Manure and Other Fun Stuff

Living on the farm has given us many skills...

some we are good at,

and some at which we excel.

We grow our own food, grow hay for our horses,

keep bees and many animals...

but the thing we just may be the best at is making great compost!

We have an endless supply of manure (horse, pig, chicken),

which we store in piles which we turn with the tractor,

until such time as the pile has cured and become rich, dark, earthy mulch.

Added to the manure are kitchen scraps (plant-based),

dried leaves, and other organic matter from all over the farm.

The manure piles are a favorite hang out for the chickens.

Ole Roy fancies himself King of the Hill.

"This stuff is something to crow about!"

The temperate weather we have been experiencing these past two weeks

has allowed us extra time for outdoor chores

such as mulching around all of our young trees....

If only I could keep the chickens from then "un-mulching" them.

No matter how I spread it, the chickens always re-arrange it!

Each February we clean out all of out bluebird houses,

in preparation for Spring nest-building and egg laying.

Each of the houses has a thick, soft nest made from twigs,

horse hair, chicken and guinea feathers.

Occasionally a mouse will have claimed the house as its winter home.

With this in mind, Hubbs cautiously opens the house,

and tentatively reaches inside,

all the while knowing that a mouse may scamper out across his hand....

making him admittedly "scream like a girl!"

Lucky for him, this year there were no mice.

Tyler and his Mommy paid us a visit this weekend.

He is our first and only grandchild, and is now 20 months old.

Here are the pictures from his visit in a slideshow.....