Feels like Mother's Day on our farm as our mama hens have been very "motherly"! I wrote about the distress one turkey hen displayed; now there's a second mama that just won't give up on finding her lost babies. She hatched 15 chicks last Friday that my husband gathered up to put under a heat lamp in the garage bathroom. She was so unhappy that she attacked him and, later went after one of our dogs but no serious injuries. We moved a flock of three week old chicks into a pen with a gate so we let her in with them thinking she might settle down. She walked around and through all 23 chicks but knew none of them were her babies so she walked out. I marvel at that maternal instinct. We'll have to take our neighbor some chicken eggs as an apology for all the noise these turkey hens are making.
The garlic is enjoying the spring weather as the temps are warm mid-day and we've had some drenching rains. Some plants are over 2' tall but height just depends on the variety. They will start to separate and bulb pretty soon. I'm looking forward to selling this summer at the Gorge Grown farmers market as I enjoy seeing returning customers and making new friends. I've been saving recipes featuring garlic all winter to share as our recipe of the week. I've had to buy garlic from the supermarket to test the last few as we're all out of our own bulbs. I'm careful to see where the garlic comes from as most sold is from China but some is from California in our market. Not too local but closer than China and I hope they're paying a fair wage to their workers. It's so hard to know the answer to these and many other questions when you can't talk to the farmer so, hurray for farmers markets! There will be one opening soon near you. Join me in supporting those hard working folks.
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