turkeys are awesome

After it became clear that any attempt to start a meat rabbitry was just going to lead to a lot of pet rabbits we decided to try our hand at raising turkeys. This seemed like a same bet since every bird I've ever met hates me, every last one. From the pet budgies that turned out to be the worst birthday present ever to my friends cockatoo who had NEVER bitten anyone before. And, of course, mort recently our ducks and a##hole geese. So, this last spring we went unbathed for a week while this happened:



Right from the start they were different, maybe the NOT fleeing in terror every time we approached them was the big tell? They have been personable and endlessly entertaining:



We're determined to stay the course, but... REALLY?! My alternate theory is that the turkey's reputation for stupidity is part of their master plan. These birds hate me too!! But, knowing their fate, are smart enough to give me the worst guilt trip of my life... that's comforting.

mean momma

Juno has completely rejected Elfine. Everything I've read says that it's very rare for a dam to disown a healthy kid after they've bonded... ain't it great to be special! Not sure what happened, everything was going beautifully until last Wednesday when Juno stopped letting her nurse. By Friday Elfie was getting flipped into the air anytime she went to momma for some love... so sad! Meanwhile Flora is just as spoiled as ever.

Luckily, this all coincided with a visit from Tim's parents so with Roger's help we were able to bust out a beautiful milk stand. Both babies are being taken off mom and put onto a bottle. What better motivation to train Juno for milking then two little fuzz faces waiting for breakfast.

girls!!

HAPPY SPRING!!
Now that Archer is more dog than sprinting, barking & pooping disaster I can finally get back to blog life. Though the phrase "box of rocks" has entered our lexicon, he really has turned into the sweetest boy (and handsome to boot!).

Well, apparently Bling just wasn't Gypsy's type, but Juno must have liked him just fine ;) because our farm has gotten infinitely cuter by way of two itty bitty nan goats! Elfine (pictured) and Flora were born Monday afternoon and there are NO WORDS to describe how delightful they are.

We were under the impression that goats almost always give birth in the early morning, so imagine my shock when Tim rushed into the house as I was making dinner and announced "IT'S HAPPENING!" A panicked scramble of hand washing, boot finding, kidding kit gathering and rush to the barn only to discover he was wrong. It wasn't happening, it had happened. Nestled in the corner on clean straw were two dark silken wonders. Perfectly formed, perfectly sound, perfectly healthy... well, straight up PERFECT. We missed everything but dipping their cords in iodine and Juno expelling (and eating, which Tim "missed" by design:) the afterbirth. We did get to help them find the teat for the first time though and seeing how they rush up for love every time we enter the pen, I don't think they hold it against us.

Juno is a lovely and very attentive mother, while Gypsy is a less than enthusiastic auntie. Maybe she needs a little vacation? And what's a vacation without a love affair...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW-tiikLdAk&feature=channel_video_title

winter warmth

It looks like the Mac and I have worked through our differences and it's so nice to be back! If you've been fallowing us on Facebook most of this news will sound old hat, but so much has happened since my last real post.. Most obvious is our new puppy, Archer. New is the wrong word, seeing as neither Tim or I have raised a puppy before, we don't have any old puppy experience. While communication isn't always our strong suit, I'm still surprised this tidbit didn't come to light until Archy's third day home. Luckily the library had the entire forth season of The Dog Whisperererer on DVD, so we're pretty much experts now.

House training is going w... is happening, his fleas are gone and he's gaining weight like a newlywed. The cats have reacted better than I ever could have hoped, Great Pyrenees are notorious cat lovers and they must sense it. They stop short of actual interaction, content just to ignore him, while Archy wants to play SO bad! He'll follow them around until he gets swatted or hissed at and then he'll flop on the ground in utter despair. Mongo seems to be relenting.

After the duck went missing and a few fox sightings, a puppy was the only logical answer, really. I'm sure all the predators for miles around are living in a state of panic over this puppy sleeping in front of the heater.

In not as cute news: we have ordered twenty-one haritage turkey chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery to arrive the week of May tenth. Ok, they should be pretty cute. A full remodel of our kitchen is to start soon and will include a wood burning stove/oven. This will be the only means of cooking, heating and providing hot water for the house. It will also fuel the "crazy hippie" theory held by many. And finally, I'm starting school in February to learn nutritional and therapeutic cooking, culinary arts, sustainable kitchen practices and farm to table production. Hopefully there will be lots of turkey recipes..

for the love of...

Sorry for the lack of posts, we're having a little computer trouble which will hopefully be resolved soon. I do have three words to keep you coming back for more urban turtle love: Great Pyrenees Puppy. Photos to follow! :)

evolution

It's a nice quiet day here on the farm. A little too quiet. We have been goatless for over a week now, and it's getting old. Sure, it's been relaxing to let the ducks out in the morning and then make it back to bed before one side of my brain can find anything worth discussing with the other. And being able to shush the nagging feeling that something, somewhere must be grazed is liberating. I never knew how much work goats could be until I had them and am now without them. I had lumped them in with the ducks and housework and had little realized that two whirling dervishes on tiny hooves were claiming a lion's share of my attention. Still, they are the kind of work that makes other work flow... "I'll be out there anyway, might as well hang laundry." or "I should write now, because there'll be no chance to between the afternoon graze and dinner." But once one moment is squandered, it can feel so luxuriant to add another, so...

In celebration of our first anniversary in the new place, we tried to take advantage of the extra time and do a fall cleaning. We know how to party, huh? Our one thousand square foot house and five thousand square feet worth of sh..tuff has taken time to reconcile. Having moved many, many times in my life, I still smile as a space declared perfect and set aside for one purpose, slowly succombs to the tides of daily life. The room I sit in now is the quintessential example. It started as Tim's music room and place to store the television that was NOT to be plugged in! With one corner set aside for an exercise bike, MUCH USED of coarse, it was perfect. So, after three months of watching library dvds on a laptop, we plugged in the tv. It took another four months of sitting on the floor in front of said tv for a free Craigslist couch to usurp a wall of still boxed music gear. Just yesterday the computer, too, moved off the floor and onto a table where the dusty bike once stood. With a few more touch ups, this has become one of the most enjoyable rooms I've known. The best part is that with Tim's bass and amp so close at hand (yes, they made the cut), he actually plays once in a while.

When we got our goats (HA!) our relationship with them was clearly defined, we're starting a small herd to provide milk and some meat. Who knew they would become such good companions and friends, keeping us honest with our days? And here we go with the next chapter. Someone answered my Craigslist inquiry, an hours drive to east Raleigh and in roughly one-hundred and twenty honest days... new life. Sweet evolution at it's most modern.

like

Urban Turtle Farm is now on facebook.
I put it under food and beverage because "disorganization" was not an option.

There will be daily updates on farm love, and a pop up produce stand next spring.
Com'on and give us a little "like"... ;)

Thanks for your support!