Our chickens

November 15, 2010

Kristin

I simply couldn’t resist.

First Frost

November 8, 2010

Caleb

Frost has not stopped all garden activity

It’s been about a week since our first major frost of autumn, marking the end of most, but not all, activity in the garden.  The frost was pretty late, I think, even for as far south as we are—so we counted ourselves lucky.

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It’s Blue!

October 9, 2010

Matt

The Ameraucana's first blue egg (click to view larger)

This afternoon, I was pleased to discover that our Ameraucana chicken laid her first egg, and as expected, it’s blue!

As you may recall, in posts dating back to July (Chicken Drama I and II), we’ve been having trouble creating harmony between our only surviving chicken from the original three, Marcia, and our three newest chickens (the kids). After a few days of the four of them living together, it became clear that the Ameraucana (the grey one) was receiving the brunt of Marcia’s negative attention. Even after we separated Marcia from the other three, the Ameraucana’s younger “siblings” continued to pester her; as a result, we separated her from Marcia and the younger two for almost a month. (more…)

Lucy’s Birthday Shindig

October 6, 2010

Caleb

This past weekend we hosted a farm-themed gathering to celebrate Lucy’s first birthday. We went to Fluvanna County’s “Old Farm Day” and enjoyed refreshments back at the homestead.  Don’t worry; we took pictures.  In addition to plenty of Lucy pictures, we took a couple photos (1, 2) of some machines to see if people could guess what they do.  We think we know.

In other news, things are wrapping up pretty well in the garden.  I planted an oat cover crop and a clover cover crop over parts of the garden.   The clover should give the soil a charge of nitrogen and organic matter, and the oat crop will hopefully provide a bit of cover for garlic that we’ll be planting soon.  I hope to get the rest of the beds planted in the next week so there’s at least a little growth before winter kill.  We expect the three younger chickens we have to start laying in a couple of weeks.  With days shortening like they are, laying will probably not be an everyday thing.

First egg!

June 29, 2010

Kristin

Chicken supplies, $461. First egg in our farming project, priceless.

Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles! Our one lone chicken, a Red Star who I call Marcia B., laid our first egg today! As excited as Caleb and I were to find the egg in the nest box this evening, it was also a little bittersweet, knowing that the 3 chickens that were killed last week could have been laying this week.  (more…)