I am in the hills of Arkansas today - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 03-23-2008, 12:22 AM

I am at my SIL and BIL's place in the hills of Arkansas today. They have a place on a small mountain here that overlooks a series of valleys. The morning view out the living room is of overlapping hills receding into the distance in varying shades of blue grey. It is in a wooded area with a gravel road that snakes around the property above and below and recedes into the distance below with switchbacks and curves.

My BIL and I drove the eight miles over to their 80 acre farm in a flat area that a creek meanders through. They used to raise chickens and have six houses which once would house well over 100K chickens at a time.

Tired of being jerked around by the big chicken companies, once the houses were paid for they eventually quit raising chickens and now have about fifty head of cattle, and another fifty head or so of horses, donkeys and mules. My BIL is raising mules to sell as riding horses. He has horses from mineature size to a percheron draft mare and is busy breeding them with Donkeys as tall as 62" at the shoulder (wither?).

Being raised in farm country but never having farmed my understanding of animals is a little better than most city folks I suppose but not very deep. I know enough to understand a lot of what he talks about and really enjoy hearing about how traits are passed along. He has a new mule baby that he thinks is going to be an appaloosa mule (I think thats right) with black mane, and red markings on her back and rump. He is very excited about that one.

He knows each animal and what it likes and dislikes (watch that one she does not like you to touch her face) (watch out for him, he will nip you if he gets a chance) ( she loves having her ears rubbed) and so forth. They all have names, one large jackass is named Marcelle, the other is Donkeyote. Donkeyote likes to be petted but Marcelle can't be trusted and my BUL will not get in his pen without a large stick.

So I spent a couple of hours walking around looking at his mules and cows and new calves and new foals and the last thing we did was look at his bee hives.

While we were there there was a yellow rooster pecking about. My BIL said "watch out for him, he will jump right on you and try to hook you with his spurs"....I thought "oh really?" and tried to keep my BIL between me and the yellow rooster, but the rooster kept sneaking around and trying to get the drop on me. He rushed me once and touched my pantleg before I spotted him and took a kick at him. He retreated about ten feet and kept staulking me. He made at least two more attempts at me, each time getting up to about 8' from me before I spotted him. Whenever I spotted him he would stop.

Sneaky rooster!

I asked my BIL why he kept the fiesty rooster around and he said he (plus the short tailed dog named Stub) were guards who kept folks from fooling around his livestock when he was not there.

Anyway, a very pleasant day here in the hills of Arkansas. Tomorrow we are off to Houston.

Tom W

Medmech · #2 03-23-2008, 07:33 AM

Sound like fun, have a safe trip. In Arkansas you have to dodge the roosters but Houston is full of cocks so watch your ass!

t walgamuth · #3 03-23-2008, 07:54 AM

Always good advice.

Tom W

Botnst · #4 03-23-2008, 09:23 AM

Ever heard of E. Fay Jones? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Fay_Jones

He designed a beautiful chapel near Eureka Springs, AR. Worth a visit if you're nearby. http://www.thorncrown.com/

t walgamuth · #5 03-23-2008, 11:09 PM

I have visited it many years ago. It is a very nice design.

I might visit again sometime, its that nice.

Tom W

Dee8go · #6 03-24-2008, 08:27 AM

That place Jones' chapel) is fantastic! It just goes to show you what is possible even with a severely restricted budget, if you're creative enough. I'm sad to sday I have only seen it in photographs, but I've always wanted to see it in person.

I lived in Fort Smith, AR for many years and loved the Ozarks. Eureka Springs is a nice little town full of artists and craftsmen. It's well worth a visit if you have time.

t walgamuth · #7 03-24-2008, 09:46 AM

I have been to Eurika springs many times. I love it!

I especially love that old hotel which is seven stories in front and three in back...being built into the cliff.

That whole area is beautiful!

Tom W

Dee8go · #8 03-24-2008, 09:48 AM

Ah, you must mean The Crescent Hotel! I've stayed there before. It was a great experience.

cjlipps · #9 03-24-2008, 10:44 AM

Love Eureka Springs. My wife and I try to make it over there on the bike at least once per fall. Great motorcycle roads around there. Thorncrown Chapel is a must-see.
The Crescent Hotel is supposed to be haunted and they have a "Ghost Tour" that is interesting.

t walgamuth · #10 03-24-2008, 11:18 AM

It is a lovely time capsul....a pocket sized little town with all these nice buildings within easy walking distance.

The hills make it truly interesting too.

I enjoy it every time I go there.

Tom W

Dee8go · #11 03-24-2008, 11:38 AM

As I recall, there is really only one street in Eureka Springs. It just snakes around and around to cover the whole town.

t walgamuth · #12 03-24-2008, 10:00 PM

This may be exactly right. If not it is very close.

Tom W

cmac2012 · #13 03-24-2008, 10:09 PM

Never been to Ar Kansas. Would like to visit someday.

I know a guy up in Wa. state who has (or had last time I saw him, in the late 90s) two Clydesdale mules. Used them to pull trees out of forests. Amazing looking animals.

t walgamuth · #14 03-24-2008, 10:12 PM

Mules are pretty cool. A horse will work itself to death if you push it, but a mule knows when to quit. The mules are usually more sure footed too.

Tom W

cmac2012 · #15 03-24-2008, 10:38 PM

I lived on a farm of a friend of mine for a while. They had an old ginny (product of a female donkey and a male horse) that he couldn't bear to get rid of as it had been of much use to him years earlier.

Jeez, she was one ornery critter except when she was in heat. Then she wanted you to stroke her neck. Getting nausious just thinking about it.