Starving Mailmen

Ok, here is my soapbox speech for today. About 3 months ago our church was visited by a very emotional mission priest telling us about the starving poor in Guatemala. I know this is true, I have mission friends who go there many times.He told us of how the Food For the Poor, Inc can take our money and with just 6 cents a day save 1 starving child. They even mailed me an American nickle and a Canadian penny in case I needed a visual aid. Every week my mailbox is stuffed with mail asking for more donations for the Poor of the World. Well, I am disgusted by the hypocrisy of this organization. The cost of mailers, flyers, coins, and the like could feed a family, many families, here locally in the state of Missouri. And we do not need paper mailers to remind us. We just have to open our eyes, open our hearts, roll up our sleeves and get to work. And I do not need a mailer to tell me that every week.

Death and Chokes

This is part of my harvest of Sunchokes. There are so many, I have left them out under the dirt for later winter treat.

My Melon taking a cat nap.

Last week a friend of mine died in a head on crash.  In the other car two people inside also died with her. Everyone died and I got that horrible call from my friends adult daughter, the police are here and my mother is dead, please come. We did and helped make plans. We went to the salvage yard to retrieve her mothers personal items saw what was left of her car, called the church and funeral home and got her mother buried. Now we are there as my friends daughter goes through the grief. It takes its toll but I did find out many people here are helping. We have a great small town and everyone is helping. So different from the city life I left behind. The last photo is the night after the wake. We were invited to a hayride under the stars in the cold in the woods. We sang songs and had a huge bonfire and tasty vegetarian foods made by several guest. It was a nice break from the grief. If you ever get an invitation to a hayride, go. It is a lot of fun.

Upside Downs

This is my bantam rooster with his neck turned upside down. I had the vet look at him and the neck is fine. But a friend noticed his ear was filled and smelly. I cleaned it out, treated it for mites and waited. After 4 week of daily cleaning, he is no better. The ear still fills with puss, I clean it with peroxide and wait. He has been in our house for almost a month. This week he is eating less and has taken a down turn. I will give it another week then cull him myself. It is a shame since he is a great little rooster.

Duck dinner

Here is one of two male ducks I raised Cayuga and Khaki Campbell mix. I have way too many drakes this year and happily gave away two. They dressed out nicely and I am waiting to hear about their flavor from my friends. I was also given five roosters which three I culled and two I watched. I finally saved one of the five for my flock. The rest are in my freezer. This November I brought two egg eater hens to auction and three more Easter Egger roosters. Just can't see feeding them all winter and have them fighting. Since my freezer was full, to the auction they go. I am learning it is wise to sell off  or cull the flock before winter. Saves money on feed all winter and new start in the spring. But I have bred some great poultry and hate for that to go to waste. So I save the best overwinter and hope for spring chicks to hatch in the new year.