TKG Sunday - Dry Corn Sounds Like Rain.

We are dry. We are hellishly dry and the corn is being shushed around by a hot, hot wind. All it needs is a spark from a machine, and poof! But still the wind in the corn sounds like rain.

Or like a retreating tide on a stony beach. We are surrounded on four sides in corn. Fire is always a concern. Field fires are not too common. But they do happen. There was one just outside of our little local town only last year. And I smelt smoke yesterday which gave me the willies. This dry vegetation is highly flammable. Like sticks of paper kindling standing a few feet from my window. All we need is a lightning strike (unlikely as we have no rain in the forecast at all) or a spark from machinery or a cigarette flicked out as someone drives past and we have a fire.

An Experiment

You know how I’ve been ruminating over how to keep the fish alive in the pond across the winter? Last year they died, we had this weird up-and-down winter, which was hot and cold and frozen and cold and warm and frozen again. I don’t know if the fish couldn’t keep up with the rapid changes or the pond heater was not deep enough. Anyway, firstly I am going to bring some fish inside for the winter. And I thought as an experiment I might put some into the big cow water trough. That is heated in the winter also. I know some farmers who put fish in their horse troughs to keep the the troughs from going green, (no worry with that happening here because the cows drink a good third of the tank each day) adding daily fresh water often is enough oxygen apparently.

I know you are wondering whether the cows would suck up a fish by mistake but the theory is that the fish go deep when the shadow of the cow looms overhead

I am actually more worried that the cats will go fishing but they have never shown any interest in the fish in the pond so we will see about that too.

What do you think?

The Farmy Walk-About

And not a bad one! I am pleased with the sound on this one.

No planning. No notes. No organisation at all. No editing. No post production. Just spontaneous chat. Just for you.

Also I asked Aunty Google and broiler chickens in big factory farms take 5-6 weeks. 3 weeks for a Cornish hen. They are grown inside and usually the conditions are very crowded. But - the growers are no longer allowed to use growth hormones in the USA so that is a good thing.

White Chickens

The meat chickens that we raise here spend plenty of time outdoors with lots of sunlight and grass to eat and walk just fine. But now and then, one will struggle. They grow too fast. It is in their DNA to gorge. Their leg growth cannot keep up with their body mass. For whatever reason I always have at least one who has walking issues.

There was this one chicken who couldn’t walk and kept falling onto his side. So I would pick him up and bring him to his food and water. Propping him up so he could eat. He seemed settled enough with our program. But by not practicing his walking he forgot how to. A couple of days ago, a turkey pecked at his head while he was stuck in a corner unable to run. By the time I got to him, the turkey had left some nasty holes in his head. BooBoo, their guardian, is not allowed to attack turkeys, so he was frantic but unable to stop it.

Anyway I sprayed the three little wounds on his head with purple iodine spray. Kept him in the side pen until his wonds dried up And now, three days later, he is walking really well. Running away from the turkeys just fine. (You will have seen him in the walk-about video).

And now, I wonder whether the balance issues weren’t actually in his brain? Because as he walks he is regaining his balance and speed fast.

Interesting right?

Use it or lose it. If you don’t use your legs they will stop working. Same goes for our brains I think!

Is that the message of this cautionary tale?

Turkeys

I have two male turkeys. They’re called toms. I also have a son called Tom, but that has nothing to do with anything. . Thankfully, son Tom does not behave as badly as these turkeys. There are four hens.

For some reason, I’m not sure why because it’s autumn here in Central Illinois, the males have been posturing and fighting, for the hens presumably, and all this aggressive behaviour is not acceptable - we have one too many males.

Our Johns son lives in one of the other farmhouses across the creek that is a ditch and through the rustling corn. So I’m going to take one tom and two hens and house them in the barn across the way with Johns son to manage them. It will make our lives quieter.

We will wait until after the corn is harvested in case they try to hike back and meet a combine harvester.

A lot of little animals and birds get caught up in the harvest by those big machines as they roar through the fields. More than we want to think about actually.

Ducks

The ducks are just plain gorgeous.

Cows

The cows love the baby piglets: the little American Guinea Hogs. I don’t know why. But they are not bothered by their little visitors in the least.

I had to rearrange the cows' nighttime grazing after one of them left evidence (the poopy kind) of climbing over the hog panels and sleeping across the doorway of the piglets' little house.

Mama cows often do this with small calves - the calves settle into a corner and the mama cow sleeps diagonally across the corner to keep them safe.

So the cows are not allowed in that field at night anymore. I know it is kind of cute but I had to stop this because a cow dragging her belly and breasts across the top of an hog panel is an accident waiting to happen.

Anyway, like everything in our wondrous lives this is a work in progress.

Layers

We have one small egg every few days from a young pullet.

And they are getting more frequent. The little eggs. So I am hoping we will have eggs for the winter.

You can see by the size of the comb on this young hen that she is not one of the layers. Maybe in a few more weeks for her.

The Charlottes

Caught in the torch light. This group have always slept outside under the trees. Like ‘real pigs’ they tell me.

We are so dry. No rain in ages. This is the charlottes side pen but still is an example of how dry we are now.

The hogs are able to dig dirt hollows to sleep in which is a bonus for them I guess.

Though I feel awkward wishing for rain when my friends down South have been pummeled. And we have not got our corn in yet!

The PopPops

The PopPops have the best memories of any pig I have raised. I am training them to go for a run and come back to the barn soon after.

Which they do.

When the corn is harvested they will be able to run out into the organic and harvested corn field, rummage about for a while and come in when I call them. (I hope!).

But they need a strong lock up. They are escape artists.

The Dogs and Cats

‘Nuff said.

Have a gorgeous day!

Love to all.

Celi

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PS Some great posts I have read here on SubStack this week:

I don’t grow flowers. But I wish I did. Maybe one day I will have a garden and fill it with flowers for vases. But while I work towards that I love to read Kelli’s posts. Look at this beautiful garden!

Join Me for a Garden Tour [Part 1]

And here is another one I read a few days ago. This is next level food with a strong addition of wildness and foraging.

Smoking and preserving

One more:

Every time I pop in to see Neera I am inspired to move my writing up a notch. She is so approachable and down to earth. No esoteric bullshit here! Just words.

October Is The Month To Outline Your Book

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