Last night our first chick was successfully hatched... the old fashioned way!

This guy or gal is a cross breed... daddy is an Easter Egger, not sure about mama,

who is not the one pictured here. She is the broody adoptive mama, and a very good one!

Produce and Jars

 Our mini orchard that we started 3 years ago is giving us a decent crop this year.

I'm so looking forward to next year! 

Prices:
Peaches and Pluots available only this week

Organic Peaches  $1.50 per pound (about 5 medium sized peaches)

Organic Pluots $1.50 per pound (about 3 large pluots)

Organic Zucchini 50 cents per pound

Small bouquet of organic basil, sage, or snippet of rosemary 50 cents each
(the zucchini in the photo is LARGE so the fruit may appear smaller than it is)

I've been busy making jams and have 3 different kinds available. The strawberry has received rave reviews from family and friends. The plum and cherry have also gotten many compliments.

Prices:

Organic plum jam $3

Cherry jam $4

Strawberry jam $3

Each jar is made from local fruit and is a half pint (8 ounces)

Today, Veronica helped feed our hens. Its always a party with her around. :)

Francesca picking cherries

                                           
                                              Our boys and friends pitting cherries for the jam                                              

COMING SOON:

Thompson seedless grapes

More peaches

Dill pickles

Spicy dill pickles

Brandied pears

What's been going on?

There's been a few things going on around here. Jason built his first move-able coop.

It's an interesting design... we're still waiting for the girls to make it a "home".

Jason read that not only do ducks enjoy duck weed, but chickens do too... we have lots of it now.

We have only fished out a small amount from the creek so far and they ate some.
I wouldn't say they went crazy over it though.

Our bigger chicks are living in the garden triangle.

It's smelling better in the house!


The trees are showing some fruit. The first row we planted is 3 years old now.
Maybe it will be a good year, despite some peach curl here and there.

almonds

Bosc pear

May Pride peaches

The vertical garden is in too... been working on weed eating & organic ant control for the fruit trees... the Thompson Seedless and Muscat vines that went in last year are doing great... lavender not so great but a few plants are good. 

That's what's been going on... on the farm!

My Favorite Chicks Holding Chicks

Ameraucana Chick Photo Shoot

This afternoon I had fun with our smallest babies.

Chicken Changes

There have been some exciting chicken changes around here. Some sad some happy. A couple posts below I introduced Pretty Boy, a beautiful rooster. Just a few days later he was killed, along with two hens, by a neighborhood dog. I think that dog is gone now and we have been fortifying our chicken yard since.

It's chick time at the feeds stores and we have stocked up! 4 Buff Orpingtons, 5 Plymouth Barred Rocks, and 8 Aueracanas. We're also venturing out into a rare breed, the Black Copper Marans. They are pricier. We bought a rooster and a pullet. Hopefully in late summer she will begin laying her dark chocolate brown eggs. After some practice... we'll get these two Marans together and see if they can make some babies!

We also found mixed-breed laying young hens for sale near our church for only $6 each. So far we bought 6 of them to help supplement our flock due to the dog attacks.

Jason has been researching chicken tractors and movable coops.

More photos and info later!

Ladybug Love

A few days ago Jason and Francesca bought a container of ladybugs at OSH. They were released near our mini-orchard. Its always fun with the kids and the ladies!