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**Welcome Wagon:  It's a wonderful life......  |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 05:50:03 AM
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Greetings to all! I thought I'd introduce myself as a first post- seemed the thing to do. My husband and myself along with our two boys live on a 166 acre farm in South Carolina. For me, this is a relatively new phenomenon, but a dream I've had forever. I'm doing my best and loving every minute, but any real farmer watching me would probably be dead from laughter or angst after only a few days watching. And I'm pretty sure none of those real farmers ever had a "house chicken."
Yep, I said "house chicken." The chickens I installed this spring as chicks are wonderful. I've always loved chickens, and my favorites are the auracanas- beautiful birds, beautiful eggs. We got our "house chicken" when the runt became lame and the others were set to peck him to death (I can't bear that survival of the fittest stuff). So, since he was so small I named him Chicken Little, C.L. for short, and brought him in to nurture back to health. My husband rolled his eyes, and told his carpenter buddies we had a "house chicken." My poor, long-suffering dear...
Chickens are messy, and he was lame, so C.L. had to live in a cage, but we kept him out with everyone once he was acclimated. C.L. quickly became a member of the family, curiously watching us as we did things together, and putting in his two cents often. He taunted the cats into a state of distraction, his bright little eyes dancing with glee, and chirped in annoyance when he wasn't the center of attention.
I worried a bit about returning him to the flock, but we did it gradually, and it turned out that he not only held his own, but is sort of like a little Napoleon, bossing all the other chickens around and elbowing (yes, I think chickens have elbows) his way into the feeder despite the fact that he is still quite undersized.
We are lucky here to live on so much acreage, though not all of it is usable. Our goal is to farm sustainably, and teach other farmers in the area to do so, as well. I came from Salinas, CA, and have seen first hand what large scale farming (more like industrial factory growing) does to the land. More about that later...
South Carolina is beautiful, and we want to preserve as much land as possible, in its native state. Some of our land is swamp, which is basically like very damp woodlands- it is very probable that we have species in the swamp not found elsewhere. And the land provides incredible resources all on its own: more blackberries and pecans than we or the animals here can eat, grapes, elderberries hickory nuts, deer, and several open fields for pasture, or maybe... mustard?
We'll see as we go. The farm sat unused and resting for over 10 years, and hasn't seen it's potential in at least 50 years. I'm kind of glad this is the case, because nature has taken back her own. Looking forward to sharing with you all!
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 06:49:26 AM
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Hello Lena and welcome. You ARE living a dream, its wonderful. This site I think you will love and learn alot. There are a great many women on here who farm and they are very knowledgeable. I live in N.J. and land here is very expensive. We hope to move to Vermont in the next few years, just a few acres for sheep and chickens. Welcome and enjoy the site. Michele
"she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands". Prov. 31:13 |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 08:21:43 AM
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Lena: You may be surprised to hear that I had a couple of friends with pet chickens. Real farm kids with pet chickens. They would raise the chickens as a 4H project or something and get very attached. At least one I know was in the house a lot.
Just checked your web page and have to say your art is fab! You have a wondeful talent. Wow!
You will have a lot of fun going through the posts from fellow farm girls. Enjoy . . . and Welcome!
Nancy |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2005 : 7:42:02 PM
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Welcome to the site you sound like one of us!I have to laugh about your pet chicken because my father in law brought home some chickens when my dh and his siblings were young. I don't know what he thought they were supposed to do but eventually the rooster became mother hen and kept rounding the children up and pecking them back into his acceptable zone! He was very bossy and always had alot to say! The rest of the flock went "free range" and the kids playing in the woods would run back to tell us they still see Poppy's chickens!
Are you anywhere near Gaffney? We have some great friends there and loved it when we visited.
Your farm sounds great and it's nice to have the diversity you have on one piece of property. Glad you like the site, hope to hear more from you!
with a happy heart |
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mollymae
True Blue Farmgirl
694 Posts
Molly
Visalia
California
USA
694 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2005 : 08:18:22 AM
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Hi Marlena,
Welcome to this wonderful forum filled with exceptional women! I just love your story about your pet chicken, that is so funny! All animals have personalities of their own, no matter what species it seems.
