Spring is already here in Kentucky and quickly moving into summer. Grass is green, trees are in bloom and planting has already started. So far I have Yukon Gold potato's, carrots, turnips, onions, 3 kinds of lettuce, radishes, 4 kinds of tomatoes, bell peppers (3 different colors), asparagus (thought I won't see anything to eat for 2 years) and of course the usual herbs.
This weekend is also chicken weekend. I got my Cornish Rock chicks 8 weeks ago and they are now up to weight. Looking forward to not having to move their coop daily and clean up after them, but also not looking forward to having to end their lives. Though some are having a hard time running across the yard when they see me come out to feed them so I know I can't wait any longer.
I go into this coming weekend of chicken processing knowing that the short life these 30 birds have had, is better than the lives the 30 birds in the grocery store had. They got to run, play with each other (could tell the roos from hen - the roos would stand up and face off to each other. At least for a few seconds, the hens just turned their heads and look for something to eat or lay down). They got to eat grass and bugs and some even managed to flap their wings hard enough to get a few inches off the ground. Though everyone is too fat to get off the ground this week.
A year's worth of chicken for the freezer. The killing part was difficult as it always is, but realizing these birds had much better lives than those of the chickens purchased in the grocery store makes me feel OK about the whole process. Plus I know what they ate, how they lived and know there are no antibiotics or other chemicals added.
