growing up we had chickens. my momma thought they would teach us responsibility and give us character. it's incredibly easy to love baby chicks and be gun hoe in the beginning..... until they turned into the dreaded chore. i remember getting scolded by my grandma for washing the eggs clean in the kitchen sink, having to brave the dark cold night if i had forgotten to feed and water them and round them up in the afternoons after they spent time out free range (good thing our dog, Cassie managed it most times for us.) i swore up and down that i would never ever ever have chickens when i was grown up.
i've been surprised by my 25 year old self many times this year. it's as though i have truly arrived in my person. growing up i have sworn off a shocking amount of 'i will never's'. and believe it or not, i have eaten a good majority of my words. (i suppose that is a common occurrence(?))
we also had a small fruit orchard growing up. i hated picking up all the fallen fruit, fresh or rotten. i would have never guessed i'd want fruit trees in my own yard once grown up. currently i have 2 peach, a plum and an apple tree in my yard. another peach and pear tree waiting to be planted. there is something inticing about growing your own fruit and vegetables. perhaps it's knowing where they come from and knowing what they have been treated with. either way.... there is nothing more fulfilling than eating your own goods that you have labored over during the season.
back to chickens. this year (more like this fall) i have dreamed about bringing home my own laying hens. mitch is against it (for the time begin). during the spring i tracked down some beautiful silky chicks from a local guy. he hatched them and i told him to bring what he had to the store. i was determined to add them to our collection for pumpkinland. silkies are beautiful, not exactly known as layers though. i brought them into the greenhouse with me during april while i planted my plugs. may came and it was a challenge to spend any good time with them... before i knew it, they were gorgeous and out back with our other chickens. i've spent the last month or two dreaming about charming little chicken houses and collecting my own fresh eggs from my back yard. i'm deciding that the self sufficient movement is growing on me. the last thing i want to do is don a skirt and live in the country with out technology..... but i am determined to become more aware of what i do eat and so forth.
i think the point i'm trying to get at..... i'm beginning to realize how much of a farm girl i really am.
now, if only i can conquer my fear of snakes.
