Turkey day came and went, so did our turkeys, including my Winston, sigh. Everyone had fabulous dinner reservations at only the "best" homes! Winifred, Winston's girlfriend was a little jealous at first then sad that she was left behind but I'm sure she will be much happier? She is hanging with the girls, Clover, Chloe and the boys, Cecil and Dinner. Yes we still have Dinner, he had so many reprieves that we decided it was his destiny to be with us forever.
We did have a special request this past holiday for one of our geese, much to my delight. His name was *#@in ***hole, he had a very special place in my heart. I can not tell you how much I miss that bird, it would not be appropriate! Let's just say the other ones left are such a pleasure to be around. For some reason they are much calmer then they used to be?
Our Red Ranger that we raised Label Rouge is almost all "harvested". I'm trying out a new term as you can see. Since we no longer go to the "salon" I have to improvise. So last weekend we, (me) harvested about 40 rangers. Slowly are farm is winding down for the winter. Even if we did just receive 25 more chicks, that will grow into our little fatties that every one loves so much.
This weekend its time for a few of our ducklings to; go south for the winter and north to the Farmers Market in Schenectady. Don't worry though; we have LOTS of ducks, lots and lots. They almost breed as well as the Quail. But then nothing can breed like quail, maybe mice or rabbits? We still have lots of quail but they will be winding down also. The last 50 hatched out about 2 weeks ago and that’s if for a while, until spring. We have about 50 ready to "go", another 50 almost ready to go and then the last 50 chicks. All I see is quail when I close my eyes!
And I wonder why I wander around the house going Kill, kill ,kill….and I love animals? Yes I do and all our babies have the best care, love and land to run on until they go on their special dinner dates. We have a very tough job to do but someone has to do it. Every creature must be given thanks and the respect that they deserve, even that goose, *#@in ***hole.
We are very lucky to be part of this delicate circle of life and we give thanks to everyone who supports us and our farm.
Hope you all had a great Thanks Giving!
Susie

Smashing Pumpkins

Smashing Pumpkins, no not the band, the birds, they love to eat pumpkin. Okay I'll admit they love to eat anything but fresh pumpkins are a favorite. Every fall I collect pumpkins left over after Halloween at local farms. Then we (Bruce) store them in the basement/root cellar/dungeon. Every morning we (Bruce) toss out pumpkins in the yard for all to snack on. If any one has pumpkins and do not know what to do with them, bring em on over, toss them in the back yard and watch the show.
Along with all their pumpkin delight our birds have also been snacking on Meyer lemon rinds, quince parts, persimmon tops, apple parts (nice pre-seasoning.) By the way I have a few new jams made up as you can guess.
Also it is official, I'm BON A FIDE! I have my certificate from Cornell University stating that I've graduated from my Acidified Foods course. At least I have finally graduated from a college somewhere. I've been to four colleges, 3 majors, no degree yet. But the real point is now I can sell pickled goods, no more contraband. That was the best $400. that I ever spent and it was a very informative course. Yes Nancy, no more accidental poisonings! (duh joking) All you doctors and attorneys out there, stop rolling your eyeballs.
We have lots of new stuff going on. Bruce and I have also been selling at the Schenectady Green Market at Proctors Theatre, every other Sunday. We can now sell my Acidified foods along with my jelly, jam and we can not forget Organic Fowl (just not the chicken), I'm working on that. The Schenectady market so far has been fabulous. Lots of fun people, good food, fresh produce and I have not killed Bruce yet. Surprisingly enough we work very well together, go figure?
Dorothy, our "Mother Plucker", so named by our neighbors, has already paid for itself. This contraption looks like that thing they tossed into the clouds in Twister, hence the name Dorothy. We added on the Mother Plucker part. Yes this is our new Salon Treatment for our fowl. I won't expand on this new aspect of our lives, lets just say it's all good. Our twisted neighbors have been hanging out with us and Dorothy, "Watching". I guess we really need more to do in the hood when this is the new social event?
We all know what is coming up very soon, Turkey Day! So far my head count has been holding strong, no turkey losses. Bruce and I will be saloning on November 20th. Your birds will be ready for pick up that evening or later. They will be fresh and fine until Thanksgiving, you don't want to know how many days old meat is when you buy it in the store. If any one needs us to deliver, no problemo, we will deliver your bird.
This weekend I'm focusing on our Quail or the reduction of our quail. If any one wants fresh quail, we have PLENTY available, just let me know. I'm going to do a special deep fried southern quail myself.
Take care everyone!
Susie

