Miller Farm Friday Archives - Page 38 of 48

30 01, 2015

Do Chickens Eat Bread?

By judythemorgan|2015-01-30T06:00:37-06:00January 30th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

It all started with this simple question: Do your chickens eat bread?

A friend was helping at a food distribution event and had a lot of bread left over. She did not want to throw it in the dumpster so she asked if we could feed it to the chickens. We figured bread is made of grain and chickens eat grain so chickens must eat bread.

My husband went and picked up what turned out to be several boxes of very nice bread – sour dough, cranberry, whole wheat and many others. Most of it was in fine condition – much too good to feed to chickens so we pulled out the good loaves and started calling friends to see if they wanted any.

That was several years ago. Now every Friday I go and help my friend with this food distribution that has turned out to be more than just bread. In fact it is like Christmas when the truck opens the door. We’re never quite sure what we will find. There have been cases of bananas, avocadoes, beets, turnips, and bags of onions, carrots, grapefruit, and oranges.

We have started calling whatever is in abundance the “secret ingredient”. Some people make a game out of seeing how many ways they can fix whatever we get in abundance.

One week recently there was spaghetti squash. Most people did not know how to fix it so as I handed it out, I explained what to do with it. There was still a lot left over which I brought home and gave to any of our friends and neighbors who wanted it. I even had people I didn’t know who heard we had a truck load of squash and came to get some. It is an interesting way to meet people to say the least.

Last week’s “secret ingredient” was apples. They came in a large (the size of cardboard box that stores put watermelons in) wooden crate. We put them in bags which seems simple enough. Except it was raining and cold. We bagged apples until our hands were numb. What was leftover after the distribution I loaded as much as I could fit into the back of my truck along with the leftover bread, cabbage, grapefruit, and bananas. When I got home I covered the back of the truck with a tarp and went inside to thaw out.

When my son got home from school, he said, “Mom I need to make an apple cobbler.” He was totally unaware of what I had in the truck.

I smiled and said, “I just happen to have some apples.”

Matt made cobbler, Brian made apple butter, and I made apple pie, baked apples and dried apples. This was after giving apples to everyone we know.

Now we are ready for this weeks “secret ingredient.”

23 01, 2015

Happy Chickens

By judythemorgan|2015-01-23T06:00:46-06:00January 23rd, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The weather was horrible here on Miller Farm last week. It was cold and rainy from Saturday until Friday.

For those of you dealing with snow and ice, I expect no sympathy. However, as I was standing in the cold rain, feeding chickens, I had lots of sympathy for myself.

The chicken yard was a complete disaster. I had to really concentrate to keep from slipping and falling in the mud. And the chickens weren’t laying many eggs.

Then the sun came out. It was a glorious sight.

As the ground was drying, I realized how bare it was. We had put seven bags of leaves out before the holidays, and they had all disintegrated. On Sunday as I walked the dogs, I saw several bags of leaves by the curb in front of various houses. I made a mental note to go back with the truck and pick them up to put out in the chicken yard.

Picking up things on the curb is a family pastime although usually it involves furniture left when people move out. Leaves are not particularly interesting unless you have chickens.

Last time Rachel and I picked up leaves we filled the truck and planned to return for the rest. The owner of the house had moved the bags away from the curb when we returned. Perhaps he changed his mind about getting rid of them.

Anyway, on my way home from swimming Monday morning I noticed bags of leaves in front of a friend’s house. I figured it was safe to pick these up – she wouldn’t likely change her mind. So I loaded them up and took them home.

After breakfast, I spread them out in the chicken yard. The birds were so excited.As I walked back up to the house, I heard the sound of leaves crunching as the chickens scratched through them. It was the sound of happy chickens.

Now maybe they will resume laying eggs.

16 01, 2015

Miller Farm Family Picture

By judythemorgan|2015-01-16T06:00:16-06:00January 16th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

For some reason, this Christmas I felt compelled to take a family picture. Matthew will be graduating from high school in May and so no one will be living at home.

Of course, everyone will come home for holidays – at least I hope they will. In any case, I convinced the family to get together for a picture.

