Nightmare of the Headless Chicken from Uranus

I'm running through a dark forest. A dull noise echos through the damp, foggy air. It's a noise I know, yet can't place. The shapes of trees pass by in my peripheral vision, the leaves crunching below my feet. The noise gets louder. Louder. What is that? I know not why I run, but I am sure it is to get away from the haunting, incessant cluck. That's it! It's a cluck!

Cluck....

Cluck....

Cluck....

I reach a clearing and stop running. The fog lifts revealing a stump. I recognize this particular stump. I salvaged it from the neighbor's pine tree a few years back. Imbedded in the stump is an ax. A bloody ax.

Cluck...

Cluck...

Cluck...

From my right comes rustling of leaves. "Who's there?" I cry in a feeble voice. I quickly realize how weak that sounded and muster a "WHO'S THERE?" Suddenly I know what is there. I am sure I knew all along.

It's Penny.

The headless chicken.

I wake up...

I knew when I purchased my chickens that one day would bring the need to slaughter them. I'm pretty sure the above scenario won't happen. I mean, I've had to have pets put down before. I've had to deal with the occasional bird or lizard that the cat did not finish off. It's the same thing, right?

If anyone wants to share about their first time, please do. First time slaughtering, I mean. Get your mind out of the gutter people!

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MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAH!

Planting in Soil Bags

I've seen it done a few time but have not tried it myself. I am hoping this will take care of a few problems with melon growing I've had in the past. One problem is aphids. The first year I had aphids so bad, I just gave up on all melons. The second year, I invested in ladybugs. I thought the ladybugs would be temporary but I was pleasantly surprised when they came back the next season in big numbers. However, even with the ladybugs, who are usually about a month too late, the heavy foliage that melons have traps moisture between the ground and the leaves creating a heavenly breeding ground for aphids. Hopefully the gravel, combined with the direct application of water to the roots of the plant, will eliminate the buildup of moisture and solve the aphid problems.

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