We too are enjoying homegrown meals. The pork comes from St. Johns, the beef from either our neighbor or Farmerboy, the eggs and chicken come from our flock. All the veggies... cooked kale and garlic, zucchini/summer squash, sweet corn, potatoes, carrots and last night, fresh steamed green beans. Eagerly awaiting the tomatoes still and the winter squash.
I have not seen any hawks circling over our property. See them all the time while driving the area but not here... yet. Matter of time. On the other hand, I talked to the neighbor across the field last night. It turns out a fox was indeed jumping into his makeshift chicken pens and taking his birds, including the two I sold him. He saw them, he said. Not surprising since I've been seeing them behind the barn, sneaking around along the corn. I warned him. I told him he had to have a secure run. But no, he didn't listen to me and I'm sure his daughter was devastated when the second set of chicks disappeared. They haven't taken any of mine yet but I chalk that up to both vigilance and the fact that my chickens keep to the other side of the barn for most of the day where a fox is less likely to appear (more exposed). But occasionally a couple of my bold hens will wander into the corn. I chase them out when I see them doing this but one day, they are going to get it.
Speaking of wildlife... I got charged by a fawn of all things the other night. Thinking I heard a noise outside, I went out to investigate and out of the corn, something was running straight at me. It looked like a large dog in the twilight, like a yellow lab maybe. Terrified me! But it stopped short of knocking me over, huffed and turned - bounded off with its white tail upright - obviously a deer. They are very active now during the day, the young deer. There have been several near misses with the young ones in the last couple of weeks on the road. Adolescents anyway!
I have not seen any hawks circling over our property. See them all the time while driving the area but not here... yet. Matter of time. On the other hand, I talked to the neighbor across the field last night. It turns out a fox was indeed jumping into his makeshift chicken pens and taking his birds, including the two I sold him. He saw them, he said. Not surprising since I've been seeing them behind the barn, sneaking around along the corn. I warned him. I told him he had to have a secure run. But no, he didn't listen to me and I'm sure his daughter was devastated when the second set of chicks disappeared. They haven't taken any of mine yet but I chalk that up to both vigilance and the fact that my chickens keep to the other side of the barn for most of the day where a fox is less likely to appear (more exposed). But occasionally a couple of my bold hens will wander into the corn. I chase them out when I see them doing this but one day, they are going to get it.
Speaking of wildlife... I got charged by a fawn of all things the other night. Thinking I heard a noise outside, I went out to investigate and out of the corn, something was running straight at me. It looked like a large dog in the twilight, like a yellow lab maybe. Terrified me! But it stopped short of knocking me over, huffed and turned - bounded off with its white tail upright - obviously a deer. They are very active now during the day, the young deer. There have been several near misses with the young ones in the last couple of weeks on the road. Adolescents anyway!
