home, farm, & garden by Sarah Southard, DVM
BROWN EGGS & HAM
For folks who don’t already know, it will likely come as little surprise that I wasn’t the average kid growing up. It’s said that I cried and begged my grandmother to not make me go to first grade because all we did in kindergarten was play and I had work to do at home. And later that year, after reluctantly agreeing to return to school, I worried about not having a retirement plan and how I was going to fix that...at the ripe old age of six. I suppose it makes perfect sense then, that at almost three years old I asked Santa for brown eggs and country ham for Christmas. Out of that, though came a wonderful Christmas morning tradition. That Christmas and each one since has been graced with brown eggs and country ham. And more than that, we’ve celebrated the birth of our Savior surrounded by priceless family while enjoying a homecooked breakfast every Christmas morning from then till now. This year, as in several years past, the eggs will be homegrown as well as home cooked.
Backyard poultry, chickens in particular, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Having a few hens just out the back door providing fresh eggs is very enticing. Folks with a bit more room are also raising meat birds for the freezer, ducks and turkeys for eggs and meat, guineas for pest control (especially ticks), the list goes on. Birds are quite interesting creatures.
They have individual personalities and are amenable to training as well. Many folks have pet chickens that they become quite attached to. While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, backyard poultry of various species can receive veterinary care much like dogs, cats, and horses. It can be harder to find veterinarians with knowledge of and experience with poultry, but for that special bird in your flock, it may be worth it to seek out what is available in the area. From certain diseases requiring antibiotic therapy and husbandry changes to nutritional issues to various injuries, birds can require the expertise of a veterinarian at any time. Seek out and invest in the veterinary relationship for the benefit of your feathered ladies which are working hard to put eggs on the table and meat in the freezer.
As my family enjoys another Christmas morning breakfast of country ham, brown eggs, and a host of other homemade delights this year, I pray you and yours receive the richest of blessings from Christ this Christmas and throughout the coming year.
We Deliver!
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Merry Christmas from all of us at Farmer’s Mulch & Rock 7802 NC 268, DOBSON, NC 27017 • www.facebook.com/FarmersMulchRock • 336.386.0883 SURRY LIVING Dec. 2021 Issue • 15
