the Brants chickens and a great time* was had by all, except for the chickens of course. A few chefs from Palmetto Bluff came by to observe the process and the kids watched it … Continue reading
day of rest
This time of year it’s a good idea to stay out of the sun in the afternoon so I’ve had a bit of a schedule change. I wake up around 4 each morning and start the chores at 5. After feeding, watering, and tending to all the egg laying chickens, guineas, turkeys, meat chickens, rabbits, … Continue reading
How Romantic…
Most people (myself included) have this romanticized view of farming, gardening, or animal rearing. I remember reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series of books as a little girl (and as an adult) and thinking about how wonderful it was for Pa to bring home the bacon, literally. Or when he’d go hunting and … Continue reading