Thursday, August 8, 2013

August Eighth on the Farm

Thunder rumbles and lightening flashes, rain softly treading on the roof ~ the sights and sounds I awoke to this morning.  I didn't want to get out of bed, but I knew the farmer had been up and down, in and out, a good part of the night setting up the chicken houses for catch time today.  He needed a good breakfast before the catching crews got here.

It's been a rough week for chickens, and the growers.  Temperatures in the 90s aren't so bad until one factors in the humidity.  When there is so much moisture in the air the cool cells don't work as well as they do when the air is just hot and dry.  They work much the same way as the old time window air conditioning units: water flows across pads and up to twelve big fans per house pull air through, and as the water evaporates the air cools.

On top of the heat factor, we got a load of bad feed which sent two houses into a tizzy.  It's frustrating to put almost seven weeks of work, seven days a week, have a good chicken, and then something out of our control happens.  But after forty one years at this work, we've come to expect the unexpected.  While there are chickens in the houses, they are never far from our thinking, even at night, and it takes a few days after they're gone to remember we don't need to listen for fans or make sure the water is still flowing, or that we can rest our minds for a couple of weeks.


But there's always a little brightness to cheer up the day; one sweet zinnia has responded to the rain, in the midst of tattered iris and day lily fronds and the yard needs to be mowed again this week.  Maybe the drought of 2013 is over; maybe during the two weeks without chickens I can finish cleaning out the flowers beds and hope for a lot of zinnias in 2014.

Charlotte

Hope you have a pleasant weekend!

10 comments:

  1. I didn't know that you had a lot of chickens. I think you needed that cheery flower! Nancy

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  2. a bright spot of color! flowers are blooming so much better this year - I have some zinna's too. I have only had to water plants a couple times this year - and yes I wish it wasn't so humid either and I don't have chicken houses to worry about.

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  3. If I had a way with words, which I don't, I would write about the things that one little surviving flower might symbolize. Your saying "the drought of 2013 is over" sounds like music to my ears. Enjoy a little rest!

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  4. God sent one little zinnia to brighten your day! :-)

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  5. That beautiful little zinna is surely a good sign. That maybe, your drought is over, I pray. We're having lots of humidity and pouring down rains everyday. The weather is very unpredictable. Hope you enjoy your free time, you deserve it. I'm looking forward to fall, my favorite season.

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  6. I have always thought the life and work of a farmer is one of the most difficult ones out there. I hope the weather improves for you soon. That is a pretty zinnia. I have always loved their bright cheerful colors.

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  7. Charlotte, thanks for sharing your day. Yes the ground is so soaked here and hated that my wonderful sun flowers blew over.
    The little red zinna, makes me smile and I think a gift to you of that moment...
    Take care...

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  8. Hi, Charlotte - sorry not to have visited for awhile! (Busy summer, you know how that is even more than I do!)
    Love the little zinnia. I never realized that they reseeded, and I have a few volunteers popping up too.
    Hope your drought is over...

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  9. I'm sorry for the trouble in the chicken houses, Charlotte... even though I know you all are prepared for anything, it still has to be frustrating.
    Your zinnia is beautiful! Hope you've been getting more rain.

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