Help Coming From Every Direction

Help has come from every direction to the farm. Meet Keagan, my co-workers 17-year old son who has been banished from the x-box and comfort of the a/c. She sent him to work on the farm as a "punishment" of sorts -

hummm...looks like he is really suffering huh? This kids first weekend he came out simply scared to death of a 4-lb chicken. Notice the full out leather gloves and semi-terrified body language - "Is it gonna peck me?" ,"Chickens feet are weird", "whats the red thing on their heads for?"

My response - "Dude -Buck up and Hold it like a football!" he cracks me up.

Yes, I have come to the conclusion it should be a crime to keep these chores to myself, lol. Sometimes under the grind of all these daily to do list around here it is easy to forget how fun it can be to share the farm experience with others....smile. Gotta admit - It is pretty cool for x-box generation kids to get to collect eggs and chase chickens around for the first time ever.

Keagan has been a big help and great to have an extra hand to help moving the chicken tractor once a week.

Speaking of tractors...
Dad on the other hand, back on old blue and would probably rather be in the hammock with a Corona, lol! Here he is preparing the field for future site of goat family of 4 to arrive soon, hopefully next month - Thanks dad - u r the bomb.
Mr. Tommy is finishing up the woodwork on the stand. Handicap access ramp was required so he is workin' it in the 90 degree heat for the final inspection. And here is crazy tile layer setting the floor like nobody's business. Did you check out the selection? It was on sale at home depot! To my surprise slate was cheaper than tile and I couldn't resist the natural earthy tones and organic look of it. Its gonna be pretty - set on an angle and all.

Getting there...

Okay can you tell I am alittle excited about the slate floors?! Stoked...

Well enough blogging for the day.... Now back to my summer job...

(aka mowing!)

note to self... we need to put a rush on those darned goats!

So much for the newlywed experience....

- And then there was one -

Half empty or Half Full? Still pondering the curve balls life can throw you....

one sunset at a time.

I know it has been unlike me abandon my blogging for this long, especially in the height of the flower season. The fields have been bursting with bright buds and butterflies dancing in the fields everyday. Normally I would be posting pics like crazy in the peak of July, so writing this is my attempt to get back to my normal routine, my place of zen and happiness.

I am overwhelmed with how well the flowers have done this summer...really they are beautiful and stop traffic throughout the day - but the excitement of this time of year has been tainted by a cloud of personal sadness. I will spare you the details, except to say - after 4 months of marriage, I won't be sharing this experience with the person I thought was my best friend for life. I was blindsided by the discovery of my of husband's choices which eliminated any possibility of "us" continuing on this journey together. Disappointed, disgusted, devastated and heartbroken are the words that come to mind. I can't know for sure but I suspect he thought I was so dependent on him and his skills that I would just turn my head...or maybe he just didn't think he would get caught. He must have been equally as shocked when all the locks were changed and his clothes were on the front porch the next day!

One thing for sure, I certainly did not expect to be managing this farm by myself. Nevertheless I know I deserve better - so it is for the best. I hope in a few months this will be but a distant memory. While I am not at that point yet and the pain is still haunts me every moment of the day, the pity party is beginning to wind down and rays of hope are poking through the break in the clouds. Here are a few shots so you can see the glimmer for yourself:

The new "Open" signed was pushed in the ground for the first two sunny weekends of July so I could share the abundance of the fields. It has been good therapy to me to meet more neighbors, share a smile with families, and watch kids frolic among the rows of flowers.

It has been especially nice to hear feedback from fellow Pungolians who say they have always passed by and wanted to be able to stop in to smell the flowers! Alot of city folks too as most of my customers stop in after a day of picking berries (Henley's and Pungo Blueberries is now open right down the street).

I have set up a little area for customers to pick their own bouquets. A few mason jars filled with water, scissors and a jumbo handwritten sign explaining what is available. Thought I would take a picture of this quaint little setup, if only to compare it next year ;) Oh the Humble beginnings.

Feels like the ideal way to spend a relaxing day in the country to me. Butterflies and bugs fill the humid air. Purple mint flowers top bouquets...beneficial insects love them too.

Happy, sunny cosmos.

Double flowered pink frilly Cosmos.

