Friday, January 31th
The Chastain Farms
Winterboro, AL

We woke up and fed the animals – discovering that in the night, a marauding beast skulked into the chickens and slaughtered one of the golden gang – the recently-free-ranging crew of roosters that we both loved, as they were used to humans and would follow us around at times and get up close.

The head and neck were completely gone, while the body was left behind – a sign that the predator was probably an owl or an underachieving  raccoon, which are both known for this kind of kill.

 

Then Kristin and I worked together to install the first course of toeboards to the high tunnel construction, while Nathan did some computer work for his job and the other WWOOFers built a lean-to type shelter for the pigs.

Since we’d buried the pre-drilled holes down into the concrete, we first had to drill new 5/8″ holes in each of the 26 galvanized posts at the same height. This took quite a bit of force.

 

Kimm came down and helped us work.

When the sun was getting low in the sky and our efforts were completed for the day, we headed out for a walk to check out the creek on the edge of the farm’s woods.

To end the day, we walked across the highway to the Plank Station Lodge, where Joe (of the Coffee Shop Old Men tribe) served as President and groundskeeper. They were having their popular annual Spaghetti Supper fundraiser event, and we were all invited. The people were friendly and talkative, dinner was comfortastic, and the desserts were incredibly delicious, especially the 7-Up Pound Cake, which almost caused a riot when Joe’s grandaughter intercepted a thrown piece Jimmy tried to throw to Nathan.