84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 4, 2000
On Being a
Farm Wife
(and other
hazards)
Joyce Bupp
Birds of a feather flock togeth
er.
So we’ve been told.
Some do. Some don’t. Not by
our observations, anyway.
Bunches of Canada geese have
been flocking together lately,
noisily honking their way over
the farm daily at sunrise and
sunset. Numbers of these big
birds have escalated locally, after
a hatching season during which
every little area pond and puddle
hosted hatchlings.
The adults and adolescents
have now clustered into large,
feathered community groupings,
Manure For Your Garden
SPRINGFIELD (Delaware
Co.) Delaware County 4-H has
mixed manure from horses,
sheep, pigs, chickens and turkeys
combined with straw and/or
wood shavings. On Saturday,
Nov. 11 from 10 a.m.-noon, gar
deners are invited to visit the 4-H
Farm and take some home.
Bring your own containers
(strong plastic trash bags work
well). 4-H Volunteers and mem
bers will direct you for parking
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295 Woodcorner Rd. • Lititz, PA 17543 • 1 mile West of Ephrata
717/738-7365
Hours - Mon thru Fn • 7-5; Sat. 7-11
perfectly at home hereabouts and
with no apparent inclination to
winter in milder climates. Where
their daily commute takes them,
we’re not sure. But only rarely do
any plunk down on the pond to
hang out before heading home to
sleep nights at the municipal
water supply’s Lake Redman
reservoir a few miles from here.
Unlike the gregarious geese,
other bird regulars appear to be
loners, designed by Nature to do
their own thing.
One frequents the goldfish
pond, standing so still and erect
it blends with the rushes and cat-
and loading the manure.
The 4-H Farm is located at
395 Bishop Hollow Road, New
town Square. From the intersec
tion of Rt. 3 and Rt. 252, proceed
west on Rt. 3 to the first traffic
light; turn left on Bishop Hollow
Road. Follow Bishop Hollow
Road for approximately 1.5
miles. Watch for sign for Garrett
Williamson Foundation after
the sign, turn right on the follow
ing driveway and to proceed to
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tails. Fish fanatic that it is, the
great blue heron haunts the wa
ter’s edge, ready to plunge its
sword-like bill into the first inat
tentive fish which meanders by.
Occasionally we spot a flash of
orange, as this expert fisherman
swipes and swallows a good
sized goldfish.
Mid-to-late summer brings the
return of a few solitary transients
at the pond, green herons which
usually arrive toward dusk for
their catch-of-the-day dinner en
tree. Unlike the great blue, these
little herons prefer to hide-in
waiting along the multiflora
roses and willows lining the pond
banks.
Sometimes we hear the guttur
al call of another fresh-fish fa
natic before we spot its hand
some blue-gray and white
feathered markings. Another
pond regular, the kingfisher pre
fers to eyeball potential dinner
candidates from high up, either
from the top of the martin house
or in the willow tree which hangs
over the water. Luckily, the gold
fish reproduce abundantly, pro
viding up plentiful supplies of
“sushi” for all the fisherbirds.
Lately and only temporarily
the large bank barn. Please note
the 4-H Farm and Education
Center is open to the public for
specific public events only.
For information about 4-H,
call the Penn State Cooperative
Extension office at (610)
690-2655.
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Betts Equipment
3139 Windy Bush Road, Rl 232
New Hope, PA 18938
215-598-7501
Hoober, Inc.
Mam Street
Intercourse, PA 17534
717-768-8231
Hoober, Inc.
East Main Street
McAlisterville, PA 17049
717-463-2191
Deerfield Ag &
Turf Center, Inc.
RR 2 Box 212
Watsontown PA 17777
570-538-3557
1950 Fruitville Pike
Detlan Equipment, Inc. T^ccoocnn 7601
141 East Mam St n
Silverdale PA 18962
215-257-5177
Thomas L. Dunlap
Rt 220 Main St Exit
Jersey Shore PA 17740
570-398-1391
we hope a flock of seven half
grown birds are hanging out in
the yard. Those guinea chicks
The Farmer brought home weeks
ago graduated from dog-crate
housing to a temporary-fenced
mini-yard to daylight freedom.
They declared their indepen
dence a little earlier than we
planned, after sneaking out a
corner of the fence not well
closed after I fed them one morn
ing. A brief hunt found them
sunning themselves in a secluded
comer of the yard under an over
grown, overhang of forsythia
hedge. I scoffed, but The Farmer
predicted their retreat to the
fenced area come evening. Sure
enough, as the sun was sinking
behind the bam, all seven were
scratching around the feed bits
inside the fence left flung open.
Except when I headed to se
cure the fence against potential
overnight visitors foxes,
hawks, and owls they had van
ished. While they were taking
little flights, none of them had
polished their airborne skills
enough to escape veteran preda
tors.
Running against a deadline to
shower and head for an evening
Lancaster F ,
f
Coining November 18, new category in Section B!
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Eckroth Bros Farm Equip.
Rd 2, Box 24A
New Ringold, PA 17960
570-943-2131
Eckroth Equipment Co
4910 Kernsville Rd
Orefield, PA 18069
610-366-2095
Hines Equipment
RT 220, Belwood, PA
814-742-8171
Keller Brothers
R 7 Box 405
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-949-6501
Lehigh Ag Equipment, Inc
b 670 Ruppsville Rd
Allentown PA 18106
610-398-2553
800-7779-3616
meeting, I went guinea stalking
once more. This time I found
them on the other side of the
brushy forsythia, preparing to
roost up on the yard fence. Some
were already perched there.
Other were making fluttering at
tempts. One was plain-down
missing.
A guinea call sounds like a
screeching wagon wheel over
and over. While the missing one
was unseen, it was not unheard.
During the next 10 minutes I
spent trying to corral the noisy
runaway, two very interested,
very talented bird-catching cats
turned up to “help.” Which only
added to the distressed guinea’s
screeching. When the other six
flew from the fence and fled into
their pen from the commotion, 1
slammed the cage door shut.
Finally, the distressed guinea
remembered it could fly, dive
bombed into a weed patch at the
chain link fence, where I snagged
it. The irate bird the largest
one of the flock and probably a
rooster continued to scream
while I delivered it to safekeep
ing with its buddies.
So much for gratitude.
I hope these birds of a feather
soon get their act together.
l Bride
•'*» *s
M.S.Yearsley & Sons
West Chester, PA
610-696-2990
Pikeville Equipment Inc
RD 2. Oysterdale Road
Oley, PA 19547
610-927-6277
Stoltzfus Farm Service
Cochranville, PA
610-593-2407
Stouffer Bros Inc.
1066 Lincoln Way West
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-263-8424
New Jersey
Rodio Tractor Sales
North White Horse Pike
Hammonton N J 08037
609-561-0141
Warren County Service
Center
228 Route 94 Blairtown N J
908-362-6916
•V
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