Time for a Fence Around the Veggie Garden

Don set up his game cam on a post in the garden. Here's what triggered it at 4:17 AM.

Too bad for this guy hunting season is just around the corner. But, he's being fattened up nicely on the end of the bean crop so he should be tasty! Next year a fence needs to go up around that garden!

My Little Hen has Died

I think this is the little hen I spoon fed to keep alive when she was only a day old. I suspect she has died from Blackhead disease, a parasite that hurts their liver. Despite many efforts to find the needed medicine, I could not find a local vet who could get and none was to be had in farm stores. It's a very helpless feeling. There seem to be all kinds of help for horses, dogs and cats, but I haven't yet found a poultry vet. I'm imaging most farmers double up as farmer and vet when it comes to chickens and turkeys, and more than likely, most find it not economical to pay a vet for a rather cheap and expendable bird. Even so, I find it sad that she died like this and I feel badly I couldn't help. I know, I know.....she was going to be butchered in another couple of months, but at least she would be eaten and would fulfill her 'circle of life' fate, but now she must be buried very deep or burned so as not to infect wildlife. Keep your fingers crossed that the other turkeys also don't get it.

Winter Rye

While the garden is still supplying us with fresh veggies and flowers, we are planning for winter. Much of the fallow parts of the garden were seeded in winter rye in hopes of improving the nitrogen levels for next planting season. When the rest of the crops are brought in, we will do the same to that earth.

Alpha Turkey

Moroccan HENna

My hens all agreed, that Moroccan Henna was the only rational paint color choice for their coop. Hopefully move in day will be later this week. The finishing touches are going in now. It's mostly interior work that is left, such as perches and lighting fixtures.

Ruler of the Roost

As the little guys have grown into roosters, it's become clear which one is ruler, and here he is. So far, no fights. I think the 2nd rooster is so sure of his secondary position that he doesn't even give it a challenge.

Our Best 'Hired' Hand

Pat Reed models his new tee shirt. The work he has done with us is priceless....so we just have to keep him in syrup and honey.

Bit 'o Honey

The bees have been so busy this summer that we had to extract honey from a 'super' to give them more room for more honey.

Decisions decisions

Sugar House progress #2

Sugar House progress

This is the site, cleared and leveled, where the sugar house will go....just down from the barn.

Cock-a-doodle-do

Two of my ten little chicks turned out to be cocks. So far so good, but I've been warned the guys like to fight.

Clearing the way for a sugar house

The plan is to have a sugar house built before next sugaring season, so a space is being cleared and some land trenched to improve drainage. Lots of the trees being taken down are being chopped back up and thrown back into the woods, other is being used to mulch the garden paths. The sugar house will be on the west side of the barn, looking out to the west field.

New house for the turkeys

Their long necks pushed them out of the roof of their brooder so Don put together a turkey RV, which they seem to find very accommodating

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The Cherry Tree at the End of the Drive

Last summer this cherry table was a tree. We had to take the tree down to get our certificate of occupancy because it was blocking a safe view distance for getting out of the drive. We took the tree to Lathrop's in Bristal, to turn the tree into boards. Then we took the boards to Vermont Furniture in Salsbury to make it into a table. The table now sits in our entry way.