Mail order chickens

A farmer’s son was returning from the market with the crate of chickens his father had given to him, when all of a sudden the box fell and broke open.

Chickens scurried off in different directions, but the determined boy walked all over the neighborhood collecting the birds and returning them to the repaired crate. Hoping he had found them all, the boy hesitantly returned home, expecting the worst.

“Pa, the chickens got loose,” the boy confessed sadly, “but I managed to find all twelve of them.”

“Well, you did real well son,” the farmer beamed. “You left with seven.”

This is obviously a joke I found on the internet, but it’s how I feel with 14 chickens. And now they are big enough they are little Houdini’s trying to escape.

Fluffy chicks

We weren’t even going to get chickens until this summer, but to be honest, I didn’t really want to wait much longer.

Michael has been working on the chicken coop for about three weeks now. It would have been easier to buy the cute one at Sam’s. But we wanted to use one of the historic outbuildings to house our chickens. The inside has new wood and chicken wire to keep any varmints out.

A friend recommended Hoover’s Hatchery to us. They have a variety of birds, as well as free shipping.  I wanted friendly birds that would be good layers too. The final list was Tetra Browns, Dominiques, Light Brahmas and Americanas.

She's in heaven.

Loving on these baby birds.

The online hatchery give you options on if you want male, female or surprise. You can also pay extra for vaccinations and beak trimming. For around $50 bucks we bought 15 hens with vaccinations. Hoover’s sent an email telling me when the birds would arrive. I called the post office to give them a heads up. They, however, said it wasn’t their first rodeo and would call me immediately when the birds came.

The chicks arrived very early in a little box. The brooder was warm and ready to go. We dipped their beaks in the sugar water. They were alert and chirping, except one. And in the end she didn’t make it. She was weak and never really warmed up.

They arrived early in the morning!

Getting them in their new home.

We switched out the sugar water to apple cider vinegar with mother to aid in preventing pasty butt. Later that day, I inspected and wiped their bottoms. And that was my last time. Something about it raunched me out, and I didn’t really like the birds. Michael took over.

Playing with the birds.

Do you see that side eye? She's my favorite. 

Birds have always made me nervous. Their pointy beaks and crazy eyes just give me the willies. But after two weeks, I am starting to understand why people love chickens.

We can't tell them apart yet so the yellow ones are Banana, black ones are Dolly and the striped ones are Cash.

We’re holding them more and learning their personalities. Some of them perch on our fingers. The Americana’s are my favorite, and the Dominques are feisty. The Brahmas think they are tough and the Tetra Browns discovered their wings first.

So sweet.

So fiesty. This one is hanging out on the feeder.

This one has a red head so we call her Lucille Ball. 

I am really surprised how quickly they are growing. Bailey is really curious about them. We let her smell them, but if she gets to close the chicks give her a warning peck.  She gives them a quizzical head tilt but keeps going in for more.

Bailey checking it out. 

Smelling the bird. Getting her nose pecked. 

But much like the farmer’s son in the joke, I feel like we are going to keep adding to our flock. Give me a Silkie!

Danger Noodles

There is a popular trend where animals are renamed based on what they look like or how threatening they are. Examples include “furry nope” for grizzly bears or “formal chicken” for a penguin. One of the most popular rename was “danger noodle” for a snake.

Now that the weather is getting nicer and we are outside more, I am constantly on the lookout for these danger noodles.

The only bad part of this rename is not all snakes are dangerous. 

True, they always take me off guard. One time I was walking down the drive way and I saw a stick that was a little wiggly. I realized it was a tiny green snake. We gave each other the stink eye. And of course, he won.

The snake on my driveway looked like this. Photo by Ranger Marty Silver

And last year, I saw a black snake in the barn and power walked to find Michael to take care of it.

I know some snakes are really good, but I turned to local icon Park Ranger Marty Silver to help me better understand our local snakes.

Marty, who has worked for the Tennessee State Parks for 39 years, said, “Keep in mind no snake wants to bite you. They much prefer to escape. Most bites occur to folks who are trying to catch the snake, or to folks who are not observant and accidentally step on a snake.”