The warm velvety orange richness of the Mexican Sunflower - Just happy :)

Purple Ruffle Basil speckled with green.

Celosia spikelets glimmering in the sun.

Strolling the farm by myself at sunset tonight with camera in hand, I felt the hope and beauty of everyday activities slowly creeping back into my life again and am finally reaching the point of being just thankful.

Thanks to all my family and friends for all the support - and if you haven't stopped in, please drop by for a visit to the farm this weekend!

Graduation Day! (For our Chickens that is...)

Our rent-a-chicks have been growing like weeds and have been eager to explore the farm. Only thing is we are in prime hawk territory. Since they are still too small to go in the Eggmobile with the hens, we had to think of another structure for them to graduate to - a sort of "middle school" if you will - to protect them from the hawks.

Research always begins with a Joel Salatin book and this time was no exception. We found the perfect solution, a mobile pen that can be pulled along the ground to fresh grass everyday but it has a roof top to prevent hawk attacks! (we tried before using pvc pipe and bird netting. that was a no go! Not strong enough)

The project begins...

Chris building the roof framework to protect from the rain, sun and hawks.

All ready to go with a removable triangle top with handles.

Green grass on the way! Best part is there is no litter to clean out, t

Take what most chicken farmers see as a liability (poop) and turn it into an asset (fertilizer)

No clay chicken yard here!

Girls happily and safely exploring their new territory.

Graduation day and already working the soil doing what they were born to do. Hunting, pecking, scratching, pooping, and de-bugging.

This structure is light enough for me to move daily by hand, but strong enough for the critters to stay out.

Happy Hens!

P.s> momma hen is still doing her job! Baby chick pics to come first week of july.. :)

Flowers Are Here!

Spent the morning out front taking pics of the new developments. Ready to start filling the buckets already!

Almost ready for my bucket!

I title this photo - "Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch"!

Trying this broody hen thing again. Another Australorp of ours has gone broody this week. Ordered more fertilized chocolate eggs off e-bay ($45 for half dozen - yikes - overnight shipping!) As you can see they look so dark next to our current hen fruits... hope they all hatch so we can get more of these! We have borrowed a neighbors incubator for back up this time... Last attempt she decided to stop sitting on them she was only 2 days into it. Takes about 20-21 days to hatching.

Ready for Summer! Heating Up...

Temps are expected to be in the 90's and beyond for the rest of the week. So here are some snapshots around the farm to get geared up for the toasty temps - petals are due shortly!

Dusting off the tractor...but this ole' girl doesn't sit still around much.

Glad for Glads. Supposed to be planting these bulbs every two weeks. Not sure if I'll be able to be that religious about it but certainly will be testing out a few rows.

(maybe some green ones!)

Nothing beats the first Zinnia bloom. The most heat loving flower I've ever met. They are a keeper!Daylily season is short...if you blink you might miss them.
The Mimosa tree is covered with delicate little pink pom-poms. Looks like a party waiting to happen if you ask me. A favorite of the hummingbirds. Not to mention a great brunch drink too...
Classic old time favorite, Hydrangeas surround the farm house. Luckily for me, mom planted these back when they first moved to the property...maybe 15 years ago. Thanks Mom!Not exactly sure how old the Hydrangeas are but wish she would have planted a few (hundred) more for me. :) Yum. Basils and mints are all filling out nicely. Ready to garnish the delish side dish...As long as these gals keep their beaks off my 'maters!

(I am still recovering from the little sweet pea incident)At least they make up for it by noshing on the bugs...which there is no shortage of. Btw, loving the detail with the new camera setup. Feels practically National Geographic compared to the cell phone camera I've been blogging with. Close up of the caterpillar crossing zone. Monarch Butterfly in the making coming through! Plucked off a milkweed plant for a shot and it crawled right back to its host. This caterpillar only eats the leaves of the milkweed plant. Every year I grow extra just for them. Heard there were a few events this winter that wiped out alot of Monarchs overwintering in Mexico so more host plants and backyard butterfly gardening is needed. The sap of the milkweed plant is white, hence the name and is super toxic, which makes the caterpillar taste yuck-y to birds. Their bright color is a warning sign to birds that they are inedible.

And for the final picture,

I title this -

"what happens when boys visit the farm"

They hand deliver us new friends!