Rain, Evil Hens, and Revival
August 15th, 2006 by Northern FarmerWe did receive rain this past weekend, for anyone that hasn’t read it in the comments on previous posts, and life is a lot mellower here lately. Not having to always be looking at the sky, wondering if it’ll rain this year. I thank our Lord for such a perfect rain and for the weather cooling down to a more livable temperature, one that doesn’t suck the moister out instantly. And I also thank the folks that kept us in their prayers, it did make an incredible difference! Yup, life is different. And now the main corn chopping might be done about the normal time, around Labor Day and it looks like we’ll have enough. That Minnesota 13 and Wapsie Valley really stood up to that drought and held on while so many hybrid fields around here are shot. There’s a lesson in all this.
We spent a little time catching an egg eating hen today. Egg production really dropped lately and I figured it was from an egg buster. Now, we don’t spend all day in the hen house visiting them everyday so we had to make time and finally observe what was going on. So I stood in there for a while until I had a suspect, she did have kinda an evil look on her hen face. She even booted a hen out of a nest box, hopped right in and proceeded to bust an egg. So yours truly grabs her and throws here outside, she’s on her own now and egg production more than doubled today. We’ll make that “women’s right to choose†hen pay for her sins in the soup kettle in a few days.
I’m a tad bit busy this week, got to drop a windmill tower this evening, a big one. And tomorrow night is church which is always the high point of mid week around here. In fact that’s what’s been keeping me from blogging more often, every evening we’re watching TV, yes, TV. Ok, it’s only DVD’s not network or anything like that. But we’re watching eight hours of a revival getting started in Ohio this past January and I can honestly say that it’s spread into this household, WOW! There is nothing more awesome than witnessing and experiencing God on the move. We’re about half done watching and I will admit to doing a lot of shouting to the Lord all day long here on the farm!
As the world gets more and more evil, God starts to pour His Spirit on the believers in truly awesome ways. And this family is ready for the wonders coming. When a person thinks about it, we’re truly blessed for being able to witness these days coming. And come they will.
August 15th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Happy to hear that you finally got rain! You’re right about the op corn, ours really took off after we got our drought buster rain. Say Tom, I think you owe us a lengthy post about your church, last that I recall you writing, it was about the first pastor dying. Bring the history up to date, it’s a blessing to the rest of us to read the of the renewal of faith in God!
August 15th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Oh thank you, I have my NF fix now. Life can proceed on like normal. I love your story telling abilities. You enthusiasm for Christ is contagious and awe inspiring.
Plus, you have a good ability to make people feel at home and chit chat or shoot the bull. Kind of neat isn’t it? It is like a cyber space feed shop visit. Oh heavens! I gotta get off this thing. I feel a fast is in order.
August 15th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
How long did you have to hang around before you caught your hen? I guess I need to go and hang out by my henhouse as well.
I am thrilled that ya’ll got some rain and that your corn did so well.
I live in Ohio. I would love to hear more about the revival that started there.
August 15th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Think I need to sit in the chicken coop for a while. My eggs dropped from 26 to 9! I found one busted egg today so maybe thats my problem.I am so tired I will probably fall asleep waiting LOL. I sure get a God Loves You boost each time I stop by here… thanks
August 16th, 2006 at 5:11 am
Morning Tom,
. Our rain last week seems like a distant memory. Its back to the hot muggy dry pattern (yep, its time to oull out the ol standby and sing the blues). Everything greened up really well last week after the rain, but its quickly turning a sick shade of yellow.
Glad to see your all wet again
Our egg production went up too, our pullets started laying yesterday. This whole summer we had only one survivor from a coon attack laying for us. Now were back up to our normal 4 which keeps us in enough eggs for the winter, and our friends in enough for the summer.
Tonight its back out to find another fence leak. It looks like the only thing getting shocked by the new hot wire I put up is me!!
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
August 16th, 2006 at 5:50 am
Brent,
I’m glad that your corn came back like that and thanks for letting me know. Then I know that I’m not nuts or imagining things here. That stuff that was not beyond repair sure did bounce back. I’ll write more here and there about church here, it’s the center of our family’s life for sure.It’s important that I do it right because these are real people, my friends, and are so important to us. Oh Lord, thank you for sending us there!!
Christina,
It causes folks to get a little touched between the ears. Cyberspace feed store, sounds about right, the coffee’s always on and folks can just yammer away figuring out all the world’s problems, joke around, Praise the Lord, and just generally have a good time. Yup, works for me!
Careful you don’t get an overdose reading this stuff
Marci,
I think I spent about a half an hour out there. Just observing the girls during the peak egg laying time around nine and ten in the morning. When evil hen did go to work there was very little mistaking it. She was intent on busting the egg in the nest where she booted another hen out of. I grabbed here and threw her outside. Egg production skyrocketed yesterday after that. Now if Patti is out there anywhere, I didn’t kill the hen or anything like that, but, I do believe that it went home to the Lord in the middle of the night with all the squacking that I heard outside last night. Oh well
There’ll be more coming about the revival, thanks!
