Thursday, October 30, 2008

A Worthwhile Read




If you are reading this blog then chances are you are interested in wildlife, and wild places. I would like to pass along a recommendation for book I just finished for the second time, For a Handful of Feathers, written by Guy de la Valdene. I read this book for the first time probably 5 years ago and at that point was ignorant to the work and effort that goes into shaping a piece of land into a haven for wildlife.



For a handfl of Feathers is one year look at an 800 acre quail farm located in the redhills of North Florida, approximately a hour south of Bollingbrook. Valdene shares his thoughts on quail management, hunting philisophy and even his culinary adventures with wild game. These topics have always been of great interest to me, but after having my own place and working to shape every square inch into my vision Valdene's words have much more meaning than the first time around.



While at times the frenchmen is less than complementary about southern cooking, and deer hunters. I can't say that I disagree with him on many isssues. Furthermore, Guy de la Valdene is successful in his elequent description of the joy, pride, heartache and frustration that comes with hunting quail, living with bird dogs and working one's own land.

2 comments:

Ryan Gilbert said...

Justin,
I was looking at florida recreational properties and I came across the El Consuelo Plantation. It is a quail plantation in Gadsden County. The description says it is apart of a larger 850 acre tract. Is this the plantation in the book?

http://www.southernforestryrealty.com/rm/listings/l0029.html

Let me know.
Ryan

Justin said...

i don't think so. I tried to find the author's property on the property appriaser's website, and i don't think this El Consuelo is it. However, what a beautiful place. I think i have quite a few years to go beofre ours looks like El Consuelo.