Little Hennies Make the Move

All of the Little Hennies have now moved to the Big Hen House. We moved 4 of them each of the last 4 nights. Our plan was to keep all the Chickens in the yard of that House for a couple of weeks. This would permit them to settle in, getting to know their new house and yard, getting to know their Big Sisters (and Brother), and getting them to develop their new social order (including who sleeps on which rung of which ladder).

All has gone well for the 36 Hens and 1 Rooster, generally. But this morning, we had a bit of a change in plans. Richard went about his daily routine early this morning and forgot to close the gate. So the Big Hennies (and their Rooster) were delighted to be outside. The Little Hennies stayed in their yard, darting in and out of the tall plants so as not to disturb 2 or 3 of the crotchety Hens.

In the tranquility of the morning, Melanie just said: "The Little Hennies are all out in the yard, as a flock!" There they were, chasing bugs in the area of their previous home, the Wee Small House.

We decided today would be a slow day. Maybe we will just follow the Little Hennies about. We are pretty worn out from the events of the past few days. A rest day on the agenda is good.

Butterflies Abound

Earlier in the Summer when we were in and out of storms, the Butterflies seemed few and far between. Now we have an abundance of Butterflies. They seem to be flying everywhere. Big Ones. Little Ones.

This morning, Melanie counted 19 Monarch Caterpillars on the Swamp Milkweed that Sarah Saltmarsh gave us last Summer. While small last Summer, this year the plant is huge. The Caterpillars sited there are all sizes and are chomping away. The Missouri Department of Conservation calendar says that about September 7, Monarchs will begin migrating in large numbers sometimes traveling 2000 miles.

We are feeling the intensity of the season with the abundance the Garden yields us and our preparations for the Winter store. Can you even imagine what the Monarchs are feeling with their own voyage ahead?

Salsa

August 9:

Richard gathers Garden goodies on his way to making 19 pints of Salsa.

Tomato Sampler

Today we had a wonderful breakfast with Scrambled Eggs (with Salsa canned yesterday) and Tomatoes (with Parsley from our dwindling stock in the Gardens). You could call it a wonderful adaptation of the Breakfast Aunt Louise would serve when I visited their farm in those cherished summer months of my childhood some 5 decades past.

For our breakfast this morning, Richard and Melanie picked Tomatoes from the 80 or so plants we have in the 3 Gardens. Finding each and every Tomato in the Patch under the conditions of this year is something to be celebrated. Perhaps it is something to be celebrated every year. How could we have overlooked this simple miracle?

Just in case you wanted to know their names: At 12 noon on the plate (and going clockwise), we have Early Girl, Sweet Pea Currant (tiny gems), Green Zebra, Speckled Roman, Green Sausage, Yellow Pear, Moskovich, Tomatillo, Black Pearl Cherry Tomatoes. In the middle, we have Isis Candy. Yum!

All except Early Girl are heirlooms. All plants (except Sweet Pea Currant) were grown from seeds. Most of the seeds were originally from Seed Savers Exchange out of Decorah, Iowa. Several varieties were ones we had saved ourselves.

Photo Ops Abound

The yellow season of Late Summer and Harvest has arrived. I took these 2 pics in the Garden: the Skyscraper Sunflower (which, you might guess, is way tall) and a Buckeye Butterfly (we think) on a Black-eyed Susan (we know). Photo ops abound.

Why?

Why did we ever quit

growing the food we eat?

---Rachel Long

Moving In

Tonight, we begin moving the Little Hennies (who are now mostly big Hennies) into the Big Hen House. Melanie has been reading a lot about this. Our intention is to create the least disruption for either the Hennies who are moving in or the Hennies (and their Rooster) who already live there. We want the new flock to get along and there are some things we can do to optimize that result.

Apparently, the best time for the move is at night. You only move over a few at a time. That way, the Hennies (and their Rooster) who are already at home in the Big Hen House will be on their perches. We have 16 Hennies to move over and will move 4 of them each of the next 4 nights. Tonight, we will move over 4 of the Buff Orpingtons. It is almost dark now, so the time for the move is coming soon.

In fact, Melanie and Richard just came in. "It's done!"