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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Saturday July 7, Ducks in the Orchard!


This week on the farm we set up the orchard as a giant chicken yard with electro-net fencing all around the perimeter and portable coops in amongst the trees.  When all was ready we began to herd the ducks from their old homes in the front pasture.
All was going well until we passed out the gate and into new territory for the ducks.  What a nightmare!  There were ducks in the barn and geese in the ditch!  They were hiding in the bushes, even running down the lane and on to the road!  If we pushed forward they wanted to go back, when we tried to turn left they went right or straight ahead!  What should have been a quick half hour job at most became an hour long ordeal.
Eventually everyone was moved, happy and quacking in the dappled shade, but it sure did take a lot of work.
After the ducks and geese we decided it would be less work to simply wait until dark to catch the turkeys (when they are naturally more docile) and carry them in cages on the tractor.  The tractor wouldn’t start.  Apparently the alternator is shot and the battery has lost its charge.   We were up until eleven thirty carrying turkeys and ducklings from the chicken yard to the orchard.
I hope those birds appreciate it.
Don’t think that life on the farm is all work though.  On Wednesday night we had a barbecue and built a bonfire.  Outside under the stars we ate truly spectacular grass fed steak and pork chops, roast potatoes, barbequed corn and a garden salad and afterwards in the warm evening air we sat around the fire, relaxed and drank red wine under a rising full moon.

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