Animals homesteading humor

Farmer Jane Admits that Chickens are Scary!

Just Left of Amish: Xurban Farmer Tales and Trials

I’m Chicken! That’s right I’m scared of chickens.

Welcome to Just Left of Amish: tales and trials of an Xurban farmer. I’m an Xurban Farmer whose trying to “Fem the Farm”. I bought 10.77 acres in a village in upstate N.Y. where I am surrounded by Amish. Even from the heights of my hill, I can hear the horse and buggies traveling through the village and up County Road 18 late into the night. Seriously what are they doing running around at 11:00 PM at night!

Not having farmed before — I grew up in the suburbs of here and there — I signed up for a small scale farm course. I learned in small farm school that I am average…not anything I ever aspired to be…but there it is. When I bought the farmette 7 years ago, I was an average small scale farmer in NY — 58 and female!!

The pervious owners walked away from the property leaving it vacant for three years. In the process of rehabbing the fields, gardens and orchard — I often find myself saying — how would the Amish handle this or that problem? Hence, Just Left of Amish as I’ve turned the vegetable beds by hand, used a scythe to cut grass, roto-tilled in new rows, moved hay bails with a little hand cart…(due to a complete mechanical meltdown..but that’s for another time).

I’ve had five successful years in my truck garden (just learned that is my official agriculture designation) and two failed years due to drought.

Around year three I decided it was time to take the next big step forward to the closed-loop farm that I always want. The next step was livestock. I had to incorporate animals. I had spent three years already debating where to start-goats, cows, or chickens?

My neighbors said no goats, “They jump on cars.”

My visit to county fair convinced me no cows..who knew they were so BIG! So chickens it is! Except for one major problem, I am scared of chickens. They scurry, they peck, they squabble — they die..mostly they die.

I don’t do death well and chickens are easy prey. I seen fox and eagles on the property. I hear coyotes howling at the moon. And with a creek running through the property, I’m sure there are minks (I recently learned a flock of 50 chickens were decimated by one mink — minks love a chicken dinner!).

Several years ago, one of my 5 brothers came to help build a chicken coop — but only got half way. I hired a guy to finish it, he never got started. Then Santa brought me a chicken coop! No kidding — A guy with a white beard drove up in a red pick-up and dropped it off christmas eve!!

So this Spring there will be chickens! And, I will cry when I walk out there and find death, but that is life I guess. I will do my very best to keep them safe, happy, and warm. My Amish neighbors are my inspiration — I can do this!

See you next visit with an update on my xurban farm and how the rehab is coming. Good heath and happiness to you.

Dr. C