Earlier this summer, we started on an adventure. We hatched out pheasant and duck eggs that were at risk during haying season. (You can read the history here: http://www.fb.org/blog/index.php/2010/07/06/a_duck_duck_here_and_a_duck_duck_there )

Well, last week it finally became time to let them go. We started with 13 pheasants and 9 ducks, but a lot of lessons were learned. For example, pheasants are extremely predatorial…ducks, on the other hand, are not. This is why when we let them go, we were down to 4 pheasants and just one duck…but he was a TOUGH duck! We also had some that escaped, with the help of a black lab that liked to dig. (At least, I told the boys that they escaped…)

The boys are planning on doing it again next year. I’m actually glad that they were interested in it. Sometimes on the farm you become so used to nature that you actually forget what a beautiful and complex world we live in. It’s great to have these reminders…especially in our own backyard.