This looks great – right? Well what I’m not showing you are all the previous attempts.

We started in the living room with the camera set on a timer. Brian pushed the button then jumped over the coffee table to sit on the couch. The flash did not go off. We repeated this process many times with the same results.

I kept flashing back to all the Christmases where my father set the camera up on the bar and ran around to get in the group picture of all the kids and spouses. It made me laugh then and still makes me laugh to think about it.

Anyway, we decided to move the party outside. This way anyone driving by could witness the insanity that is Miller Farm.

Turned out this was actually a much easier process. Until I suggested we include the four-legged family members. Each person would hold his or her own dog.

Since I don’t officially have a dog, Matt suggested we get a chicken for me to hold. We all vetoed that very quickly. Bella and a chicken in the same picture could not turn out well.

Instead, I stood surrounded by the people and dogs I love so well.

Maybe next year we’ll figure out a way to include the chickens in the picture.

9 01, 2015

Crustless Bread

By judythemorgan|2015-01-09T06:00:10-06:00January 9th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

A friend recently invited me to a luncheon where she served the most wonderful sandwiches. She also served a quinoa salad, dried fruit and a broccoli salad. However, the sandwiches caught everyone’s attention.

There were three kinds of sandwich fillings including a pineapple salad. Each sandwich was cut in half diagonally and then the cut part was dipped in nuts. As we enjoyed the meal, she explained that she had been served these sandwiches at another luncheon, but they had been cut into circles so there was no crust.

This led to a discussion about bread crusts and which families had members who regularly removed the crusts.

Then someone remarked they had recently seen crustless bread at our local store. It was not a particularly intellectually stimulating conversation but lovely nonetheless.

When I got home, I went to feed the chickens. I had some random bread to give them along with their regular food. As I shut the gate and headed back to the house I noticed something interesting:

The chickens had left the bread crust. Perhaps I should buy them crustless bread.

16 11, 2014

It’s Cold on Miller Farm

By judythemorgan|2014-11-16T06:00:32-06:00November 16th, 2014|Miller Farm Friday, Sunday Sampler|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

You would think that having lived in Texas most of my life I would expect the weather to be unpredictable. However, winter’s arrival caught me off guard.

Sure, the weatherman predicted a wintery blast, but I don’t always believe the weatherman. He said there was a cold front coming in on Tuesday.

When I got up to swim, it was 65 degrees. By lunch it was in the 40s. I realize that doesn’t sound cold to people who live north of here but for us Texans who put up with 95+ degrees all summer, 40 is COLD.

If you don’t believe me, ask the chickens.

When I went to close them up Wednesday night they had their heads tucked under their wings.

It was a disconcerting sight at first until I realized what I was seeing.

Of course, I didn’t have my phone with me the first night, but I remembered to take it Thursday when more artic air arrived.

It took several tries to get the picture and the poor chicken kept turning its head to see what was happening every time the camera clicked.

When I finally set the flash and got this picture, I decided not to press my luck. After all, I’ve had to deal with a grumpy hen in the past.

What I have to remember is, this is Texas. It is likely to be back up to 80 by the weekend.

31 10, 2014

A Music Teacher’s Brain

By judythemorgan|2014-10-31T06:00:26-05:00October 31st, 2014|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When I first started teaching almost 30 years ago, there was “new” research said that music playing in classrooms helped students retain information. It had something to do with the tempo (speed) of the piece and the affect on brain waves.

As a beginning music teacher, I was very excited that my chosen subject was so useful. I soon realized, however, that music teachers do not adhere to this research.

A musician’s brain is not “normal” a fact my musically talented children can confirm and have done so for years.

When music is playing anywhere, a music teacher’s brain, or at least my music teacher brain, does not relax and retain information. It goes into overdrive trying to figure out what the music is, who wrote it and in what time period it was composed.

This “music teacher brain” phenomenon has manifested itself in many ways throughout the years. For example, when swimming laps, most people count 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc. I count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 2 and 2 and 3 and 4 and as if I am counting measures of music.

