Ruffled Feathers and Spilled Milk

Farming with ducks and dairy goats, chickens and children.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Posted on | November 8, 2010 | 5 Comments

Some joys on the farm never grow old.

Like the sight of seedlings pushing up through the damp soil.

Or stroking the soft velvet of Josie’s ears before settling in to milk.

A duckling’s first swim.

Bruno’s smile.

The warmth of the woodstove when the rest of the earth is still and cold.

Waking to the rooster’s crow at 3am, long before dawn.

Wait.  Nix that last one.

Anyway, on our farm, the fall brings the always-exciting, never-grows-old incubation and hatch of next year’s chickens.  I know most farms hatch chicks in the spring.  But on our farm we figure anything worth doing, is worth doing backwards.  So as the evenings grow chilly and the daylight hours shorten, we get the special joy of the way this:

transforms into this:

…after just 21 days, some turning, and some misting.  It seems like a miracle every time.  Which might be because the main way I’ve experienced birth involves 9 months of swelling, severe indigestion, and a trip to the hospital.  A styrofoam box with a heating coil seems just too easy to be possible.

Even better, in a just few hours under the heat lamp, this:

transforms into this:

Which is cute enough to make up for the nonstop peeping from the brooder box.  All day and night.  Whenever the chicks hear you walk into the room. Or come down the stairs.  Or breathe too loudly in the upstairs den.

You see, cuteness is a part of God’s master plan.  He gave cuteness to the baby animals so they would stand a chance against us protein-crazed humans.  Luckily for us, He’s not afraid to strip cuteness away before the harvest.  Which explains why turkeys reach their full size….

…and their full-blown ugliness in November.

The Lord giveth cuteness and the Lord taketh cuteness away.

So be sure to give Him thanks for His wise and wonderful ways during this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Gobble, gobble, yum, yum.

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Comments

5 Responses to “Happy Thanksgiving.”

  1. Dawn Raburn
    November 9th, 2010 @ 4:43 am

    We so enjoy your perspectives on farm life. Every time I read your posts, I tell my husband, “That’s us!” Thanks for sharing with us all, keeping us laughing, and reminding us why we are doing all this.
    Blessings,
    Dawn

  2. PB
    November 9th, 2010 @ 6:20 am

    I think that the turkeys are cute! And they know it too!!

  3. Tina Thornton
    November 9th, 2010 @ 7:33 am

    You weren’t kidding…those Turkeys are HUGE!!
    We’ll be coming to your house for Thanksgiving!
    LOL

  4. Tanya
    November 9th, 2010 @ 5:58 pm

    That’s why I’m a vegetarian. Ha Ha.. They are too cute to eat..

  5. L. Treat
    November 11th, 2010 @ 7:44 pm

    I have been reading your blog for a while now and just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your humorous view and writing talent. Truly a joy to visit your site! Love to hear about your farm life ’cause it reminds me alot of mine!! Keep up the good work!!

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