Sunday, April 13, 2014

Hot Weather is HERE!

It looks like Central Virginia has gone from winter straight into summer.   Eighty degree days this weekend, but hot or not, it was time to get the field work done.

The corn went in on Thursday while the other vegetable beds were cleared for planting.   This  year we decided to put up fencing that should keep the chickens and (hopefully) deer out of the market gardens.  

Carrots, onions and potatoes were set out in our half barrel system for root crops.  We like to keep edible root crops in sterile soils each year.   Netting is needed over these too or the chickens will harvest the greens long before maturity.



The cover crops have done well keeping the weeds under control.    Can you find the four leafers in these two clusters of clover?




How 'bout now?



The chickens have moved into production gear.  We're getting plenty of eggs for Easter.   $4.00 per dozen for local pickup/delivery.   The quails are just starting to lay.  We should see more of their eggs as the season progresses.


And Ashe says HAPPY EASTER!






Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Tis the Season

For hatching chicks, starting seeds and SNEEZING!  Yup, the trees are mating and sending their pollen everywhere.   A GREAT way to deal with the seasonal allergies without drug is to use local honey.   Make sure it comes from a source within a fifty mile radius of where you spend most of your time.   A teaspoon every day (or even once a week) really does help.  And it's soooooo sweet too.

The hubby finished my new compost tumbler.   It's loaded up and ready to make that rich organic fertilizer!




Some of our new Dominique chicks, now four weeks old.  Those with more white in their barring are likely to be males.  So far it looks like three boys and seven girls.   We'll have to wait and see how they mature.



And Heathcliff's first group of offspring is now almost two weeks old.   They are just starting to get that downy bump where the crest feathers will come in.    So easy to tell the boys from girls with this autosexing breed.  Four males and seven females.  Can you pick out the boys?  There are also four black Langshan youngsters in the brooder too.