Most people commute to work, but since I work at home, my commute is short, to say the least. I thought I’d share the usual sights I see along the way. Here’s a few pics from this morning.
Time to let the chickens out, feed, water, and gather eggs. I hope everyone looks healthy and happy. Last week I found our second rooster, Brutus, dead under the perch. : (
The reason why you should count your chickens before they hatch. I didn’t realize I had three non-industrial Leghorns. One is a rose-comb (the one in back). They are too fast to count them, so I thought I just had one. That Araucana looks weird leaning down like that. Is she okay? Luckily, she jumps off her perch when Russell Crowe, the rooster does. Wow, that’s a lot of chicken manure to shovel out come spring. Sigh. The cinder block usually holds their Flock Block (it’s this compressed seed and shell block they peck). I need to order another one. I think the Leghorns are wondering where it is.
Three Non-industrial Leghorns.
Betty Draper, our silver-laced Wyandotte, is fluffed up against the cold.
Mabel says good morning.
Mabel, our Americauna hen, found a great place to lay an egg. In a bag of wood shavings.
I leave the chickens and go over to the barn, passing the veg/fruit garden on the way. I wondered what my husband was up to yesterday. Turns out he was squaring the compost/manure pile. Nice. The heat off this pile is epic. I used my trusty laser thermometer on it last week and one section was over 100 degrees in 10 degree weather. Way to go microbes!
The trellis fence is looking good. Almost (sort of) done. Everything on a farm is almost (sort of) done ALL the time.
Artistically rendered manure pile
Good morning, horses! Tully and Drifter greet me with a friendly nicker.
Tully and Drifter say good morning.
Valentine says good morning, too. She lives with Tully. They are besties.
Tully’s stablemate, Valentine, says good morning!
I open the goat door to find this tableau. Not sure why Barley is standing in a bucket. Not sure why Clover is standing by the wall like he’s at a pub waiting to be served. Goats are nothing if not hilarious.
Clover, Barley, and Dulcinea.
Looks like we have plenty of hay to last for a while…
Hay stores
Which is good because the pastures are covered in snow.
Pastures of snow
Everyone is fed and it’s time to go back to the house. But first, a look at the blueberry patch. Can’t wait for fresh blueberries in July! (The little house in the back is my summer writing studio)
Blueberry bushes
Breakfast time for the farmer! Thanks for the fresh egg, girls!
Farmer’s breakfast
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