Freeks and Geeks

This is the famous chicken  that lived for months without a head.  No really, someone wrote a book about it.  Just kidding.  This breed is a bearded buff laced Polish.  But, he (?) does look like his head is missing.

This guys tail feathers are missing.  He is an Araucana.



Eeee!  A naked neck chicken



It's enough to curl your feathers!  (Like these lovely Sebastopol geese).

Playing (with) Chickens

Oh, it's a good thing these two boys were in separate cages.  They were not too happy being in such close proximity to each other.

Here is a better look at this game bird.  All I call think of when I look at him is that he is descended from velociraptor.  He looks built for speed with those long legs.



And here is a beautiful Dominique rooster.  Ooh, la la.



This Silver Spangled Hamburg is also a very handsome bird.



I didn't note this fellas breed, but, I love his coloration.

And, I love the coloration on this proud and prim Welsh Harlequin duck as well (those of us with Welsh heritage have to stick together!).

Isn't he a pretty bird!

National Heirloom Exposition

They didn't just have lots of veggies at the National Heirloom Exposition, they had some handmade items for sale.  Here, a lovely pillow in stamped floursack or muslin fabric.  Quite adorable!  I should have easily been persuaded to buy some, but alas, the booth was un-manned or un-womanned.



Handmade quilts

The most lovely, lovely handpainted garden-themed dishes.

These are kind of Frieda Kahlo-ish, or someone.

I love this green plate!



Fortunately, none of these dishes were for sale at the show, or, I should be quite impoverished!  But, I am on the mailing list and only time will tell.

More squash, eek!

Here is a lovely bucolic scene from the National Heirloom Exposition.  Is bucolic the right word?  Hmm.  I grew these pumpkins a couple of years ago.  They have a vining habit so they vined my entire back yard.  Kinda like the zucchino rampicante this year.

The pumpkins went from lovely, deeply lobed pumpkins to increasing warty and crusty.

Then, they grew large and

somewhat freakish.   Note the people in the background for scale.  Apparently, after a certain time, the pumpkins must be moved to a pallet so they can be transported via a pallet jack.  Feeding the pumpkins so they wont' lose an ounce to see who will win the contest. 

Even without a scale, I'm guessing it was this guy below.  I think it even had a custom built pallet.  It reminded my of Jabba the Hut from the movie Star Wars.  I'm not sure it wasn't two pumpkins grown together from the seam.

God, I love squash!

National Heirloom Exposition

Yesterday, we attended the very first National Heirloom Exposition in Santa Rosa, California. The Exposition highlighted heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables and animals.  And, some talented artists like the chef who carved this beautiful melon.

We saw lots and lots of squash.

In fact, we saw a mountain of squash!

Lots of beautiful heirloom tomatoes. No GMO's here!  The blue tomato is a new variety.  The others had interesting names like Berkeley tie-dye.

I think next year we will grow some of the yellow and green stripey tomatoes and purple peppers like on the bike below.  Just think of the beautiful salsa it will make!

Apparently, our cuckoo maran chickens are forming their own club.  Eggs are graded on their color as shown on the chart below.

More on the Exposition to come!