Last Day at th Orchard

Since this is our last day at the orchard we figured enough had happened to fit into another update.

The day after posting the last depressive blog, we were sad and mentally exhausted. It was the last day the store was going to be open and we were anxiously awaiting Daniel’s aunt and uncle who were planning on stopping by on their way from Michigan to Florida. From 7am to 5pm we had one customer. They went out picking with 4 boxes and a half hour later came back with only a box worth. After they left, Daniel’s Uncle Brian and Aunt Carolyn showed up. We closed up shop and took them around to see the farm and the animals. Carolyn was ecstatic about the whole set up. It really brightened up our day to see their reactions and remember how fascinating the farm was to us when we first arrived. Around every turn was a photo opportunity and in every picture, the little goat Alpha made sure to be seen. They took us out to eat at Applebee’s, which was a massive treat for us. We hadn’t eaten at a restaurant in a long time and missed it. We cleaned our plates spotless. Over dinner, they told us about a job opportunity we might like in Alaska. From what we heard, ski and hunting lodges in Alaska will hire people to come and work four months of their busiest season. You call around February to try and get in, then they fly you out there, you work, and they fly you back. It reminded me a lot of wwoofing, since they provide you food and lodging in exchange for work, but if you stick it out and work the whole four months you make out with around $15,000. Daniel and I REALLY like the sound of that. Two people, each making that much, and we’d have enough back up money to go Wwoofing in Europe, which we really want to do. After dinner we said our goodbyes and gave hugs. It was nice seeing a familiar face after months of new people.

A few days later, Daniel and I were sitting in a pile of hay drinking our morning coffee when we experienced the most horrible and fowl smell. Six feet in front of us, Momma Duck launched herself out of her nesting box holding an egg shell, shaking her head viciously and proceeded to eat it. I decided to take one for the team and open the nest box to see what had happened. Lifting the lid, the smell was even worse and I dry heaved. But there, sitting in the middle of a circle of duck eggs was a tiny newborn chick. Apparently Momma Duck had been sitting on her eggs and two chicken eggs. One egg was a dud and must have cracked open after the other hatched. Since chicken eggs hatch much sooner than duck eggs, I scooped up the chicken (who was covered in rotten egg) and took it into the garage to see if we could build it a little house. We lined the bottom of a peck box with hay and grass and Daniel cut the bottoms off two 20oz plastic bottles to make a food and water bowl. Since drowning is a big concern with chicks, I filled the water bowl with pebbles before putting water in; that way the chick could sip the water from between the rocks and be in no danger. Daniel took another peck box and cut holes in it for windows and cut a flap for a door before duct taping it on as a lid. I figured that the chick (who we named Colonel Sanders) would imprint on me but I was wrong. The Colonel decided that Annabelle was going to be it’s mother. It follows her around, perches on her paws, and peeps when she is out of sight. Annabelle tolerates the baby very well. If it peeps, Annabelle checks on it. If it perches on her, she sighs and lays her head down. If it lags behind while following her, she’ll sit down and wait. The constant peeping from the tiny bird really grinds on our nerves; it makes noise 24/7, even when it sleeps. Unfortunately, the little guy fell sick after four days, and he passed on. Annabelle is very sad about this. I know I shouldn’t get too depressed over it because 10% of chicks die in the first two weeks. Rosi put in an order for 100 baby chickens that day and yesterday she got a call from the post office saying that they had come in. I emptied, bleached, and filled a container with straw and we piled all the chicks into it. They are so cute. 75 are Cornish cross, 10 are golden comets, 10 silver laces wyandottes, and 5 oraconas. The oraconas are mine and Daniel’s favorite because they are brown with black stripes.

We were all busting around early a few days ago. Luke wanted Daniel to take the chainsaw out and cut down dead peach trees and told me to take the loppers and cut the tiny apple sprouts that were popping up around the bases of all the trees. Luke took off on his tractor to get some mowing done. We were doing all this because some census government people were suppose to drop in and count every tree on the orchard. If the Lovell’s don’t have as many trees as they did in 09’ then they might get a grant. Daniel cut all the dead branches and trees and I made it through the first five rows of apple trees before my sprained ankle swelled up. Eventually, the people showed up and it sounded like they are going to get the grant. Fingers crossed.

Last night, I suggested that the younger ducks look delicious and that we should process one. We spotted the biggest of the ducks and tried to corner it but it got past me, Daniel, and Luke. I yelled to Annabelle “Go get it!” and she took off like a bat out of hell. She chased it around the garage and trapped it; running circles around it and snapping her jaws as a warning. Annabelle may have been quick to corral the loose duck but Luke was quicker at grabbing another. He snatched one up like it was nothing and cut the head off, handing me the carcass. Annabelle got the head for being such a good herding dog. She ate it all, Skull, brains, and bill. I held the headless, twitching thing in the air as Rosi boiled a pot of water. They carried the pot out and we dunked the bird in, ruffling the feathers to make sure it got soaked to the bone. The boiling water loosened the skin’s grip on the feathers and we all got to plucking the bird. With four people pulling feathers, it didn’t take long at all. We took the carcass inside and Luke finished cleaning the outside of the bird in the sink. Afterwards, Rosi took over and showed us how to gut the bird. It was crazy seeing the crop of the duck filled to bursting with grass. Once it was all done, we put the bird in a pot of salt water, adding basil, garlic, and other seasoning to it, and put it in the fridge. It sat over night and we’re gonna eat him tonight. It’s going to be delicious.

It’s been a fantastic experience for us at the orchard. Since peach season has ended, I’ve wanted nothing more than to sink my teeth into another sweet and juicy peach but they are all gone. Luckily, Daniel and I took a long walk yesterday and found that the apples that are starting to come in are just as good. Rosi, Luke, and all of the kids are so friendly and are fantastic hosts. We are very blessed to know them.

We leave here tomorrow and we have a tour reservation at Mammoth Cave for the 16th. We are so excited and cant wait to head out to our next destination!