In any given day, there are multiple times when I find myself saying, “I know a song about that.” This includes songs about scalloped potatoes and coffee.

Last Wednesday I decided to mop the kitchen floor. I put soap in the mop bucket and put it in the sink to fill while I put away the vacuum cleaner. The closet where the vacuum cleaner lives is very disorganized so it took longer than anticipated to complete that task.

I pictured the mop bucket overflowing with water all over the floor. Then my mind went to the Walt Disney version of “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas from Fantasia.

For the rest of the day I had the music playing in my head. I couldn’t help wondering how many people associate mopping the floor with classical music.

I imagine only other music teachers.

24 10, 2014

Take Your Chicken to Work Day – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-10-24T06:00:22-05:00October 24th, 2014|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Mrs. Tucker, the teacher who owns Artimus the Goose of Michaelmas fame, has instituted Fabulous, Fun Fridays in her 3^rd and 4^th grade science class.

I learned this when she appeared with a lizard in a cage one Friday. She explained that the lizard was a North Carolina Anole and the kids were going to observe it during Fabulous Fun Friday and then they would release it.

Well, my chickens were not going to be upstaged by a silly lizard.

I asked if I could bring a chicken on the following Friday. Mrs. Tucker, the teacher, was thrilled.

That is how last Friday became Take Your Chicken to Work Day. I tried to convince Beekeeper Brian to take a chicken to work, but he wasn’t sure they would handle the hour-long commute very well.

I thought long and hard about who to bring and decided Samson was the best choice. He is a rooster, but still he fit in the same category as the chickens. I told him all week that he was in for an adventure on Friday. I’m not sure he quite understood.

When it was time for his appearance, I put him in a dog kennel (without a dog in it) and drove him to the school. He was very quiet.

The students were told to remain calm and still – very hard instructions for 3^rd and 4^th graders. However, they did a fantastic job as I held Samson and talked about his rose comb and the feathers on his feet. They were fascinated.

Then Mrs. Tucker told them if they were really still, I would put him on the table and let him walk around. They were perfectly still and Samson stood on the table.

He wasn’t really sure about walking around. I imagine the table felt different than the ground in the chicken yard.

I’m not sure who was more curious, Samson or the students.

Each student then had the opportunity to hold Samson. Mrs. Tucker explained that chickens poop whenever they need to so Samson would sit on a towel just in case. Samson patiently allowed all 10 students to hold him. As soon as I returned him to the kennel, he pooped.

He wins the Best Behaved Rooster Award for sure. No way a lizard could compete with that.

17 10, 2014

Too Many Chickens Underfoot – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-10-17T06:00:11-05:00October 17th, 2014|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

The chickens that hatched at the end of July are doing fantastic.

In fact, we have sold seven of them including Leo, the late bloomer. They were not too excited about the move, but I trust they have made the adjustment nicely.

Even with seven less chickens, it is still crowded in the coop.They seem to multiply at feeding time.

Rachel switched the birds to fermented feed this summer. Basically you mix chicken feed and water and let it sit until it smells like vinegar. I suppose it functions like yogurt with good bacteria to help the digestive system of the chickens. Anyway, the birds love it, and we have had no illness since switching.

The only issue is that I must put out fresh food every morning.

Sometimes I think the chickens run around the coop burning calories all night because they seem to be starving in the mornings. I put one scoop in a feed bowl and carry a scoop to put into a second bowl.

One morning a little chick jumped right up onto the scoop before I could put it in the bowl.

They have learned to associate my presence with being fed. It is kind of like my children. Even now when they come home from college, they are eager to know what I am fixing for them to eat. The chickens unlike my children run up to me and get right under my feet.

I find myself doing a new kind of “chicken dance” to avoid falling down. I imagine it like an elegant tango but it is more like a rodeo clown.

So far, I have managed to remain upright as I feed the chickens. Another accomplishment to put on my resume.

10 10, 2014

Chicken Wrangler aka Goose Handler – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-10-10T06:00:44-05:00October 10th, 2014|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The private school where I teach celebrates Michaelmas with a pageant each year.

