tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179961386068915812024-03-13T11:45:11.335-07:00Turtle Rock FarmsLiving The Simple Life Atop Beautiful Petit Jean Mountainscrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-11218762399917523462011-07-21T07:33:00.000-07:002011-07-21T07:33:16.557-07:00FenceThe fencing project, phase 1, is complete! We dozed the fence rows and easement paths, then fenced and cross-fenced around 4 acres. Now we will have two paddocks for rotational grazing, just as soon as the goats clear out the undergrowth, and we can doze and till it for planting pasture grass. We hope to have some fledgling pasture by next spring and perhaps a milk cow soon after. Our rented pasture is great, but it will be so nice to have our chickens and turkeys at home!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw65a-hBJJh8z5QPH4sSPzicLJsHEIwtkYRiW5bzvpov1fHYXmZlo1t7o65h1Ds-9N2jWKjanCML3VtRkCqcN5HLXoFyddTHaNl0GuBS_FDa_CFj7gUbMlfrk8vEnfITDoYjb09avHwc/s1600/CIMG0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw65a-hBJJh8z5QPH4sSPzicLJsHEIwtkYRiW5bzvpov1fHYXmZlo1t7o65h1Ds-9N2jWKjanCML3VtRkCqcN5HLXoFyddTHaNl0GuBS_FDa_CFj7gUbMlfrk8vEnfITDoYjb09avHwc/s320/CIMG0013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-8781325521317524792011-03-27T08:22:00.000-07:002011-03-27T08:50:46.804-07:00Re-PurposingThe farm is in full swing! We are shaking off the ache of the cold, cold winter and working hard to make the soil bring forth new life. We have started some seedlings of Pak Choy, Tomatoes, Green Peppers, and Zinnias. We are planning on transplanting those seedlings into our rubber lumber, raised beds. (More on that later.) We like to get the most out of the farm, so everything has to have multiple uses. As you have read from other posts, we still have some heritage turkeys wandering around the farm. They do not like to stay in the yard we have fenced in for their protection, it seems they enjoy our company too much. Due to their wandering ways, we have our own egg hunts searching for where they have laid them most recently. Once we find some of their eggs we use them for breads, muffins, and brownies. As for taste, there is not much difference between turkey and chicken (wink, wink), but the shape of the turkey egg has a more pronounced point at one end. They also have a much harder shell, so breaking them into mixes can be a little tricky. So far that is the only thing keeping them around on the farm. I want to go ahead and slaughter them, but the family has me out-numbered on touting their usefulness. I feel like the Dread Pirate Roberts - when I see the turkeys at evening I tell them, "Goodnight! I will most likely kill you in the morning." Maybe the next time the kids leave for the day, I might just act with decisiveness. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UMEVqEQSbgGubb-GwYqmbAUowG8acu0R2TcUbyin_JhCTmUR1EoyDA3cUPnv3Ie0bd8demEaCVWsDqRJa6eUw3zOLEbUFVmP0wNScMOPC-MaUVivWDh4ylIh5a-2i9aT-vsl7S0AUGI/s1600/IMG_20110308_131556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UMEVqEQSbgGubb-GwYqmbAUowG8acu0R2TcUbyin_JhCTmUR1EoyDA3cUPnv3Ie0bd8demEaCVWsDqRJa6eUw3zOLEbUFVmP0wNScMOPC-MaUVivWDh4ylIh5a-2i9aT-vsl7S0AUGI/s200/IMG_20110308_131556.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the most recent Turkey eggs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
As for the rubber lumber, raised beds, we discovered a great site concerning sustainable agriculture. Check out the Noble Foundation <a href="http://www.noble.org/">here</a>. Our newest venture is building raised beds from rubber lumber. Did you know that most tire places will give you old tires? I've heard old farmers tell me to plant potatoes in old tires by planting potatoes in one tire, then stacking another tire on top and filling it with more dirt. One older guy told me he had stacked four tires high with potatoes! Our plan for the raised beds is to cut the steel belting off and use the tread for "walls" on the raised beds. We will post some pictures as soon as we get some tires. It doesn't take a farmer to re-purpose items, you can do it at your home as well. It just takes some interest and desire to re-purpose something rather than throwing it away. Take a small step towards being more sustainable and environmentally responsible. If you have any ideas to share with us, please either comment or email us with your ideas.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-57603134225686006252011-03-08T18:00:00.000-08:002011-03-20T11:54:13.001-07:00Spring is hereWith the warm weather we decided to start some spring planting. I hope we haven't jumped the gun, since we planted everything the temperature has dropped down to the mid 30's. So far everything is still alive, but we are watching them closely. The kids all pitched in and helped to plant lettuce mix, spinach, and brussels sprouts. The kids worked together with a minimum of fighting and with only a few leaves of lettuce missing. Hopefully, I can sell all the brussels sprouts so I don't have to eat any.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNUhHXl549PeJd9Z4ie0dHs6vka4KORid0stIVifA3eN-mkNHhkWm-4lZM4RolkGRKvlML1p8FTw05wezKDLW0A1gNi-CE3KxlIQNHwNOVEXXH_JYnbbnd7VsgKmxioqNQnwIPzy0KeU/s1600/IMG_20110306_130744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNUhHXl549PeJd9Z4ie0dHs6vka4KORid0stIVifA3eN-mkNHhkWm-4lZM4RolkGRKvlML1p8FTw05wezKDLW0A1gNi-CE3KxlIQNHwNOVEXXH_JYnbbnd7VsgKmxioqNQnwIPzy0KeU/s320/IMG_20110306_130744.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-37321801040867591202011-03-02T21:29:00.000-08:002011-03-02T22:31:26.179-08:00Battle against natureWhen God created Adam, he charged him with a mission. He was to take dominion over the birds in the air, the animals upon the ground, and the land itself. (Gen. 1:26) Sometimes it feels that those things didn't get the message that we are to have dominion over them. For example, we tried to grow some broilers over the winter, because I AM MAN! That turned out to be a horrible failure. So we waited until the weather got warmer, in February mind you, and tried again. The first week of their little lives, we had a huge snow storm, we actually had snow on the ground when they came in the mail. But they survived the week and I started to think I actually knew what I was doing. Then during their second week of life, I realized that I in fact did not know what I was doing and the chickens started dying in bunches. Birds tend to pile up and crush the ones underneath the pile. It's like a chicken version of king of the mountain, only instead of a hill of dirt, they get on top of one another until they form a pile of chickens. It's really sad when you come out in the morning and there is a pile of them crushed down. Usually at that time it's warm enough that the survivors are just milling around like nothing happened.<br />
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A fellow farmer once told me, "Once they start piling up, ain't nothing you can do to stop 'em." Now I just assumed he was exaggerating - he was not. I put waterers and cans and various objects and they would just pile as close to that original spot as they could. It's like they just wanted some warmth, just for a moment until the weight of their brothers slowly crush them. As I have stated before, I don't really know what I'm doing. So I started reading about hovers and I built one out of an old, slightly broken plastic crate. <br />
