Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breasts

Can't wait to see what's inside!

No, they are not our egg layers!
Can't wait to eat what's inside!

The Buck Stops Here!

With all the hunters around here, this buck has to be a very smart one. Wish he'd show up just as the sun is setting. He's standing just right for a good shot from the stand.

Fun on the Farm

Our new utility vehicle. Also good driving practice for Ben.

Not an Egg to Wrinkle Your Nose At

The egg on the right is an extra large size egg. The one on the left contained two yolks, which made a really good omelet. Keep up the good work, Super Hen!

Super Hen!

The 4th egg in the back row was laid this morning. It is the largest chicken egg I have ever seen. All the other eggs are large size. This one is an extra large jumbo jumbo size. I wonder if it is so large because I let the girls out into the yard while I mowed yesterday? They all had a great time going after the bugs the mower stirred up. 

Shot my first buck at about 6:30 pm. Wish the camera had caught it. Arrow went clean through it. Had to follow the blood trail for about 100 yards. This is me dragging it back to base camp.

He was a young buck. Camera had caught him with an 8-pointer and some does, but he was by himself this time. Probably got run off by the older buck. The arrow entered about 1 foot higher and to the right of where I was aiming. That tells me how fast he reacted to the sound of the crossbow firing, because my bow always hits the bullseye on the target. The bucks don't smell at all bad like the does. A doe has a rank odor about her. Didn't mind processing this one. Got about 25 lbs. of meat. Could have gotten more, but it was too dark and I was too tired. And the rest of the meat was lower quality and would have had too much sinew in it anyway.

Below is a photo of what this buck and the other did to my plum tree. Not only did they use this one for a rub, they ate all the lower branches off it and most of the other fruit trees.

Steaks off one of the shoulders. Note how lean the meat is. This package weighs about 1.5 lbs.

Vacuum sealed, it will come out of the package in 2 years looking like it did when it went in.

Cubing some shoulder for stew. The meat in the bowl was ground for tacos, spaghetti sauce, and chili.

The deer had already been through by the time I got into the stand this morning, but then along came this sly fox. But I was slier. Got him with my crossbow. Arrow went clean through him. My chickens are so happy now!

DEER Me!!!

Deer in the foreground is a buck. So is the one in the middle between the two in the background. There are others in the dark. Should be able to fill the freezer up this hunting season.

I counted at least 4 points on just the left rack. This one has my name on it.

The two bucks and their does returned for more corn. Only 11 more days until bow season starts.

If he would only stand there like that long enough for me to get a shot off.

First Day of School

At 3 weeks old, time for their first class, which is being held outdoors.

Angel, our rooster, can't wait for the peeps to grow up! You should have seen Angel chasing Karen around last weekend! He saw this new, big hen that he had to put into his pecking order, which he did. She was scared silly!

Jeepers Peepers!!!

13 of the cutest fluff balls you've ever seen!
There are 2 Cornish Rock, 2 Bantams (very small breed), 2 Leghorns, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 3 Golden Sex Links, and 2 Dixie Rainbows.