Make Way for Ducklings

On the way home from New York, we stopped at Hudson Valley Foie Gras (there's a link at the right under food) in Ferndale, about two hours outside of the city. I sometimes order duck breast, legs, and fat from them online. Anyway, we thought we might be able to pick up some stuff, but we met the manager and he gave us a personal tour! He took us into this huge barn, where there were four or five pens with 300 ducklings in each one. You could walk among them and they'd scatter at your feet (top photo). They were only 3 days old, and by stretching out your arms you could pick up five or six at a time.

Then we went upstairs and met the BIG DUCKS. I was surprised at how clean it was, and how much room they had to move around. That was stage two. Then he asked if we wanted to see the next stage, which is the force-feeding stage. After he asked he sort of calmly waited for an answer. I was like bring it on dawg! He took us to another barn. Elsie got to see a two-foot tube get inserted into throats and held there until the feed was swallowed. I told her that sometimes I wish I could do that with her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Needless to say, at the end of the tour we were all even bigger duck lovers. We bought six breasts, eight legs, some fat, and signed the guest registry while Elsie charmed the staff.

When we got home I hosed down our feet. I was wearing flip-flops and there was some duck sheet. I was wondering what that smell had been from Binghamton to Rochie.