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Here is the basic approach. The chickens need about 90 degree ambient temp or they get too cold and die. One of the hardest things to do is to heat up a room to 90 degrees, especially when the outside air temp is in the low 30s. So when it gets too cold they huddle, wouldn't you? They also tend to dig into the bedding a little which will make a slight depression. More chickens want to get into the middle where it is warmer so they keep jumping into the middle and piling on top of one another. The little guys in the middle get warm, but usually get crushed as an end result. The hover does two things: it reduces the amount of air you have to heat up and it allows the chickens to move in and out of the warming area. I used a large plastic crate and cut holes in the side for the heat lamps. I turned it upside down and set it on bricks. This allows the heat lamps to heat up the air inside the crate, and since it is upside down the heat is trapped in the crate. It's up on bricks so the chickens can come and go - in and out of the crate without piling. <br />
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Here are a couple of pictures to help you see what we're doing. The first picture is in the daylight, so not many are under the crate. The second one is at night, so they are almost all under there. The last one is a bird's eye view.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gUUPdFLtOqeG81pNbmbuYo1W2oqxvQ1H8WTt2clNZwbMjYdTD1OEYWFSCqTAZSLCofuilWE7m8IEsJoBn2_gZVKVuMUp73WnQUrVscUL-CzheN9tiEeMTr_vd9EvJXQRW5En89Z7wdE/s1600/IMG_20110302_160532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gUUPdFLtOqeG81pNbmbuYo1W2oqxvQ1H8WTt2clNZwbMjYdTD1OEYWFSCqTAZSLCofuilWE7m8IEsJoBn2_gZVKVuMUp73WnQUrVscUL-CzheN9tiEeMTr_vd9EvJXQRW5En89Z7wdE/s320/IMG_20110302_160532.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6fiResDmxko6R5ueEK__sAwSPkr6esjpZIBAny7IaCPDGzY8FWIuBGDBgsejFelAavuRdZFR87LeZrR5hPSfu4uGuDu4Jqw6B0CjV3HOBut31PqauICMGklDs7Sl959Znz1nK2VBicw/s1600/IMG_20110302_202802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6fiResDmxko6R5ueEK__sAwSPkr6esjpZIBAny7IaCPDGzY8FWIuBGDBgsejFelAavuRdZFR87LeZrR5hPSfu4uGuDu4Jqw6B0CjV3HOBut31PqauICMGklDs7Sl959Znz1nK2VBicw/s320/IMG_20110302_202802.jpg" /></a></div>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-61204752548326093182011-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:002011-01-31T12:36:33.874-08:00Got Goat?<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" 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</xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Living on the farm has its highs and lows.<span style=""> </span>You have a plan and you think it is simple, like buy a goat so you can get some goat milk.<span style=""> </span>Buy her young enough that you can raise her to be docile and friendly around people.<span style=""> </span>The reality is that you buy her and two days later she finds a way to escape out of a 5 foot tall fence leading the whole family on a chase that ends with her running freely into the state park area.<span style=""> </span>Really?<span style=""> </span>We can’t even keep her for two days?<span style=""> </span>I was so mad that we spent money on something that has now run away without any benefit gained.<span style=""> </span>My wife and the girls were sad that she had run away because she will die all alone out there.<span style=""> </span>The boys’ reaction?<span style=""> </span>They asked if we can throw the football around in the front yard.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>We all had a measure of hope that she would wander back onto the property, but the first night after she ran away we were awakened to the sound of a pack of coyotes yelping and carrying on.<span style=""> </span>The dog was barking in the house at the racket which only added to the confusion of the early hour and all the noise finally roused me from my slumber--that and Sarah pushing me out of the bed.<span style=""> </span>Immediately I think of two scenarios, they are after the goat who has finally come home or they are after the chickens.<span style=""> </span>I get up and try to find the following items: a working flashlight, the .22 rifle, some bullets, and finally a sweatshirt.<span style=""> </span>(Pants were too difficult to find so they were left off the list.)<span style=""> </span>About this time I hear our dog barking outside.<span style=""> </span>How did the dog get outside?<span style=""> </span>My youngest daughter wanders into our bedroom and says, “I heard him barking and I thought he wanted outside.”<span style=""> </span>I, squinting and trying to put all this information together at 3:30am respond, “But there is a pack of coyotes out there.<span style=""> </span>What if the dog was barking because someone was outside and you just opened the door?”<span style=""> </span>She responds with the response of every child when they realize they have done something without thinking – “Oh.”<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>So I take off in the direction of the chickens wearing my trusty boots, no pants and a sweatshirt.<span style=""> </span>The .22 rifle is a single shot. I have that in my right hand; left hand contains the flashlight with an additional 4 bullets in the same hand.<span style=""> </span>I can’t hear the coyotes anymore, but I also can’t hear the dog.<span style=""> </span>So I’m wondering what kind of massacre I’m going to come upon out there.<span style=""> </span>I check the chickens while calling out for the dog.<span style=""> </span>The dog comes running up and doesn’t appear to have any injuries.<span style=""> </span>The chickens are all safe and sound and I don’t find a goat or a carcass.<span style=""> </span>I just assume the coyotes have carried it off or were coming around to taunt us about their conquest.<span style=""> </span>I crawl back into bed thinking the goat is gone and upset that I have both spent money and now wasted sleep on this no-good animal.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>The next day we are driving home from a quick errand on the mountain.<span style=""> </span>At that exact moment, standing in the middle of the road is the goat.<span style=""> </span>She looks right at me as if to say, “Have a little faith, man!”<span style=""> </span>The miracle here is that this was the only time we had left the house all day and at that exact moment the goat is in the middle of the road.<span style=""> </span>Five minutes earlier or later and I don’t think we see her.<span style=""> </span>Ethan and Avery were with me and so I tell them to jump out and see if we can corner her in the middle of this country road with open woods on both sides.<span style=""> </span>She starts to run up the road, which is good because this is where our house is.<span style=""> </span>I’m driving slowly ahead calling the goat, while the kids are behind her gently encouraging her to keep going and trying to keep her on the road.<span style=""> </span>As we approach our driveway, I call Sarah and tell her to bring everyone that can run and to bring the catch-net.<span style=""> </span>Now the catch-net is just a fishnet, but it is big enough to go around her – at least I think it is, because I have never actually gotten close enough to her to net her.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Our slow moving caravan gets to the entrance of our driveway.