It has been a long, hot, crazy summer and fall

It has been a long, crazy, busy summer and fall!!
Okay I've been slacking a little with my blog page. Life has been a whirl wind of birds. Speaking of Whirl Wind we have a new addition to the farm, Dorothy our "Mother Plucker". I'll talk about her, more, later one. Now where to begin for a recap of the past 4-5 months, sigh, how time flys (no pun intended).
Our yard is a sea of ducks, chickens, turkeys, geese, guineas and what a fun sight it is to see! Slowly over the summer we have been ramping up our duck population (home grown from my girls eggs). Nero, Quackers and Jeremiah (who we fondly call Gigandor), have contributed greatly to this effort. The sleek Cayugas gracefully graze next to the crazy, energetic Khaki Cambells, along with all those slow and watch full Muscovys. You can not sneak much past a duck but Muscovy's keep a keen eye on everything, all the time!
Nothing will put a smile on your face faster then watching ducklings darting past, chirping with their little wings flapping. The best was turning around in my work kitchen to find about half dozen ducklings that scooted into the back door and where sneaking across the room to me. As soon as I turn, noticing them, they madly jump in the air spinning around, squealing out chirps and on their giant little feet ran back out the door. This comical mass of tumbling fuzz would then stop just outside the door expecting apple or cucumber treats to be tossed to them immediately. While eating their special treats, you could then pet the little buggers as they climbed my feet or legs gobbling down any thing they could get their bills on. You have to realize this treat was for fifty, not just a few ducklings but fifty hungry, fuzzy little babies.
Then they grow up, poop everywhere, sigh.
Of course then there are my geese, the bane of my existence. These majestic creatures have finally calmed down, turning into giant, white beauties, terrorizing the yard at a slightly calmer pace. Yes, terrorize about sums it up. My lovely gentle, little goslings what would play in my lap; eat out of my hand, follow me everywhere are hoodlums. I can't wait for next spring to have more! The girls are practicing; we keep finding giant white mystery eggs all over the yard.
Our turkeys are filling out nicely, not to small, not to large. I keep giving them little pep talks and they watch me intently, probably wondering how to get my eye ball out the socket. Winston did attempt to take a chunk out of my ear, he just couldn't resist. Most days Winston a Narragansett turkey waits patiently outside the back door hoping that I will pass him special treats. Then after treats he goes for a ride around the yard on my shoulders. We also have Bourbon Reds and Sweetgrass. I'm still amazed at their feather coloring. To watch them grazing over the hillside by the grape vines, blending into the fall foliage in back ground, they almost disappear. Nature is sneaky, camouflage is a wonderful thing.
One of our most crazy and wild additions to the farm this year has been the Guineas. These energetic little birds turn up everywhere .So far the head count is 12 large guineas and 3 smaller mystery guineas. The mystery guineas are very tiny and seem to disappear a lot; lately more so? This does not bode well for this little rag tag team of tiny things. The large 12 are thriving, keeping to the yard, seeming to realize that there is safety in numbers, restraining from flying over the perimeter fencing. Yes, the yard and fields have a perimeter fencing to keep out predators. The area is so large most of our birds never wander to the farthest point of outer fencing.
All my old girls (egg layers) seem to know winter is coming. The newer hens are care free, staying out past dark, running wild with the ducklings. Not my experienced hens, they tuck themselves in long before dusk with their roosters; Zilla, Pepi, Freebird. These girls stay in the first coop that we built. Only the privileged hens or roo's are allowed to roost in this coop. All others are chased and squawked at until they vacate the premises. Eventually all the other hens go inside, roosting in the newer pens along with all the fatties (meat birds), turkeys and ducklings. Coco the only Frizzle bantam hen left goes into her "Chick Chalet", all by her lonesome. Over the summer, unfortunately her friends, Zelda and Lola were snatched away from us by a fox. It is very hard to convince independent little bantams to not venture through the fencing. I'll be heating the Chalet soon to keep Coco warm and safe on those cold winter nights.
Our Red Rangers that we raise for Label Rouge meat have decided that toes are tasty. Every time they see me, they come running like crazy, beg for treats, and then try to eat my toes when the goodies run out. Rangers are one fast, smart bird, retaining all their instinctive skills for foraging, fighting and flight when in danger. In the spring we are going to try to let them breed their own eggs for hatching. Don't tell Bruce, he will start twitching. I almost put him over the edge when we moved all the Quail breeders for the winter into the barn.
Coturnix Quail are a beautiful tiny bird with a huge breast full of delicious meat. Yes I know that’s terrible but man they taste yummy. This breed of quail can not be exposed to the freezing temperatures of the Great Northeast. Keeping them nice and cozy with extra lighting will help them to continue laying eggs through the winter. Quail are very good at doing two things, first is eating and the other I'm sure you can figure out, crazy little birds. Did I mention we have lots of Quail Eggs and Meat???
At this time the barn is over run with tiny field mice, which I'm remedying at this moment with traps. Chester our new kitten will soon be out in the barn hunting, hopefully. It seems Herman our four year old barn cat has decided to retire to the main house, abandoning the barn to the birds and mice. When poor Herman does go out back, he hunches his shoulders, pins his ears back and does a slow march out to the barn; with 100 plus fowl happily tagging along. For some reason this bothers Herman, of course I'm crying from laughing so hard watching this fowl spectacle, poor Hermi.
We are hunkering down, preparing for the winter, hoping it is a mild one. I could go on forever but I'll end this update for now.

