Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Fragile Peacock



July 12, 2009

My husband is a barterer. From the old time barterers of Rt 24, a soon to be extinct group of country folk who believe money should be the last thing exchanged between friends. Instead, one should trade services, (stop that line of thinking right now) produce, labor, livestock etc...So, when he did some work for another farmer a couple of years ago and returned with several peachicks instead of cash, I was not too surprised.

Concerned about the care of said peachicks, I googled them. Apparently we were given a very complex and difficult to raise bird. They would need high protein food (we bought it), a special cage (we planned to build it), and lots of attention to help them thrive, (we thought about it). After a few weeks of intensive care in the cutest little chick house you ever saw, they got loose. Any farm animal worth their salt will get loose if you ask me.

In the midst of our busy farm life we let them go. We'll catch them "later."Do you know what they did ? They THRIVED !!

They found plenty of food in the barn, or they stole it from the cats and dogs. They found water in all the automatic waterers we have scattered about. They roosted in our trees, our neighbors machine shed (he finds them exotic) and on the top of our roof. They had babies and a few more. They keep the fly and mosquito population at bay and they provide us with beautiful feathers for decorating or giving away to delighted visitors. Consider them for your farm. We have extra for sale, if we can catch them.

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