<span style=""> </span>Our driveway is almost directly across from the driveway to the state park’s Turtle Rocks.<span style=""> </span>(Yes, this is the rock formation where we get our farm name.)<span style=""> </span>At this point, I see the goat almost thinking.<span style=""> </span>It’s a goat, so we have to use “thinking” in the broadest sense, but after waiting for the whole family to make an appearance and to start to have hope - she breaks towards the Turtle Rocks.<span style=""> </span>I give chase at a full sprint.<span style=""> </span>She is running just fast enough that I can almost touch her, but I can’t get close enough to grab her.<span style=""> </span>While she is taunting me with how close I am to her, all I can think about is the nursery rhyme about the ginger bread man.<span style=""> </span>I cut her off before she gets too far down the mountain ridge and await the reinforcements.<span style=""> </span>Sarah comes with the catch-net, but now we are in thick underbrush and those razor vines are everywhere.<span style=""> </span>I thrash through the thorny vines while trying to coordinate the troops’ movements.<span style=""> </span>Every time we get close and try to close in the circle she bolts through a gap.<span style=""> </span>We again lose sight of her and everyone is crestfallen as we all are thinking the same thing – “That was our only chance.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">At this point I have written the goat off.<span style=""> </span>I have marked off the money spent as a total loss and I’m not even thinking about her.<span style=""> </span>The goat has been lost for seven days now and our aunt Helen comes for a surprise visit.<span style=""> </span>We decide to take her to see the Turtle Rocks and Ethan comes running up to tell us they found the goat.<span style=""> </span>Everyone goes running, except for me.<span style=""> </span>Remember, I have written her off and I already know how this story ends as we have played it out two times in a row.<span style=""> </span>But the kids seem excited as well as the 25 or so hikers milling around on the Turtle Rocks and by the Rock House Cave.<span style=""> </span>So I run home, get some food and the catch-net and drive over to the entrance of the Turtle Rocks.<span style=""> </span>The Turtle Rocks lead to a cliff face with about a 30 or so foot drop down to the Rock House Cave.<span style=""> </span>So now we have an audience of hikers up on the Turtle Rocks and down by the Rock House Cave.<span style=""> </span>When I arrive the kids have pushed her to the edge of the cliff.<span style=""> </span>I attempt to climb out where she is and as I make my way along the cliff edge, she gets closer and closer to the edge.<span style=""> </span>She actually starts to crouch in order to make a jump, only the next cliff face is about 20 or so feet away.<span style=""> </span>Even for a goat this seems like a stretch.<span style=""> </span>I look directly below me at 5 hikers looking straight up and they seem like they would make a most comfy landing for the goat if she does jump.<span style=""> </span>I cling to a tree and lean out with the catch-net in hopes of pushing her away from the cliff face.<span style=""> </span>Now my imagination begins to run through the following scenarios:<span style=""> </span>1.<span style=""> </span>She takes the plunge off the cliff face and dies in front of 10 families with children all around.<span style=""> </span>2.<span style=""> </span>She jumps at the moment I get the net on her and she either pulls me off the cliff or she plunges down in a net into the families below.<span style=""> </span>3.<span style=""> </span>She runs back off the cliff face and gets away.<span style=""> </span>Which option would you try for?<span style=""> </span>I swing the net out as far away from the cliff face and try to net her as she retreats from the cliff face, only the net gets caught in the brambles.<span style=""> </span>All I can do is watch as the net is tangled and she ducks through the brambles and jukes a helper out of his shorts.<span style=""> </span>She’s gone.<span style=""> </span>Maybe it was all the observers or maybe it was just me accepting the inevitable, but I stay amazingly calm and just shrug as she runs off.<span style=""> </span>We are now 0-3, and I’m ready to go home and eat.<span style=""> </span>The kids have a little more resolve and continue the chase.<span style=""> </span>I stop to chat with some campers about the crazy, wild goat, when I hear shouts of “Ethan got her!”<span style=""> </span>I am still doubting the truth of the statement and figuring that Ethan has her cornered or that maybe he can see her on a rock. As I make my way through a narrow rock opening - there is the hero, Ethan lying on top of her holding her in a bear-hug.<span style=""> </span></p> <span style=";font-family:";font-size:12pt;" >Ethan, you the MAN!<span style=""> </span>Campers were asking to take pictures of the goat and the hero. <span style=""> </span>Turns out she went into a narrow rock opening and Ethan jumped over the top driving her back into Avery who was trailing them.<span style=""> </span>When the goat reversed course and tried to jump over Ethan he tackled her.<span style=""> </span>It seems all those times when he tackled his younger brothers and pinned them to the ground paid off.<span style=""> </span>As we were walking back with the goat I could see Jude at the top of the cliff face on his knees with his little hands clasped together.<span style=""> </span>As I got up to him, I asked him what he was doing.<span style=""> </span>He replied, “I was praying to God that we would catch her.”<span style=""> </span>He knew he couldn’t keep up with us, so he tried to help in the best way he could.<span style=""> </span>I know that not every prayer is answered in the way we want it to be, but in this case God answered our prayers in the way we wanted.<span style=""> </span>Maybe that was the point of this whole ordeal, to give a young boy some confidence and another one a little more faith.
<br /></span>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-56093514300307242862010-12-05T21:52:00.000-08:002010-12-05T22:09:15.645-08:00Turkey DayThanksgiving has come and gone and along with it, the broad-breasted whites. I do miss them a little. We actually had fun raising them. I'll miss them pecking at my belt as I came to feed them. I'll miss them "tomming up", our nickname for when they would strut for the ladies. They were so ugly, but when they fluffed up they thought they were beautiful. While we cannot confuse them with smart, they were inquisitive. They would peck at anything on the ground. When we opened up their gizzards we found rocks, glass, and a few screws. The kids got some real life "anatomy and physiology". We still have some heritage breeds and some geese to keep us busy through the holiday season. We wanted to keep back a goose and try it, but the demand has outweighed our supply, so we may have to wait until next year. We did have enough of the broad-breasted whites to smoke one and it was delicious. My mother-in-law cooked a commercial bird in the oven and just so as not to hurt her feelings, we put our turkey out last after the first wave of eaters. It was no contest, all the kin were asking to taste our bird and all we had left was wings and legs. We have received similar compliments from our customers as to the taste of the birds. Overall, it was a success and so it seems we will stay in the turkey business. So until next thanksgiving, remember to be thankful for all you have and for how the Lord has blessed you today.