You read that right. I thought he had bumblefoot. I treated with him some antibiotics but it did not get better. My sister came over to help me do the surgery but right before we did anything, we checked him over once more and realized it wasn’t his foot, his leg is hurt somehow. Nothing is swollen, hot, or painful when we touched it. I am back to trying to figure out what it could be and how to help him. He is so sad hobbling around. We now have 2 gimpy turkeys. The other was hurt as a baby.

I live in an area where there are no poultry vets. That means I am the backyard vet. Thankfully I have resources to be able to help treat them the best that I can. I am hoping it is just a sprain but I will not stop until I figure it out. I am a bit tenacious when I care.

I have learned to:

• Give antibiotic shots
• Treat heart worms and well all parasites
• Not take things too personally
• remember death happens so does birth they are both magical and natural
• Only name things you want to be attached too aka do no name all the chickens.. do not do it. they are fragile creatures.
• do chicken math. I have gotten very good at doing chicken math
• math in general, lots of math used to build, give shots things like that
• love to be dirty. I mean I am not a girl who even likes beach sand, yet by the time I shower at night I am FILTHY. It also keeps bugs off me way better which leads me too.
• tolerate bugs. I understand their place in the balance of nature
• appreciate nature even more than I did. A sunrise or sunset on the farm is magical.
• slow down
• be humble

This farm has definitely been a series of challenges. My dad teases me that we are “Gray Acres” instead of “White Acres”. Not in a million years did he think I would buy a farm. Nor get all the animals we got as quickly as we got them. I am a let’s dive in heads first and figure it out as we go kind of girl. I mean. I like plans and processes but sometimes you just have to dive head first and hope it all turns out okay. So far we have been more than okay.

We are happier than we have been ever. The animals make us laugh. They provide love. They help your soul heal. They teach you a lot. I am over here giving shots to chickens, cleaning out wounds, and willing to do surgery to help make these magical creatures better.

The farm makes us better in every way.

• We get way more fresh clean air
• We have to figure out how to fix or build something with existing materials. Just call me MacGyver
• My kids are being kids. They play outside in the woods. the pasture it is amazing to watch.
• My kids are being exposed to taking care of someone else other than themselves. We know kids can be selfish and so can adults, taking care of someone else helps you be more selfless.
• Our love buckets are filled every day
• We sleep due to exhaustion
• Less screen time
• More family time
• Lots of memories being made
• We make a lot of mistakes and learn a lot of lessons
• We are happy just being home and being us
• We get to eat farm to table for a lot of things
• We get to see nature and wildlife daily that others wish they could see. I mean our sunsets and sunrises are AMAZING.
• We get to see and hang out with our fabulous neighbors.
• It is the perfect place to raise boys
• I love waking up to my horses, chickens, goats, turkeys, cats and dogs. They entertain us so very much.

I could keep going but I think you see the picture. We love farm life, mess, cost, work and all! It makes us better humans.

What do you love about your home?