If you can remember my birthday last year - which I'm sure you all do - my brother Austin gave me a couple of turkey chicks. Unfortunately, one died but my favorite one stuck around - Pecker. He was big, friendly, and always happy to see me *snicker, snicker*. Oh, and he always pecked the flesh off my knuckles when I got too close...
Anyway, Pecker was to become our Thanksgiving dinner but of course I fell in love with him and couldn't go through with killing him.
At this point I would like to state that aside from the obvious reasons, I really don't make a great farmer. I love my animals too much and can't see them for anything other than pets. Therefore, death & selling don't even cross my mind
So, with nothing better to do with him, my dad and brother Andy thought that we should clip his wings and turn him out to pasture and of course I thought, why not? Clipping his wings probably wasn't necessary because the ol' boy was bigger than we realized. Dad could hardly lift him...
Once out to pasture Pecker was as happy as could be. He would strut around us in circles and gobble on cue. The picture below is him coming right onto my lap and shaking his tail feathers.
Pecker seemed to like everyone that came to visit him. That is of course, everyone but Ryan. The second Ryan came near Pecker would fluff up and charge after him. It would seem he had a bit of infatuation with me and didn't like the husband stepping in.
Well, as the title to this post states, we eventually did say farewell to Mr. Pecker-Ecker. However, this was NOT planned.
While walking out to the barn on morning to feed the goats, I noticed that Pecker was laying down in the field. Totally uncommon for him since he usually calls to me the second I step out the door. I hopped the fence and realized that he was gone. Something had torn out his back-half and ate his innards.
Between cussing and crying I determined that a coyote had gotten into the field and got my poor boy.
At this point, I don't even know what else to say about it. There he was, my buddy, laid out.
Like any reasonable woman my mind quickly sought revenge. I made a call to my trusty buddy, Farmer John, and he told me that he'd get some boys over with traps.
And while we didn't catch any coyotes, we caught something else - which is a hell of a story.
To be continued...
RIP Mr. Pecker-Ecker
While making dinner one night, Ryan came home from work and wanted to take the boys out to the barn to get a couple pictures of the turkey to show his friends. I said that would be fine since it would give me a little time (aka, peace) to finish dinner. Not long after they left I got a phone call from Ryan:
Ryan: Hey you got a delivery out here.
Me: Delivery? Like what - hay?
Ryan: No, a baby goat! But it's stuck so you might want to grab som gloves and come down.
Quick as a flash I turned off the stove, threw on my boots, and took off for the corral. Sure enough, there was Flopsy with a kid trying to make it's way out. I jumped the fence and went to check the situation. I was immediately worried because the head was flopping around and was really cold. With no other choices I hunkered down and started to deliver. After much grunting, kicking, and screaming -on my end- little Leonidas slid into the world. I quickly swabbed his nose and mouth and prayed that he was still alive. Suddenly he started kicking and breathing and calling for his mama - I'm sure it was only a few seconds, but it felt like forever...
Now, I use the term 'little' Leonidas lightly. He was the biggest kid I've ever seen born
When I asked Ryan how he knew Flopsy was in labor, he said he didn't. The Boy had said,
"Dad - why is there a head coming out of Flopsy's bum?"
There you have it folks: Sex Ed 2.0
Worried for the new mama and baby because of the cold, we took the new family into the tack room for the night.
After dinner we decided to head back down to check on things only to find Lia, the other expectant mama, acting strange. We decided to be safe and put her in the tack room as well.
We put the boys to bed for the night and thought we'd call it a night ourselves. But of course, I couldn't do that. On my next visit to the barn I found that Lia had delivered Jacob.
Jacob was blessed (cursed) with his mama's La Mancha ears which are teeny-tiny stupid looking things. However, babies are so cute when their born that you don't really care much for their defects.
After praising Lia I snuck out only to return 30 minutes later with Ryan to find yet another baby from Lia.
This is Ecker and he is adorable.
The next morning the boys were excited to find out that we had more babies. The Boy quickly claimed Ecker for his own. The Babe picked Jacob and Ryan chose Leonidas.
Now let's fast forward about a week. The boys and I had gone to SLC to visit my parents before Christmas. Ryan called that night and asked how many babies were at the farm when I left. Fearing the worst I replied that there were three.
