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| Shirley look at her okra Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell |
Last weekend, I saw Larry Freeman at the field day event that was held on Stateline Road in Kentwood, Louisiana. We talked about his crops and what his wife Shirley was embarking upon. Larry and Shirley grow produce, and they raise cattle. Shirley takes pride in her hen house, and I like the fact that she recycled a lot of the materials she used to build her hen house. Shirley grew on a farm outside of Laura, Mississippi. She recalled her mother selling eggs and providing eggs to the school because she had so many eggs. One story about the eggs that came to her mind is the time her sister who was carrying eleven dozens of eggs and she dropped all eleven dozens. "Just talking about this is bringing back memories," said Shirley. I wish I would have paid more attention. I know women who were quilters, canners, and women who made homemade teacakes. "My mother uses to make the best-tasting tea cakes," said Shirley. My sister and I try to make them like mama, but we can't get the taste like mama.
While walking around the old family homestead in Mississippi, she found the laying boxes her father used in his hen house. Shirley and her husband Larry brought it back to Louisiana, and she is going to restore it and used it for her old girls. As a child growing up on a farm, Shirley couldn't appreciate the way of life then. Now, she had a great appreciation for growing her own produce and gathering her fresh eggs.
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| Shirley Beehive |
When I drove up this morning, I found her cleaning her hen house out and feeding her old girls. Having my own chicken coop, I enjoyed looking at her hen house. Her hens and rooster have a lot of space to walk around. She let them out for free range and in the woods they went.
What was more interesting to me is she is a beekeeper as well! This is her first time trying it and she seems to enjoy learning about bees and tasting that fresh honey. Shirley informed me how she maintains her honey bee colonies. She is definitely looking forward to expanding her beehives. She joined the beekeepers association to learn all that she can and to meet other people in the beekeeping business. I try to purchase honey from the local farmers as much as I can. So far she hasn't got stung by one of her friends. She said there is a certain way to approach the hive. I saw them swarming around. I wanted to be as careful as possible. Disturbing the hives is something I didn't want to do. Walking around on her land, she was pointing out the different things she planted. She pointed to her cotton stalk on the west end of the land.
I learned that you had to fill out an application with the Department of Agriculture before planting the cotton due to the boll weevil. This past summer she and Larry planted okra, they had two gardens of greens growing. As we walked around two Angus calves were following us around like to friendly pets. I thought to myself, how could eat them, they have become something like a pet. Well, my morning came to an end and it was time for me to get back to my desk. Taking this trip this morning was a breath of fresh air.
