The Riley Factor #70

The Riley Factor June 17, 2010
(All the Rock Creek Farm news that's fit to print, along with unfit to print rumors, prognostications & bloviations.)

FORT PLAIN NY, June 17 -- All is quiet on the Western Front, in Middle-of-Nowhere.  Much sun, a little rain, beautiful days.
Planting and Plowing -- Spring mowings of fields & trails done.  The hay experiment continues, with a first cutting scheduled for this afternoon.  (Making hay requires several steps and 3-4 consecutive days of zero rain.  First the cutting, then fluffing, called tedding, perhaps more tedding, then raking, and finally baling.  If the hay is baled when wet, mold occurs.  If baled before drying-out internally, the hay may spontaneously combust after sitting in the barn for a while.)

Riley -- Went missing for 15 minutes on Tuesday.  Found across Cherry Valley Road, near Lloyd Vanalstine's place -- bad idea to venture across NY Highway 163.  The golden boy will need some more discipline.

The Herd of Five -- Happy, healthy and wandering around the pasture.  Each still receiving good night kisses daily from Susan.

Fowl Weather -- The three senior turkeys are becoming more and more needy.  They love to be with their Queen, Her Majesty Susan, for daily discussions and petting.  The 75 new black Jersey Giant chicks are developing nicely.  The 16 French Guinea Hens (Keets) are barely a month old and are the size of pheasants.  Although their door has been left open daily recently, they have not yet ventured outside of the barn.  Twenty turkey chicks to be shipped next week.

Mowings, Musings and The Woods -- Ephraim Blank will be in the house next week, helping with the haying and cutting some firewood, along with doing a bit of welding.

Quote of the Week -- "Without imperfection, neither you or I would exist." -- Stephen Hawking