06/02/2026
What a weekend it’s been over here…
In no particular order, here are some points of note from the last few days:
•Archer, who is terrified of dogs, discovered that he LOVES playing soccer with boarding dog, Niko. I wish I had a photo of them playing together, but the moment was just so magical that I couldn’t look away and didn’t want to spoil it by pulling out my phone. This is a HUGE developmental milestone for Archer. Of all the dogs I thought he might tolerate, sort of, Niko was not on the list. But Niko has a very patient way of harassing you into playing soccer with him, and that patience gave Archer enough confidence to come out with his dad and I supervising and play with him. It was a wonderful moment and I am so proud of him.
•Dan fell involuntary hostage to my project list again, and built the turkey nuggets their new, moveable tractor. This will allow them to be on pasture indefinitely until they are big enough for butchering. This is the best quality of life you can offer a meat bird, and they’ll spend their days scratching in the dirt, eating bugs, sunbathing, and running around wildly while they grow. It’s a good life. Dan put a lot of hard work in this, and Archer helped him a lot, even though he actually wanted to sit in the basement and play video games 😂 if you’ve ever had pasture-raised birds, you know that nothing at the store touches their eggs and meat. We only have 7 available for purchase this year, so decide early on if you want one for the holidays and get ahold of us!
•Another batch of Black Copper Maran chicks hatched, (more due to hatch in the next day or two). In the past, we’ve always brooded our chicks in a brooder with heat lamps, but this time we were lucky enough to have a few broody hens who we just haven’t been able to break. After a brief, but intense selection process, our little silkie hen has selected herself for motherhood, and accepted all 12 chicks with unlimited fluff and love. They are adorable with her, and it’s going to be hilarious in a few weeks when they’re bigger than her. But for now, she talks to them and tends to their every need like the best mommy. Mom and chicks are currently living their best life in a huge pack and play in the library, away from the elements and other chickens until the babies are bigger.
•Little Hexie got ambushed by another dog while she was busy stealing chicken food. This dog and Hexie have been going out together for months without issue, so we’re not sure what happened during this incident, and we consider it a one-off, freak event. Due to the damage Hexie sustained, they won’t be going out together again until Hexie is all healed up. This was no-one’s fault, not a behavioral cue miss on our part, and definitely not a dog fight anyone saw coming. We don’t blame this dog, and the majority of the damage is a result of the size discrepancy between the two dogs. Hexie got a whole bunch of stitches in her ear, but she’s on the mend and acting totally normal. Big thanks to our amazing friends and neighbors at Tin Star Farm who dropped everything and ran over to help Dan triage Hexie while I rushed home from work. Fortunately, there will be no lasting damage, and emotionally, she is about the most resilient dog we’ve ever had, and is already back to normal. Also a huge shoutout to our amazing vet staff at 4 Paws Animal Hospital who made room for her, despite having a full schedule. Her favorite, Dr. Kim, was already on site performing her weekly surgeries, and she squeezed Hexie in out of the kindness of her heart to make sure Miss Pig was taken care of. Dr. Kim, and the amazing team at 4 Paws have been with Hexie since the beginning, and they truly do love her like she’s their own. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with her. She is hilarious while under anesthesia though…
•And last, but certainly not least, we want to take a moment to with our very best friend Sara the happiest birthday (yesterday)! We had a great time celebrating you, and are grateful for all you have done for us over the years. We love you!