There are plays tracing the history of Saint Michael from 400 A.D .through medieval times. The students dress in wonderful costumes and perform these plays in Latin, French, and Spanish.

The pageant ends with the children in grades one and two presenting their rent to the English Landlord played by a high school student.The final payment is made in the form of a live goose.

Another teacher at Saint Michael’s has supplied the goose for as long as I have taught there. This year, however, she was unable to stay for the grand finale due to teaching responsibilities at a near-by junior college. The school headmaster put out a plea for someone to act as “goose handler.”

Enter Chicken Wrangler Sara. I figured a goose isn’t much different from a chicken, right?

On the day of the pageant, I introduced myself to the goose, that we named Artimus, and received instruction as to how to wrap the goose in a towel before handing it to the second grader who would carry it down the aisle and present it to the landlord.

Artimus is a young goose and quite handsome. We got along very well.

At the end of the pageant, the audience sang a final hymn, which I accompanied on piano.

When we finished singing, I rushed to the foyer to retrieve the goose and put him back in his crate. I was worried that the student holding him would be uncomfortable.

It was a needless worry. As the picture published in the local paper the next day shows, the high school student and the goose were doing fine.

Since the owner of Artimus had class until late that evening, I agreed to take him to my house where he could be picked up later. Not being sure how he would get along with the chickens, I kept him in his crate in the front yard where he patiently waited for his owner.

I can now add “goose handler” to my resume. I’m not sure if many jobs require such skill, but I’m ready.

3 10, 2014

All in a Day’s Work – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-10-03T06:00:52-05:00October 3rd, 2014|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our son Matt has a project car. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t exactly what he wanted when he bought it, but he has learned a lot.

The latest lesson involved the slave cylinder. I don’t know much about this part except that it is necessary to drive the car. Matt bought a new one and put it on the car. Shortly thereafter, there were pieces of slave cylinder and brake fluid all over the driveway. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but Matt was frustrated enough that I didn’t ask and let Matt drive my truck to work.

When Beekeeper Brian got home, he was equally frustrated with the situation and when I left for Bible Study driving his car, he was sitting in the driveway looking at the collection of slave cylinder parts.

After Bible Study ended, a classmate told me she had seen Brian and he told her to let me know he had switched cars but had parked in the same spot.

Part of my brain wanted to ask questions about how he’d come to have my truck. I just ignore them, as I usually do. Sometimes you just don’t want to know the answers.

When I got home, I noticed a lack of car parts in the driveway. Matt explained that Dad had used a magnet and copper wire to retrieve parts from where they were not supposed to be and put them in the correct spot. Then he had driven Matt’s car to the pool where Matt was working, picked up my truck, brought it to the church, and took his car to get gas.

Once again, Beekeeper Brian’s ability to fix things amazed me and thrilled Matt. Brian had already put in a full day’s work at the school district and overtime as a mechanic. Exhausted, he headed for bed, but the day was not over yet.

As I was checking my e-mail, I heard a scratching sound coming from behind the wardrobe in the living room. A quick look around confirmed that all dogs were put up for the night so I went over to the wardrobe for a closer listen.

When we remodeled our bathroom in Canton years ago, there was a similar scratching coming from under the floor. It gave me nightmares. Twenty years later, I simply walked into the bedroom and told Beekeeper Brian that something was scratching the wall behind the wardrobe.

After a brief examination, he said, “Go get my pellet rifle.”

The questioning part of my brain went into overdrive, but the rational part didn’t really want to know answers just yet.

I calmly handed him the rifle and returned to my computer.

His next question: “Do we still have those mouse traps?”

After some searching, I located one trap. He set it and said, “At least it is just a mouse.”

“As opposed to what?” I asked hesitantly.

“A squirrel or a rat” was his answer.

I was suddenly glad that our reptile days were long gone until I remembered snakes don’t have fingernails. It couldn’t have been a snake.

This morning Beekeeper Brian checked the mousetrap. Success!

Now he wants to repeat the process to see if the mouse had any friends. Next, he’ll fix the hole the mouse chewed in the wall. A renaissance man/beekeeper’s work is never done.