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." --Henry David Thoreau
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2005 : 11:50:21 AM
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Hello to everyone, sorry so long in replying!
Seems this farm comes with a fair bit of work (who knew?) and I'm swamped all the time. Grin. Being an artistic sort, and not a morning person at all, the organizational side is taking a bit of getting used to!
This morning I dragged my son out of bed, explaining once again that "we're farmers now," so we need to get up early and get things done. It's only June, and 100 degrees in the shade, so if you want to garden or collect berries without dying of heat stroke you have to get out there before the fog lifts and the sun comes out. Even at 6 am, it has to be about 80. Whew.
Thanks for your comments on my artwork, it is great to hear feedback. Also, I'd love to see your artwork/crafts, too! Today is kind of a milestone for me, as I just sold my first art prints on EBay, both to the same person. They aren't on my web site yet(gotta fix that) but they are of Charleston. If you haven't seen Charleston yet I highly recommend it. One of the most beautiful cities on earth.
Anyway, I never thought they'd actually sell, and voila! I'm pretty flabbergasted, and happy too.
This place amazes me with it's beauty and abundance. I'm originally from Monterey County, CA. While beautiful in a different way, the price of land there is such that my dream of living on a farm was just impossible there. As fate would have it, I fell in love with my husband some years ago, and this is his family farm, so here we are, having just arrived in November 2004. Lucky, lucky me. I don't think I'll ever take it for granted.
And to top it all off, I also found you all! I'm establishing a MJ Chapter here, so I can connect with other farmers/crafters. About MJ's book: Bust open your piggybank, and just get it. I read it cover to cover, it's full of page markers, and it is so FULL of...everything you ever wanted to know, and even stuff you never knew you wanted to know, but are so glad you now do. How can one person know how to do all of these things? The magazine was a book, too. Delicious!
I don't have a lot of time, but when I do, I love reading your stories, and learning about you all. This is now the place I come to for inspiration.
Bayoubunch, did you say you are an artist? Any way to see what you do? I'm sure we are all curious now. I love art and the creative spirit that drives it.
Bramble, I'm not sure exactly where Gaffney is, yet... we are midway between Charleston and Hilton Head, and inland enough to avoid hurricanes (for the most part). Loved your chicken story. One of the ladies in the barnyard friends forum is collecting chicken stories- I'm sure she'd love yours. Chickens are decidedly unique personality-wise. Some of my best friends are chickens!
I've kept a Far Side cartoon for years, depicting a farmer walking in on an egg fight/free-for-all. The farmer is covered in egg-splats, and the chickens are frozen in various stages of egg-tossing, looking like guilty children. What? It could happen. Grin.
Lena
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2005 : 1:10:29 PM
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Lena - welcome. You are going to be a fun addition to the crowd here! So glad you are living your dream, and your portraits are beautiful.
jpbluesky
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Edited by - jpbluesky on Jun 09 2005 1:14:56 PM |
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pennyfour
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2005 : 11:44:31 AM
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Hello Lena:
I just signed on to this site and your intro was the first thing I read. I live in SC, too, so it was doubly refreshing to read your post. My husband and I are trying to carve our place out in a natural way just as you described you and your family are doing. I was glad to read about someone who knows what it is like to live in this heat and humidity! I fully concur with your chore regimen...early in the a.m. is still HOT! I don't get to check in as often as I would like but look forward to reading more about what is happening out your way. I am about an hour from Beaufort, SC. I have not checked the map but we must not be too far from one another. My brother and sister-in-law live near Salinas. My s-in-l's fam has a commercial floral nursery in Salinas. Someday I will visit but I have been saying that for years now! Again, looking forward to reading more about you. Happy farming, farmgirl. Fran |
Edited by - pennyfour on Jun 10 2005 11:46:16 AM |
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connio
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
connie
springtown
texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2005 : 12:14:00 PM
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Welcome Marlena I am also "not a morning person" so I really laughed over your remarks to your son "have to get up, we are farmers now". I am fighting the same battle. Here in Texas where I live it is 80 degrees by 8 am; I am afraid that some of my outside work has been neglected for that reason since I love to stay up reading until 2am just like I did when I lived in the Dallas and hired someone to mow my lawn and trim my trees.
