It's about time

    April vanished. However we are not as far behind as I thought we would be at one point. The new orchard is planted and needs mowing again. The young trees are doing well and we might even get the odd apple. The cherry trees, Bartlett pear and young Santa Rosa Plums were slow to break dormancy but now show signs of leaf.

The spring garden has been providing us with greens, the Broad Windsor Fave beans are looking very good and all the potatoes are up, some still need to be hilled but wet weather has slowed that somewhat.

Three turkey hens went broody, we had a horrible few days when they came due to hatch. The weather was terrible, cold and windy. The turkey hen that had the most success escaped and took her day old poults out into the worst weed patch on the farm. We managed to find five of them in knee high thick weeds and got them inside. The other hen lost 4 of hers, we got three to the house but they were just too chilled and died. We think the other one got stepped on. The third hen is in her box in the woodshed ad should hatch in about two weeks. The back yard has a turkey pen for our five survivors and I am typing this as I turkey sit them.

A hen hatched 7 chicks and took them all over the place, then got attacked by a young rooster and left them quite young. We call them the super 7. they sleep in the trophy room at night and head out to the wilds all day. We see them now and then as they get water or some grain, then out to the deep grass they go.

Three more hens are setting.One is a young hen we call Marylyn, she is a Buff x Australorp and extremely grumpy. We are looking forward to having chicks again. The lawn has been mowed, fenceline weed whacked, Herb garden power harrowed and things look good for the next planting.

No broody ducks yet, but lots of duck romance. The three poults born in December are lovely young turkeys, two Chocolate Hens called Sadness and Depression, the young Black Tom is Mournfull. The are the saddest sounding trio you could imagine but come running as soon as they see us.

The new rooster set has earned their names as well.
Shoeless Joe is still top rooster but he is helped by a fine bunch of new guys. The Donald, a Buff x Australorp.  Henry, a Buckeye x Australorpe. Smoke, our white rooster, he is an Australrope x Red sex link. [our one misfit chick, Peaches and Cream is his mother]. Atticus, a Buckeye x Australorpe who has a select flock of hens, all are dark colored and we are fairly sure Buckeye x Australorpe as well.

So goes it. I am taking photos of everything and will do a photo post very soon.

God bless all of you and be safe.