September 6th and 9th

Under the Circus Tent

 

The turkeys are out!  They have enjoyed their tour through the raspberries and now they are moving along the driving paths and ends of fields.  As they get older I have to move them more and more (up to once daily) to make sure they have fresh grass to both eat and lounge on.  On moving day, I take the entire fence down and move it to its new location.  Then I drop a side and wheel their circus lounge to the center of their new pen.  Finally I move their waterer and their troughs.  Meanwhile the turks are "clucking" around exploring new places and chasing bugs.  Once I get the new netting up and their shade moved, I fill up the grain bucket and shake it a bit.  The clucking stops.  The turks stand still for a moment and then a few see the grain bucket and head toward me.  Soon the rest follow and viola they are all in.  The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.  It all depends on how many good bugs are out there to chase, but as long as I get their attention, grain trumps bugs. 

Sometimes I think the turkeys are a pain.  For staters, they aren't the smartest animal on the farm.  For some reason they love to huddle against the fence at night, instead of under their hut for protection.  And if it is raining you can guaruntee they will be out in it getting soaked and sometimes hypothermia.  Something strange happens every year to the birds, some unforseen accidental death.  Raccon, owl, fox, coyote are always worries for me and sometimes in the middle of the night I get out of bed and go out to check on them. 

Generally though these featherd hens and toms crack me up.  They have a sound for every mood they are in and I have gotten to know them quite well:

"cluck, cluck, cluck" this is a bit more excitable and higher pitched sounding than a chicken.  It says "I am eating new fresh grass and chasing bugs and I am loving it!"

"cluck, rrrr, cluck, rrrr"  this is a lower pitched cluck with a kind of purring in beetween meaning "life is good"

"chirp! chirp! chirp!"  very high pitched yelling "help! help! help!" (generally "Help! I am an idiot and I have gotten myself into some silly situation taht I cannot figure how to get out of"  This call is common when they are very young and still in the barn.

"gobble, gobble, gobble"  you all know what this sounds like.  And I think it says "hey how ya doing?" like a greeting but it is usally done all in unison.  I usually gobble at them to get their attention.  And it works, they usually all gobble back... I think they think I am their mom, or maybe god : )

PYO PUMPKIN PARTY and POTLUCK

Saturday October 1st 11-2

This Week's Loot: Potatoes, leeks, edamame soybeans, peppers, chard, carrots, beets and basil



And melons for the Friday half share folks

What is Edamame?   http://www.edamame.com/