Apple Harvest

It's that time of year again!
The days are warm, the nights are cool.
The leaves are beginning to turn to shades of yellow and crimson.
And with this time comes apple harvest.

I headed to the orchard yesterday in search of apples

for a very special dessert.
A family favorite...
a tradition started by my mother
and carried on by me...
Apple Harvest Cake

made only one time each year
at apple harvest time.

I filled my basket with the apples from the lower branches

and then used my trusty apple picker for the ones I could not reach.

I just couldn't help but eat one.

I think they are Macintosh,
but since the trees are so old, 
and we did not plant them,
I am only guessing.


Of course I had the usual help!
Ok, this is not much help, TomTom!

***Warning***
You might want to end your reading
 with the above,
if you are feint of heart,
or a bit squeamish.

I thought I would share with you the outcome
of Dr. Becky's visit with Eileen.....

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Becky payed a coop call.
She looked at Eileen's foot and confirmed 
that indeed she did have a case of 
Bumblefoot!
(Thanks to Heather and Peggy for the tip!)

Ok, here is your second warning...
you might not want 
to read any farther!!


Bumblefoot is a Staph infection of the foot.
Sure enough, Eileen's foot had a lot of pus beneath the skin.

Dr. Becky lanced the foot

and removed a large solidified mass of pus
(I told you to stop reading!)

She cleaned out all of the pus.
(Amazingly, the procedure did not seem to bother
Eileen all that much.)

Then she applied antibiotics and packed the wound.

Bandages were applied.

We will check the dressings tomorrow and possibly change them.
Hopefully with some daily care,
her foot will now heal up nicely.

Please say your chicken prayers for Eileen!
My apologies if any of that grossed you out!!
(I told you not to ready any farther!)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Enjoyed the apple harvest pics-looks like oh so much fun. We have english walnut trees and I send my kids up into the trees with plastic bats to knock them down. They love walnut baseball!

Thanks for sharing the pics and info of Dr. Becky treating the bumblefoot. My daughters are in 4H poultry club and vet science club and they are very informative for the kids to learn! -And not gross at all if you live on a farm. You do what you have to do to care for and love the animals. Isn't that what it is all about? :0)
Thanks!
Heather in PA
Verde Farm said…
I had to read, it's like seeing something on the highway and not being able to turn your head. Morbid I know. SO happy Eileen's foot is going to mend. What a sweetie. Great vet you have-how lucky!
Amy at Verde Farm
Carla said…
So glad you got Eileen's foot taken care of. Bumblefoot can be quite painful and dangerous if not cared for.
Noting gross about taking care of your animals. :)

I wish I could have just one apple tree. The deer won't let me.
taylorgirl6 said…
It's funny that you're so keen to warn us all about gross pictures, but everyone still wants to see! Being a city girl myself, it's tough to get exposure to the real world of farming, so I'm all over it. And, as a bonus, I now know what bumblefoot looks like. Thanks!!
Ms. Bake-it said…
Your apple picker looks like our orange pickers! Your Apple Harvest Cake sounds delicious. I may have to try it because I cannot locate the recipe for the apple cake that I used to make every fall. I chuckled when I saw how TomTom helped you. I am definitely familiar with that kind of help!

Poor Eileen! I cannot get over how calm Eileen appears. My prayers go out for her quick recovery!

~Tracy
Katmom said…
but just think, in a few days she will be ready for a pedicure...do chickens get pedicures? lol!
Lisa said…
Thank you for that info. It didn't gross me out. (takes more than that)I have never heard of bumblefoot till I started reading blogs. I've had chickens now for over 15 years.

Our apple picking is going to start next week. They're 2 weeks early this year.
Stacy said…
One of our chickens had bumblefoot earlier in the summer. I couldn't believe it when the vet diagnosed it. I had never heard of such a thing. She's all better now and doing great. Eileen will be better soon.
I had to look since I desperately want a few chickens one of these days...yes, I did have do some rapid breathing :)

and Tom Tom is darlin'...