Peggy,
In the case of an egg busting hen the only solution that I know of is to get in there and observe. They’re pretty dumb so they’re not going to hold back while your in there. Catch the sinner and banish it, or eat it.
Thanks for the kind words!
Brad,
Besides, they’re getting tired of helping chase them calves in.
Well, we’re not what you’d call flooded out here, but we got that little bit of time now. Thank God the burndown stopped in the corn! There is no grass or hay so everything is depending on the corn, (another reason for divercity on the farm, eh).
I’m getting the neighbors trained in around here as far as the calves being out all the time. Got em convinced that “open range” ain’t all that bad
You all have a Blessed Day!
August 16th, 2006 at 6:03 am
Morning Tom!
have a blessing of a day!
August 16th, 2006 at 6:08 am
Morning Jan!
Be Blessed and take care today!
August 16th, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Not to worry Tom, I have three blogs I read, you, Amy the Humble and DA. The rest get my attention if you haven’t posted. Most of the others don’t hold my attention and they don’t write regularly. I do need to consider a fast though. Things are a little slow as far as outside chores here due to the lack of grass to mow. I feel like I am back in the fall months as far as time in the house etc. I just enjoy your daily insights and encouragement to focus on the Lord.
Blessings!!
August 17th, 2006 at 5:36 am
Christina,
Thank you for the kind words first of all. It still amazes me anyone reads this blog at all, because I have no idea why anyone would want to. And better things are coming due to the spurring me on by Brent and others. And now Brad has started a blog and it looks darn good, stuff like that feeds me and writing comes easier, in fact it just flows.
When considering a fast from blogging, I’ll just not write for a few days and most of the time that’ll take care of everything. Just like earlier this week, I stayed busy with other things, but tended the comments, which is enjoyable I might add with the quality of people around here. Many times that’s all it takes. Another thing that’s humbling is when folks ask me about our church and say it interests them. Now, I never expected that in a million years, I always figured folks put up with it, but would rather not have me write about it. I guess I’ve been wrong. That will give me the freedom to really write about “true” life out here in the country.
I just ask that if you do take a break, keep me informed like I did for you a few months back. I consider you a friend, a true friend and will understand any way you go. And then again, if you take a blogging fast, you can always hang around here, shooting the bull and relaxing, eh
God Bless!
August 17th, 2006 at 5:47 am
morning Tom,
if I looked at the weather map right it looks like you have some rain heading your way!
well I maded my trip to town yesterday, instead of tues, and boy was I glad to get home,
and Hi to the family,and gilbert
you have a great day!
August 17th, 2006 at 5:51 am
Morning Jan!
No rain here this morning, but you never know! Now I gotta get out and start feeding silage all over the place, keep them grassless critter happy, eh
Still dark out though, days sure start getting shorter all of a sudden.
Have a Blessed day!
August 17th, 2006 at 6:18 am
Praising the Lord you got some rain! As for that hen, we’ve had one of those and she quickly changed her ways due to the fact that she soon became dinner for us! Sometimes our dog will get into the coop and steal some eggs, so perhaps that could be another reason some folks lose eggs? Have a great day!
~Karen
August 17th, 2006 at 6:46 am
I can sure tell when its getting fall….. I start seeing sunsets!! (I’m usually in bed before the sun goes down).
We have some grasses still here, but these stupid (err… wonderful creatures of God….) goats have been through all the steak and potato grass. Now its time for them to eat they’re peas and spinich and they’re refusing.
I’m thinking I’m going to have to feed hay pretty soon.
Have a GREAT day,
Brad
August 17th, 2006 at 8:20 am
Hi Karen,
Looks like we got a little over a tenth of rain this morning, but we’re still ok from this past weekend’s rain. And it does look like we caught the culprit in the hen house, egg production skyrocketed back to where it should be, plus the eggs are clean again. Now that evil hen is looking in the basement window as I type, and she looks like pretty high quality soup material to me. Looks like chicken dumpling soup coming up this weekend!
Have a good one!!
Brad,
Personally I like the days a tad bit shorter, now I’m not what you’d call lazy, well maybe a little bit, but from May thru July them long days just keep a guy going and going. At least now a person can quit a little earlier in the evening and rest up a bit more. I just notice one of our brown pastures is getting a green tint to it, hmm, I hope it’s a sign of things to come!
Take care down there!
August 17th, 2006 at 11:19 am
so you did get some rain this morning?
are these dumplings homemade
if so I will be right there!
August 17th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Jan,
We got just enough rain to cut the dust for the day here, but with the cloudy weather and mild temps it’s sure helping the corn to recover. And that hen outside is sure looking more and more tastee today with our “homemade” dumplings. Egg production skyrocketed from a couple days ago, all the eggs are clean in the nest boxes Oh, what one trouble maker can cause. The verdict is in, off with her head!!
August 17th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Praise the Lord for the rain! I can’t wait to tell the boys - just zipped you off an email about your name
Blessings,
Cheri