I've learned a lot about wry neck since Bob came into our lives.  Not from the medical sense, although I have kind of worked that part out, but from the practical sense.  It boils down to this, most days are good, a few are pretty crappy.
  A good day looks like this.

  Bob (forefront) is out in the yard showing our other rooster, Big Man, who's boss.  Except that Big Man clobbers Bob whenever he gets too sassy.  But still, that's chicken life, and we are always nearby to rescue him if he gets into a "situation".  Bob hanging out with the flock and doing chicken stuff is a triumph in itself.  We love those days.
  A bad day looks like this.

  Too weak to stand or hold his head up, his neck twisted and having muscle spasms.  He is not in pain, just not in control of his body.  We think he has these setbacks when he forgets to eat or gets too cold and his body shuts down.  It's a pretty scary time for us, to see him lose his mobility.  When this happened last time, a month ago, we babied him for a couple days, gave him plenty of mash and pretty soon he was back to his perky self.
  Last week he had another relapse.  He went from being perfectly fine (in Bob terms) to having his neck all curled up.  I tried all the things that worked in the past, but this time he didn't come right out of it.  He spent a week hunched over, unable to feed himself or walk forward.  We worked with him daily, hand feeding him several times a day and making sure he was engaged in his environment.  We kept him nearby so that he could hear our conversations and the cats would check on him as they walked by.  No improvement. 
  It was time to call in a professional.  I did some research and discovered the only avian vet in our  territory, amazingly located practically in our backyard, but she was booked up for a week ahead.  We'd have to wait.  A very long week. 

  I'm reminded of just how far he has come with this ailment.  He has led a  remarkable life.  He has had a lot of interaction on the farm and a quality of life that most "normal" chickens only aspire to.  Some folks might think we are crazy with the fuss we have made over this one bird, but we enjoy his company and if that means we have to accomodate his special needs, well so be it.
  Finally, it was time.  We spent some anxious moments in the waiting room.

   Bob got on the scale.  He's very thin, from lack of eating, only 3 1/2 lbs.

  And all twisted up.

But when Dr. Becker walked into the room, he lit up.  In fact, we all did.

     She spent an hour with us reviewing Bob's history, checking out his Facebook, giving us all the possible causes for Bob's problems and helping us form a plan for his treatment.  Most of all, she gave us hope.  For the first time in two weeks, I slept past 3 am, some of the worry lifted from my shoulders.
  So, we have started him on a program of antibiotics, nutritional and hydration therapy and herbal supplements.  We need to fatten him up and get him back on his feet feeling like his old self or possibly even better.  That is our goal and our mission.  Team Bob is ready to fight this battle!  

  If you'd like to stop by and give Bob a few words of encouragement, you can find him at www.facebook.com/bobthewryneckchicken.
I'll post a Bob Update next weekend, thanks for your support!  :)

