An open gate is never good for animal owners

Written by Shana Thornhill Tuesday, 17 April 2012 13:43

As anyone who has—or has ever had—livestock, seeing an open gate gives you a particularly sinking feeling. This particular chilly, blustery day, I threw on my trusty barn jacket to hurry out and do chores. I knew I could get them done in short order and come back inside where it was warm.

As I headed down toward the barn, I saw the open gate. I saw both of my horses on the wrong side of it. I hadn’t even let the chickens out yet. I trudged to the barn to get my bucket of alfalfa pellets and started walking obliquely toward them.

Apparently alfalfa pellets weren’t going to cut it when they had the first buffet of spring green laid out before them. They took off into the field across the road. Trying to keep them in sight, I...

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Coping just fine with my chicken addiction

Written by Shana Thornhill Tuesday, 20 March 2012 13:00

By the time this hits your mailbox, I’ll have my new babies. Yes, I’m talking about new chickens. Remember how I said I was the Crazy Chicken Lady? You have no idea. Yet.

I want to go on record as saying that my chicken addiction is my mother’s fault. She started sharing Backyard Poultry magazine with me, even though she had absolutely no desire to own chickens.

I lived in a city. I didn’t want chickens either. I still have no idea why she started getting that magazine. But somehow, reading the articles and peeping at pictures of pampered poultry, the idea started to grow on me. After all, I’ve always liked birds, and chickens are much cheaper than parrots.

Then we moved to the farm and, lo and behold, it had a coop. Old and...

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Great escape made us late for important date

Written by Shana Thornhill Tuesday, 14 February 2012 15:06

I think my daughter is just about the sweetest thing in creation. When I was whooping and hollering and doing the happy dance around the house after finding out that I get to write this column, she said “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

“I’m going to get published in the paper!” I hollered. (Of course, I’m leaving out many more exclamation points.)

Well, when my husband got home, I couldn’t wait to tell him the news, but she beat me to it. “Daddy! Guess what! Mommy’s going to get punished in the paper! Can I get punished in the paper, too?” Of course, I had to promise her that she’d get “punished,” too, so here she is.

Thinking of her reminds me of the night of her parent-teacher conference. We were on the way out to...

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Life on this farm is always an adventure

Written by Shana Thornhill Tuesday, 17 January 2012 14:43

Hello, everyone! I’m the Fearless Farm Frau (aka the Crazy Chicken Lady), and I’m pleased to meet you. I’d shake your hand, but since I’m not in your kitchen, you’ll have to shake the paper and call it good. Please allow me to introduce myself (and yes please, I’d like a virtual cup of coffee. Thank you).

My husband and I moved here with our kids (and cats and dogs) a little over a year ago, in hopes of raising our kiddos on the farm and in small-town schools where they wouldn’t have to worry about weapons or gangs. Our five-year plan turned into a 10-year plan, but it finally happened. We couldn’t believe our luck in finding the perfect farm for us.

I was raised as a town kid in Buhler, but my parents both came from...

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