The Farm Tour

Last year we went to the Whidbey Island Farm Tour. It was a tour of about 20 farms on an island, that raised various animals and produce. It was so much fun, we couldn't wait to go again this year.
P packed up her camera, I grabbed the Farm Tour Map, and we headed out for our weekend adventure.
I scoped out the map for about a week before our trip. I was excited to see that the majority of the farms being featured this year were new, and there were some we visited the year before too. The one I was most excited to see had Berkshire Pigs and Heritage turkeys. Two things I am interested in taking on in the next year or two. I couldn't wait to go learn all I could about the raising of these animals!
We grabbed our pumpkin spice lattes, (decaf) and 3 hours, and two ferries later we made it to the beginning of the tour at the bottom of the island. We checked out a few alpaca farms, a new winery that also has grass-fed beef, a few lavender farms, and some CSAs with organic or naturally grown produce. We enjoyed exploring a farmer's market or two, and the weather held out perfectly.
The first day we crammed in about 10 farms during a 6 hour period of time. Patty got some wonderful pictures for her photography and I got tons of great info on fencing, animal shelters and the raising and selling of animals.
We stayed the night at Fort Casey Inn. They turned hundred year old officer's houses into places to stay. The houses were pretty cool, and the photo ops for Patty were great, but I must admit, the house was downright creepy. Before heading to bed, we looked at flyers we gathered all day, and I went on and on about how excited I was to see the pig farm the following day. Patty looked at the map and said, "Oh no." I looked to see what she was talking about, and she pointed out the fine print under the farm's name that said it was open Saturday only. I was so upset...the one farm I wanted to see...and I missed it because I missed the fine print. P suggested we call, and I accepted the fact I would be missing it. I figured I could maybe email when I got home or visit in the future but I won't lie. I was crushed.
I can't believe we slept at all. We convinced ourselves the place was haunted, and the bed was so incredibly hard, I actually contemplated going to sleep in the car...
The next morning we groaned over body aches as we headed out again. We saw a garlic farm, a raspberry farm and a blue berry farm. We were pulling into a lavender farm and I decided to try my luck and call the pig and turkey farm. I had recited in my head what I was going to say over and over... I explained that I didn't notice they were only open one day and that we had traveled a really long way to see her farm. I told her I was interested in raising Berkshire hogs and Heritage turkeys for my own meat source, (I'll explain more about that later,) and after a few more minutes she agreed to let us come see her farm and answer our questions. YES!!! We rushed throught the lavender farm and headed to Karry's farm. She was wonderful! We spent almost two hours there! She walked us out to her pig pen which appeared to be empty. She clapped her hands together and said, "Cmere Willie!" Patty about peed herself. The pig that trotted out was over 600 pounds. Willie truly had a face only a mother could love, but the way she was "laughing"/snorting was addictive. What a beautiful animal. Karry shared with us the breeding process, why Berkshire meat was so incredible, and showed us the basics of pig housing. We talked about breeders, advertising and selling, and even watched Willie eat an egg.
Then we checked out Karry's heritage turkeys. She has Slate Heritage Turkeys, various chickens and ducks. We talked about potential predators, incubating eggs, selling turkeys and turkey saddles, (I'll explain those later too...it's not what you think.)
She then took us inside, and copied us article after article of pig information. After leaving Karry's farm we felt our adventure was complete. Three hours and two ferry rides later we were back home on our farm.
Thank you again Karry for your time and all the info!!!

Goodbye Serengeti

Long live SUPER STEVE!!! I've been working tons of overtime at work...ten hour days, 6 days a week, and it has really put a damper on my farm building free weekends. Labor day weekend my sister came to town to visit for a few days. She helped collect eggs...which was slightly traumatic for her... She reached into a nest box, and a low growl/hiss came from the box. She just about peed herself and ran out of the coop! I peeked inside the box, and one of the rhode island reds was busy sitting on the eggs. :)
My mom and Super Steve came over to visit with Amy, and Super Steve was only there for about 10 minutes before he insisted on mowing the field. I told him several times it was ok, and that I would get around to it...but he insisted...and it really needed it...so I let him. I filled the tires on the John Deere, and added some gas treatment. With it's brand new blades he took off into the abyss. I followed him for awhile picking up huge armloads of grass clippings and throwing them in the garden cart to take them to the chickens. I took them 3 full loads. They dove into it...scratching through it, eating it...looking for bugs. They LOVED it! 3 hours later, Steve pulled the lawn mower into the barn. The field looked amazing! He wanted us to be able to see coyotes or any other wild life in the yard for our protection, and that of the chickens.
Thank you again Super Steve! You're the best!!!

