Twin Oaks Farm - Dec 6, 2009

Thursday Dec 3, 2009 - We processed the 22 hens that got a reprieve the last time. It was a lot easier this time, we set up quicker and once things got rolling everyone knew what to do, we started around 8:00 and were finished around 12:00 but the cleanup took another couple of hours. Even that was easier since I already know where everything goes and since the barn has been about halfway cleaned out it's easier to get the equipment stored again. The extra time was worth it, all the hens were larger than usual in size. After all that excitement it was back to usual, cleaning eggs in the commercial kitchen. On top of that, we are all geared up for making preserves, Renee has frozen fruit for the fig and blueberry and we picked and peeled a ton of Mandarin, we just need the jars from New Jersey. We were expecting them to be ready next week but one phone call later and we learn they are ready at the freight forwarding service in Dothan. We finish up the day and then over dinner Renee asks if I can come back on Sunday to watch the place until Tuesday because she has some business in Miami on Monday. No big deal, so I agree.
Friday Dec 4, 2009 - Since the rain earlier in the week it has been getting and staying colder, like in the 30s cold. So today I add to my usual attire and put on a long sleeve shirt over my two tee shirts and head down for breakfast. I make another change in my usual routine by putting on my old tennis shoes and wear them while working in the commercial kitchen. Then I forget to change to my rubber boots when I go down for the morning feeding. Today must be bad Karma day or something, while I'm finishing up the feeding in the layer hens coup I notice that I'm holding the blue bucket, this is the broiler feed bucket. My head starts to spin like some kind of spherical motorized Abacus, whirrrrr as I look at the feed in all three feeders and I contemplate putting the feed back into the bucket and then going over to the broilers coup and doing the same thing so I can fix my mistake. The little mephisto pops up on my right shoulder and tells me to forget about it, one feeding isn't going to do anything and since I'm down here by myself no one but me (and the chickens maybe) is going to know. The little angel dude doesn't even show up for this one. As I'm exiting the chicken coup Renee is right there and the first words out of her mouth are "Why are you coming out of the layer coup with a blue feed bucket", so I explain to her how I made all these changes to my daily routine and point to my now dirty tennis shoes and then explain how my brain only works on the "management by plan" method and the changes just screwed up my whole mental process, then I assure her that I know how to feed the chickens and this was just a funky screwup in a chain of funky screwups. She rolls her eyes and starts to move on to the next task while saying something about maybe I should take notes or something, as if the whole feed thing is too much for me. I kind of like the idea of taking notes, it takes the work out of remembering things but no way am I going to let her know I'm thinking that way. We walk over to move the coups and then I grab the bucket of duck eggs and walk back to the commercial kitchen to make preparations for putting the preserves in the jars. I guess this is called canning, even though it's a different kind of container and it's a commercial operation rather than home style. After cleaning the eggs I open up the van and remove the large trash cans used to transport the compost material from the Hilton resort. I load up the two five gallon gas cans for the lawnmower and place some cinder blocks around them to keep them from rolling around while driving and I'm off to Dothan, Alabama. I'm all smiles as I go down the driveway, another drive through BBQ heaven. I'm not even three miles away, not even to Esto, not even to the Alabama state line and I notice a little place on a corner lot, DJ's BBQ and I scratch my head and wonder, "How did I miss this place the last time?". Must have been focusing too much on the drive and not enough on the scenery, I make a mental note to get some cash from the ATM machine when I fill up at the BP station on the way back. The drive is nice as usual and it seems to take less time, the routine is starting to settle in. There are 4704 jars on the pallet, they are boxed 12 to a box in 392 boxes and piled up 87 inches tall on the pallet. The guys at the freight service are great as usual, I get some help and we remove about 1/3 of them before the forklift driver can load the remaining jars and pallet through the rear doors. Sign the paperwork and I'm off and running. On the way back I stop at DJ's and order a BBQ beef sandwhich and while I'm at the counter a real cutie about my age comes out from the kitchen and I catch a glimpse of her tanned flat tummy as she is turning to approach the cash register. She notices my glance and smiles and then I look her in the eye and we have a little conversation about being from here and there .... well, this is the family hour so I'll just end that and let you know I'm thinking this really is heaven. I get back to the farm and unload all 392 frikin boxes from the driveway to the family room for the time being, knowing they have to go upstairs and into a storage room above the commercial kitchen. The final destination couldn't be further from where they will be used, but that's not my concern right now, I just want to get them unloaded so I can take a shower and get on the road to Tallahassee.