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-60899093715928723802010-10-06T12:34:00.000-07:002010-10-06T18:20:26.473-07:00ElectricityI used to teach physics in High School and I was always trying to figure out experiments to demonstrate principles of physics. The farm is good for experimenting with physics as well. We have electric fences for all of our birds out on the farm, this is to protect the birds, but mostly to keep predators out. So far this has not been a problem for me, until recently. I have touched the fence when it is live and it has a little bite to it for sure. Here is where we have to think about the flow of electricity - it will travel to ground. When you grab the fence and have rubber soles on your boots, it just bites a little bit. Not enough to make you pee your pants, but enough to make you let go. I usually just step over the fence rather than unplug it. This time as I swung my leg over I caught my boot in the top wire. I somehow managed to twist my boot at the same time so it became a little tangled. I began hopping on the one foot trying to untangle the boot as I slowly began to get a little more into the fence. Each time I grab the wire to get it untangled, it keeps stinging me with electricity. At this point I am bad off-balance and I start to tumble. Now I have watched my kids fall over the fence many times and it makes me laugh out loud. I actually began to laugh as I fell because I couldn't believe I had gotten this tangled in the fence. Kendall also was lending her laughter to the situation. Here is where my predicament and the kids differ. They would normally trip on the wire and fall into the chicken yard - but clear of the wire. I fell into the yard still attached to the wire. Here is where our lesson on electricity comes back into play. Now if I am touching the wire and at the same time touching ground without any insulation, then where is the "best" path for electricity to flow? That's right - through me. I have seen on Youtube before someone being tased and they make this weird yelping, yelling sound - this is very similar to the sound I start making as I flop, twist and kick at the netting, while the full 8kV courses through me over and over again. Finally my spasms got me loose from the netting and I scrambled to my feet a little rattled. Kendall stared at me open mouthed not sure to laugh or be worried about me. I break into a wide smile and explain how electricity works.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-65235762376398167052010-10-04T08:58:00.000-07:002010-10-04T09:01:31.344-07:00Petit Jean Apple Butter Day is October 23rd!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8TrfmLMFHnEnFnbO3aQjRmZO19XZpR4qt2jLJcWWT-qT0Gj3yrTu2DDKxtK4-Oio9RnrmsuxGG0HaX5qUR87qsBmRON-dMNpJrwptRoeZJlvb9asJUffbLtpSDeoSJJFfnofxGvnp8o/s1600/applebutterkettle.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8TrfmLMFHnEnFnbO3aQjRmZO19XZpR4qt2jLJcWWT-qT0Gj3yrTu2DDKxtK4-Oio9RnrmsuxGG0HaX5qUR87qsBmRON-dMNpJrwptRoeZJlvb9asJUffbLtpSDeoSJJFfnofxGvnp8o/s320/applebutterkettle.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524221369832790066" /></a><br />The Annual Apple Butter Day at Petit Jean Farm is Saturday, October 23rd!<br />Join Turtle Rock Farms and other local farmers as we celebrate the age-old tradition of community cooking. With the help of our Amish friends we will be making kettle apple butter throughout the day with a local foods dinner being served under tents around the Honey Barn. Bring the whole family and enjoy all the food and fun activities. Make this the first year of a new family tradition!<br />Dinner $10<br />Apple Butter $5<br />Call or email us to RSVP<br />(501) 733-6389 or info@turtlerockfarms.comscrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-35259504143106473682010-09-11T21:36:00.000-07:002010-09-11T21:39:09.090-07:00Help Us Bring Isabella Home!<object width="250" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/107d646b9916692e"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/107d646b9916692e" flashvars="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="250" height="250"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Our family takes the biblical mandate to provide for the orphan quite literally. We have adopted 2 children and are trying to adopt a 3rd. Isabella is a 10 month old little girl from China who has special medical needs. She suffers from a type of Spina Bifida and needs an operation to help her grow and function normally. The cost of her adoption will be well over $20,000. We are planning several different fundraisers and coupled with the generosity of you, our family and friends, we hope to be able to raise enough money to cover the costs of bringing Isabella home. Please consider contributing any amount, but keep in mind that 150 people giving only $100, helps us reach our goal. Thank you for doing your part in helping "birth" Isabella into our family.<br />Blessings,<br />Jeff & Sarah Croswellscrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-2831065177823041512010-08-09T19:47:00.000-07:002010-08-09T22:33:32.809-07:00Farm Tour Day Was A Blast!Thanks to everyone who visited the farm on Sunday. Our family enjoyed playing host to all our friends and supporters. The weather was wonderful, the food was fantastic, and the hatchet throwing was hilarious! We hope to make this a recurring event for Turtle Rock Farms. For those that couldn't make the trip up the mountain, here is a slide show of all the day's activities. Enjoy!<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzLz0EJOnzLUQ3EZbjDelOt5Gu0wm2DiRrjRpwPTE8mRJHHjGQ0M4UZyeNTz-PBF8F0zulUbBh0Z1VqXII5sw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-39958483389968674632010-08-03T06:48:00.000-07:002010-08-03T06:56:32.483-07:00New WebsiteIt's official, Turtle Rock Farms is now your small, diversified, family, ONLINE farm! Our website hit cyberspace last night and is now a great way for you to keep track of happenings on the farm. Feel free to leave comments and feedback on the CONTACT US page. We want to hear your ideas and suggestions and to know how we are doing as your local farmers. Who knows, you may end up published on our website and other literature. Our blog will stay here until Sarah can figure out how to move it to our new site. It seems like everything we do comes attached with some kind of learning curve! Check us out at <a href="http://www.turtlerockfarms.com">www.turtlerockfarms.com</a>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-7628345308502356092010-07-30T10:42:00.000-07:002010-07-30T11:40:12.348-07:00Snakes Alive!