Hello from Chicken Paradise Hawaii, with Ao the cat! A hurricane is on its way, so the sky is heavy and gray.
Too many yellow bananas
I’d heard that bananas should be picked before they turn yellow. But I thought, nothing here eats them anyway, so I relaxed when the first one went yellow. Then all of them turned yellow — and with the hurricane coming, they started dropping everywhere. (So is the cat, apparently. What is this picture?)
So today I bought a new tool, which Ao keeps rubbing against: a saw! Last time I tried with scissors and a little pocketknife. I was actually going to buy something like a machete, but decided a saw would do.
Cutting down the plant
A banana plant is technically a giant herb, not a tree, so once it flowers and fruits, it’s finished. Only once — such a waste! But there’s no helping it, so I cut the one with fruit on it. And wow, the saw cut so well I was lost for words. What was all that struggle last time? Lesson learned: buy good tools.
I told the chickens to stay clear. They had no intention whatsoever of moving. And now I finally understand why you shouldn’t wait for them to turn yellow: when the stalk falls, the impact knocks the ripe fruit off. The stem is full of fibers and water, and it’s built in layers, an outer leaf and another one inside, like an onion. Some of the fruit came off the bunch, but we got lots of nice bananas.
Banana party
Time to share with the chickens, who were already waiting with very interested faces. Nishiki grabbed a peel and ran. Poppy, who recently said in a Short that she didn’t want snacks, is eating banana. Peanut Butter’s crop is already completely full, but apparently there’s always room for dessert. Donut came up from behind, and soon there was a real tug-of-war. Birds love bananas!
Basil prefers the peel — specifically, peel that has dried in the sun for a day. Sona Grey came over eagerly today, got told off by another bird and held back, but still wanted some. Chako, that’s peel! Okki-chan grabbed a big piece. Shiratama and Akadama joined in, and so did Ai-chan. The ground is a bit squishy from the hurricane’s rain, but there’s plenty for everyone.
Thank you for watching Chicken Paradise Hawaii! See you next time.