Surviving Minnesota!

[bantiesrule]

For everyone doing the ancestry thing, I came across this a few years ago and got a chuckle out of it:

The Fine Art of Political Rhetoric
Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that she shared a common ancestor with Senator Harry Reid -- one Remus Reid, a great-great uncle of Harry Reid's Uncle Remus was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889.
The only photograph of Remus that Ms. Wallman was able to locate shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory.


On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'


So, Ms. Wallman recently e-mailed Senator Reid for information about their common ancestor.
Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

'Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.'

NOW if that's not about the most beautiful (if misleading) political SPIN you've ever seen, I'd like to know what is.
Ain't it beautiful?!

 

[bantiesrule]

These are the eggs I get from my Black Copper Marans (obviously not the olive, blue, or light brown eggs). My goal is to get a BCM rooster this spring from a nice dark egg. I just don't know who has the breed locally and sells fertile eggs/chicks.

There is a lady who lives about ten miles from me that had some awesome looking BCMs that laid a really dark egg. I'm not sure if she still has them but I know she was selling eggs at that time. I could try to find her contact info if you are interested.

 

[I Love Layers]

https://video-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v...=1ab262031321cbef8217f888d36ba003&oe=58675B28

Cool video of me and my sister at Jump Craze. My strides though

 

[Bogtown Chick]

There is a very beautiful knowledgable lady who lives in our town. She's a business woman with a love for science, organic gardening and the such. And I believe she's got chicken experience even though she isn't caring for a flock at present. Anyways she was in the bank talking to DH when we first got our chicks. And DH told her that the kids were loving them and neighbor kids were showing up to visit and see. Which was all true. She gave him a look of warning he said.and she outlined how chicks do not fair well with kids.

Now this story is not to keep hammering away on kids and chicks only to let you know that every kid that visited washed their hands, before and after, and learned gentle handling techniques. When the chick is peeping loud it needs it's flock, warmth or is in some discomfort. And holding at heights and letting them drop is not good. For all my child visitors and my gentle teachings we didn't lose a chick and I think all those kids learned a thing or two on how fragile those babies can be. It was good for all of us. It can be done...not to under cut Ralphie. But an adult present to oversee and teach is great for the welfare of the animals and teaches kids respect and responsibility for caring for a living pet. It can be done. Or we were just very lucky.

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, thanks for the link to the House chicken page ? I thought of you the other day while watching an episode of the old TV show "The Rifleman". An old fellow featured in the episode had a house pig, and it was not a pot belly pig but a large spot hog.

The Appenzellers are looking quite good. It is my understanding that they lay medium eggs at a good rate, but unfortunately only the pullets and hens.

Winter is in full force here, and I am reduced to using deicer to clear my walks. The ice from last weekends storm is about 6 inches thick and nearly as hard as concrete. I knew I should have moved to the Banana Belt !!
This evening I will be attending an invitational dinner and show at the Black Bear Emporium. The entertainment will be by a band from New Orleans, and I suspect the food will include items with a Cajun flair. I love Cajun food. I may even stay up past midnight, which is quite unusual for me. As an old "Chicken Wrangler" once told me " early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy". He said he had no knowledge about being wealthy or wise !!

 

[duluthralphie]

BC you never need to worry about stepping on me. I think kids can learn a lot from chicks. It just seems so many people get chicks (from me) are not doing that great of job raising kids. When the kids are in the car seat holding chick when they leave, I know that person will be calling in 3 days to complain I sold them a chick that was ill and died.

Maybe I am just getting a tad old and crotchety.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

There is a lady who lives about ten miles from me that had some awesome looking BCMs that laid a really dark egg. I'm not sure if she still has them but I know she was selling eggs at that time. I could try to find her contact info if you are interested.

I'd love her contact info! I'm eyeing up some nice dark hatching eggs from Greenfire Farms, but can we say $$$$$$$$$.

 

[duluthralphie]

I'd love her contact info! I'm eyeing up some nice dark hatching eggs from Greenfire Farms, but can we say $$$$$$$$$.

Back away from that idea!! GGF is way too expensive they just are expert marketers. (I kind of feel that way about Porters after I got my eggs last year also)


Go see Minnie!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

I need a BCM rooster. Minnie can't help with that unless she has a secret chicken stash behind the corn crib. I'd get eggs from Littlepeddler's if I could justify spending the money on them.

Did you put your eggs from Porter's under a broody? I'm a bit nervous about getting eggs from them because a) Who knows if I'll have a broody anything when they come b) I have no idea how to successfully incubate turkey eggs c) Shipped eggs make me nervous d) They aren't cheap

 

[duluthralphie]

Turkey eggs are never cheap.

I use incubators. I let three hens try to sit on eggs last year with limited success. (4 if you count the turkey)

There is a guy up near Thief River falls that has great turkeys. I would consider his, he beat me at the shows. Also he is just a nice guy.

I figured I would have been better off buy poults than eggs from Porters, Also Porters birds are OK birds but he breeds for colors and not SOP. I hope this does not sound like I am bad mouthing him, I am not. He is the leading expert on turkey colors and genetics IMHO. He just has a different goal than me and he is a world class marketer. If anything I am jealous of him.

Mailed eggs are just risky, He sent them out 3 of each kind as I recall, I ended up with 1 bird of a couple varieties, that is worthless to me, I need at least one of each sex, or they are just culls.




Also I can tell breeding season is not far away. When I let the birds out this morning one of the Royal Palm Toms stood next to me puffed up and gave me the stink eye. I offered him the chance to attack, as I need to know who to cull next. I think he is asking to be the next one. I suppose this belongs on the turkey thread and not here....



and oh My look at the time, I need to go visit a friend for our last drink of the year soon!