Hurricane Farm

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there! 

From their protection to their nurturing to their unconditional love, it is our Mothers who help us to become who we are today.  Thanks to all of you!

Here are some shots of a wonderful mother doing her best with her little ones.

Whether your teaching us how to eat, keeping us warm and draft-free, or protecting us from predation, you Mothers are the best!

Erica and the kids found this flower in our wetlands last week.  This flower is for all the Mom's out there!  Happy Mother's Day!

At last!  Click, click, click.  Tap, tap, tap.  Peep, peep, peep!

Hey, what's that sound in there?

Hey look!  That one is trying to escape!  Quick, catch it!

Here is our nice, clean, and organized brooding area.  It stays nice, clean, and organized for about 36 hours once its new tenants arrive.

We ended up adding another section to keep the goslings from wetting everyone else as they splash around in the water.  The dividers worked great--for three days--until everyone thought it would be great to mingle with their neighbors.  I've been finding countless uses for what little excess sawmill cut-offs we have left from sugarin' season.  They make great "poultry dividers."

Believe it or not, those little guys number somewhere near 200 birds--I think!

They grow fast, too.  We have spaces already established elsewhere around the farm for the geese, turkeys, and egg layers, but I'm hard at work completing a new outbuilding to house the meat birds. 

Here the kids and I have set out the sill to see how big this thing will be when it's done.

The next step was to do a little excavating...

...and leveling.

I can tell you, the first block is a piece of cake.  The next three...not so much.  But we managed to get it all leveled out eventually.

I think that I bought way too many blocks.  But we used them to make a much needed (and curiously missing) step for the workshop doorway.

Next we added some floor joists and cross braces and finally put on the floor.

And here is where our construction stops for the time being.  Next we'll put up some walls...but, as mentioned before, it was a busy week.  Did I mention that the silo came, the bees are just about set up, and loads of firewood have arrived?

No, this is not a recipe for a mouth-watering chicken dish, but a brief snapshot into how animals keep their own time.

It is a sure sign that Spring is not too far away when you find this in the barn...

The ducks, not as keen as the chickens, have also started laying.  They, however, drop their eggs all over the yard.  Some in the garden.  One under the tractor wheel (oops).  I think, though, that if the past is any indication, they will settle down and find a secure place any day.

The sheep are about to lamb and the rabbits are nesting as I type.  The few turkeys that remain are also laying a surprising number of eggs.  The next month here at the farm will be full of new additions! 

OK, OK...Here is a recipe!

CHICKEN SURPRISE

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
4 c. thinly sliced potatoes
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. sausage