Down on the Farm

We spent today out at a friend's farm. They recently bought 5 acres in Whittmann, about 50 minutes NW of Phoenix.  The drive to get there wasn't bad, pretty quick and their property is in the works of being fixed up so they can live off the land.  They have geese (2), 3 ducks, 3 goats and 3 new triplet goat babies, chickens, 4 chicks, roosters, and lots of gardening and trees.  We looked at their land, their animals, held the chickens (well the kids did not me) and learned a lot about farming.  It was really great. We then grilled dogs and burgers over an open fire and sat outside while the kids ran crazy and wore themselves out! It was great.  The simple life! We loved it.

 Being told the rules.

Baby Goats and Brynn.

The garden.  They just planted and are waiting for the crop to grow.

Brynn wandering after the chickens.

We learned some pretty awesome things while at the farm.  Chickens lay eggs until they feel like they have enough (called a clutch) to warm them and produce chickens. Each chicken determines what makes up a clutch and they don't have to all be their own eggs.  So if other chickens are laying in their nest it doesn't matter once they decide they have enough they lay and warm them and try to hatch chickens.  The eggs can and do last in the nest until that time. They don't go bad or rot.  They can last a long time until the chicken decides to warm them.  Isn't that incredible. God is incredible.
Chicken eggs are also laid with a protective coating on them that keep them from going bad, if refrigerated, for a long, long time. (If you don't wash them). When we buy eggs at the grocery store they have been washed and the protective coating has been removed so they don't last as long.  God truly made the eggs with everything they needed without human interference.  So awesome.
We also learned Geese partner for life.  They make great "guard dogs" b/c they squawk like crazy when people come around.  They can also be a little mean and territorial. 
If you chase ducks they will try and run and they can break their legs. This can devastate their ability to live.  So the kids had to be careful not to run after the ducks.
Rooster meat can taste okay but you should refrigerate it so it softens otherwise it is too tough to eat and enjoy.
Chickens lay more eggs in the cool than the heat.
Geese lay about 12 eggs a year and they are edible.
Ducks lay about 200 or so each year as well.
Goats often have twins and triplets.

Just some really fun facts we learned about God's perfect, wonderful creation and life on a farm.  Justin and I would love to someday move out there or somewhere like that and tend some land with the kids, garden, have some animals, and live a little more simply.  They really loved it and didn't once ask to leave or go inside. And it was pretty chilly out there some of the time today.
We also got to stop and see some horses next door before we left. We arranged to take the kids out there 1x per week starting in September for riding lessons.  I'm super excited. She is going to teach them to ride and to clicker train horses.  Pretty awesome. God is gracious.