The Farmer & Friends
This past weekend The Farmer was out doing chores. Whenever he stops to rest, he gets company. Usually it’s our farm collie, Toby, bugging him for a pet. Lately, however, the neighbor’s dog has gotten in on the act.
Trimming The Honeysuckle
At the end of the gardening season, The Farmer opens the gate between the garden and pasture so the animals can go in and graze on anything they want to. That’s fine when it comes to leftover veggies or weeds, but I have a few things planted along the fence between the garden and front yard. One of those things is a Alabama Crimson Tide Honeysuckle vine. Here’s a picture taken when it was in bloom one spring.
Friday’s Farm Fotos
Another week has slipped right by. Spring is in residence most of the time, although old man winter rousts her out now and then for a light frost or some nippy weather. But flowers are blooming and birds are nesting and the peacocks are screaming, so it must really be spring!
I saw the first iris blooming in the flowerbed around a big oak tree in our front yard. . .
And the Solomon Seal is starting to put out little dainty bells of bloom . . .
The Farmer saw some of the pond denizens out enjoying the warmer weather . . .
Turtle at the edge of our pond.
The frogs are also hopping all over the place. I guess they’re just hoppy!
A Frog peeking at The Farmer
Another day I saw a bunch of the chickens congregating in the evening. I’m not sure if it was a chicken conversation or a conversation of chickens.
Hen Party
It’s not exactly a hen party, because too many roosters are attending this event.
They’re not the only ones who hand out together. Here’s a line-up of the happy hoofers. . .
ewe, ewe, llama, ewe, goat. . .
And now I must get back to work. I am determined to finish up this book project!
Midnight Southern Snowstorm
It’s midnight here in the south, and the snow is falling thick and heavy.
Midnight Snowfall
As you can see here, the snowflakes are fat and there are LOTS of them!
Snowflakes at Midnight
Toby the Tough doesn’t mind a little snow and runs around all over the place. Where I go, he goes.
Toby braving the snow!
I tried shining a flashlight on The Farmer’s tractor to get a picture of all the snow piling up on it.
Allis Chalmers with a blanket of snow.
The snow is piling up fast, and the ramp to the work shed is buried in snow.
Lots of snow!
I was out checking on the animals. I wanted to be sure everyone was in their proper place. They weren’t. The goat had pushed her way through a gate and went into the sheep shed. Now there is plenty of room for 1 goat and 3 sheep in this shed, but there’s just one problem. The ornery goat stands in the doorway and won’t let the sheep in. So I had to chase her back into the pen with the llama.
Getting tucked in for the night.
If she would just go up into the corner of the pen, she could be snug and dry. Of course, the little rascal caused the sheep to be covered in snow because they were standing out in the snowstorm.
Snowy Ewes
At least they can spend the rest of the night in the shed and not become abominable snow ewes from being outside all night!
The chickens are smart and roost in the middle of the shed.
Snug and safe for the night.
The guineas get in the mix too, and get in out of the snow…. some of them anyway. Others choose to stay in a tree, even though there are plenty of places they could be in out of the weather. Others roost along the outer parts of the sheep shed.
Guineas looking for shelter.
I’ve done all I can to make sure everyone is snug and sheltered from the snow. Now I think I’ll go to bed myself. It should be interesting to see how much snow there is tomorrow morning! Many pundits around here are styling this SNOWMAGEDDON in the SOUTH!
On the third day of Christmas. . .
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me . . .
The Third Day of Christmas
Three fat sheep!
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Two Spitting Llamas
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- The first day of Christmas!
… And a Parrot on a Fairrryyyyy!
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New Style, cost of 3 Shetland Sheep (average price): $750
Old (Classic) Style, cost of 3 French Hens: $30
New style still more expensive!
But about those French Hens. There is some debate to what they are. For the purpose of deciding on cost, I went with this interpretation:
A French Hen is a Turkey. In Gaelic the Turkey is called Cearc-Fhrangach (literally, French Hen). Turkeys were very popular among the French nobility as early as the mid 16th century as they were much more tasty and tender than than the other large feast birds eaten at that time such as cormorant, heron peacock, and swan.
So I got the price for heritage turkey poults and went from there.
Total to date:
New Style – $1,970
Classic Style – $463
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