She's My Cherry Pie.

Every day over the last week, as we drove in and out of Chelsea, we would see it...the big stone farm house by the cemetery, with the 30 foot tall cherry trees -heavy laden with fruit.  Finally I stopped.  I made Joe run up to the house and ask if we could pay to pick...or trade for eggs and honey.

Success!  They were a delightful couple, eager to talk fruit trees, farming, and community, and eager to share their bounty.   They were also headed out of town during peak cherry week, and graciously said we could pick while they were away or else the birds would get em'!

And, folks, this is why we live in a farming community.  Small town values, good people, trading with your neighbor, local fresh food, etc. etc. etc.  Amen to small town Michigan!!

xoxo, e.

Greetings, from a Patriot..

While this is not a political blog, and in no way do I intend to use this as a political platform - or to alienate readers of any political persuasion, this is a blog about family...farming...resources...and about how we treat each other.  So here we go!!

I just cried a little while watching the recap of last evenings events on the Today Show.  (I cry easily, don't even get me started on the Les Mis preview!)  This morning, I am truly grateful to be an American.  I am truly grateful that I was able to vote for someone that I absolutely believed in, not just the lesser of the two evils.

It's all punches and blows...cheap shots and snarky comments...until the final draw.  And then we move on.  Concession. (though a little late in the evening, and I am a little sleepy ;).  And we see the other party wish the President luck, and vow to keep in him in his prayers.  So let's move on together.  All of us.  I will not get angry any more when you're party's posts show up on my FB page because you have "liked" him, and you will not have to endure my passive aggressive party comments.

Because we probably have the same beliefs, and most of the same core values.  So, what a perfect time to check in with our spouses, our families, and our children on what our role is as we move into the next four years.

There are so many issues that I consider out of my hands.  The government controls many of the decisions regarding my life...finances, women's rights, war, peace, etc, etc.  We vote for officials that we feel will fight for us regarding these issues, but there are things that we can do within our own families to keep this country the land of the free and the home of the brave - for our children, and for our children's children.

On a daily basis, we do have the power to control our consumption of resources...energy, gas.  Tighten that house up!  Turn the thermostat down one degree at a time and put on a frickin' sweater...you will be really surprised at what new low number is perfectly pleasant.  When we moved in here, the thermostat had a timer that upped the temp to 78' all day and all night.  We would think that we had fixed it, and then run down sweating and swearing in the middle of the night - or come home to an overly warm and toasty empty house.  My gut is to turn the heat up when family is coming over, but my mom and sister keep their thermostat's low too!!  (and everyone loves to cuddle under a big afghan).

Buy local.  Plant your own veg.  Raise your own meat.  Can, freeze, dry, preserve...fill the larder.  Save gas on food transportation.  Support your local farmers.  Save money and gain a sense of self fulfillment.

Reduce your consumption of stuff.  I don't just thrift because I'm cheap (though that's part of it), but because I just don't believe in buying another sweater from Old Navy when there are fifty at the thrift store.  This is quickly becoming an economy of used stuff....ebay, etsy, craig's list.  I know it's not for everyone, but the less crap we buy from China, the better we will be in the long run.  Try buying from or trading with each other.  New is not always better ;).

Finally, be good to each other.  Treat each other with respect.  Go out of your way to just do something really nice for someone else.  Be patient and kind.  And, most importantly, teach your children these same values.

Because we, and they, are the future of this great nation.  Let's do this together!

"I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America."   President Barack Obama

xoxo, e.

A Girl and Her Chickens. or Chickens, A Love Story.

A proper introduction to the flock, of sorts, is long overdue.  So, let me formerly introduce you to my gals and guys....let's start with the chick, or the egg, or the...

Ok.  There is Sookie, Sheriff Eric Northman, Wanda Jackson, Susie Q, Lily and Rosie, St. Marie, Henny Penny, and Dolly Parton #1, #2, and #3 (they look alike), and my rooster, The Shiek.

We decided when we bought the farm to slowly add livestock over the years.  Year one - chickens.  So in March, one goes to Tractor Supply.  One buys heat lamps, feeders, and tiny, yipping and pipping chicks.  One also buys four baby ducks because their husband says "Please, I'll do anything if you just let me get those ducks."  MmmHmm.  And so it became the year of the chickens and the ducks.

It's March, keep in mind, and tiny baby birds have to live in your kitchen in totes under heat lamps, not outside yet.   Every morning they would hear me come down the stairs, and the excited cheeping and quacking would start.  And they grew.  Fast.  

I'm talkin' full grown ducks in your kitchen with no sign of spring in sight yet.  But spring came, and the coop got built.  The chicks and ducks made it into the barn, and before you know it, they actually started laying eggs!  The first two were like gold.  You'd think that we had never seen an egg before.

They give and give, and then randomly the smarty pants chickens start hiding their pretty powder blue eggs, and you get worried because they are "not laying," but really they have made a nest out of a dish towel in a corner of the barn, and outsmarted you again.

They peak in the doors for visits.

They lay gigantic double yolkers.

They are amazing.  And so, when you see a beautiful little bird for $15 dollars at the farm down the road, you pack a cat carrier full of hay, and you go get her.

St. Marie was a very welcomed addition to the flock.  She is a Golden Sebright bantam, and she is no bigger than a dove, and she is full grown.  She lays teeny tiny eggs the size of a quarter.  We lost a few and gained a few chickens in the first year (neighbor's dog eating chickens, other neighbors dropping random chickens off in totes) and St. Marie rounded us off to an even dozen chickens, and the four ducks (we'll get to them in a minute).  The day I brought her home, I put her down with the others, and the CCIP (Cesarz chicken integration program) began.  The others chased her away at first, and she would fly straight up, 40 ft in the air, and sit on the power lines.  And I would think, "Good God, I brought home a dove and am going to try and keep her in a coop?".    But after a few days, my two head chickens, Sheriff Eric Northman and Sookie (smartest, prettiest, best girls) took the little one under their wings, literally.

Which brings me to last night.  Chickens have assigned sleeping spots in their coop.  In the beginning, each night we would creep out to the barn at dusk, and the little chicken would be on the fence outside of the barn, shivering and trying to sleep.  I would place her into her new "assigned spot" in the coop and cross my fingers.  Each morning I would go out, and St. Marie would be sleeping up in the rafters, which is apparently where she wanted to be.  So be it.  Last night I went out to "tuck the babies in" (lock up the barn) and in true big sister form, the sheriff, my white chicken, was sleeping on top of the coop directly across from St. Marie...just to keep an eye on the baby.  They are like a perfect little family, and they are part of our little family.

Ok, just a word on the ducks.  I held them as babies.  I kissed them an told them how much mommy loved them.  I give them a fresh swimming pool every day, and share my cucumber slices with them.  And still, they think I am going to kill them every minute of every day.  They are my rotten little babies.  They rape and pillage the chickens.  They run away.  They quack.  They chase me with their heads down until I turn around and tell them I might eat them.   But, they lay beautiful, huge eggs every day and I make amazing custard and ice cream with them.  So they can stay.  Because we like ice cream.

The Bevy:  Hank, Henrietta, Peaches, and Penny.