Way back in my early adult days, 25 years ago, I found myself newly married, living in a new town with a new job, with no friends or family living nearby.  Quite a challenge for some, but my early training as the daughter of a military man, taught me well how to adapt to new environments.  So that's why, when my husband had been offered a promotion that included a transfer, not only was I excited about the opportunity, I couldn't wait to get packed! 
  We ended up in the small town of Dixon, California in the Sacramento Valley on the north end of the state.  Notable to me now as a very HOT place to live.  High heat half the year, rainy the other half.  Our new home came equipped with central air conditioning, lots of spanish tile, stucco and fruit trees.  FRUIT TREES.  I was in heaven!  We had grapefruit, nectarine, apple, and plum trees in the back yard, along with an arbor covered in grape vines.  In the front was an enormous old apricot tree, as tall as our two-story house.  The climate was perfect for stone fruit and I had big plans for those apricots!  I envisioned my future in a happy peachy orange haze.
  The first summer we lived there, I realized I was in over my head.  The grapefruit was delicious, but we had way too many to consume on our own.  I had no idea what to do with the surplus!  The nectarine tree bore some gorgeous fruit, but the branches bent and snapped under the weight of them.  And that apricot tree?  It covered our cars and driveway in apricot goo from the overripe apricot bombs that dropped and exploded before sundrying into an impossible sticky mess everywhere.  I didn't acquire canning as a skill until more recently in my life, so this fruit bounty was largely wasted on us and became a bit of a nightmare.
  One Friday evening, just home from work, I heard a knock on the door.  I opened it to find an older mexican gentleman who inquired, of all things, about our trees.  He asked if I could come outside so that he could show me something.  I was curious, and followed him out to the big old apricot tree, which he proceeded to tell me was "sick".  He went on to explain how "he" (meaning the tree), was in desperate need of pruning and would not survive unless drastic action was taken.  He showed me how the branches had become intertwined from lack of maintenance, how the sunlight was not flowing correctly and how the overall shape of the tree was poor.  He pointed out the signs of distress, where some of the branches were dying and where others were trying to compensate.  I remember feeling horrified and defensive because I had inherited the tree in that condition and tried to tell him that it wasn't my fault.  He listened to me, before gently insisting that "he" (the tree) needed our help.  At which point, I wondered, even though what he said sounded reasonable, could he just be a salesman trying to sell me something?  
  As a young couple with a rather large house payment (after all this is California we're talking about), we were not in a position to hire on "staff" to help us with our landscaping.  A fact that I proceeded to share with my new tree friend.  He smiled at me, shook his head and in his softspoken accent, asked if he could come back tomorrow.  I agreed, although I didn't know what I was agreeing to, mostly because I figured my husband would think I'd made up the whole story, if he didn't see it for himself. 
  Saturday came and we were greeted with another knock on the door.  My tree friend was back with a saw and a ladder, asking if it was ok to work on the tree?  I shrugged and nodded.  At this point I didn't want to stand in the way of the tree that had apparently sent out an S.O.S., calling this man to come over and save "him" from the ignorant homeowner that would be its demise.  I watched him set up the ladder, then climb up, carefully eyeing each branch, before cutting here and there, all the while explaining to me what he was looking for.  It was a huge job, taking him half the day, but he toiled away until a large pile of branches had accumulated underneath.  When he was done, he had all the branches all neatly stacked and inquired if we had any other trees?  I hesitated, because I thought, oh boy, this is going to cost us a fortune, but curiousity again won me over, so I escorted him to the back yard where the rest of our trees were kept hostage.
  He walked from tree to tree, touching the leaves, looking carefully, before finally notifying me that he would be back the next day to shred the branches that he had trimmed from the apricot tree.  Clearly, I was no longer in charge of this situation, so I nodded again (apparently I had lost the ability to form actual words) and thanked him.  He did return, as promised, and cleaned up the whole mess, taking it with him.  The tree looked amazing, and I stood for a moment admiring his work before the thought occurred to me...I had not paid him a cent!
  A week later he returned with his ladder and saw, asking if he could prune the trees in back.  This time I did not hesitate, working alongside him, asking questions and listening as he told me what each tree "wanted".  He worked diligently until every tree had been pruned to his satisfaction.  When he was done, I offered him a small sum that I had tucked away, which he accepted with a kind smile.  I was shamed by his generosity, as the money was not nearly enough for the work he had performed.  But he was extremely gracious and seemed happy that the trees had been tended to.
  Before he left, I thanked him profusely, as I had learned so much in the short time I had spent with him.  I was grateful that he had chanced upon our home.  He smiled and said he'd be back the next year.
  He did return the next year to tweak the trees, showing me how to keep them maintained for optimum health.  He accepted no money this time.  He simply told me to listen and the trees would tell me what they needed.  I promised to be a better caretaker of the trees and we shook hands on it.
  I never saw that old gentleman again.  I don't know where he came from or why, but I've always felt blessed that our paths crossed.  As life has taken me different directions, whenever I have found myself in the company of trees, I've tried to be a better guardian.  I look and listen, as he taught me to do, prune here and there, letting the sun flow through, thinking back to that time when a young girl first heard the trees talking.  
  A couple years ago I planted several fruit trees here on our farm.  I'm hopeful that if we don't experience another year of rogue frost,  we will enjoy a colorful and tasty bounty of fabulous fresh fruit this summer.  Apples, plums, peaches, cherries...and oh yes, apricots.  :) 

Share your tree care tips here or at our FB home, www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer.  
Hope to see you there!  :)

   So many of the animals on our farm have a story, today meet Smokey, who came to live with us by taking the most unlikeliest of paths; we were given the choice for him to live or die on the Veterinarian's table, two years ago.   But let me start at the beginning.
  Farmer Tom is a cat lover.  So, when the neighbor's barn cat had babies, he did everything he could think of to lure the baby kittens over for a visit.  He plied the mama kitty with attention, petting her and giving treats.  One by one, the kittens would follow her over, where they would also receive treats, toys and a warm garage with kitty beds for naps.  It  was a shameful display, they had a good home already, but we were helpless against the little kitty personalities.

  Over time, he was able to gain the trust of one kitten, a big gray boy we called Smokey.  Smokey lived next door during the day, but at night he would sneak over and Farmer Tom would put him in the garage to sleep.  It was their secret arrangement. 
  Except that everyone knew about it.  The only reason we didn't officially adopt Smokey is because we had three cats already.  And if you have cats, you know, that is one BUSY cat box.  So the garage hotel stayed in business for about a year, until the night that Smokey didn't come over.  Farmer Tom called and called, but Smokey didn't show up that night. 
  Early the next morning we were relieved to find Smokey waiting on the front porch.  Farmer Tom opened the garage and Smokey limped in.  Farmer Tom picked up Smokey and called me over to take a look.  Even though Smokey looked fine and was purring like crazy, something was very wrong.  His legs were damaged.  We agreed that he needed to see a vet, so Farmer Tom took him in and the exray confirmed our fears.

