Ah, the dirty little (not so) secret that farmers and homesteaders often sidestep when discussing the nuts and bolts of raising animals: poop. Poop is important, and I think that anyone who raises animals, whether as livestock or as pets, should be looking at it.
Continue reading “Farm Fowl: Let’s Talk About Poop *Graphic*”Tag: Farming
Around The Farm: A Small Harvest…And A Surprise
The largest sunflower, a volunteer that defiantly sprouted from a seed that the chickens either missed or couldn’t reach because it bounced outside their run, has reached the point where it’s ready for harvest. While I’m always delighted to find these kinds of volunteers, I also discovered a surprise growing amidst the other sunflowers that I had intentionally planted. What kind of surprise? Read on to find out.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: A Small Harvest…And A Surprise”Farm Fowl: First Hatch Of 2021…And A Mighty Big Egg
This season’s first hatch is underway with a well-positioned external pip on a French Black Copper Marans egg from our own flock. With luck, the wonderful sound of cheeping should fill the air very soon!
Continue reading “Farm Fowl: First Hatch Of 2021…And A Mighty Big Egg”Eye Candy: Ice World
The ice storm arrived, as forecast, yesterday afternoon. By dusk (evening chores), a thick layer of slushy ice pellets lay upon the ground, accompanied by continued falling sleet and rain. This morning, the world around us looked very different…and very cold.
Continue reading “Eye Candy: Ice World”Musings: Life At The Farm Continues
Many lives have been changed by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic; some have argued that our lives will never be quite the same. Strangely, though, life here, now, hasn’t changed as much as it might otherwise have. Spring means new life, growth, and opportunities to learn.
Continue reading “Musings: Life At The Farm Continues”Musings: Farming As Both Struggle And Inspiration
At times I wonder about the future of small-scale farming: with large farming operations buying up small farms and effectively putting smaller farmers out to pasture, why would someone voluntarily choose what is, at best, a hardscrabble lifestyle? It’s certainly not for the prestige, the ease, or the security (or the healthcare coverage)…but now that I’ve been a full-time farmer, I better understand why certain individuals still choose to farm.
Continue reading “Musings: Farming As Both Struggle And Inspiration”