Peripatetic philomaths…focusing on what's really important, eating ethically and cleanly, fermenting, foraging/wildcrafting, practicing herbalism, and being responsible stewards of our land. Sharing our photos, musings, and learnings. Still seeking our tribe.
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.
Continue reading “In The Incubator: Managing Multiple Hatches”
You may be wondering why I haven’t posted anything this week, and I want to end any speculation that I might be on vacation. As if. I was running the farm solo this week while Mr. fMf was at spring break an offsite conference, and let’s just say that my mettle has definitely been tested.
None of the geese (to date, anyway) have laid a golden egg, but an American Bresse pullet consistently lays a tinted egg that reminds me of a light champagne South Sea pearl. The small egg has a radiance that isn’t fully conveyed by the photos, but I think they hint at it.
Continue reading “Haiku: Pearly Pullet Eggs”
The geese are laying, and they have a favorite spot in the barn where they queue up to have their turn (this particular goose is Sinéad, so named because she was bald last year from the gander’s attentions). While all of the ladies demand their privacy, Sinéad’s “stink eye” is enough to keep most other creatures away…and her bodyguard is an additional deterrent.
Continue reading “Haiku: Three’s A Crowd”
It’s a momentous day here on the farm: the geese have laid their first eggs of the season! I always enjoy finding first eggs, whether from a new or resuming layer. And I really enjoy finding a surprise, like I did this morning.
Continue reading “Farm Fowl: First Goose Eggs Of The Season”
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*”
Today is one of those wet, dreary days that invites thoughts – albeit briefly – of simply getting back into bed and pulling the covers over your head. Of course, when you farm (or if you have kids, pets, or other obligations, as most of us do), that’s merely a briefly-entertained fantasy that you quickly pop like a soap bubble. Mud or no, chores must be done, animals must be fed, and other tasks must be addressed. And while finding beauty on a day like this may seem difficult, it’s really not: it’s there, just waiting to be found.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Gaily Green ‘Gainst Gray”
“F” that, indeed! I never fail to amaze myself with unexpected optimism; for example, hoping that the water hose will work during a cold snap. With this hope, however, comes the very real possibility that it’ll be dashed…and I’ll end up soggy and behind schedule.
Continue reading “Farm Follies: Frost-Facilitated Foibles”
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”
I live in the country. I haven’t always lived in the country – I’ve resided in both urban and suburban areas before – but I’m definitely rural now. And that means I don’t live under CC&Rs that dictate how often I have to mow or what color I can paint my house. It also means I can let my property be as natural as I choose: (a) untamed, (b) partially tamed, or (c) ridiculously manicured. I choose “b”.
Continue reading “Musings: Unapologetically And Unabashedly Unkempt”