Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Determination


Here's a bit of random farm junk we inherited, incorporated into a very determined little birch tree. While it feels vaguely icky (doesn't that HURT?), it also seems to show the power of nature and slow perserverence. Even if we humans leave junk all over the place, trees will find a way, even if just for a while. There's quite a bit of tree-shaping going on this little junk pile.




I've asked WF to leave the tree standing just so I can continue to be amazed at the power of zylem and phloem (tree veins)!


We have to be pretty determined here these days about the fate of one of the roosters. The hens are still showing wear (bare heads and even now some wings), and the two roosters started really fighting this weekend. I've been unsuccessful in finding the smaller, perkier rooster a home (it's very hard to place roosters!) so it looks like we might have to enter a new phase of the chicken world this weekend... the ah, "transformation" into an edible item. Eeek-we're such greenhorns! I've never cleaned an intact bird before, so we're looking around for "mentors"... maybe even my dad, who has cleaned many a duck over the years. Being a girl, I didn't learn that old family skill. It was pretty much a once-a-year ritual for the men in the family. WF's family is pretty far removed from any of those skills.

But in the meantime, we're having a hard time looking at "Smaller Rooster" on "death row" in the chicken tractor. He doesn't seem happy to be separated, so that won't be a good long time solution, either. Ah, life (and death). I won't likely blog about the gorey details, but let's hope we have the fortitude to just do this, and do it right. I DO like to eat chicken, just maybe not ones that I know so well. We value local protein, soI think we need to face this reality. I'm trying to learn from Rurality's bravery, but...Last chance: anyone have room for one smallish rooster?!

3 comments:

Liz said...

Cool farm junk! We had an abundance of old tires, but nothing a tree couldn't grow around. :)

You can do the rooster thing... just take your time (and a book with pictures is handy to have). It's good that you just have the one, otherwise it would be *really* intimidating! Seriously, it's not that bad... just have patience.

Endment said...

AH - yes - you can do the rooster thing...
When we had lots of chickens - My father-in-law and I had to do the chickens - the guys were too squeamish.
perhaps this will help
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/poultry/butcher_kill.html

Deb said...

Sorry, I happen to have an overabundance of roosters now myself! My husband got a bit, shall we say, overzealous in ordering chicks last year, and we still have not gotten around to butchering the Cornish crosses that were supposed to be in the freezer by last fall!