NOVEMBER

I like November. I was born in November. I cost my parents $250  to bring me into the world ...in the days when insurance was not the issue.My mom spent 10 days in the Maragaret Hague maternity ward post partum. In those days , they made SURE the moms would rest and recuperate. I was brought home on Thanksgiving  and my Nana Lawler had just gotten a new dining room suit that thrilled her.Therefore, November and I slap a high fiver ~~  Indian summer days, leafy camo and a shotgun in Bradford County, Pa   The best of a turkey hunt was out smarting thee gobbler.They are no fools. There you sit at the tree line of the woods in full camo garb .You pull the slate turkey call out of your pocket,making tiny soundless moves.The handle is a corncob on a sawed off arrow.You scratch small loops across the slate circle ....hen calls.The gobbler WAYYYYYYYY   across the field stops and gobbles to you....but he's playing with you.He sent his harem of hens to circle around and sneak up behind you to see what you are!!!  This was was my fetish for 10 years...UNTIL !!!!!    I discovered the FARM!!!!!  

Now I raise my own turkeys and have NO TIME for anything else.(:

They belly up to the bar ,crowd your legs as you try to pass through,peck at your jewelry or anyting else that sparkles and pinch the back of your dungarees with their beaks.They LOVE fresh sparkling water .If you play with them with turkey calls....they will suddenly freeze stock still and listen....they can tell a voice, athe diffenence in a turkey voice, the same as you can identify a human voice. Is it my mother or Calvin Coolidge?? Just think of the number of different human voices you can differentiate between....Obama, Johnny Carson,your spouse, your child......Bruce Willis, Bill O'Reilly,Julia Child...a no brainer for us~ a no brainer for turkeys.You're a newbie and a threat.Sooooo.....they freeze and listen and watch for normal turkey behavior. If they respond and you don't show yourself (as a hot hen would do) you are suspicious.

This gobbler weighed out as 26.5 lbs. The other gobbler was 25.5 lbs.   The hens weighed 17.5-19 lbs   Don't ask what my grain $$$$ bill  was. It was horrendous. (Supermarket turkeys at Thanksgiving are promotional prices to get you into their store to grocery shop for the week. 69 cents/lb is LAUGHABLE!!! NO WAY  !!)  I don't know why I do this year after year.I think next year I will turn my garden into a turkey amusement park. GO HELP YOURSELF!! Cabbages....tomatoes....corn....etc!!