Feathers, Feathers, Everywhere.... Finally

Wow news travels fast and boy is everyone excited. These folks heard the news that we FINALLY found some occupants for the chicken mansion. Yep, that's right, real live poultry. Chris worked for our good friend Art again this week and shared our feathered frustrations with him.

At the end of the day Art offered to help us get a start with some good looking, very healthy Barred Rock hens and a young Buckeye rooster that is just finding his crowing voice. We picked up the whole bunch Sunday afternoon and they are now living in their new home and adjusting to being spoiled like the rest of the inmates on the farm.

The week started out with some fun and frivolity when the neighbors that live to the south of us came over to tell us that Laverne and Shirley, the goat girls, had decided that they were bored and let themselves out to take a walk. Chris and I tracked them through the cornfields down the street where they finally ran into a fence. We caught up with them while they were arguing over which way to turn next and "persuaded" them to rethink their night on the town and come home. Goats are known for their Houdini-like abilities, and after some observation we realized that they had escaped by climbing onto the goat house roof and jumping off over the fence. Apparently they really needed a night out. After some re-engineering with a sheet of plywood their roof climbing capability was eliminated. Maybe they are practicing to be reindeer when they grow up! We wouldn't want to crush their dreams so we will let them go on pretending they are not goats.

We had a visit from Chris's friend Tom Nickel this week. Tom lives in the old neighborhood and goes to school at Malone College in Canton, Ohio. Tom learned a little about farm life and took Chris for a night out in downtown (or uptown) Charlotte. We are a little concerned that Tom will never eat beef or soybean derivatives again after we shared some commercial food production truths with him. But then again, being an average twenty-one year old, he probably forgot all of his concerns an hour into the eight-hour drive when a Taco Bell appeared over the horizon. I'm sure he will survive somehow.

This week was spent working on the gardens up front where we planted some horseradish roots and some strawberry plants for spring. We have also been reworking the electric fence to give the goats a little more protection from predators. Apparently stray dogs and coyotes don't like 60,000 volts tickling their busy little paws or noses. Ed's Uncle Rob called with some much appreciated good advice about goats and plowing and general farm etiquette. We also calculated that we could milk the goats to the tune of 300 gallons of milk a year, one little squirt at a time. But still the most rewarding accomplishment of the week was finally starting our egg and chicken supply.

Now is that a handsome looking fella or what!?...

PS. We received a call late this evening that our good friend Art has been in an accident with his mule. When we left him earlier today he told us that he was going to be working with the mule and that he was concerned about the hazards. He has a broken rib and punctured lung as well as a serious brain contusion. He was admitted to the hospital and is sedated. Please pray for Art. He is a strong Christian and has been a great help to us and a good friend to Chris. We will let you know how he is doing as soon as we know more.