How Redtail Ridge Got It's Name

     Redtail Ridge is named after the Red Tail Hawk and the ridge of limestone that protects the south side of the house.  We owned 10 acres, and after 25 years sold the old farmhouse and 5 acres. We built a new house on the back 5 acres, which is plenty big to homestead on for me.  The first summer here we were putting in a new lawn, there was no rain!  I hauled hoses all over the new lawn and garden that year -- it was a full-time job.  I will never forget coming home from town one hot day, and there in the sprinkler was Papa Red Tail Hawk.  He sure looked huge on the ground.  His wings were spread all the way out while he took a little shower!  Redtail Ridge was named that year.
     That was a fond memory of Papa Red Tail, but sadly I have a love/hate relationship with him.  Mr. and Mrs. Red Tail live in the tall pine trees on the ridge.  They would take a chicken dinner in 2 winks given the chance.  I have a covered run attached to my chicken coop for that very reason.  If I am not home, the chickens stay in the coop for the day.  When I'm out working in the garden etc., they get to be free range chickens.
     The people that bought our old farmhouse had a little hole in the chicken wire over their run.  Papa Red Tail went through that hole and killed most of the flock.  Hawks like to eat the brains of the chicken and then move on to the next one.  It is best to never give him a chance.  When we lived at the old house, our outside dog run was right next to the chicken coop.  We never had hawk or fox troubles.
At this new place we have no outside dog, and the hawks and fox know it!  Tomorrow is the fox story :-).