New babies, new friends, new residents, new things growing, field trips and old friends.....

Well, we are pleased to announce two more guineas managed to hatch out of the clutch that "Broodie" was setting on!  One hatched 4 days later than the rest and one hatched 6 days later.  Since they were so small we kept them inside in a brooder for a few days until we were sure they would be ok with their "mom" and their older siblings.  "Broodie" is a scratcher....she has to scratch up the pine shavings to eat, to drink and just because!  The babies have all learned very quickly to stay out of "Mom's" way or you will get scratched and flung across the nursery.  She is good mom, but I really wish she was more careful!  We have five little guineas now tucked in with their foster mom.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Big Oaks Rescue Farm in Greenwood, South Carolina and meet it's owner Mr. Joe Mann.  I was to meet Angel Durham from Izzie's Pond at Joe's to pick up a momma duck and twelve little ducklings that had been rescued and were to be released on our pond.  My dear friend Amanda Hatfield and her son Jacob came along for a field trip to the farm and to see the tour the greenhouses and topiaries in Greenwood.

We had a great time touring the greenhouse where Ann Barklow allowed us to walk around and look at the topiaries.  She was wonderful in answering Jacob's questions.  I managed to get one picture of Jacob while were in the greenhouses.  I highly suggest that you check out the South Carolina Festival of Flowers.  It is an awesome month of events and activities with one weekend being the grandest time.  Check out their website and see!

We then headed to The Big Oaks Rescue Farm. What a wonderful place!We had a great time wandering around the many acres of Joe's place getting close up and personal with all the rescued animals.  There is everything from peacocks, squirrels, pigs, donkeys, goats, sheep, and many, many horses among other animals at this rescue.  Many of these animals were starving, emaciated, and very sick when Joe and his staff of volunteers were called to rescue them.  It is sad to see so many animals and hear their stories, but it is also just as wonderful to know there is someone with such a huge heart that is willing to take them in and do whatever is necessary to give them a second chance. If you are an animal lover, like myself, take the short trip to Greenwood and The Big Oaks Rescue Farm.  You won't be disappointed!  If you can, please make a donation to the farm and help Joe help these beautiful creatures or adopt one or more of these animals and give them a wonderful forever home.

My friend Amanda with one of the sweetest donkeys!  He actually followed us around from pasture to pasture. It was really hard not to bring him home!

Angel did make the long trek to bring us the momma duck and ducklings.  She has the wonderful opportunity to spend some time with a very special cow.  This "little" guy was very lucky to have spent his very first months as a rescue at Izzie's Pond. Angel helped out their friend Joe by bottle raising "Baby Cow Cow" until he was off the bottle. As you can see, "Baby Cow Cow" has grown up!  It was so heart warming to see Angel find "Cow Cow" in the field and go right up to him and curl up beside him. Here's the happy reunion :0) Angel does such a wonderful job with hundreds of animals every year.  Izzie's Pond operates fully on donations.  If you can make a donation through Facebook, I know Angel and all the creatures she helps would greatly appreciate it.

We were thrilled to see our old friend Angel and meet such a wonderful man, Mr. Joe Mann. We headed home and brought the momma and the ducklings to The Old Five Notch Farm.  We had a pen all set up for them.  Scott has worked on the finishing the pen while we took the drive to get them.  Momma and the ducklings will spend a short time in the pen to allow the ducklings to feather out a bit and allow mom to get acclimated to her new home.  We hope that mom and all the ducklings will decide our pond and the endless supply of food are a good new home for them and will stick around.

Momma duck and her 12 ducklings...settling in :0) She can see the pond from the holding pen. 

 The raised bed garden are doing very well.  We are getting a few strawberries, and many of the plants are blooming and setting fruit.  We managed to put in four blueberry bushes and two butterfly bushes too.  I was so excited to see some little asparagus heads poking through the soil!

This week find us having a waiting list for guineas and chicks!  It is great that we have such a demand for our little babies.  We have set two incubators up.  One incubator has 41 guinea eggs and the other has 41 Golden Laced Wyandotte eggs.  The chicken eggs will hatch in just 21 days and the guinea eggs will hatch in 28 days. We have such a demand for guineas that we have decided to purchase another incubator!  We have an order for 20-40 guinea keets and we need another incubator full just for that order.  I am holding eggs this week in preparation for the arrival of the new incubator.  I can't wait!

 Two full and one on the way!

We will be working this weekend on cutting grass, weed eating, splitting firewood, working in the greenhouse, adding more sun shade cloth to the poultry pen, making a covered dusting pit in the poultry pen, and many more projects!  We will actually take a little down time and celebrate the holiday with our family and friends. Look for updates on the happenings of the farm and our farm critters.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day....but don't forget what and who we are celebrating.  Many families have lost their loved ones who were defending our freedom and many families will have their loved ones far away this holiday.  Hug a military professional today....I do every night ;0) I love my sailor man and I am so very proud of his service to our country.