its humbling how easily these little feathered creatures can make palpable feelings of Failure as a Farmer. two eggs. dos. deux. zwei. due. two eggs in nearly three weeks. our chickens are on strike. which i didn't think was likely, but it would appear that we have pushed too many of their nasty buttons with all of the relocating. so we don't have our usual protein intake here west of boston. we don't have a milking cow. we don't have any beef or pork or venison or goat or lamb. i know i'm getting a fair amount of my daily caloric needs fulfilled by my boss's wife's bakery. but i'm missing the simpleness of meat and eggs and milk. the meat i can sustain without but i Cannot Do without the eggs nor the milk.
and so we are still looking at cows. a milking cow for me and/or...or/and... a heifer for nick. we are talking with friends about all going in on a cow together. sharing milkings. sharing chores. sharing the milk. making cheese and yogurt and butter together. it all feels very old to me. in a good way. going-back-in-time-where-community-reigns old.
in the meantime i may have to buy our neighbor's eggs. shame.
in photos:
1. a prospective heifer's mama with some nicely shaped horns.
2. one of the two eggs.
3. a decidedly empty nest.
4. a clean barn as we had guests today.
5. biking home for a lunch of soup and cheese with rudy.
6. a portrait of a prolific laying-hen. an obedient and loving laying-hen. not a witholding hen.
7. i miss when we had friends who used to come by and give us gifts like this. thinking a lot about north carolina on this spring-induced day.
i feel your shame. we reluctantly bought eggs for the first time in months recently because our chicks have also given up the gig. good luck with your cow purchase, how exciting!
ReplyDeletejust wishin' i was your neighbor is all. i'd lend you all the eggs your little heart desired.
ReplyDelete