Why Does The Okra Hate Me? (And Other Farm Tales Of Woe)
Posted on | August 1, 2012 | 11 Comments
We are spiraling out of control.
The chickens are hatching ducklings.
Almost all of this year’s chicks that were cool colors are turning out to be roosters.
I have discovered you have to cut the feathers around the eyes of Silkie chickens on occasion or they will stumble around the barnyard, just hoping to find food or water. I am trying to remember why I had to have Silkie chickens this year. I cannot resummon that feeling.
Julia went off her feed and did not appear to be able to open her mouth. Plus she had a slightly swollen eye. Which sent me into a tizzy of preparations for treatment of tetanus, listeriosis, and goat polio. Never mind the “pseudorabies” that the Internet suggested because she had been housed with pigs. Thankfully she summoned her strength to eat when threatened with a food takeover from one of the bucklings.
A goat who can manage to eat if someone else is trying to eat her food is not at death’s door yet. And with arnica over the last couple of days she appears to have recovered. It’s anybody’s guess as to why.
Despite being left with the buck for 6 months, Charlotte does not appear to be pregnant. This makes her third year without freshening.
Goat pregnancy is not an exact science. But a goat due to kid in October should look more like this goat. Good Carmen.
We are out of hay.
Luckily, the garden is so overgrown that it is perfect for grazers.
Too bad that as soon as the sheep are put into the garden to graze, they go straight for the corn.
The corn that, for some reason, has large sections that have just fallen over. Making them extremely susceptible to sheep attack.
Also, the garden is loaded with spiders. How can I be expected to pick cherry tomatoes when they are being guarded by spiders? Not possible.
The blackberries were plump and juicy until the 100 degree temperatures arrived. Then they shriveled up and died.
Of course, the okra is doing fine. Stellar. Except when I check it on Monday it only has a few blossoms. When I check it on the following Wednesday it has 8 inch long, tough, and inedible okra pods. Why does the okra hate me?
The hummingbirds refuse to use their swing. Regardless of all the youtube evidence that they would love their swing. Sometimes they perch on the branch above it. And laugh. I realize I only put I up 2 days ago. But the package said everything required for success was included. It didn’t say anything about requiring patience.
Not even the house is safe. 2 of the 3 gourami are dead. And I’m not holding out much hope for the third one. The sideways swim is never a good sign.
This is the second spider cricket we’ve found inside. The first one was found on The Other Half’s face in the middle of the night.
In anticipation of working twice as many shifts as I used to, I panicked and spent days and days making and freezing meals for the family. Now whenever you open the freezer, you risk losing a toe to a falling 13X9 pan of frozen lasagna. Plus, the kids hate that they don’t get to have pizza whenever I’m not home for dinner. Basically, everyone loses.
I heard the news anchor say it’s the Dog Days of summer. I thought that meant we should expect a lot of heat. But apparently it means we should expect to feel like we’re stepping in dog crap. Every day.
It’s a good thing we have tomato pie. Without tomato pie, who knows what depths of depression we could sink to. And, just in case of emergency, there are 4 more in the freezer.
Comments
11 Responses to “Why Does The Okra Hate Me? (And Other Farm Tales Of Woe)”
Leave a Reply
Pages
Recent Posts
Categories
Subscribe
1. Feed your farm addictions HERE
2. Cluck
4. Meh
5. Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!
Archives
- November 2022
- October 2022
- December 2020
- June 2020
- August 2019
- June 2019
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- November 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- November 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
Tags
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | |||||
Meta
August 1st, 2012 @ 3:19 pm
I have to trim the Polish’s top knots or they walk into walls. Never again will I accept “free gift!” Polish. Although I do have to say that at last one lays an egg every other day. You don’t mention your egg supply. I hope it’s better than the okra.
August 2nd, 2012 @ 2:32 am
I love Silkies. They are so pretty, gentle, and sweet. Your other chickens are interesting looking. And those little yellow “chicks” with the red hen, adorable. My okra does the same thing.
August 2nd, 2012 @ 3:20 am
Tomato pie! My favorite!
August 2nd, 2012 @ 7:47 am
I didn’t realize it was YOU with the goat that wouldn’t open her mouth on HDG! I had a doe who’s front knees wouldn’t bend one morning. I freaked out thinking Tetanus and gave her CDT anti toxin,among other things, by the time the vet came $) she was completely fine:)Said maybe early arthritus or something.. but I may have saved her with that CDT/anti.. I like to think so.
August 2nd, 2012 @ 9:07 am
Could the goat have been bitten by something? A spider or hornet maybe? I get joint stiffness with any bite that I get, so I’m wondering if a bite in the face may have caused jaw stiffness. Glad she is getting better. I love my polish and silkie. My silkie is an amazing broody and my polish laid one pretty white egg every day, and both of them are the best pets for kids ever.
August 2nd, 2012 @ 9:30 am
Yes, I think now it was a bug bite. And you’re right. The Silkies are excellent for visitors who want to pet a chicken. You just pick them up—-they never run b/c they never see you coming!
August 3rd, 2012 @ 2:28 pm
Can I have your recipe for the tomato pie? Pretty please? It looks so lovely. I am a NC girl living in Germany now, and that pie just makes me think of home!
August 4th, 2012 @ 6:57 am
I’m just done with this summer. My plants are all dried up and dead from the heat and the lack of rain. They aren’t happy in spite of my crazy watering bill. Sigh.
The tomato plant is HUGE, but no tomatoes. It mocks me as it is the only thing that is truly green in the yard.
Oh, summer of hell, please be over. Please.
August 4th, 2012 @ 11:12 am
Sure. This recipe originally came from Woman’s Day magazine:
1 unbaked pie shell
1 cup mayo
2 cups shredded cheddar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 1/3lbs sliced tomatoes
Bake pie shell about 5 minutes or until partially baked.
Combine mayo, 1 1/4 cup cheese, and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese on bottom of partially baked pie shell. Top with 1/4 of sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of onions. Add 1/3 cup of mayo mixture in dollops. Continue to layer tomatoes, onion, and mayo mixture. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Can add herbs such as parsley, chives, or basil on top.
Bake on lower oven rack for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.
August 5th, 2012 @ 7:02 am
Am currently in Scotland on business and their summer is rain every day, approx 4 degrees overnight and occasional sun along with a large smattering of biting gnats. I would love to be in your summer – we have forgotten what warmth is :0).
PS I’d love a silkie, they look so daft.
July 19th, 2013 @ 5:36 am
So cute…..love the humor….when you run a farm you have got to be able to laugh…luckily the animals are entertaining……thanks for the stories…..