More Yard Work To Be Done

No matter what we do we have help, more help then we ever need. There is always a creature underfoot, inspecting, assisting and suppervising our work. After all it has to be up to their specks but there is always one slacker.

Muscovey Permit and Regulation Update

I have received a few questions about the Muscovy duck issue and permit regulations in the U.S. I have been keeping track of what is going before the implementation date of the new regulation, since we raise our own Muscovy ducks for meat and eggs.

At this time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in the process of reformatting their permit regulations that became effective March 31, 2010 for the List of Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It seems they really did not realize the extent of the market for Muscovy duck meat. They are genuinely concerned with how invasive the species is in the southern states.

Lets put this in easy terms. Thanks to an article in this months Back Yard Poultry, I have the answer and actually understood what they are explaining. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not realize the huge market for Poultry Farmers raising domestic Muscovy's as meat or show birds. Most farmers do not know Muscovy is an invasive species to the U.S.The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service does not read Back Yard Poultry and most farmers do not read the Federal Register.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not administer the new permits or enforce their new regulations. They plan to amend those regulations in the very near future. Legally we can raise and sell our Muscovy's without any issue, at this time.

If any one has more questions about this issue I can scan and send the article from Back Yard Poultry to you. They have a very good question and answer section to help explain the issue.

The Lawn Mower Pit Crew

Bruce has a new pit crew for his mower. Our baby geese get into everything. They are very curious and follow us everywhere.

More Ducklings Hatching

We have new ducklings hatching this weekend! Penelope is hatching out her 10 to 14 eggs she has been sitting on for roughly 34 days. The doors to her large private pen is now closed off from the other birds while she is going through this stressful time.