108070_turkey.jpg
Nature's Magical Farm

Where wonderful things grow!

Located in Hannibal, Missouri
Hello, I'm Gail - and this is a page with my 'babies' - our farm has filled this past year with an assortment of animals. We hadn't planned on getting into animals just yet as there are so many things to do to prepare for them first - but alas, sometimes, fate has other plans... and one by one, we found animals that needed homes. It started with a fun experiment for a friend. She'd asked if someone could incubate turkey eggs for her, and for the trouble, get to keep half the eggs.... well, that sounded innocent enough and fun - so we voluntered! Thus began the collection... a couple months later the friend had a family crisis and needed a home for 'Sir Edward' and 'Bella' - the parent turkeys.... So we grew a bit more, and then kept ALL the babies..... then yet another friend found herself with more chickens than she could handle... and a red bourbon tom that was causing problems for her chickens... so the farm grew yet again as we took in more animals needing to be relocated..... then again, yet ANOTHER friend found herself ill and unable to care for her flock of chickens... so... you guessed it - the flock grew substantially! Then it got fun... a little boy had grown a lovely White Silkie for his 4-H club, and he'd won Grand Champion of the state of Missouri for the year 2011 - then the city where he lived decided to make a new ordinance that no one could have chickens in town limits... and so Q-ball went from show bird, to flock member..............did I mention the guinneas that I got? hmmm... well anyway, you get the idea, seems like when the odd animal needs a home, they find one here. The latest addition of relocated animals include a male and female pot belly pig!... so now, we number 28 turkeys (until Thanksgiving time!), 28 guinneas, 94 chickens, and 2 pot belly pigs.... We finally figured out that we were meant to raise animals. The fowl are all so very happy here, and they follow us like children. Animals couldn't be more loved than they are on our farm. We've even found a way to love them, right up till time for their death - they're cradled gently, talked to and stroked, till they lie peacefully near slumber - and they are killed so quickly then that they don't even have a chance to be nervious for even a second! If the saying "happy cows give good meat and cheese" - then our chickens must be some of the best around! And our eggs... YUMMIE!

Meanwhile - our flock is currently a hodgepodge of unwanted animals - we love them all here - but we're changing as we grow, and within the year will focus on 3 breeds of chickens and 2 breeds of turkeys
  • White Silkies - for their magnificant medicinal qualities and unique sweet meat
  • French Black Copper Morans - for their dark brown eggs and delectable taste
  • Delaware - for their xlarge brown eggs along with year long laying and good meat
  • Red Bourbons - With such fine stock from 'chance' might as well go with it!
  • Narragansette - Haven't the heart not to keep Sir Edward, he's such a fine gentleman
As to where the pigs fit in? Who knows? But they needed a home, and here they are!
Meanwhile - here are photos of some of our babies out on the farm.....



108070_siredward2.jpg
108070_baby-poults.jpg
108070_oggie2chicks.jpg
108070_me-thomas.jpg
108070_josh-turkey2.jpg
108070_joseph-hen.jpg
108070_bbq.jpg
108070_q-ball2.jpg