New Additions & More

  Sometimes social media gives me grand ideas.  Okay, so sometimes it gets me in trouble, too, but I don’t mean for it to happen.  It just…does.  Usually it’s Pinterest.  Fantastic ideas at the click of a button right there!  Well, a few weeks ago it happened to be Facebook.  You see, there I was…innocently scrolling through posts…and then I land on one from a friend with a picture of her geese.  They were beautiful, and further investigative reading was needed on what she wrote.  They happened to be a breed of geese I’ve been drooling over at the poultry show for years.  Well, come to find out, she was wanting to rehome them.  I swear I heard angelic music from above while sparkles rained down from the sky, lighting up my computer screen.  I couldn’t help it.  I just had to see if they were still available, so I quickly posted my interest in bringing them here.  I also made sure to call Hon and ask him if he minded.  I figured it was best to say something instead of doing the, “Wow, where did those geese in the pasture come from?” routine.  I also figured I didn’t want to put him over the edge seeing as I had taken down a wall in the kitchen and did a bit of cabinet and appliance moving around while he was backpacking a bit ago.  Leave me without supervision and who knows what’ll happen, you know?!
     Anyway, the deal was that I could bring the geese home because he knew I was going to be downsizing the young American Buff geese be it by reselling to a farm or to a nearby freezer.  I was so excited!  Arrangements were made with my friend, and Eldest went with me to pick them up.  Eldest and I had a nice drive together, it was wonderful to visit with Shay and see her farm, and then we began our drive back.
      The geese have been here for around 1 ½ weeks now and they’re settling in nicely.  I’m crossing my fingers we’ll have goslings from them in the spring.  You see, they are Dewlap Toulouse geese.  Another heritage breed, and one that is a bit bigger than our American Buffs.  Oh, I’m still loving on Moe, Alice, Frick, and Barbie.  They’re not going anywhere, and I look forward to more of their goslings in the spring again, too.  However, having a larger breed of goose also gives more of a size variety as we expand into selling goose for folks and their holiday meals.
     Oh, did I tell you a doose came with them?  Hmmm, I didn’t think so.  Well, the doose came, too.  He’s a Pekin and the geese are his family.  You see, here at The Silver Maple Farm we don’t just have chickens, ducks, and geese.  Oh no no!  We also have chucks, gucks, and now a doose.  Chucks are the chickens that think they’re ducks.  Frick is our guck, or goose that thinks she’s a duck, and now we have a doose, who is, yep, you got it, a duck that thinks it’s a goose.  It really does all make sense if you think about it.  Shay said the geese and doose were all raised together, so there’s no way I could leave the little guy without his family.  He’s adjusting pretty well, too, happily walking all over with them, swimming on the pond, enjoying their new farm.  We love all of our animals, confused or not.
     So, there you have it.  A trio of Dewlap Toulouse geese and their doose-friend.  We’ve named the gander Mr. Big Stuff, the gray goose Vodka, and the buff goose Angel.  If you hear me talk about Biggie Smalls, that’s the doose because he’s a big goose at heart.  Beginning later this week we’ll also be selling processed Certified Naturally Grown goose from our farm for a delicious addition to your upcoming holiday meal.  All the information on them will be on our website.  They are being processed right here on our farm with the help of our friend Christen, of Slate Creek Farm, who is just up the road.  We are going to be adding processed pigeon (squab) and duck next year, too.  Big things are happening at The Silver Maple Farm!  Smiling & Waving, Sharon
                

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