<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CCroswell%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Remember the story about the black rat snake we found under the sheet metal? It seems we crossed paths again. We were out in Morrilton on Tuesday until almost twilight and I had not gone to the farm to put everyone to "bed" for the evening. As daylight was quickly departing, I made it to the moveable chicken coop only to discover a large pile of what looked like poop in one of the nest boxes. As I looked closer, it moved! It was a coiled up black snake with a diamond pattern on it's back. He had a large lump behind his head, which was an egg he was actively trying to swallow. (If you look closely in the picture below, the lump is right behind his head and between two eggs.) I tried to remember how Steve Irvin handles snakes all the time - crikey! I got a stick and tried to lift him out of the nest box, but that just seemed to upset him. So now he's slithering in and <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3ByA7S4uGhnf-H61I-EWWm9hkyL-y6LR1BNh_GgDRlssEuYkTJ8NPfm5MYRmcIsvhLxLmdIQ_i_AB5SG_8GR3Pp3SACA0IS8a7LChqbSbqNiy8ybOkOncSHRBWnAOUhyqzKh5D6u52o/s1600/2010-07-27+20.31.06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3ByA7S4uGhnf-H61I-EWWm9hkyL-y6LR1BNh_GgDRlssEuYkTJ8NPfm5MYRmcIsvhLxLmdIQ_i_AB5SG_8GR3Pp3SACA0IS8a7LChqbSbqNiy8ybOkOncSHRBWnAOUhyqzKh5D6u52o/s320/2010-07-27+20.31.06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499769527132089074" border="0" /></a>out of the boxes, but I can't get him up and out of the coop. Allow me to paint this picture, daylight waning, chickens coming in and out of the door while I'm repeatedly lifting a snake and dropping him. I finally figure out the balance point -which is behind the egg lump - and lift him out of the coop. In the process of lifting him out, his tail hits the bar by the coop door and he wraps his tail around it three times. There is no way I'm pulling him off this now, as he is holding onto the bar while I'm holding his upper half suspended in the air right behind the egg lump. He gets the bright idea that if he lets loose of the egg he might be more mobile. He begins to disgorge the egg, which under normal circumstances is a fascinating thing to watch. I'm just nervous that once he drops the egg he'll get under the coop and with a lack of daylight means - he wins. In no way am I going to be bested by a snake, but I have no time to contemplate this because about that time he drops the egg on the ground and now he's off. I “golf swing” the stick knocking him into the coop. Now the chickens are getting freaked out by my swinging the stick around and whacking at the snake, so they are flapping and jumping around and coming in and out of the door. I pin the snake's head with the stick and now there is another decision point. Do I grab it or kill it? I quickly determine with the amount of litter on the ground it is too soft to kill the snake inside the coop, so I decide he must be picked up. I'm not real excited about killing him as he does serve a useful purpose other than eating my eggs. Recounting mentally how Steve-o handles snakes, I grab him behind the head. Not being an expert, I'm not sure how firmly to hold him. I don't know if it was my grip or what, but he seemed really limp <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlxk4ODiMMQg_OJWWXgMa9bNwEBEN5KyY6QFgXmzOfhMGdoCnxIQEttCs5V_4bOQZeEvO7qdBx-_HLvLzqMSdHSdP6_OwhWqs8d2Zt6hbU2ZXSPuPBDbXP8EkOfluhpzhmhAfXsrtAW4/s1600/2010-07-27+20.36.32.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlxk4ODiMMQg_OJWWXgMa9bNwEBEN5KyY6QFgXmzOfhMGdoCnxIQEttCs5V_4bOQZeEvO7qdBx-_HLvLzqMSdHSdP6_OwhWqs8d2Zt6hbU2ZXSPuPBDbXP8EkOfluhpzhmhAfXsrtAW4/s320/2010-07-27+20.36.32.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499768880305712274" border="0" /></a>and his mouth seemed to stay open. Final decision time - what do I do now? I'm kind of in pacing mode - walking first one direction then another thinking what to do with him, when I spot the bluff. I figure if he survives the fall, then he deserves to live. I wind up and fling him over the trees as he did his best helicopter impression soaring over the tree tops.<span style=""> </span>I take solace thinking he may have survived the fall.<span style=""> </span>I wonder if he tells his snake buddies to stay away from “that farm” where the crazy guy chokes you and throws you over the treetops.</p> scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-24828050830917161692010-07-28T20:10:00.000-07:002010-07-29T11:23:42.638-07:00Let's Talk TurkeyWhew! It has been a very busy week. So busy in fact, when I sat down to update the blog I was going to apologize for not posting in over two weeks, but when I checked the last blog date it was only 8 days ago. Apparently we have managed to fill this last week with two weeks worth of work. Jeff and I have been hitting the pasture before the children awake and working until breakfast time, then heading back over after dinner and going until dark. This makes for much cooler working conditions and I have even come to enjoy those times of shared purpose and accomplishment. Farming is definitely not for the lackadaisical. So here is what has been going on since last week:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gAjQpmRHRq017H12NrmcUtO0v3USEqHiPWbmraDDIpN2-zT9rOVm0AEZPJXjKwhN-QSEGMySK6YU_t6U9Qly5LjuR1vsSeY95-iJYUkdL94UYgKiMOISOAYOnJSGJe0rPYob9IA8RkE/s1600/CIMG0014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gAjQpmRHRq017H12NrmcUtO0v3USEqHiPWbmraDDIpN2-zT9rOVm0AEZPJXjKwhN-QSEGMySK6YU_t6U9Qly5LjuR1vsSeY95-iJYUkdL94UYgKiMOISOAYOnJSGJe0rPYob9IA8RkE/s320/CIMG0014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499165167355030098" border="0" /></a> the broiler chickens have grown exponentially,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKv4bhbJcIGwjbK10Zu9iw4adfH7OeK58CN0hwsFaZu2fV80L0Bvy3xJKH1xlj_FiWL3YKNbMpoq-uqWJspwNJ0gLQ0tQwjwZa_a9fnDy3qPnhcNu4MxiRNBbe0b1W0jZ5ze5-HjucbZM/s1600/CIMG0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKv4bhbJcIGwjbK10Zu9iw4adfH7OeK58CN0hwsFaZu2fV80L0Bvy3xJKH1xlj_FiWL3YKNbMpoq-uqWJspwNJ0gLQ0tQwjwZa_a9fnDy3qPnhcNu4MxiRNBbe0b1W0jZ5ze5-HjucbZM/s320/CIMG0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499166766083188130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hbMhXIs7Rs6r7u9swe-tH9eqsWWsCKBL9RJxYx7COgXlkMNNCEEaEli6H3lVf3Tc00e3PVfYxWSEltbdCWd5N-SrcleSb8ZyRoHAzE9bQd6mdBjPEKrFczi0W_5Ua27uKkIH8Ru8ZMw/s1600/CIMG0012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hbMhXIs7Rs6r7u9swe-tH9eqsWWsCKBL9RJxYx7COgXlkMNNCEEaEli6H3lVf3Tc00e3PVfYxWSEltbdCWd5N-SrcleSb8ZyRoHAzE9bQd6mdBjPEKrFczi0W_5Ua27uKkIH8Ru8ZMw/s320/CIMG0012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499167853872166866" border="0" /></a>we built 2 more hoop pens,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcavnHbDoJV5vOJRNsuzskgWfUSMrgQ6xAxlI4b3yPeq5Sx21ED9OcMxRNvVcu4vAp-4RRTDjjLBooXp79uZA5D9-Rat1Ykf-NnOQbzIIap-UPBUV6VbA1dXS7bQl3x1cA9kGQ_jUQD2o/s1600/CIMG0064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcavnHbDoJV5vOJRNsuzskgWfUSMrgQ6xAxlI4b3yPeq5Sx21ED9OcMxRNvVcu4vAp-4RRTDjjLBooXp79uZA5D9-Rat1Ykf-NnOQbzIIap-UPBUV6VbA1dXS7bQl3x1cA9kGQ_jUQD2o/s320/CIMG0064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499169836196907138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66kpQcDVyMK9MGFT4l6cnjCp0TGhYg5cASZU8SKN0RMsvn2rYehU9qOFtDG1Uz2skq7cesz8KsDtljDvzbtcRnfY39bBtVNzKg5u-utNlcSqYOzZna4DIR7VCW_S-RTWg9vStnCXmQnk/s1600/CIMG0063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66kpQcDVyMK9MGFT4l6cnjCp0TGhYg5cASZU8SKN0RMsvn2rYehU9qOFtDG1Uz2skq7cesz8KsDtljDvzbtcRnfY39bBtVNzKg5u-utNlcSqYOzZna4DIR7VCW_S-RTWg9vStnCXmQnk/s320/CIMG0063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499169842728700866" border="0" /></a>and started 40 turkey poults out on pasture (aren't they so cute?).