vituperation

I’ve gone craaaaaaaaaazy with the eBay selling, if you’re interested.

If you read Robyn’s site, you know that her parents are here for forever a week, which means they, Robyn, and the spud are often going off to do things together. Robyn’s dad is actually from Alabama, and has siblings in the state, so much time has been spent visiting. Being the unsociable sort (Robyn uses the word antisocial, which I’m not, despite the fact that Merriam-Webster seems to think the words are somewhat similar), I don’t go with them, so I’m spending large chunks of time by myself.

Which means I have to find things to do.

Earlier this week, we got a little flyer in the mail from the Rich farm [name changed to protect Farmer Rich’s privacy] where we buy our special pasture-raised chickens. The flyer was an invitation to a special "tour day" of the farm, to be yesterday between 10 am and 2 pm. That’s right, it said, pack up the babies and grab the ol’ ladies (anyone you want to bring - including Granny)!

A-ha. Something for me to do while everyone else was off doing their things. Robyn’s dad had headed to Priceville (a small town near Decatur), and Robyn, her mom, and the spud had gone to see the crapfest movie Enough, starring super-bitch-diva J-Lo.

Don’t even get me started on her.

As with the flying on Friday, I took the camera, and now offer you a photo-essay of my trip to the farm over in Hartselle (another nearby small town; there are assloads in Alabama), where I got to meet my meat.

This really has nothing to do with the trip, but I laughed so hard when I saw it
I had to turn around and come back for a picture. Rita, in this instance,
is the pastor of this church.
Of course I’ve submitted it as bacon material.

Interstate 65, crossing the Tennessee River
between Huntsville and Decatur. This bridge is
over two miles long, and I believe it’s the longest
bridge in the state.

A big yellow house in the old-town part of Hartselle.
Robyn and I think it’s just beautiful.

Coming into downtown Hartselle. Note the big honkin’ bugsplat
on the windshield.

This is one of the family dogs, apparently named "dawg".
According to Farmer Rich, Dawg is a snake hunter, having killed
twelve snakes he knows about. Dawg got bitten several times
during these escapades, but appears to be none the worse
for wear.

All around the houses where the chickens live, fishing line and
used-car tinsel is strung, to make it harder for hawks
to swoop in and carry a madly clucking chicken to its demise.
The chickens are currently all hiding in the shade inside the houses,
what with it being noontime and almost 90 degrees outside.
These houses are moved regularly, so the chickens always have
a good supply of clover, and the same spot on the farm is
used once every two years, at the very most.
I included a section of my thumb in the picture for your enjoyment.

Farmer Rich - face blurred to protect his privacy - explains
one of the finer points of, well, farming.

Young chickens, resting in the shade of one of the
chicken houses. Some of these very chickens will be
in my freezer in just a few short months.

The bandy-legged knowitall (braggadacious obnoxicus) once again
monopolizing Farmer Rich so he can display his all-knowing plumage,
because he lived on a farm for a while as a child.

These are the egg-laying hens, which aren’t eaten and are moved
around the farm daily. They make white, brown, green, blue, and
speckled eggs, all for $2.50 a dozen. I’m eating some of
these eggs with salsa as I write this.

Sheep. Oddly, I expected them to be all fluffy and woolly,
but they aren’t, because…

…according to Farmer Rich, these particular sheep shed on their own.
He’s holding a big piece of wool that was just laying in the middle
of the field. Note the imminent presence of the bandy-legged knowitall,
strutting proudly because he’s just made a comment to
demonstrate his knowledge of sheep and farming.

Cows, which were too skittish to get close enough to for
a good picture. Come to think of it, all the animals were skittish,
except Dawg and the bandy-legged knowitall.

Pigs are cool.
This picture was taken just before the whole herd freaked out
at my presence and fled. Matter of fact, the blurry one to the left
of the picture has already started running.

More pigs, doing what they do best.
Rooting for food.

Chickens which will be processed at the end of June
for my dinner. They’re in a different kind of house, separate
from all the other chickens.

That’s it, my day at the farm. I hope you enjoyed the trip, I certainly did.