Berry Update

Monday July 18th

    Yesterday  about 10 pounds of blackberries were picked.  They have finally started and within a couple of days they will be plentiful.  Anyone who would like to come pick is welcome to come early or late to avoid the heat.  I sure don't want anyone having a heat stroke out there.  If you want you can come as early as first light.  Also if you have containers such as gallon ice cream pails I would appreciate your bringing them.  We can weigh your containers first so we know how much to deduct on the scale.  We are down to just 3 or 4 containers since Craig used them as a chew toy. LOL  There are also a few raspberries still available until the next set ripens.  We also have green beans available.  If we don't get some much needed rain I am not sure how well anything in the garden or the berries will do in this drought.  I know last year they did not fair well and it took its toll on the berries producing this year.  This year has started out much like last year.....alot of rain early followed by a drought.  For all of you following the rest of the farm news......Maggie Mae and Lucky seem to be moving around more and roaming out further.  They still come each morning and evening for their bottles but they leave in a different direction then they use to, not back toward the buck pen or even the pond.  My husband said he thought that he almost hit one crossing the road the other day so if you are out this way please drive slow and be watchful for small fawns darting out into the road.  I was hoping that by taking them for walks when they were young that they would stay closer to home and not range out so far.  Our 3 bucklings are doing well in the buck test so far.  We get results every 17 days or so and their beginning fecal egg counts were excellent.  Samantha's buckling had 0 parasite eggs, and momma's boys had a count of 250  and 300.  They had 4 bucklings that were over 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!  One of those had over 12,000!! Poor fellow.  Gunner the new horse will get his first experience at being ridden this coming weekend and Lazarus will get some more experience with obstacles and creek crossing.  With the heat index so high I would want to stay in the creek if I was him.  No more chicks have been born yet.  I think I just need to clean the chicken house out and gather eggs again.  The hens have been setting over 21 days now and I don't think they are going to have any luck.  Not sure why since I know the roosters are all proven breeders but this has been a strange year for everything.  One thing that also strikes me odd about this year is the lack of hummingbirds and bees.  We have a total of one hummingbird this year when last year we had more that were always fighting for the food.  I haven't seen the first honey bee....I think the only bees I have seen on the buds have been bumble bees.  It is rather scary really.....people we can't survive without bees.  Anyway, I hope we all survive this next heat wave, so you all try to stay cool and also make sure your pets can find shade and have water. Jill Zink