Getting To Know Ewe

Your interest in others is a gift. Relish your curiosity. Never stop wanting to learn about the broader world and those within it.

— Baaaah-atrice, who was delighted by the guineas passing through her paddock

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Here’s What’s Happening At Good Spirits Farm

I love that this time of year, when the fields have a fully stocked buffet of residual grass from the summer, and cool-season species popping up in between. While it’s usually quite dry in September, we have lucked out with good rain this year. Now, it’s off to the races for many of our native grass species. I’m hopeful we’ll have a thick stand of grasses to graze all winter long. That will keep my hay bill managable, which seems especially important this year, given the price of literally everything else.

There are many reasons we love Veli, including her gentleness with Farm Baby. (Don’t worry, we don’t leave them together unattended, because he is still working on “gentle touch”…and not pulling ears and tails.)

Unfortunately, that gentleness does not extend to the chickens. But can you blame her? Chickens are basically live squeaky toys that taste just like chicken! So: during the day, we keep the gate between our front yard and back yard closed. Veli hangs out in the front yard, and the chickens have free range of the back.

Buuuuut the other day I must not have latched the gate properly and….of course…Todd heard a squeaking noise and came out to find Veli with a chicken in her mouth.

The good news is that she dropped the bird as soon as Todd asked her to (good girl!). Even better: The chicken was still alive. I (wearing a bathrobe…why do these things only happen when I am not fully clothed?? Sorry, neighbors!) scooped her up and rushed her to a spot where I could do an exam. I was hoping for the best but fearing the worst. Putting down a badly injured chicken is definitely my least favorite farm activity. We lucked out this time. Aside from a few missing feathers and a cut or two, Elena KegHen was totally fine.

After a few days in isolation to let her cuts heal without any of the other bird picking on her, Elena’s now back out with the rest of the flock and appears to be recovering nicely. These gals are such a resiliant bunch! (And I promise to do better about checking that gate latch.)

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Here’s What I Loved This Week

Did you know that “Weird Al” is touring? Of course we had to take the whole family to see him. (Naturally, Farm Baby needed a Hawaiian shirt for the ocassion). It’s never to early to introduce kids to polka and satire, that’s my motto.

I hope you all take time to celebrate your own weirdness this weekend!