Back in mid October, a week of spring-like weather settled into our area. As a result, a tornado hit town on a Sunday evening. The days that followed brought more storms and rain. It was good to see our rehabilitated deer return each evening, and also find our Rainy Day Punkin on the back porch … More A Pecan for the Road
By the first week of August, Gracie deer was making it clear she was ready to move little JoJo out of the confines of the deer pen and into the real world. Both Forrest and I struggled to know when the timing for such a big move would be right, since we were not yet … More Gracie’s Invitation
After Ruthie deer delivered two female fawns, Ellie and Jojo, on June 27th, Forrest and I did our best to keep an eye on Ruthie’s habits and ability to care for her twins. Ruthie herself had suffered a snake bite to her mouth and jaw prior to birthing, which left her unable to eat well … More Four Yearling Mothers
Last month, I found myself making the usual preparations for the cold weather and deep snow that was forecast in mid-February. I called ahead for a propane delivery, even though I still had forty percent in the tank, as I wanted it topped off while the weather was still favorable for our propane guy to … More Surviving the Siberian Cold Snap
We took our first outing with the fawns last Saturday. The girls enjoyed their freedom and finished the day by entering the pen to eat some feed and fresh browse we cut for them. While they were eating, we shut them in for the night and, due to snowy weather, waited another day before allowing … More Sisterhood of the Traveling Hooves
Yesterday brought a quiet, drizzly morning. The day promised increasing wind and dropping temperatures with a chance of snow, so I took my time getting outside to do deer and chicken chores. The weather radar showed a slight clearing in the next hour so I decided to wait for that opportunity to tend to the … More Rainy Day Punkin
In the days and weeks after taking in an orphaned fawn, we always enjoy watching their personalities evolve. The eldest of our little trio this year, Scout, has shown us her staunch independence, reliance on instinct, and physical strength. She’s highly alert and is often the first to flee into the safety of tall grasses … More Walkabout Scout
I keep fairly busy outdoors throughout the day, but mornings are when you’ll find me hardest at work. I’m up for coffee at 6:00, and out of the door by 7:00, tending to chickens and working in the garden, flower beds, or yard while it’s fairly shady and the temperatures are cool. As I begin … More Tukker’s Lair
I should have expected Tukker, our newly released orphan deer, to incur a few wounds in his first weeks out in the wild. For orphaned youngsters like Tukker, it’s normal to see scratches from barbed wire fencing and a few hoof marks from being run off by some other fawn’s mother. However, Tukker’s barbed wire … More Safer At Home
I will never forget the first time I heard a co-worker exclaim, “Dad gummit!” in complete frustration over a problem we were trying to solve. At first, I thought I heard her wrong, so I asked her to repeat what she said. After a repeat of the phrase confirmed I had indeed heard what I … More Dad Gum Tree
The weather was bitter cold the day after Tukker’s release, but the sun shone brightly and a mild breeze from the south brought hope of a better day. FD and I were up early, with plans to take Tukker on another hike to the west end of the property and cover more of the orchard, … More The Fawn Who Walks With People (Tacicala Tuwe Mani Kici Oyate – Lakota Sioux)
Day by Day the Farm Girl Way... 