Take you for a ride in "My Chicken Tractor"

biddies are loving it.... I am too! Easy Breezy . . 20 days old

Peep..Peep...Poop

Second round of raising chicks, twice as many this time (50) half broilers, half layers. Hatched out on the 5th, arrived this morning. Happy chicks!

First Pick'in

I picked the beans for the first time yesterday and got 4 lb. 13 oz from about 25 plants. This 3x8 raised bed produced about a bushel last year. They are a wonderful organic gourmet French bean called "Tavera Filet" a slender bean about 5" long. These went in the freezer, I may decide to can some later in the year. When the potatoes are finished I have plans on planting more of these for a late crop. Highly recommend this variety from Wood Prairie Farm.

Mushrooms

Scott and I took a workshop in February on how to grow Shiitake mushrooms. Fresh cut logs are a must. You drill holes to implant the spawn, then apply a wax to seal it and the moisture in the log. Pretty simple, it takes about one hour per 10 logs, but that doesn't include the time to harvest the logs from the woods, which is really the hardest part. Pretty labor intensive, but the logs last 5 - 7 years! 30 logs are ready, now the long wait until Fall to see what happens. We are trying 4 different strains of Shiitake and an Oyster mushroom, Grey Dove. We also planted a variety called Wine Caps and have them planted in a bed of saw dust, manure and straw. You can research on your own visit Field & Forest Products.

Spring Garden

The garden is growing well and am planning to offer fresh veggies to purchase this year. If you are interested you can join as a follower or simply send me an email, I will add you to my contact list. I will be updating my blog and emailing each week as garden items are ready to harvest. A variety of Lettuce, Spinach, Cilantro, Chives, Rosemary and Thyme are ready now. Spring veggies coming along in the next week or so are Beets, Sweet Turnip, Radish, Onions, Swiss Chard. Summer items are a variety of Heirloom Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Squash, Tomatillo, Sweet and Hot Peppers, many, many herbs. My garden is small so quantities will be limited. Don't forget we have fresh eggs too!

Rooster Home

Time to split up the two Buff boys. They are full grown, beautiful and stately. Rule of thumb is one rooster to 12 hens. Found a good home with Anna and Dean. She has a Buff Orpington hen for him to keep company. Anna is hoping for some peeps this Spring as I am too.

Planning the new harvest for 2009

The catalogs are pouring in the mail each day. It's time to take inventory of my seeds from last year and start deciding what to grow for this years crops. Which seed did well and so on. The best place I've found to order potatoes is Wood Prairie Farms, WOW are they the best! They have a small variety of other organic seeds too, the ones I've tried have also been excellent! This is a small family run business and are great to deal with. Give them a try this year I am sure you will be well satisfied.