My favorite line about mornings is "I will rise, but I refuse to shine." This is a line from Tennesse Williams play "The Glass Menagerie."
I am reading and just loving a series of books about the Charleston area now. The author's name is Dorothea Benton Frank. She grew up in the area and calls herself a true geechee (sp?) girl.
Your art is beautiful. A group of us have just started a "mail art"
network and would love to have you participate. For more info, look under the "swap" section and the mail art section. The art pieces can be as simple as a post card or as detailed as you would like.
Connie
cozycottage |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2005 : 12:23:04 PM
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Hi Lena, Welcome to the forum. I loved your introduction and storie about the chicken. I too believe that chickens have elbows. I see our smallest one doing just that every day. I loved your web site and am wondering who is the young couple in the portrait. Is that you and your husband in a self portrait?
I am an artist too as are many of us farm girls. My art is different though in that I work with a lot of different mediums. My favorite is acrylics and I love painting LARGE! I have done floors, wall murals, and furniture. I also use found objects to create art.
Other places on this forum I have included photo album links for people to view. One is under junking and shows some of the things I have turned into works of art. There is another one where I have shown my office sanctuary that is also a work of art that took me all summer 3 years ago to accomplish but well worth the work. I also do quilting and showed a photo link to one of my quilts commemorting 911 that I just finished this year. Totally hand sewn.
So glad to meet you and hear about your new adventure and coming home!
Eileen
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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prairiemaid
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Margret
Canada
200 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 07:04:11 AM
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Hello Marlena! Welcome! Your art work is very good! I'm a bit of an artist myself and really appreciate what you've done. I'm not at all surprised your pictures sold on Ebay. My medium is pencil, mostly but I enjoy working with color as well. You really have a talent for capturing light and shadow. 
Call me old fashioned. |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 08:35:10 AM
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Hello everyone! I am really enjoying this forum, my first ever, obviously. So many of us are artists! Did you catch that, reading through? I think we should have a section where we can "show and tell."
Fran, I am about an hour and ten minutes from Beaufort, Hampton is the best reference, though we are 20 mins. from town. I'll be heading back to Salinas for a visit on the 24th! Tell you the truth, Salinas isn't much to see, but you should definitely go when you can because Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach and Seventeen Mile Drive are places people come from all over the world to just to look at. Unfortunately, those places drive up the land values to a point where you simply have to inherit if you want land. Clint Eastwood is busily buying up as much as he can get, to preserve what's left. And do NOT miss Big Sur. It's heaven on earth.
Eileen, I'm dying to see your work, as well as Connie, Margaret, and Lori. We definitely need a section for that. My art helps support the farm, and I'm starting to lean towards farm life as a subject- I have a whole series planned for the chickens... so I'm betting others' work is heading towards farm life, too. I think it could fit, and we could support one another.
Oh, Eileen- the picture on my site of the wedding couple is my sister and law and her husband. I think I might be on there, the mother and baby image- but that was 5 years ago, and I couldn't resist giving myself an eye-job, and making myself look better than I do. Artistic license, you know.
I also make jewelry, in silver and glass, and would love to learn to blow glass. My dream is to have a studio here at the farm instead of my kitchen table, and to have a great big kiln and blow hole in it! I can dream... and it's a darn good thing we have my sister moving out to the farm to help- I think we will need more reinforcements, too.
As usual, I'm writing a novel; I can't seem to help it! I'm in the entrepreneur section too. I'm off to the swap section to see the email art that Connie was talking about.
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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**Welcome Wagon: It's a wonderful life...... |
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It's a wonderful life......
