Whole lotta nothing

As I type, a flurry of lightning bugs flutters around outside like tiny yellow strobe lights. The beauty is, with all of our tall grasses all around the Ranch - a firefly's natural habitat - we have a billion of them. And, with a whole lotta nothing around us, there's no light pollution to dampen their glow.

Fireflies in one of our pastures at midnight

When we first moved to the Ranch last summer, I asked my sister, who was from this area, what was down our road in the opposite direction. Her reply still resonates with me.

"Just a whole lotta nothin'," she said flatly.

I smiled, knowing I was home.

It's true: there really isn't much where we live. I drive over 20 miles round trip just for groceries. The horizon around our neck of the woods isn't polluted with neon McDonald's signs; in fact, the nearest McDonald's is at the same place as the grocery store, over 20 miles from home.

A pasture of sheep about three miles from the Ranch

Indeed, I think this corner of NE Ohio is the only place that doesn't have a reliable cell phone signal. My phone notoriously drops calls.

But, for a whole lotta nothing, there sure is a lot of something going on out here: life.

A bird's nest I found at the Ranch: made of (what else): husky hair and pieces of blue tarp I use for roofs over the kennels!

I recently spent over 12 hours in the city for several back-to-back photo assignments. As soon as I returned home, I breathed a sigh of relief. The city is nice, but I wouldn't want to live there.

I have so many things here that I love. Like, my sweet hens, "The Ladies."

The Ladies leaving the barn for a morning spent free ranging

Acres and acres of space.

A field of winter wheat just about ripe for the harvest across the street from the Ranch

Gorgeous lilies that grow wild and cover the grounds at the Ranch.

More space.

The 150 acre corn field directly across from the Ranch

More flowers...

Yes, it might be a whole lotta nothin' out here. But I will take that "nothing" over the city any day. I can't think of any place I'd rather be!

Diamond dog...chickens???

 

Yes, it's true. I have a real love of chickens. And here on the Ranch, spring means adding to our chicken populous.

Elise aka "The Chicken Whisperer" is our designated chicken tamer. She has the Midas Touch when it comes to chickens.

 

We took an entire day last week to travel to Polk, Ohio in Amish Country to Meyer Hatchery  for eight new babies. Meyer Hatchery is one of Elise's favorite places. There is nothing quite like playing with a bunch of day-old chicks!

This is Fifi, the Salmon Faverolle. These chicks are rare in that they have five toes (chickens normally have four) and feathers on their feet!

Last year's chicks are now beautiful hens that provide a bounty of eggs daily on the Ranch. I call them "The Ladies." After being safely in our dark barn all winter, they have enjoyed free ranging on these sunny spring days, grazing on grasses and weeds - which provide the best eggs.

One of our Golden Lakenvelder ladies sunning herself

Some people say chickens and sled dogs can't live on the same property. I think with proper enclosures and supervision, it is possible. The chickens do keep a watchful eye out, though.

Reggae, Sophie's Polish Crested is ever vigilant

Our chickens have become like pets here. Who knew chickens could be so loving and calm! I used to be afraid of birds. Now I look so forward to my time with the ladies!

Lola, one of our Golden Buff's, likes to perch on my forearm for a visit

The favorite thing that the Ladies like best is when I throw fresh sunflower and other seeds down for a treat for them. They're spoiled chickens!

Happy Easter from our chicks!

Official end-of-summer updates

Elise inside the chicken tractor with our young chickens

Our chickens are now over five weeks old. About a week ago, I'd had enough of them inside in the brooder box, so I moved all 10 of our healthy chicks outside to their chicken tractor, a portable chicken coop I made entirely from recycled materials.

Watching young chickens discover grass, weeds and bugs for the first time was, without a doubt, one of the more entertaining and hilarious things I've seen all summer. They fought over insects, squabbled over specs floating through the air, and scratched at the earth with fervor.

I never knew I could love chickens so much. Some are wild and flighty, like Sophie's Polish Crested. But most of our flock are very tame. Especially tame is my favorite, Owl the chicken, who is a beautiful Ameraucana.


A five-week old Owl, an Ameraucana hen, loves nothing more than to sleep perched on my shoulder

Chickens can be such affectionate, gentle creatures. I love our little flock so much.

It had been marked on the calendar all summer: the long awaited county fair. For the first time in my life, I was excited to go through the chicken barn!



There is nothing like the county fair. The sights.



The smells.



The quiet, pensive beauty.


This beautiful Tobiano Paint horse looks either very thoughtful or very tired in his stall after a long day in the ring


I think I should wear a sign like this sometimes!

It was a very hot summer here on the Ranch, and I am certainly happy to see it go. But we made many awesome memories this summer. We moved from a house in the semi-suburbs with central air to a hot, no-frills farmhouse on seven-acres in the sticks with hard, stinky well-water. But despite the intense heat, I'd never go back to that house in the burbs with central air and soft water.

Nope. We are home.

We've flown the coop!

Several years ago, when I was a zoo keeper, I had to care for lots of birds. Giant Darwin Rheas, crazy Macaws, chattering black crows, Great Horned Owls, peafowl and Trumpeter Swan. Most of them tried to eat me at one point or another, leading me to develop a fear of birds.

So, when I began mulling over the idea of keeping chickens, it was with mixed feelings, to say the least.

Messy and flighty, I didn't like the idea of walking into a stationary place for chickens. And I didn't want to use valuable space in the barn for a messy coop. It seemed I was at an impasse.

Then my friend David Gill mentioned something called a chicken tractor. This is a simple, portable chicken coop. The advantages are huge for the ground and the chickens: the birds get fresh foliage and bugs to munch on and they leave behind extremely fertile ground. And eggs!

So, we started construction on the Lazy Husky Ranch Chicken Tractor, made entirely of scraps left on our new property.


Sophie worked with me building the tractor


And entertained herself by acting like a chicken!

We built a smaller brooder box out of a Rubbermaid bin and a heat lamp. Then, the girls and I headed to Meyers Hatchery with my good friend, Amanda.

I had pre-ordered six day-old chicks. But when we got there and saw the "orphaned chicks" - those ordered and never picked up - we ended up leaving the hatchery with 10 little females! We now have a wide assortment of brown and white egg layers: two Golden Buffs, two Speckled Sussexes, two Lakenvelders, two Ameraucanas, and two Polish Cresteds for novelty.

The kids are in baby chick Heaven here on the ranch.


Elise holds a sleeping Golden Buff chick who finds comfort in odd positions


Sophie holds her Polish Crested chick, Reggae. Polish Cresteds are typically very flighty and not reliable egg-layers, but they sure look funky when they're adults!


My two favorites: Ameraucanas Chipmunk (left) and Owl (right)


Sophie cuddles with Owl

So, we've entered into a new adventure with birds, and I'm kissing my fear of them goodbye. I never knew how much I could love these tiny little fluff balls!

Stay tuned for pictures of our chickens as they grow! Namaste!