Jim loves turkeys - which is why this year we have 2 toms and one hen. The first tom, a Blue Slate, was part of my birthday gift to him 2 years ago - what more loving gesture than a box of fluffy poults can a wife give her husband? Tom 2, a Red Bourbon, came to us along with Cluck, the white hen, in a trade with a neighbor who 'thought' they were both Bourbons hens. Guess what?!
Life has not been peaceful in the barnyard - which is why Mr. Blue is featured on his own "Home Wanted" poster down at the feed store.
Today Jim is spreading the hayfield with nitrogen; for the first time since I've been on this farm we had a neighbor come in and re-seed our hayfield with alfalfa and timothy. The old alfalfa had died out over the years to the point that our hay was all stems. Not great for milking goats. It's amazing to me that it's already up, little codyledons struggling up out of the soil soon to be great beasts of plants! We tried putting hay up in large bales last year and have contracted with Hoffmann's to cut and bale this hay when the time comes. It's supposed to rain this evening ~ it's been an early but dry spring. The tomatoes are doing well, I take them outside each morning for an airing, bringing them back inside to safety just before McNeal/Lehrer goes on so they don't freeze overnight. This year we are trying something new with the lettuces; I've direct seeded some in the big garden along with spinach and chard but also planted some individually in peat pots for the greenhouse. We'll see how that works.
