I have been very neglectful of the blog world! I have been a little overwhelmed with the ending of school and all that I have to do for that, as well as the stuff around the farm that has been keeping me hopping.
I am planning on getting back into gear. I need to get caught up with all of my great blogger pals.
I just took 28 chickens to my (my?) Amish butcher up near Gladwin, MI. His wife and children do all of the work with the butchering. I wish I had taken some pics, but I think they wouldn't have liked it so much. The Amish farm has some modern additions, like a big diesel engine that runs a de-feathering device, but for the most part, the Weavers live pretty true to their convictions. They charged me $1.50 per bird to do the complete butchering process. They also cut them up, as many of the birds were too large for the gallon freezer bags.
I have another thirty broilers going to the butcher on June 26. Looks like we'll be making lots of chicken and noodles and chicken salad sandwiches!
I hope they are tender! The six month old roosters I butchered last fall were very tough!
Broody is back at it. Tomorrow is hatch day. I can hear peeping coming from the eggs, so I think we (she) will have some success. I made the mistake of leaving her nest in the coop, and she has gone from the original 8 eggs, to an astounding 38 eggs. I am sure they won't all hatch, but to help Broody with the hatching, another partridge cochin has been sitting alongside her for the past week to make sure the eggs all get good coverage. I don't know what will happen when the eggs hatch. Who will get to be the mom?
I am rambling away here.
My veg garden is starting to look like a garden. Practically everything is up and growing! Some of the seeds I planted didn't germinate, so I will have to make do without some things, mostly squash and chives.
The blackberries are going absolute bonkers. I can't believe how many canes I have and they are all loaded with flowers.
OK, I have to go out and do some chores, but I am going to post this boring thing anyway.
Thanks for reading this far!
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19 comments:
Nice to see you are posting... it can be difficult to balance ... real life and blogging. The chicken sounds yummy and I look forward to pics of the garden. As well as pics of what you have done, changed, grown and re-painted for the wedding. It is bound to be a beautiful event, the farm is lovely!
Nice to see you back Don!
I admit it's tough at the moment for me to get the time to sit down and blog - I've just plumbed in a complete bathroom, and have a hundred other jobs to do, which is a shame cos I have some great stuff to tell - that'll all have to wait for a bit methinks!
Great to hear everything is ok - if a little busy!
:D
I figured you were doing lots to get ready for the wedding. We recently put up 210lbs of chicken. John built a plucker that I will be posting about shortly.
It's great to see you back, Don! We've missed you. Understanding that you've been incredibly busy, of course.
I think you can pretty much rule out anything but chicken dinners for the next year! That's awesome! And Broody's sitting on 38 eggs? Wow! It's good thing she has some help. I'd like to see her try to manage that many chicks at one time. She'll be one worn-out mama hen!
Its nice to see you post again. Its funny how life can get in the way like that.
What a great deal on the chicken butchering. Sounds a lot better than doing it yourself. I always hated that part.
Take care and remember to take some time out to relax too.
Debbie
Hey, you're back! I have missed you, which is kind of odd/sad since I don't actually know you other than from your blog...
I figured you were ok, just thought you were busy with the upcoming wedding. In the blog world no posting often means too busy, which actually means there is a lot to blog about if only you had the time to do it!
I have two requests for photos:
1. sunflower patch. I would love to see your million sunflowers growing, even if they aren't flowering yet. When is the wedding?
2. Broody and Broody II sitting on the 38 eggs. Quick, before they hatch!
Wow that's such a great price compared to store-bought chickens. Wow 38 eggs, that momma is going to want to go into hiding when those eggs hatch.
Yay!
This has to be your first post that I wasn't privvy to, and I notice that there are no photos - HA! That's what you get for posting without me, teehee. But actually, you do just fine with the camera - as long as it's around, which it wasn't when you posted this. So . . . ok I understand.
See, you were missed. I'll be home at around 5:30, so you can take the camera out then for the sunflowers and Broody.
I really like the Amish way of life. But, alas, I would not fit in. Too much of a tomboy when young and still thinkin' that way.
www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com
i've been checking in here and asking myself what's going on with don and ruth. glad to have an update.
love the idea of the partnering up of mama chickens to get all the eggs hatched. isn't nature just wonderful?
i've been telling family and friends how you've planted tons of sunflowers for your daughter's wedding. hope we'll get to see photos when the time comes.
take care and say hi to ruth!
Wow Lots happening in your world!
And Fancy that Broody gal of yours being on eggs again...!
My Lady has gone off being broody since hatching and raising the Super 7!
Turns out we have two roosters and 5 hens...
Our Rooster is just starting to crow as Of two days ago and is Handsome as ever!
All the best with 38 hatchlings! Amazing!
Great to have an update from the Green barn!
It's funny, Don, but I have been away for a month as well and just got back into gear today! It happens, for one reason or another. I can just imagine all the busy activity you're doing these days, getting ready for the wedding. Just the chickens alone would be a handful, let alone everything else you're doing. Man! You have more energy than I could shake a stick at!
I'm with you! I've been away from posting for only a week and I feel like I'm totally out of sync. And I thought the summer was supposed to be a time of relaxing..ha!
Glad to see you back! And we're all busy right now. A good many of us aren't posting, or following our favorites, like we should. Me included!
I sure hope you'll post pictures of Broody with her...brood? LOL. Even she might be a tad overwhelmed with almost 40 babes! Hey, maybe that will cure her of her broodiness?
I think most of the farm-type blogs I read start posting less during the summer. There's too much stuff to do!! I know I could probably spend 8 hours a day in the garden pulling weeds and I still wouldn't be done!
That's awesome that you have new chicks on the way... but 38 eggs? She's a little hopeful, isn't she? :)
This time of year there is lots to do, I have a garden at my parents farm, not all that big but still it takes time to grow things well.
If my rooster does not shape up with the "angry little man" problem he has, a trip to an Amish farmer is what he might get!
Welcome back! I had been remiss at checking the site anyway...Ah, Gladwin butchering...
Glad to hear that all in all things are going well and you're staying busy and off the streets!
i still would love to do the baskets of blackberries for the guest tables at the reception, but i don't know how realistic that is. :( i'm so glad that you have your summer now! time to do everything you love to do.
i love you papa!
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