<br /><br />Those are just the highlights, but you get the gist of our workload. I will let Jeff fill you in on all the drama and excitement that has accompanied our latest projects, so think of me as the play-by-play announcer and he's more the color commentator. So far our brooder experiment has been successful. The brooder ring within the hoop pen out on pasture has been a lot easier to manage and a lot cleaner than the traditional boxed-in on litter approach. We have only lost one turkey so far which is a very good percentage, considering this is our first experience with turkeys. The second batch of turkeys (our heritage breeds) arrives later this week and then we can take a breather for about a day and then the work begins on getting everything spruced up for the Turtle Rock Farms Tour Day on Sunday, August 8th. Be sure to let us know if you are coming. The event is free, but we need to know how much food to have on hand. I'll be posting directions to the farm on the Locally Grown Markets and sending out an email to those that RSVP to turtlerockfarmsgood@gmail.com account. This is really getting fun now!scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-69536865194181514912010-07-20T14:06:00.000-07:002010-07-29T11:23:20.561-07:00The Second Batch of Meat Chickens Is Here!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioV3lIlC7pRylmDX_brqdoSo4pTTx-Sc8G3LUx8dxp7b6QkWvypj8VyoFCa2qYtsKiXrUijFfC5a1G5AzIIk59lSrsY8JvZm4JZDEsIFTMZubM4Yt00jcOXG65lG4iYz-40M5L_BXLJoU/s1600/IMG00076.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioV3lIlC7pRylmDX_brqdoSo4pTTx-Sc8G3LUx8dxp7b6QkWvypj8VyoFCa2qYtsKiXrUijFfC5a1G5AzIIk59lSrsY8JvZm4JZDEsIFTMZubM4Yt00jcOXG65lG4iYz-40M5L_BXLJoU/s320/IMG00076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496104303372387026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkl_3z861tV7l_oCgANHVuO3YTKeOZfhYhZOulGwBdILaib4rP54NO2BXS_YLY4pKro8R1gu4YXlEQCXH6tZhBvWeIbEg5s2wnY7iyoE61r3JoQo6LvURc-dNIclo1nI1LniEMOqGTns/s1600/IMG00075.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkl_3z861tV7l_oCgANHVuO3YTKeOZfhYhZOulGwBdILaib4rP54NO2BXS_YLY4pKro8R1gu4YXlEQCXH6tZhBvWeIbEg5s2wnY7iyoE61r3JoQo6LvURc-dNIclo1nI1LniEMOqGTns/s320/IMG00075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496103888339303682" border="0" /></a><br />Today we picked up our second batch of broilers from the county 4-H office. They are just such cute little yellow cotton balls when so young. Alas, they grow out of all the cuteness in about 4 days when they start putting on the meat. We are shooting for a good showing at the market sale this year, which will give the children a nice bit of spending money. They will have earned it after all the feeding, watering, feeding, pen-moving, and feeding. So some of these chickens will have to wait until after the fair to become someone's Sunday dinner. They seem to be adjusting just fine to the new brooder. The next few days will determine if it is a keeper design. Now on to the next project--turkey poults are arriving Friday, so stay tuned.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-80279540834687397512010-07-18T06:20:00.000-07:002010-07-30T10:41:59.749-07:00Make Plans For A Farm Tour!Come visit Turtle Rock Farms on beautiful Petit Jean Mountain on Sunday, August 8th from 2:00-5:00pm. Join our family for an afternoon of farm, fun, and food! You can tour our gardens, see where we raise our pastured poultry, and sample some our homemade/homegrown delectables: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Stuffed Eggs, Iced Tea, and Tomatoes. We will be running a hay-ride shuttle from our house to the pasture and holding a knife throwing contest for the youngins. You are welcome to bring the whole family, just be sure to RSVP before August 4th via phone or email so we can make enough for everyone. We hope to see you there!<br />The Croswell Family<br />turtlerockfarmsgood@gmail.com<br />(501) 733-6389scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-58154874940084940512010-07-17T19:06:00.000-07:002010-07-17T19:20:57.121-07:00Turtle Rock Farms, LLC!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UCjsUEmzDpC7Yd3wW0-Lip8-4ftVH1jJTpjj-epaEBdrmNIc9B-_mAWJ5FRq3uPeOF2-53QmHfMnGTbTBL3V55qLxnB3fTmmvGt9JTDGqrleThXkNZzymCb6o4H3M1n3qfZURlPbcCg/s1600/LLC.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UCjsUEmzDpC7Yd3wW0-Lip8-4ftVH1jJTpjj-epaEBdrmNIc9B-_mAWJ5FRq3uPeOF2-53QmHfMnGTbTBL3V55qLxnB3fTmmvGt9JTDGqrleThXkNZzymCb6o4H3M1n3qfZURlPbcCg/s320/LLC.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495065439857171362" border="0" /></a><br />We just received our official notice from the Secretary of State of the Articles of Organization of Turtle Rock Farms, LLC. This is our first time to start a small business and are very excited! Now to go about the business of business--opening checking accounts, meeting with CPA's, setting up filing systems, keeping records, organizing the farm office, etc. Wait! Where is the "small" part of this small business?scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-69780827856812423612010-07-16T14:27:00.000-07:002010-07-17T19:06:03.659-07:00New Addition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqaaDjZK9xhK5NoNnL08w78hAmuHUzUUAfrn2MKFXgHHrYUaVAedcngu4-RFGr3_GdPoQ8BQ9_fvt_aZc3F64R0Gcczl5e6mPuSIrYFvaYkjX_-Esyo9-Bs_6ctTGyPniAs8tPKdNL_c/s1600/cfarm+horses.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqaaDjZK9xhK5NoNnL08w78hAmuHUzUUAfrn2MKFXgHHrYUaVAedcngu4-RFGr3_GdPoQ8BQ9_fvt_aZc3F64R0Gcczl5e6mPuSIrYFvaYkjX_-Esyo9-Bs_6ctTGyPniAs8tPKdNL_c/s320/cfarm+horses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495059683150232130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uD89PNWFXuhj4Ir-y1yOi0aCNi2rIL2eMNn7Fhx2Wdh9UM3LwxWSfBZoF945RV3snIaJe8Fssf_Ix1ZYBO_g_DUb1zzBAIxUXbFjJWzMh4oDcw8ZB6n342DNLPXRsM43EVZC9KJQN98/s1600/cfarm+horses2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uD89PNWFXuhj4Ir-y1yOi0aCNi2rIL2eMNn7Fhx2Wdh9UM3LwxWSfBZoF945RV3snIaJe8Fssf_Ix1ZYBO_g_DUb1zzBAIxUXbFjJWzMh4oDcw8ZB6n342DNLPXRsM43EVZC9KJQN98/s320/cfarm+horses2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495060947567279106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Since we are a community farm, we share our space with Sheep and now Horses! Here are couple of pics of the beauties. We have some more exciting news to share, but that needs more time to explain. So check back for the official announcement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmE0gQOUjVGiTE7cHTqBxOUqeZqSfdpqDLUWxMzz6bmrqKm0sZI1du2ord1hRXdGqmoj3trzIeBwXsBXhUckSzUVB0oxaCw8GKViHgQ932WBBWr8EbyIg4tKTvNT8pYc71wLUIfTUWOSI/s1600/CIMG0010.