He advises us to avoid bites by leaving snakes alone! (No problem there Marty!)

Snakes are scared of you too! Photo by Ranger Marty Silver

However, there are times when a snake might strike. I always tell my kids to kick their bikes a little bit before they get on them and check the swing set just to be sure. And I always take a stick and poke the shrubs a little bit before I start weeding. I’m not taking chances.

Marty recommends if you or a child (or your pet) is bitten by a non-venomous snake, you should clean it as you would any wound because there’s still a risk of infection from the bite. If you’re not sure whether the snake was venomous or not, do seek medical attention. And if possible, get a good photo of the snake. This can help your medical professional know what they are dealing with.

If you are pretty sure it is a venomous snake bite, be sure to keep the patient calm and cool, be prepared to treat for shock and get them to a hospital ASAP. Early treatment is the key to quicker recovery.

Luckily in our region of Northeast Tennessee, there are only two native venomous snakes - Timber Rattlesnake and Copperhead. Both are pit vipers - they have heat-sensing pits between their eyes and their nostrils. Both have slit-like pupils like cat eyes and have distinctive arrowhead-shaped heads.

The non-venomous snakes have round pupils and narrower heads. But some will flatten their heads when disturbed to make them look more like a venomous snake. And many non-venomous snakes will “buzz” their tails against dry leaves to make you think they have a rattle.

Marty said if you are close enough to see the shape of the snake’s pupils, you’re probably too close!

If you are this close to a snake, you're probably to close. Photo by Ranger Marty Silver

Snakes get a bad rap. But like all living creatures, snakes were designed to serve a purpose. All snakes are predators and help keep nature in balance. And most snakes feed primarily on small rodents, which definitely benefits us. No one likes mice in their house. We heard their little feet all winter!

“My advice for people who are scared of snakes - well, they’re scared of you too,” said Marty. “You might want to go to a snake program at places like Bays Mountain Park or Panther Creek State Park to learn to appreciate, or at least tolerate snakes.”

So hopefully this helps you understand danger noodles aka snakes a little more. 

Photo by Ranger Marty Silver

A huge thanks to Marty Silver for taking time to talk with me about snakes!! My children love when he hosts hikes and creek stomps at Warrior's Path State Park. Thank you.

A lot of work goes into photography!

Find out why we practiced making mud puddles!

What are we doing? Read below to find out!

I love getting family photos taken. I don’t have a stellar memory, and I want some of our life documented. (Especially when I am having a good hair day!)

We have had some great family photos.

Emily helps us get it together for photos.

But I love to look at some of the outtakes from the photos – kids getting in trouble, Michael looking - well - over it, me just wanting that one special picture.

I thought we were jumping... apparently not. 

I can only imagine it is hard work being a photographer, not to mention a lot of pressure.

But local photographer Emily Bartley always has it under control.

“I try to stay positive and set no expectations prior to a session,” she said. “I love how kids are so real. They say the funniest things. Even if they cry, it’s still so sweet. They are still learning about the world and themselves, so it’s a tough go sometimes. But I just hope I can make them smile as much as they make me smile.”

Emily has taken our photos for years. And with the farm setting, she’s been able to use it for other clients as a great background.

“The Farm at Holly Hill has phenomenal lighting when the sun goes down,” she said.

One of my favorites.

After our kids played in the mud together, the idea for mud pie minis was born.

It was cold, but they were happy.

We're not regular moms. We're cool moms. 

Snoop checking it out. 

Epic pig shot

“I just think back to when I was a little, and I loved playing in mud,” Emily said. “I thought it would be a great idea to capture kids playing and create great memories for their parents.”

This is the first summer Emily will be offering minis, including themes such as watermelon eating, fishing in a pond and superheroes saving the city.

But we couldn’t offer mud pie minis without practicing!

She brought her kids over last week, and we dressed everyone in white so the mud would really pop whether the photo was edited in black and white or color.

White outfits for mud of course!

Even though it had rained, the mud wasn’t puddly enough.

