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By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
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Email: jim@nunica.com |
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Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
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Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer Sept 19, 2005- - No. 58 |
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A couple of ducks live out in the hen house with the chickens. Very likely, they don’t know that they are ducks at all. They came to the farm a few years ago as ducklings, along with two dozen chicken chicks. The little ones were purchased at the local hatchery south of Grand River. They are now a bunch of tough old birds, both the chickens and the ducks. Their chances of ending up in the frying pan are pretty much over these days. But, they all keep right on laying eggs everyday, including the ducks; which is good! That is, during the summer months at least. Scrambled eggs for breakfast, come the dead of winter, get a little slim at times.
A few days ago, on that long weekend with a Monday holiday; it was discovered that the coop full of birds was completely out of lay’n mash. So, the farmer got on the phone and called neighbor Tom’s farm. Had to see if maybe a sack full of feed could be borrowed til the mill opened on Tuesday. Edi answered the phone. She was real nice about listening to the hard luck story concerning the chickens and the ducks. It was explained to her how the birds had a strange way of looking at the farmer; when he arrived early that morning with nothing but the watering can. “Oh”, she said, “you mean they had that look as if they were going to eat you, rather than you eat them”! With that remark all didn’t seem quite so bad. Edi went on to say that Tom would be over shortly, with an extra bag of lay’n mash that he just happened to have in the back of his pickup truck.
Pretty good neighbors, those folks are. And the ducks and chicken were happy. A good sized platter of scrambled eggs went on the table that morning. |