Wiley Coyote strikes again...

One evening we went down to the barn like we do every night after work. We let the girls out to graze and explore for about 45 minutes while we cleaned waterers, filled food etc. They made their way through the tall grass, and all I could see was the grass jerking right and left wherever a chicken was. They stayed together for the most part, and it didn't take more than a handful of Sun flower seeds (in the shell) to get them back into their coop. We gathered up eggs, and drove up to the house.
I went to the sink to wash the eggs, and looked down to the field...There was that damn coyote! 50 feet from the chicken run! I had no idea where he had come from or where he had been hiding while we were down there! I yelled to Patty, and she went and grabbed her gun. I grabbed the bowl of dinner Mariah had made for me and stood at the window watching the coyote. Mariah came and stood by my side holding her bowl and eating. Patty flew out the door onto the back porch with her 9mm and fired a shot off at the coyote about 300 ft away. The dirt about a foot to the right of his hip exploded into a cloud of dust and he ran. She fired off 3 more shots. Mariah and I just watched, eating our pasta. "It's like watching a movie mom," she said. "The sun setting behind the mountains. The breeze blowing through Patty's hair. And Patty shooting her gun." I smiled, "All we need is popcorn." We could hear P cursing at her near misses while she picked up her shells, and lined them up on the railing. The coyote was long gone..and we haven't seen him since.

Eggs for sale!!!

Holy moly...We are getting 18 eggs a day now, and we can't hold on to them. We have been sold out for the last 2 weeks and have a waiting list. Who would have thought? At least the girls are providing for themselves now! We keep all of our egg money in a Ball canning jar on our dresser. Last I counted we have over $80!
I told P that I am going to earn a special farm girl patch when I sell my 20th dozen. She wasn't as thrilled because she has sold 2 dozen. Maybe I am the salesman of the family? After the first week or so, they are selling themselves! I carry them to work in a "Going green" canvas shopping bag, and everyone knows I have an egg delivery. :) We have tried some ourselves too! Scrambled eggs, deviled egg sandwiches, omelettes, and hard boiled eggs. They are incredible! I love how they are all different sizes and different colors. We even have a chicken, (not sure which one,) that regularly lays double yolked eggs! I call those Baker's Dozens. :)
We write down every day on our chicken calendar how many eggs we get, and I keep a log of who I sell eggs to and when. We even have a customer who wants a dozen every Monday! Eggs for sale! $3.50 a dozen!!!

Pet Cemetary and Plan B

A few days after I put the ant killer on the hill, I noticed along the dirt road were some of the ants. I bent down to see what they were doing, and they were all carrying dead ants and dropping them in the road. There were little black spots all over the road. SO maybe I got more than one! I watched one carry a little ant body on it's back...for a moment, very faintly I heard the funeral march. I imagined them crying over their lost loved ones...perhaps a brother...or cousin... It reminded me of what it must have been like during the Plague...family members dying...piles and piles of rotting bodies. Great sadness and yet great dread of who may be next. I pictured one leaning over to another..."Sam was skipping through the pine needles one moment, and then after eating that great buffet of white powder that fell from the sky, he was gone." It lasted a second...just one teeny tiny second I felt bad for the little guys...and then it was gone. I jogged back down to the barn, grabbed more of the magical buffet, and sprinkled it all over the road and on the hill again. After all, if it's so painful for them to lose loved ones, they may as well all be together...
A few weeks later I talked to my neighbor Bruce who has the same kind of ant hill in an old log on his property. His plan is to pick up the whole thing with his tractor, and drop it on his burning pile.... I knew I liked him...