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmE0gQOUjVGiTE7cHTqBxOUqeZqSfdpqDLUWxMzz6bmrqKm0sZI1du2ord1hRXdGqmoj3trzIeBwXsBXhUckSzUVB0oxaCw8GKViHgQ932WBBWr8EbyIg4tKTvNT8pYc71wLUIfTUWOSI/s320/CIMG0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495060944582008306" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Jeff/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Jeff/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png" alt="" />scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-63424819924803807292010-07-13T16:28:00.000-07:002010-07-15T10:36:46.620-07:00This Also Is for the GoodThere is an encouraging saying in Judaism, "Gamzu l'tova," which means "This also is for the good." Today we received a call from our hatchery telling us they underestimated the demand of turkeys this year and were all sold out of the type of turkey we ordered 2 months ago. What?! No turkeys?! What about our pre-orders?! We are dead in the water! Or so I thought. While the hatchery was out of all the large production breeds, they did still have some heritage breeds, which were small in size and 50% more expensive. Yikes! That's not what first-time turkey growers, who may or may not kill them all the first week, wanted to hear. However the gracious supervisor at the hatchery offered us a substantial discount on the birds so that the difference was less than a dollar! Now we had to rush around and educate ourselves on these different type of turkeys before they arrive next week, so we got out the "Backyard Poultry" magazines and fired up the google search engine and what we found was very exciting. Our turkeys, Bourbon Red and Blue Slate, are rare heritage breeds that have not been genetically bred for super-production, but are very beautiful and natural birds that have outscored production white turkeys in taste test after taste test. These breeds have retained the natural instincts such as, mating, brooding, mothering, and best of all for us, foraging on native grasses. Wow! All of the sudden the pit of despair and disappointment in the bottom of my stomach became a flutter of excitement in my chest. I know we will feel better about raising this type of historical, natural bird, and we hope our customers will, too. We are already planning to hold a few back this year to start a breeding program in order to have a continuous supply of these regal birds. So yes, I think "This also is for the good!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-N04eLsPqRKIP9yEL4T7qoszV4FqLWnO4TzIxUZ8Ff6dJa5CAXIvenXdhBendOgh_lGYl3BHHxtx319TxL2Q1aR57jVgVC2krg564dzE2IdkRuuW65-2KfdWG47RmfpmaRl03uEcAI/s1600/BourbonRedBreedingGroup1-150x150.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-N04eLsPqRKIP9yEL4T7qoszV4FqLWnO4TzIxUZ8Ff6dJa5CAXIvenXdhBendOgh_lGYl3BHHxtx319TxL2Q1aR57jVgVC2krg564dzE2IdkRuuW65-2KfdWG47RmfpmaRl03uEcAI/s320/BourbonRedBreedingGroup1-150x150.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493543004707725618" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMXLVfUVHiIb71SA4fpQ8qi760LtBaASMr1tlNENnt3L6Tb3bVMmubkOmziNVMoKJSwjJvQ11herDGPcOn9pVgjfrK_GOmub_vN9XZSOAIYMq1iSzhzPvLFuue6qj50xikf90fqvgEy0/s1600/Blue+slate+Turkey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMXLVfUVHiIb71SA4fpQ8qi760LtBaASMr1tlNENnt3L6Tb3bVMmubkOmziNVMoKJSwjJvQ11herDGPcOn9pVgjfrK_GOmub_vN9XZSOAIYMq1iSzhzPvLFuue6qj50xikf90fqvgEy0/s320/Blue+slate+Turkey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493543007640863746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-N04eLsPqRKIP9yEL4T7qoszV4FqLWnO4TzIxUZ8Ff6dJa5CAXIvenXdhBendOgh_lGYl3BHHxtx319TxL2Q1aR57jVgVC2krg564dzE2IdkRuuW65-2KfdWG47RmfpmaRl03uEcAI/s1600/BourbonRedBreedingGroup1-150x150.jpg"> </a>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-4003457045761202222010-07-12T20:14:00.000-07:002010-07-14T22:20:51.662-07:00Snake!The other day while out at the farm we were inventorying some old corrugated metal sheets to see if they would work for the new brooder roof. I've been here in the country long enough to know to lift anything in tall grass with my boot and not my hand. I had three helpers with me, helping by playing football in the field. As I turn over the last piece of sheet metal, I see a flash of black. There are several varieties of snakes that we have seen around that are black: rat snake, cottonmouth, and my personal fav - the king snake. I immediately called the kids over to see it. I assumed it was a king snake, but he started shaking his tail like a rattler. This puzzled me as the kids came running. He was pretty nervous and kept trying to tunnel under the grass and the sheet metal. The kids finally made it and as I was pointing him out to them with my boot - he struck! He hit my boot, recoiled back under the grass before I even flinched my foot back. I laughed and said excitedly, "Boy, did you see that?" The kids all in unison said, "Make him do it again, Daddy!" Yep, they are adjusting just fine to the farm life!<br /><br />We got home and they excitedly told momma about our adventure. Of course, they were mostly talking football, but then got around to the snake discussion. So we looked it up in the Arkansas snake guide and it turns out he was a black rat snake. When startled or when they are defensive, they shake the ends of their tails like a rattler. Nothing's on the end of their tails, but ours was just a shaking it. So if you ever see a black snake that is shaking his tail nervously without a rattle, he might be a safe guy to keep around.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-38462224244612366262010-07-11T20:13:00.000-07:002010-07-11T20:16:48.971-07:00Our "Re"cent Farm Activities<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWurWk6Ui7_VCtWTkGme3iboDGy4vx3dvFiKNUPXRG_l7lXldv7Ysl3kmjaMaBDanOHNzbzR2it_a4jww8qRXybx7Wq-x8pufmPp8BcrvCAsm9ZTLrF_Cl8oq8LRWJsdKzEuCmb8VJ40/s1600/CIMG0005.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWurWk6Ui7_VCtWTkGme3iboDGy4vx3dvFiKNUPXRG_l7lXldv7Ysl3kmjaMaBDanOHNzbzR2it_a4jww8qRXybx7Wq-x8pufmPp8BcrvCAsm9ZTLrF_Cl8oq8LRWJsdKzEuCmb8VJ40/s320/CIMG0005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492853365482560882" border="0" /></a><br />Part of the thrill of farming for us is to find ways to re-purpose, recycle, and re-use materials in our various projects. Our chicken coop, chicken tractor, hen-mobile, pasture pens, raised garden beds, tomato trellises, flower pots, nest boxes, waterers, and even our bathroom sink are all functioning in their second life. This morning we were planning out our day and knew we needed to build more roosts for our hen-mobile. We had the idea of harvesting some of the bamboo from the back of our property, cut to length, instead of using traditional lumber and all the cutting and screwing involved. It worked like a charm, our chickens are happier, and best of all, it was free!scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-3202545173975066182010-07-11T18:51:00.000-07:002010-07-11T19:06:02.230-07:00Market Expansion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOB72hIpIhF60K9IsjYI4CLHTLqaqJJBUJT-g62TOdLHngbSEiAJTPA1ojaMwqJ7swYZSb_QPARM70r8ikUQTWU_UHaeCPc9lh4dSfmUpXUi-f553pVu2u9kZ5xYRBIbzbGvFAQ5RyuA/s1600/CIMG0002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOB72hIpIhF60K9IsjYI4CLHTLqaqJJBUJT-g62TOdLHngbSEiAJTPA1ojaMwqJ7swYZSb_QPARM70r8ikUQTWU_UHaeCPc9lh4dSfmUpXUi-f553pVu2u9kZ5xYRBIbzbGvFAQ5RyuA/s320/CIMG0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492835064779458322" border="0" /></a><br />This week marks the first week we are selling some of our products at the <a href="http://www.littlerock.locallygrown.net/welcome">ASN Local Food Club/Little Rock Locally Grown.</a> We are very happy to be expanding our customer base and to reach a larger area with our "Family. Friendly. Fresh." approach to farming. Be sure to check our daughter's newest products--Duct Tape Wallets & Checkbook Covers. She came back from 4-H Entrepreneur Camp a child on fire for selling and marketing! We are so proud to see her embracing the simple farm lifestyle and modeling after our farming efforts. So not only is Turtle Rock Farms expanding into other markets, but we are expanding into the next generation!scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-66575600516141627612010-07-09T16:47:00.000-07:002010-07-09T16:49:48.484-07:00A Note of ThanksWe wanted to send you a note of gratitude for your continued support of our efforts here at Turtle Rock Farms. Our family farm could not be a success without our loyal customers who desire a more wholesome, local product. As we continue to grow and try new projects we hope you will be there along side us. We want you to think of Turtle Rock Farms as “your” farm and that we are your resident farmers. We want to produce products that meet your standard of freshness and quality. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas for future farm products, as well as feedback on how we can improve our existing items. Currently we have organically-grown heirloom tomatoes, eggs from our pastured hens, fresh-milled organic flour and my daughter’s organic herbs. We plan to offer pastured broiler chickens beginning the middle of August and will have pastured turkeys ready for you in time for Thanksgiving.<br /><br />We have set up several avenues of communication that we hope you will use. We have a farm blog detailing the happenings around the farm found at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.turtlerockfarms.blogspot.com">www.turtlerockfarms.blogspot.com</a> and we have a fan page on Facebook titled Turtle Rock Farms. You can also email us at <a href="turtlerockfarmsgood@gmail.com.">turtlerockfarmsgood@gmail.com. </a>We know you want to know how your food is produced and where it comes from, so we want to be as transparent as possible. We frequently post photos and updates on our blog so that you can follow along with our farm adventures. We plan to schedule farm tours later this summer and invite you to beautiful Petit Jean Mountain for a visit with our family. <br /><br />Thanks, again for your support!<br />The Croswell Family & Turtle Rock Farms<br />Family. Friendly. Fresh.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-73257262646581692022010-07-09T05:48:00.000-07:002010-07-09T05:53:56.180-07:00Rain: Our Love, Hate Relationship<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="UIStory_Message"> The rain has not been our tomatoes best friend. It has caused a lot of cracking in our Cherokee Purples. The overwhelming response to them at market has been exciting, but I am not sure we are going to meet all of the orders this week. We feel very strongly about providing a high-quality product and anything less is just not good enough. <span class="text_exposed_show">I will be making salsa and red sauce this weekend with the rejects, so all is not lost.</span> Next year we are considering low covered tunn<span class="text_exposed_hide"></span><span class="text_exposed_show">els for growing so that we can maintain a steady water regimen. Always learning!</span></span></h3>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-83614693484467626642010-07-05T21:55:00.000-07:002010-07-05T22:09:01.689-07:00Independence DayWe spent the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> of July with family out in the Pocahontas area. We spent the trip learning about our day of Independence. We also learned about the history of our state flag. One of the additional pluses of home-schooling, school's always in session when your parents are the teachers! Once we got to Granny and Paw-paw's house we had the usual eats that you would associate with a 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> of July picnic. Corn on the cob, watermelon, hamburgers, hot dogs, brisket, potato salad, chips, and the list goes on. As each one of those cobs of corn were finished and each watermelon rind was thrown away I was sad. Now my father-in-law is a big proponent of composting, so he was saving all the throw-aways. But I was sad to see him throw it in the compost when we knew our chickens would have feasted on all those leftovers. I did manage to sneak a beef rib bone to our dog, but then found out right before we left he threw up in the house. Granny was not happy about that. So we left without chicken scraps, but ready to get home to the farm nonetheless. Everything was doing well, no new predator threats or problems. The tomatoes are looking gorgeous. There is just something about those Cherokee Purples. It's like they grow too fast, they have scaring on them - every one of them. The Travelers are much prettier to look at, but I prefer the taste of the Cherokee Purple. Let's have a quick poll - which ones taste better, Cherokee Purple or Arkansas Traveler? Vote in the comments below.scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2917996138606891581.post-51804603143746876672010-07-01T21:49:00.000-07:002010-07-01T22:05:24.437-07:00Poultry on Pasture<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4-M2U6gKpVzrrZ1Xb1VHe8nE2Q3-KfNQp2eDTxaI6L69E2H-a2YAlKgx8FV8aK8ibzdC6S9LwDXzABeL2mt-Ky7XeC091_8MFjEklTUcLO5ya2qkkWB4jnSBHORgLLOoIBf8QXUCKDM/s1600/CIMG0013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4-M2U6gKpVzrrZ1Xb1VHe8nE2Q3-KfNQp2eDTxaI6L69E2H-a2YAlKgx8FV8aK8ibzdC6S9LwDXzABeL2mt-Ky7XeC091_8MFjEklTUcLO5ya2qkkWB4jnSBHORgLLOoIBf8QXUCKDM/s320/CIMG0013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489169230065467986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ8ydlzc6gr_HfjiQkRVC8SIJ3NjL8tLNg91n6mzIkx1x1dFdmcG2WwUsygt7y2e-FL96PpoW3RbEs5caOYq9hrp6sgrhPEwIfsPlwij58N4Zu7DbrHFRNqf8n3x7a7e-GY9b0bitq04/s1600/CIMG0009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ8ydlzc6gr_HfjiQkRVC8SIJ3NjL8tLNg91n6mzIkx1x1dFdmcG2WwUsygt7y2e-FL96PpoW3RbEs5caOYq9hrp6sgrhPEwIfsPlwij58N4Zu7DbrHFRNqf8n3x7a7e-GY9b0bitq04/s320/CIMG0009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489169220580799522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnt23Bg03hh-ktvSGfy79SW2SMlBsFKbUEFyW_W4cHOQvy9RUyKEuiAVIXim6jFz-1xnZrTsVZ0RtRWmrQxsH7NnkYUcvvpXk7T70xzv7fYBMMEts9mX11jl1SEboiQtHWM7OcuOdmmjo/s1600/CIMG0006.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnt23Bg03hh-ktvSGfy79SW2SMlBsFKbUEFyW_W4cHOQvy9RUyKEuiAVIXim6jFz-1xnZrTsVZ0RtRWmrQxsH7NnkYUcvvpXk7T70xzv7fYBMMEts9mX11jl1SEboiQtHWM7OcuOdmmjo/s320/CIMG0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489169211291292002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqnaLeXs5TJv4zzIEqdU6vwoaShvZDQO6sjwnYjMPjqsQyQ0INdpNpuBhc6vq3jJBjhnIegUD-fCSqtsesxxYxi46Se-iqISPHQjFnuOyPpKhFHGFzxRNuRWu_2GLLJkg3KgNoaKUF5s/s1600/CIMG0002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqnaLeXs5TJv4zzIEqdU6vwoaShvZDQO6sjwnYjMPjqsQyQ0INdpNpuBhc6vq3jJBjhnIegUD-fCSqtsesxxYxi46Se-iqISPHQjFnuOyPpKhFHGFzxRNuRWu_2GLLJkg3KgNoaKUF5s/s320/CIMG0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489169205278609298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqQ2AGGqenmp-ZDpUuj2hdIM750zP6RH0d5fPbrx7feVpDbUrenIpW676ykwX8Zr1uffMG9oool4fwnD0l6j4B2l5Js-9wr224NFuoG0uOYWbFrJnSv7_MWX8OmBvsVpEv_XB2ZgRGAU/s1600/CIMG0003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqQ2AGGqenmp-ZDpUuj2hdIM750zP6RH0d5fPbrx7feVpDbUrenIpW676ykwX8Zr1uffMG9oool4fwnD0l6j4B2l5Js-9wr224NFuoG0uOYWbFrJnSv7_MWX8OmBvsVpEv_XB2ZgRGAU/s320/CIMG0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489169195225654466" border="0" /></a><br /><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="UIStory_Message">Today was a special day. We completed the move of our laying hens to their new home on acres and acres of tall, grasshopper ladened pasture! It was an adventure in and of itself, but then again, name something here on the farm that we've tried that hasn't been! I love it when dreams become reality!</span></h3>scrozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06844135697824012277noreply@blogger.com0