Wildcrafted: 2022’s Black Locust Flower Wine

That delighful fragrance wafting in the humid evening breeze is a telltale sign that flowers are blooming on the farm. When I smell that wonderful perfume, I take time to soak it in…and then I start making plans. Last year, I had planned to make Black Locust Flower wine, but missed the bloom. This year, we had a bumper crop of Black Locust blooms!

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Haiku: Turtle’s Tenacity

It’s turtle breeding season here, when the urge to find a mate and/or breeding grounds strikes, there’s no dissuading them. Even if it means that they must make a death-defying trek across a busy roadway to get to their destinations. We always try to give our wild turtle friends a helping hand when it’s possible to safely do so, even if that turtle has incredibly strong jaws and feet with sharp claws.

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In Print: My Newest Article In Mother Earth News

You may already know that I’ve previously written for Mother Earth News, and that I’ve done a podcast with Mother Earth News & Friends. Right, the links are in the “Publications and Podcasts” menu of our website. My latest piece, on raising roosters as a sustainable meat source and a practical means of managing unexpected cockerels, is in the June/July issue that just hit newsstands (and maybe your mailbox already).

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In The Incubator: Managing Multiple Hatches

Yep, the top is upside down (on purpose) and don’t believe the digital temperature displayI use two independent thermometers to get an accurate reading

It’s the hatching season…well, I hatch year-round, but this is the busiest time of the year for hatching! With multiple incubators and hatchers, eggs with different incubation needs and hatch dates, it can be a challenge keeping on top of everything that needs to be done. In this post, I’ll share some tips for staying abreast of the many tasks associated with setting groups of eggs at different times.

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Around The Farm: Too Warm, A Bit Too Early

A maple tree’s fresh new leaves

It’s a sunny Saturday here on the farm, and it’s been unusually warm. Temperatures yesterday hit 80F and are forecasted to be in the 80s (currently 84F now) for the remainder of the weekend. The combination of high humidity and temperatures makes for some uncomfortable days working outside, a reminder of the real heat and humidity that are just around the corner.

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