The Great Pumpkin Contest

We are dreaming of Spring planting season and we have a ongoing competition between Myself, Dale, Willie and Ken. The challenge is to see who can grow the largest pumpkin. Our first try here we produced 1 pumpkin and it was smaller then a golf ball. The picture here is of our second harvest but still no winner here. Willie has won two years in a row and currently displays the trophy at his house. We have yet to see anything from Dale or Ken.

Home GrownTortoise Food

A new project here on the homestead is Opuntia humifusa or Eastern Prickly Pear. My hope is to cultivate enough of this cactus for feeding our 2 Tortoise here on the Homestead.
This plant is hardy here in zone 6 and should do very well here.

For more information check out this link.

http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OPHU

Update on Eagles.

It has been 3 weeks since the first sighting of the Bald Eagle.

I am thrilled to say we now have 2 Eagles that are visiting the homestead.

Coyote Supper

We found this dead deer down river and i believe a poacher brought it down. During the night the Coyotes are feasting on it and the Erie sounds of the howling, yelping and barking coming from the dark woods is a chilling primitive sound. It truly is a nice reminder that there are little tracts of space and time that are still a little bit wild.

A Welcome Visitor

Very exciting morning here. I spotted this Bald Eagle as i was walking over to the river to feed the Ducks and Geese. This is the second time we have had a Eagle visit during the winter. Jeanne caught this picture with her new camera.

Swamp the Swan

This is Swamp, a Mute Swan. He showed up here during the summer of 08'. He has become part of the family here and we always enjoy seeing him walk up to the back door looking for lunch. We believe he floated down river from Eagleville Lake and we hope he stays because he is always welcome here.