Spanish Black Turkeys
The Spanish Black turkeys are growing very slowly. But surely. They are inquisitive and have a shrill call when they think they are being ignored. I still have no idea what the gold one is. I am hoping it is a hen though. Then we can keep her.
Geraldine the Peachick has bonded very strongly with Amanda.
She (or he) lives with the turkeys but pays very little attention to them preferring to play footsie with Coda, the pale ginger kitten, through the mesh of her run or fly up to Amanda’s shoulder when she is in there. She will even poke her beak into BooBoo’s nose, through the chicken wire – but goodness!!
We picked 11 dozen ears of corn for the farmer market tomorrow. Jake is going to grill some of them and serve them with some kind of fabulous basil butter (the basil is from my garden as well) – and the rest will be sold as is. So if you are in Pontiac this morning drop in and find the boys and their tent of happy home grown food.
The best part of my summer series this year has been the Kitchen Mama. Tomoyo was our Kitchen Mama yesterday. It is a great thrill for me to see these women and men take the picking basket and forage through the gardens looking for the ingredients for their dinners. And even though this year has been such a disappointing year in the garden -we have been flooded out again and again – there is always something to eat.
The joy of cooking good wholesome honest food for a group of people is deeply satisfying. Being given permission to muck about in the kitchen for a whole day brings out something intrinsic in a person. Something deep and old. The love of feeding another. Sitting down to eat together is ageless.
We have a new long term volunteer coming in a month. His name is Hugo and he is a very young man from France. He will be arriving in the middle of next month. He is a very determined young man too. I love this about him. he has literally talked me into having him to stay. He wants to learn English. My French is very rusty (I was taught French by an Irish Nun) so I may be in need of some help here! (Viv!!) More on that later.
I let Poppy and her babies out into the pigs garden yesterday then spent a frantic 15 minutes convinced they would find a hole in the fence and run away.
But they all came back when called much to my relief. Poppy spent the whole time jamming as much grass down her throat as she could.
The pawpaws are growing. I know nothing at all about them except that I like to eat them. So I need to do some research on this American native to see when they are ripe to eat!
Amanda’s chicks are due to hatch this weekend! Mercy life is fun – isn’t it?
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
32 Comments on “Spanish Black Turkeys”
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Good Morning! Did you hand pollinate the paw paws, or did yours get pollinated naturally?
They pollinated naturally.. though there are not many! c
My very favourite tropical fruit – though even that deliciousness is enhanced by a jollop of passion fruit on each slice. Normally they’re ripe when about 3/4 red.
Oh I love passion fruit – wish i could grow that!
Your gold turkey baby looks exactly like my Bourbon Red baby turkey’s at that stage. Maybe that is what it is?
It may be! Let me know if she continues to look like yours..that would be great.
I agree. It looks like a Bourbon Red poult.
Lots of babies growing up all over the Farmy, and your latest one will be young Hugo. The Farmy will change him; he’s on the right path already, being so determined to come, but he will leave a different person, and perhaps the Farmy will show him his life’s direction.
I’d love to try that corn fresh from the farmy 😉
This small thing on Amanda’s lap has already enormous wings! – For the golden turkey babe (is it really a turkey chick?): It has so different feathers, so very different to that of the black ones. Not just in colour but in texture too. That’s why I said that this lacy feathers as pictured on July, 20 reminded me of Godot. It wares her (his) “dress” like a tender veil. This birdie surely once becomes a prince or a princess as in the fairy tales, because it looks so beautiful. I am really curious what comes out later.
Oh for Hugo (ygo) – you have to get your French into shape then. 😉 – Enjoy your day, Celi!
Those small birds are wonderful…we’re slowly training Molly to be kind to the birds….the stone walls of our house are full of little nests:)
Goodness, this post is just brimming with happiness and good things! I am happy happy happy on your behalf! The kitchen Mamma looks very capable and creative, and Amanda with her lovely manicure has definitely got a way with the little winged one. You and Hugo will understand perfectly. I have a feeling. Love to you all.
I visit. I learn. I come away totally uplifted for my day ahead. Thank you Celi for my daily tonic.
Your farmy is always brimming with life and it’s wonder. Have a fabulous weekend and I look forward to meeting Hugo!
I love cooking, especially for a crowd. The mess (I always make a mess), the clatter of pans, the array of colors and scents, the chatter – then that brief moment of silence when everyone is eating and you know all is well. Your corn makes me want to hop in the car and drive down to Pontiac tomorrow. Unfortunately, the car is too tired . . . 🙂
Those piglets are growing by leaps and bounds. I confess to wanting to have them running around my yard, although they would surely find the holes scattered throughout my fence line…sigh.
Oh, Celi, a question yet: Does Ygo know cooking and will he be able to be a Kitchen Mama? I think that’s a decisive Point for you, isn’t it? 🙂
Lovely chicks and pigglys.
Tu sera la bievenue de m’appeler comme interprète. SKYPE? ou Facebook messaging en cas de problème! As Irmi says, I hope Hugo can cook. In France they don’t seem to eat vegetables, except in soup, so you’ll have to convert him with your delicious produce.
I emailed you with a ;query on behalf of Jock for his embroidery.
Have a lovely weekend,
ViV xox
He has told me that he loves to cook and LOVES meat!! so we will see.. c
What a lovely day you had!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
I think the gold one is a bourbon red…
That would be great – hope it is a hen!
These are amazing photos as were yesterday’s–especially the kitten peering into the fowl’s place. So happy the cows are mucousy! The Geraldine is so cute and the turkeys too. I can’t imagine a French person not into cooking!!
Mucking around my kitchen is my favorite thing to do, especially when I’m down and under. My husband got some corn yesterday , I wish it was yours . Today, I’m making corn cakes , celery root salad and I’m baking an Italian blueberry cookie tart.
That sounds wonderful! a great day in the kitchen.. c
Thanks , I’m trying
Just think of the contribution you are making to the world with people coming to stay and learning about real food, and then blogging to the world about it. Brava!! Magnifique!
If your paw paws fall or get knocked off the tree before they are ripe… as has been known to happen… you may be able to salvage them if you slice and dress with orange juice and sugar, and leave sit in it for a bit until eating.
Pawpaws: keep on the trees until they change colour probably to yellow/orangey [how much depends on what type you have] and get just a tad soft: you have aways to go – in your area probably late August/early September. Then eat/use in a couple of days. If you pick too early they go from green to brown/rotten within days. Love your kitchen stove . . . and the look of Tomoyo in front of it 🙂 ! Methinks you have picked your farmy helpers/companions very well . . .
I have been so lucky with my people this year.. amazing really.. c
Oh, I do envy you the paw paws! I remember them yellowing, not getting red–sort of like a pear does. You’ll figure it out! Then enjoy.
Geraldine is such a cutie. How wonderful to have so much help around the farmy. The corn sounds wonderful.