OK- here goes. Oh- and by the way- the title is a little spoof to Pink Floyd (for those of you who didn't get it-it's OK. I prefer 1970's Country Music myself).
It is pretty chilly here on this Sunday morning before we get out and start our day. I am sitting looking out my den window onto brown stubbly corn fields over the horizon. The Pecan trees right out the window are still green and full of bulging promise as the the Pecans get ready to drop. The Black Walnuts, on the other hand, are dropping like bombs on the yard and onto any unsuspecting individuals walking below. Between the overhead attacks and the ankle twisting round hulls- they literally can cause an Emergency Department visit.
It's a week of slowing down here and may not be the best time to start our little weekly newsletter- but who has time in the Spring and Summer !! Alex and Ben finished another movable Broiler house this past week, but we are currently using it for the new laying chicks. This is the time when they look like real chickens, but are still so vulnerable. Just Friday morning we saw a Hawk sitting outside the chicken house looking in at all the tasty morsels that are so close, but thankfully for us, unattainable by the overhead predators.
Not so lucky have we been with our last batch of meat chicks for the 2016 year. As we sprinted off to Keaton's football game on Thursday evening after chores, the silent attack on our chicks began. One after another they were taken or died a quiet death. Only after we lost 30 chicks on Friday night did we find the evidence we needed that we have a Weasel situation on our hands !! Seems that this is the only time of year that we have this issue. After moving chicks to the Red House it seems that all is well with the next batch of lovely Crossings Broilers. Soon they will be on pasture and enjoying green grasses and fresh sunshine.
Yesterday, in between customers at the Farmhouse Market, Salem and I were busy working on possible products to add to our list of offerings. We understand that very few people have time to take a whole chicken and cut it up for chicken soup or other poultry based goodies. So we will see where this goes. But we are enjoying the time together as well as the fruits of our labor !
Half and whole hogs continue to be popular. This was the first year that we have offered this and we are glad that everyone has seemed to appreciate it. It is pretty impressive when you see all of that meat in multiple coolers or laid out on the table being unpacked.
Winterizing the bees has started in earnest this week. I actually took time to throw a few heavy blankets over them last night. Not sure that it is necessary, but it makes me feel better. They were all busily buzzing around in the sunlight this morning, so that is a good sign they made it through the first cold snap.
We did have a few precious moments where Mackenzie was home this week. I'm wondering what it says about our family that this time was filled with conversations about High Fructose Corn Syrup, why it is still legal in the US and how it dangerously creeps into our food at home. Want more information? Read Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food & An Omnivores Dilemma).
We look forward to this week and the slower pace that fall brings. Always hoping that this time allows for maintenance and straightening up as well as planning for the 2017 year. The upcoming Lard Rendering Demonstration that we are planning for this next Saturday here on the farm should also be fun. So often we think of Lard as a four letter word (well- it actually is), but the bad publicity it received is not warranted. I did a FB post on Lard about this time last year if you are interested.
Well- time is growing short. Smells of waffles, sausage and grits (us Southerners love the man who discovered the Grit) fill the house and hungry children are rambling around. Off to start the day and the upcoming week. I hope that all of you find yourself in good health this week and continue to count your blessings that have been bestowed. We count each and everyone of you as our blessings and are thankful that you have taken this crazy ride with us.
