as Rafe would say. Yesterday afternoon I headed out for a walk around the farm, camera in hand. The first scene I came upon was a hen running about with a mouse dangling from her beak. The other 26 hens were in hot pursuit, trying to steal this tasty morsel from her. Before I could point and shoot she swallowed the mouse whole in 3 gulps! I’d never seen anything like it.
I would have waited another week or two to let the cows out to pasture. But I guess they begged and begged and talked Matt into it. He’s a pushover. They were so happy to be on fresh grass again.
With the cows out Matt got to work cleaning up their winter area. These lovely piles of cornstalks, hay and manure are removed from the lot, piled up along the east side of our property, and allowed to compost. Come fall we’ll spread the compost on the garden.
Our Canada geese pair had some friends stop by.
The stockers getting their daily buckets of corn.
Hello!I just wanted to say hi, and to tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog! I LOVE farms, and really wish that I could live in a place that’s more rural than the NW Suburbs of Chicago… but practicality and my dreams don’t always go hand in hand. But I love to live vicariously through your writing and pictures — and loved the story of the hen and the mouse! Thanks for sharing!Lynne
When I was out this weekend, I noticed the cows around here (Iowa City-ish) were out in the pasture. I guess your cows are not the only ones getting antsy for real grass.
Hmmm. I was thinking of getting a cat to catch mice but maybe a chicken would be better..