  Two broken legs, snapped clean in half.  Whatever had happened to Smokey, he had somehow limped back to the house with his broken legs on a freezing cold February night and waited for us to find him.  The Doctor gave us two options.  Have life saving reconstructive orthopedic surgery or put him down.  They estimated the surgery would cost in excess of $1,000.  Farmer Tom called me with the news and told me he would support my decision, either way.

  So began 6 weeks of trying to keep our new patient from moving around, giving his legs time to heal.  Farmer Tom would feed him water from a syringe.

  And took him back and forth to the vet for twice weekly cast changes.

  We managed to keep him in a crate for a few weeks, but he was so miserable being cooped up that we eventually let him wander around the house.  It's amazing how well he adapted to his new condition.

  The Vet predicted a very good recovery, the surgery to repair had gone well.  But, she cautioned us, this barn cat could no longer live outside.  His legs might not hold up under the stress of climbing trees and the general physical nature of existing in a natural environment.  A quick conference with the neighbors to get permission, and Smokey was officially part of our menagerie. 
  He wasted no time establishing his place in the pecking order.  After he outgrew his own custom made bed...

...he decided to take over Sammy's.

  But really, he wasn't picky.  Any place could work.  Over time, he got more and more adventurous and even though we cringed every time he ran or jumped up onto a piece of furniture, we decided to let him find his own physical boundaries.  He was a young cat and he still had a lot of living to do.

  Smokey has come a long way since those early days in recovery.  He doesn't seem to have any residual effects from his injury and enjoys a pretty carefree existence.  He even helps out around the house. 

  You can take the cat out of the barn, but you can't take the barn out of the cat.  He is a great mouser!
  Luckily for us, he even has taken on the task of taming the kitchen rug monster.

  Some things are just meant to be.  Farmer Tom and Smokey are good buddies and the garage alliance seems to have paid off. 

  Unless you are the unlucky person in charge of the cat box.  :/

Share your animal stories with us here or at our FB home www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer.
Hope to see you there!  :)

  Happy New Year!!  Time is moving along at warp speed, these days.  I can't wrap my head around the idea that The Pocket Farmer (TPF) page on Facebook is two years old already!  7,143 members strong, I continue to be inspired by you every day!  
  One of the great things about TPF, for me, is that I am held accountable for things I say and do.  Rightly so!  It's a great motivator.  More stuff gets done than might otherwise, simply because I've mentioned it on a blog or Facebook.  Which is why I announced our plans and dreams for 2012 projects, on the blog a year ago.  I actually wrote it down and made the list public so that everyone could watch and wait and judge. 
  In case you aren't feeling up to searching for that original list, I have reposted it here, in it's entirety, along with my comments to update you on our progress.
  So, without further fanfare, here is my 2012 Dreamer's list!  I've rated each item Win, Lose or Draw...let's see how we did.

                    Here is my vision for 2012:
Streamline vehicle situation--the kids are grown and have their own vehicles, so we no longer have to keep the “car lot” open.  Will reduce the herd by half.
WIN!
UPDATE:  Farmer Tom sold four vehicles and had two others towed away.  He also purchased a little commuter car.  So we are down 5 vehicles!  Yay!

Raise meat pigs-which also means fencing for pigs.  Just another step toward producing our own food and eating well.
BIG WIN!
UPDATE:  We purchased two piglets in Spring and raised them through to optimum size for butchering.  We sold three "sides" and kept 100 lbs of meat for ourselves.  Still working on the fencing, I don't think we'll ever be done with fencing.

Acquire ducks-I’m looking for a few good ducks to combat the bug situation in the garden. 
WIN!
UPDATE:  We acquired four ducks and hatched another.  The ducks spent the summer in the garden where they did a fantastic job on bug duty.  I found not a single tomato hornworm this year!  The ducks are fun and I enjoy them very much!  :)
 
Hatch 3 broods of chicks-build our flock for egg and meat production.
WIN!
UPDATE:  We ended up with some egg production issues, so I hatched out smaller batches over a longer period to accomplish this goal.  We hatched 50 chicks in 13 hatches and ended up with a freezer full of meat in addition to increasing our hen count by 3.  The additional chicks were sold.