From the barn to the side pasture, we lugged several gallons of water. Our arms were burning. I imagined I was in some sort of Spartan race, minus the cool finisher t-shirt.

Making it muddy

Pouring the water

But we just let the kids go at it. Mud was flying, they were cackling. So. Much. Fun.

They had a ball!

Still looking white. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

Sweet girl and her muddy face

I even tried to jump, but let me tell you. That mud is slippery. And I’ll leave it at that.

Emily is one of the kids.

So go like Emily Bartley photography on Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye out for her announcement for summer minis.  And if you’re a photographer, let me know if you’d ever like to tour the farm.

Patience vs. ambition: Can you have both and find success?

Patience is a virtue, yet we’re also told the early bird gets the worm. Which is more important?

I don’t know - but working on the farm is teaching me both.

There is always something to do around the farm. 

Our town is booming with farmer’s markets and agrotourism, and I am dying to be a part of it. But I’m learning you can’t force it. Sometimes slow and steady is the way to go (And it’s driving me crazy).

But on the flip side, I’m trying to be ambitious and learn how to do more work on the farm.

First up, power washing. Who knew this would be the most fun chore ever! I feel like a dental hygienist. It’s so satisfying. I now call permanent dibs on the power washer.

Getting all the grime off. 

More power!

Shoutout to my husband. He was really patient teaching me how to use it. He wasn’t a pill at all. You know what I’m talking about married couples. Working with your spouse can be veeeerrrryyyy challenging. A lot of face grimaces and weird pet names usually ensue, but seriously he did a great job.

My first job was to clean off the chicken coop.

Inside the coop. We're making nesting ledges.

Michael showing me how it's done.

Then, I wanted to paint it with the girls. Big mistake, but I’m hoping those memories last a lifetime. We used an oil based paint. (My first time working with this kind.) It really sticks to the skin. And as Abby found out, the walls inside the house too.

The wood really soaked up the paint. I used a gallon and a half. I also use rollers. A spray of some sort might have been easier. 

My helpers. When we painted the coop it was really hard to tell what we had painted. 

Before and after

We thought we did a great job painting all the panels, but once it dried it showed a few… a lot… of mistakes. A second coat is needed. 

But finishing the coop is cruising right along. After a few hundred dollars and several man hours, I hope those eggs are delicious. 

Now let’s talk about the weather. We’re all thinking it. Go home Mother Nature, you’re drunk. Snow, rain, ice frost. Are we in dog wood winter or locust winter? Only our sweet grandmas know all of them, but they are crazy. Not your grandma – but these little winters that keep popping up.

Hoping the apples are ok so we can make applesauce and pie. 

We get buds, lose buds. Who knows what will happen with our apple trees. Will we get apples or will they be mush? Only time will tell.

The one project that is completed is a farm logo. Why do we need a logo? I don’t know. I envision t-shirts. A big thank you to Scott Cureton for designing our vintage logo.

Who would order a t-shirt? I'm thinking really soft material. Maybe a ringer collar or baseball style.

After Mother’s Day we plan to plant the vegetable garden and the sunflower/lavender garden. I know the vegetable garden will be successful and yield some crops. My imagination says the flower garden will be beautiful, but I’m not sure. They are both hardy plants, but it might take a few grow seasons to find the best spot. Stay tuned.

Growing some sunflowers

My husband has an obsession with seeds.

These are for my flower garden.

Grow baby!

We planted a willow tree. Not sure if it did ok through the frost. 

No matter the weather, these always survive!

It's ok birdies. Spring is coming!

So back to the question can patience and ambition go hand-in-hand?

A quote said, “We often want it so badly that we ruin it before it begins. Over-thinking. Fantasizing. Imagining. Expecting. Worrying. Doubting. Just let it naturally evolve.”

I believe each trait is important for different reasons and can be balanced to complement each other and hope we can put into practice both to find success. 

In the meantime here are some cute animal pictures!

Pig belly rub

If Snoop eats an apple...

Bailey gets an apple

Barn cat gang

Best friends

Turkeys!

Love this view!