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Hi Everyone,

               Chickens go through cycles: they hatch, they grow, they lay eggs, they molt—and they don’t lay eggs, it gets cold—and they don’t lay eggs, it gets hot—and they don’t lay eggs, they get old—and they don’t lay eggs. For years it never failed that come Thanksgiving and Christmas the chickens would begin to molt and we would never have enough eggs for everyone to bake all their holiday goodies. An old chicken is affected by the cold weather and shortening days, but a young pullet is in tip top condition and once she hits maturity she has one goal every day—to lay an egg. Therefore, we decided to take advantage of pullets maturing around Thanksgiving and Christmas. So we began to bring in 150 to 200 new laying hen chicks every June in order to guarantee that we will have eggs available for our customers to bake with during the holiday season. For the first month they live in the brooder house, then the next five months they spend in the poultry barn and compost yard. When the majority of the chickens are laying eggs, then we sell the two year old chickens and clean out their chicken tractor and move the new laying hens out to roam the pastures and lay their eggs and sleep in the chicken tractor which is moved around the pastures following the cows and sheep every day. Well, it is almost Thanksgiving and last week Steve came in with the first handful of eggs from the new chickens. We shall have plenty of eggs for holiday baking. We have also found out that the chickens lay better when we feed them organic feed that is corn-free and soy-free—they lay longer and more regularly.

               Nine years ago Papa and Mom built a shed in the woods so that we could store our firewood in it. Well, they started it, but we had to hire another family to finish it because when they were putting the middle rafter in place Papa’s antique wooden ladder collapsed under him and he fell to the ground shoulder first tearing his rotator cuff and knocking him out. Poor Mom found her arm pinned between the top of the wall and the rafter. When she turned around to ask Papa to come and help her she saw him sprawled out on the ground unconscious—and that is the scene that stayed in her mind every time she tried to work on the shed. Papa soon came to, and was able to lift the rafter off of Mom’s arm—but he was out of commission for months as his shoulder healed. The other family finished the shed for us, and it has stored some firewood—but it also became a “catch all” shed. If you didn’t know where to put it—go put it in the shed. For the last few years Mom has really desired to move that shed to the yard—somewhere. Then a few weeks ago Papa decided that it was time to order some firewood—sometimes it is just easier to hire things out, and the question came up “Where are we going to stack the firewood?” Once again Mom desired to move the old shed up to the yard. When Mom designed that shed it was built to look old—she bought old, wide boards to cover the sides. Last Sunday Mom and I walked around in the yard to figure out just where we could move that shed to—and we found the perfect spot. It is where the fire pit “was” and it overlooks the courtyard and the whole farm. The problem of “where to put it” was answered easily; the next problem was “how to get it there.” Papa was adamant that we could not move it ourselves! So, first thing Monday morning Mom called all the shed movers in town—and their answer was “no way” because we had built it. (They didn’t know how well Mom had built it!) We called my brother-in-law, and he was willing to come over and help, but before he could come some friends came over to see about fixing our septic drain field that was having a problem retaining water. They had built our milking parlor—at the house, and then drug it out to the field using metal skids and huge PVC pipes. Surely they could figure out how to move a sturdy shed! They promised to come back Tuesday morning with all their tools—and we spent the afternoon cleaning up the area. The grass around the woods had not been mowed all summer, and the weeds were over our heads in some places around the shed. “Farmer junk piles” (wood, fencing, posts, gates, panels, wire) had found residence on a few sides of the shed—but one was desperately in the way. Papa took the weed eater to most of the tall weeds, but I found that the cat claw vines still wrapped themselves around your legs and “clawed” you. I went and got the lawn mower and mowed down the weeds and the tall grass—the place looks totally different now that you can see the ground. Steve and Mom loaded the old firewood into the tractor bucket and stacked in on the back porch, and then they emptied out the rest of the shed and found new locations to dump it. It was close to 5:00 when we quit for the day—but we had done all that we could.

               Tuesday morning the Crane Crew arrived bright and early and they didn’t take long to get the shed jacked up and set on some metal skids. While we milked the cows and did the morning chores, they began the slow process of moving the shed up to the yard. By the time I finished milking the cows, the shed was in its new location. Then the hard part began—leveling it! By 1:30 the shed was leveled and ready for Mom to begin building the lean-to on the south side for the firewood. Mom has grand dreams for this shed now: a front porch with rockers, a fire pit in front, maybe a wood burning cook stove inside, baskets, flowers and herbs hanging from the rafters, and a lean-to to store the firewood on the south side.

               Once the shed was moved, it was time to go back to preparing the caterpillar tunnels for the upcoming winter weather. One of the tunnels has its plastic cover on, and they ran out of parts before they could finish the other one so that they could get it covered—thankfully it isn’t supposed to freeze any time soon.

               Thursday morning we had a customer arrive to buy some milk while we were still milking—and the cooler was empty of all milk (we had sold it all to Jacksonville the day before). We told her that we would have more milk by 11:30—after we finished milking and bottling the milk. She told us that she would return at 1:00. Right before she drove up the driveway her daughter called and told us that they were coming up the driveway—so I proceeded to make out their receipt. Then Papa called out that we had company—I yelled back that it was Leanne. Then Mom called out that we had company—and I yelled back that it was Leanne. They called back that I should come outside and see just how Leanne was driving up the driveway. So I did and what did my eyes behold—two Haflinger horses pulling a large green covered wagon full of people. I do believe that it is the first time someone came to buy products by way of a horse and buggy. Years ago we had a Belgium draft horse and a two wheel cart and a black wagon with three bench seats. We had lots of fun with them.

               Friday we processed chickens for the last time this year. Hopefully we were able to stock up enough to meet the demand until next spring when we begin processing again. We have truly been blessed with a lovely team of helpers this year and it is amazing how fast we can get things done with the right equipment and help. We will process the turkeys this Friday and then we will be done for the year. All of our time will then be turned to the garden—which needs lots of help, and of which is beginning to produce some yummy greens to eat on throughout the winter.

Serving you with Gladness,

Tiare