Complete big coop-‘nuff said on this one.  We need to get this bugger done!
DRAW!
UPDATE:  No changes were made to our big coop, but Farmer Tom built three mini-coops which allowed us to keep our chicks safely segregated from the older chickens while they were growing.  It was nice to have different housing options available for the growth phases we experienced non-stop during the 6 months I was incubating eggs.

Install irrigation to garden-we purchased the equipment last year and didn’t get it installed.  It would be a great time saver during dry periods.
DRAW!
UPDATE:  This project is trickier than we anticipated at first.  A lot of digging is required to get below our frost line and there are some issues with water source.  Farmer Tom purchased a backhoe attachment for our tractor that will allow the digging to be done very efficiently with little damage to our landscape and Farmer Tom's back.  Retrofitting the tractor to accept the backhoe attachment was quite a process, but he was successful!  Now we'll need to reconfigure some issues with the well, build a pump house and some other mechanical fuss, but we have a plan and digging will commence this next season!

Grow feed corn- this requires another patch of land be tilled, planted and maintained.  I’m not sure it would succeed with all of the deer we have, but it might work and we have the space, so I’d  like to try it. 
LOSE!
UPDATE:  This did not happen.  Hopefully, this year.

Install wood stove-we already have the stove, just need to put a big hole in the wall, put some pipe in, and get this baby running!
LOSE!
UPDATE:  This did not happen either.  It's back on the list.

Chop firewood-see above.
LOSE!
UPDATE:  With no fireplace, we didn't need more firewood.

Remodel kitchen- this is a biggie. In fact, I’m not sure I’m ready for this as I know it’ll be a LOT of work.  We have a tiny kitchen space put together at least 30 years ago with homemade cabinets  and not very many of them, at that.  All of the cooking and canning I’m doing is with a third hand APARTMENT sized stove (which was the only size that would fit down the hallway) with an oven door that doesn’t shut all the way.  Our last year remodeling project reconfigured the hallway and we can now import regular sized appliances into our kitchen space.  Two years ago we purchased a
dishwasher that is still waiting to be installed. And recently our overhead light mysteriously went out and I am now operating with a shop light clamped onto the cabinet door.  Our kitchen is looking a bit rustic. Might take this one in baby steps, we’ll see.
DRAW!
UPDATE:  While we have made baby steps on our kitchen renovation, we have not taken the big plunge yet.  We did replace the stove and the overhead light was repaired.  We are in the process of acquiring the components necessary to make the transformation and have laid out a plan for the scope of construction.  Once we have obtained the material, we will get this one green-lighted!

Sell eggs-with the hens hitting full stride and new
chicks on the way, we’ll have way more than we need.  Might as well supplement the feed costs.
DRAW!
UPDATE:  We lost our most prolific hen to heat stress this summer.  The other hens weren't producing extra eggs to sell, but we did manage to trade eggs for some items.  Also, since we sold chicks in the Spring, we did have a small income that we used to offset feed costs.  I expect a similar situation this year.

  In addition to these projects, we had both rental properties vacant at different points and therefore there was a push to get them ready and new tenants in place.  I found time to pick up crochet and made a scarf.  I developed a whole new way of eating and lost 30 lbs.  We completely rebuilt a golf cart.  I also became the Village Clerk in our little town and have learned a ton about what it takes to run a small government!  Oh yeah, and then there was Bob.  Whew!

  Everything wasn't all roses and butterflies however, and 2012 was a tough year for us in many respects.  We had a lot of setbacks, heartbreaks and losses.  On the farm and off.  We feel a bit battered and torn as a result.  Sometimes, keeping busy with a project helps to keep our minds from sinking into despair.  It is easier to pull weeds and clean coops than to figure out why our precious baby goose survived being abandoned on the nest only to die by predator a month later.  I'd much rather spend a day in court trying to get back rent from a tenant than to have known what it would be like to say goodbye to our Sammy.  Along with the vandalism we experienced, livestock trauma, the brutally hot summer, drought, The Economy, hurricanes and shootings, it's enough to make you want to give up.  The only thing missing was plague and locusts!  But then we look at the list and trudge on. 
  Overall, I'm very pleased with our progress last year.  We challenged ourselves and learned new things along the way.  We met some great people with the chicken and pig projects and have settled into a comfortable path for our future projects. 
  Even though I called the original list "Dreamer", it pays to think big.  We push ourselves more when there is a goal in sight.  We like to check things off of the list.  We enjoy seeing the fruits of our labor and we especially love seeing the process (having a vision, developing a plan, executing the plan) come full circle.   We are looking forward to 2013 and hope that this year is a little kinder than the last.  Even if it means we aren't as productive, we could use a little good news.  I think we all could.  
 
Thank you for participating in our endeavors these past two years.  We appreciate your support more than you know.  We'd love to know what you are working on.  Share your project ideas with us  here or at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer.  Hope to see you there!  :)