Gildrien Farm

Things have been busy around here. We were traveling for the holidays, for visiting family, and then because of a death in the family, so we were scarce about the farm for a little while. It feels really good to be back. We went to the NOFA-VT winter conference this past weekend, which was really great. It's two days of workshops and yummy food and being surrounded by farmers, gardeners, foodies, homesteaders, and activists. I went to a home butchering workshop where they actually butchered an actual entire pig right there. It was pretty crazy.

And it didn't really prepare me for the chicken we're going to have to butcher this week. She's prolapsed and probably eggbound and you don't want me to go into any more details, I promise. She doesn't appear to be suffering -- chickens aren't especially demonstrative, but she's acting like a chicken and not like a sick chicken, as far as I can tell -- but at this point it's pretty clear she isn't going to get better. So it's just a matter of time before she gets infected and everything gets worse. It's part of farming, unfortunately; the animals you love end up dying, and you end up killing them.

I've assisted in chicken slaughter before, but I haven't actually done it myself yet, and neither has Jeremy. We're a little nervous, but I think it will go alright.