"Well, you're the proud mama of four now! Sweetie had a little girl today!"
Welcome our only baby girl - Sweet Pea
She has got to be one of the daintiest, cutest babies we've ever had here on B&M Farm. She was only about the size of a small puppy. I was nervous that she wouldn't make being as small as she was and that she had a first time mama (who we didn't even know was pregnant...). But the farm gods have blessed us with no dead babies this time around - for which I am very grateful.
So obviously, it's been awhile...
What's with the lack of posting you may ask? Well, it's not because things have stopped happening around here - rather, I stopped 'happening' around here. I could blame my lack of writing on a few things but it comes down to the fact that I dropped my basket and had a hard time picking up the pieces.
Alas, I am feeling much better and feel that it's time to start picking things up again. I love being on a small farm and trying to learn new things. Ok - and it's due to the constant nagging from my husband and "looks" from my mom :)
So if you are returning to this blog, welcome back - I've missed you. If you are firt-timmer, hang on. The stories may seem far-fetched and the language a tad blunt but it's just another day at the farm...
Upon waking one morning I heard an awful bellering coming from the field. I look out the window to find this:
Apparently the old saying is true, the grass - or weeds in this case - are greener on the other side of the fence.
I grabbed my cutters and pulled on some pants. I mention that because I have been caught running around after my animals with nothing more than a nightshirt on. Sorry mom, you really did raise me better...
It would seem that this would be an easy task since I just have to snip the fence a bit but his little harem is crying out to him and I can't get the damn dog to stay out of my face every time I bend over.
I eventually sat on Yeller to accomplish my task. Goliath was free again and his ladies couldn't be happier.
Wouldn't you know it, the next morning I hear the same bellering. And there again, with his head stuck in the fence, is Goliath.
It would seem that he's a little dense. Heaven forbid he eat the grass from the entire two-acres of open pasture. Why not squeeze you head through a little 4x4 opening to get that one dandelion? I guess my threats of chopping off his horns need to become a little more serious. Or maybe I should let Yeller have a few moments with him.
And guess what, I found him stuck in the fence again this morning.
Yeller & Goliath seem to be having a problem deciding on whom the Alpha is around the farm - as seen in this picture.
Since Stubby said farewell *sob* Yeller has been a bit, ah, lonely. Things apparently didn't go well when he tried to familiarize himself with Goliath. They tussle on a daily basis and I'm not sure whether it's for control of the field or humping rights.
I planted part 2 of my garden earlier this week and The Boy was totally into it. He dug the holes, placed the plants, buried the seeds, and even did a little weeding. It was awesome.
However, I am very territorial with my garden and I don't like the share - Ryan tells me this is something I should have learned in Kindergarten but I must have been absent that day... So while browsing through some magazines I found this really cute child's planter box
However, it was $150 and there was no way I was going to spend that much money. With a little sweet talk and batting of my eyes, I convinced Ryan to make one for us. He gathered some old pallets and whipped this little baby up in one afternoon
The Boy loves it, I love it, and The Babe just wants to play in it - which is so not happening.
We went to Ballard's Nursery and let The Boy pick out the plants and seeds he wanted to grow. He picked quite a variety: tomatoes, squash, flowers, corn, beets, lettuce, swiss chard, pumpkins, cucumbers, peas, leeks, and catnip. His favorite purchase was a tub full of worms.
Once everything was planted I made these markers. I used pictures instead of words because The Boy can't read yet and this way he'll know what is growing.
Total cost of this little project was $25 - we just paid for the plants. And worms, of course...
I celebrated yet another blessed birthday this month and one of the best presents I received came from my brother Austin - 2 turkey chicks! May I introduce:
Pecker
(he's very friendly)
Gibbs
(like giblets...)
I mean honestly, who gets turkeys for their birthday? Does my brother know me or what?! These two weren't sexed so we don't know whether they are male or female - time will tell. And yes, I plan on eating them. They will be absolutely delicious smoked.
One morning while feeding the turkeys I noticed our mama cat, Tess curled up in her bed - with four new babies!
They are so cute! Their eyes haven't opened yet and I haven't ventured to see what the male-to-female ratio is. Let me know if there are any takers out there, no charge.
The Boy keeps are pretty close eye on all the baby critters out here. He'll find any excuse to go running back to the barn to check on them.
