The Chicken Run by BettinaSchwarz

BettinaSchwarz

The Chicken Run by

Featured in Rural Around the Globe in October 2009
Featured in People and Portraiture Photography in November 2009 – thank you

My lovely neighbour Liz, whom you all met from the wedding images I’d posted some time back, works at Wellgate Community Farm

A few weeks ago Liz came home late … cold, hungry & tired … she’d been called back to the farm ’cause the new addition had been delivered … a little calf called Jacob

I decided it’s time I headed out to the farm & had a little look at what a city farm looks like and how it functions and how it serves the community etc etc …

All in all a very interesting experience for me … I used to do farming insurance whilst living in South Africa … went to the Royal Agricultural show every year, listened to talks about cattle, and sheep and milk and meat, weather and grain, drought and rain … I’ve walked across maize fields hammered and destroyed by hail … walked through abattoirs … been given 10kg bags of potatoes to take home or some eggs or milk or fresh chicken …

My visit to the community farm was a whole new experience … where animals have names and chickens get powdered every six weeks to get rid of the fleas or mite or whatever they get …
Kids walk about in gumboots helping with the chores, learning that milk does not come out of a carton in the big fridge at Tesco’s but actually from a cow … that honey is made by bees and bees collect pollen and … etc etc …

I thoroughly enjoyed morning at the farm … I shall certainly return, camera in hand, for the next function there, when the next lot of babies are born, or simply when the weather is a touch friendlier than today :)

I had a blast with some of these shots & shall share some here … More can be viewed in the gallery I’m compiling here

17 October 2009
Wellgate Community Farm, Collier Row Road, Collier Row, Romford, RM5 2BH

Canon EOS 450D 28-135mm lens

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Tags

girl, child, london, kid, england, carry, candid, uk, path, boots, walk, chickens, gumboots, essex, wellies, stride, upside down, city farm, wellgate, wellgate community farm

Comments

  • imagic
    imagicover 2 years ago

    Great shot Bettina, perfect light, perfect focus, well composed, well done.
    Greetings
    Jens.

  • wow Jens … that is a very generous comment … and I appreciate it so very much !!! Thank you! :)

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • Mark Tull
    Mark Tullover 2 years ago

    Heading for the chopping block?…
    cockle-doodle-don’t

  • naw … they’d just been captured in the hock, powdered (the flea / mite / whatever stuff) and those that had been treated were carried over to a different pen …
    upside down by the legs … no resistance ;)

    Ever stuck a chicken’s head under it’s wing? – it goes “to sleep” instantly … weird things, chickens …
    and they sheep are dumb … !

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • say*

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • Jan Timmons
    Jan Timmonsover 2 years ago

    Intriguing shot, with remarkable colours and any number of stories that could go with it. Your text fascinated me. This is a great composition!

  • Jan, thank you so much for taking the time to look and read and leave me such a wonderful note – I appreciate it very much indeed!

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • DonDavisUK
    DonDavisUKover 2 years ago

    A great capture Bettina, love the rainbow wellies:-)

  • loved the rainbow wellies … and love that child’s hair … then the red shirt sticking out … and those upside down chickens … yeah … I just had to get that shot :) … her mum seemed a touch startled that I was off after her daughter & taking photos, but Liz kindly explained … and a shot where no face is shown … well that’s ok :) …
    tried SC on this, but didn’t make it a better shot in any way … so this the end result :)

    thank you for your lovely comment Don :)

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • DonDavisUK
    DonDavisUKover 2 years ago

    Wonderful candid Bettina, what a photo opp you had:-) Don.

  • :)) thank you Don, for your encouragement :)

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • clickinhistory
    clickinhistoryover 2 years ago

    well I hope mum is happy with this shot and so sad that is the state of the world right now, delightful shot Tina

  • BigD
    BigDover 2 years ago

  • David's Photoshop
    David's Photoshopover 2 years ago

    Great image, well done and congratulations on being featured.

  • kappisan
    kappisanover 2 years ago

    This is just A Super-Great-Shot!:)
    Love it!:)
    Big Fav!:)
    (i’ve got chicken too,and ,in a household of 4 Men(!),i’m the only one who dares to "handle"them! :)
    (mind you,as a Vegetarian i don’t have to slaughter them…!;p )

  • chuckles !!! :))
    you veg? what brought you to that decision?

    btw – I’ve “moved” to SeeOneSoul so I don’t pop in here all that often anymore, so I’m sorry I took so long to see your lovely note … :)

    – BettinaSchwarz

  • John44
    John44over 2 years ago

    Mooi gedoen tina
    Zo een kleine een met grote kippen :-)
    Groet
    John

  • hmmmm “kippen”? you talking about the boots or the chickens? ;)

    btw – I’ve “moved” to SeeOneSoul so I don’t pop in here all that often anymore … link up with me there again? :)

    – BettinaSchwarz