After the springtime tragedies (coyote attacks and Bella's death), we have finally started to rejuvenate and repopulate here at 123 Whitaker Road. At 5:00 a.m. last Friday, 29 baby chicks arrived at the Jonesborough post office and are now happily chirping away here on our farm. I ordered an assortment (Araucanas (that lay pastel eggs), Rhode Island Reds (like Henny), Silver- Laced Wyandottes, Delawares, and Buff Orpingtons (like Goldo)) from Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. One little Rhode Island Red died in transit, and another--a Wyandotte affectionately known as "Pasty Butt" or "Spraddle Legs" --is not doing so well. I am trying to pamper her, but I'm not sure if she will make it. The other 28, however, are actively growing. They seem to like their brooder, which Larry, my dad's fireman buddy, built for us. Larry and Lance worked hard this summer on the the chicken coop, so the chickens would have a safe new home--impervious not only to coyotes, weasels, and hawks (we hope!), but to Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster as well. You should see this "chicken fortress"! Unfortunately, Goldo and Petie can't live with Henny yet since she suffered a wound from too many overzealous rooster "love attacks." For a while the wound was quite bad, but thanks to hydrogen peroxide and horse salve, it has healed over now. Goldo and Petie are still living with the goats, and Goldo has successfully pulled out all of Petie's tail feathers. I think he did it to make him look more like a hen. Welcome to "Days of Our Chicken Lives"!
To keep Henny company, I bought 5 blue ribbon Black Star hens at a 4-H auction. They haven't started laying yet, but Henny still faithfully lays her egg each day. I am incubating 10 of her eggs, hoping to get some offspring from her and Goldo. Yes, as you can guess, this farm will not be short on chickens! As soon as this new brood starts laying, I think I will have to go into the egg business. And since Lance and I have become vegetarians, our chickens will be here to stay as long as they like. (For those of you who know about the Scots Dumpies I encountered in Scotland this summer: I plan on ordering some of their cousins, Silver Dorkings, along with some good old fashioned Dominekers in the spring.)
Though we have replenished the chickens, we haven't had such luck with guineas. Our lone surviving guinea, Maybelle, went up into the brush to nest, and I think she became some lucky coyote's dinner. Back in the summer, I bought 4 guinea chicks from a feed store and raised them in a cage until they were fully feathered. Unfortunately, soon after their release, they became victims of predators as well. I am working on plan B for next summer.
In June, my dad brought the horses out here to pasture. We have 5 now, including my mare, Copper, and her colt, Ruby. We are weaning Ruby, and neither mother nor daughter is too happy about that. Ruby is quite the young lady now, though, and she is too old to still be nursing. She lost all of her dark fur and looks now as if she is going to be a gray. She is mild mannered like her mother and follows me around like a puppy.
The goats are, as usual, doing well, but since Bella died there has been a definite decline in morale. I am planning on breeding Iris in January, so hopefully we will have another baby next summer.
Poe remains "Lord of the Manor" and Beaker "Lord of the Couch." They truly are "the greatest cats in the world."
Overall, we had a good garden this year, though the Mexican Bean Beetles wreaked havoc on my beans and the Striped Cucumber Beetles stunted my pumpkins. I had to pull up my beans, but I got a pretty good crop of pumpkins despite the damage. Tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, onions, and broccoli burgeoned. I can't wait to improve next year. I am already researching beneficial insects to introduce in the spring. For those of you who are fascinated with my worm colony: they are thriving and loving every bit of fermenting, rotting kitchen scraps I can give them. And they especially love horse manure.
Finally, Lance and I think we have decided on a name for our farm. In the Appalachian tradition of naming a homestead after a defining natural feature of the landscape, we have chosen "Walnut Grove Farm and Homeplace" in honor of the 100-year old walnut trees that reside below the house. Around 100 years old--having probably been planted about the time the house was built--they are still thriving and hopefully will still be after we pass this place on.
Happy Fall!
Lance and Heather
Attached Photo:
1. The New Chicks
2. Lance on the Bobcat--working on the coop
3. Henny and me in front of the new coop
4. Me holding one of the new Black Star hens
5. Ruby and Copper
