Shopping

Saturday morning Rob and I went shopping.  A quick swing out to get some odds and ends, like a new hose nozzle, a stock pot, and dishwasher tabs.  Then a swing by the yearly animal swap that a local farm hosts for a weekend.  They include some workshops/demonstrations and a hay ride and some people camp there for the weekend.

Not much was going on when we got there, even though it was close to 10 o'clock.  This was likely due to the threat of storms moving through.  But it was dry when we got there.  Some people that had brought animals to sell and had camped there were available.

I hadn't gone with a specific purchase in mind, just a curiosity and a budget of 50 bucks burning a hole in my pocket.

There was one couple there with their 7 children, (I don't say kids cause that could get confusing at an animal swap as there were some available).  They had several cages of chickens, some inside one of the small buses they had drove up with heat lamps on them, and a cage of young rabbits.

They had some Buff Orpingtons and Welsummers among many other breeds.  I bought three pullets (young hens), 2 Buffs because they are one of the breeds most likely to sit on eggs and hatch them (most breeds have that instinct bred out of them so they keep laying eggs), and a Welsummer because I liked her color.

(As I type this the 10 older birds that were free ranging are all trying to cram into the old, small dog house to escape the heavy rain ... nevermind they can all come under the deck or go to their coop/tractor)

I also couldn't resist getting some more turkeys.  I loved watching the original 5 grow up and they were fun.  Having them follow people around because they liked people, and went to investigate loud noises amused me.  Like the day the electric company was putting in a new pole across the street and they went to see what was going on.  I had to herd them back, the guys weren't sure if the turkeys were mean.
This time I got a pair of Royal Palms, and I can only hope I got a female and male.  I would like a breeding pair as they are pretty turkeys.  More likely I just got two males.

 What I hope they look like when grown.

This week I also got my garden ready for planting.  I planted three of the beds with cooler weather crops, lettuce, cabbage, peas, and broccoli.

 The goats got the weeds I pulled.  Godiva is looking especially pregnant (the darker, closer goat).

 In the last bed I was hoeing up a toad showed up from under the dirt.  We were both surprised, but he hung around long enough to have his picture taken.  He was a rather large fellow.