Wednesday, August 28, 2013

how does your garden grow?

We've had another long dry spell and it's impacted the garden this year. The lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, peas radishes and beans all have managed with a little help from us. The garlic crop is great. The carrots are small - but the rabbits enjoyed the thinnings and I know the horses will enjoy whatever we don't eat.

Cucumbers, corn, spaghetti squash and zucchini?
Failures. Monumental failures in fact.

Not sure about potatoes yet - I'd guess so so but have been pleasantly surprised before.

We also have broccoli growing for the first time- I have nothing to compare it too - but if there were no bugs I think it would be doing what it should. Beets are small but tasty. Pumpkins are finally giving Big T a beautiful sprawled out patch. YAY!

and that's the way the garden grows

Interestingly the apples look like they will be great - guess we had water when needed for them!



Wednesday, August 14, 2013

here a peep there a peep everywhere a cheep cheep



We live with 4 Silkies - 3 hens, 1 rooster -it's our first time living with a rooster and Roo is a great bird - watchful, protective but accepting of all the rest of his family ...


We raised chicks for a friend this spring and were given 2 Ameracuna and 2 barred rock hens out of the chicks. They are beautiful and social birds.




About 3 weeks ago 2 of our Silkies very happily incubated a set of eggs and we now have 8 little chicks beeping and peeping and being adorable.

We have raised quite a few chicks to date - and we are finding it quite nerve wracking - so much is out of our control this way - and the chicks are quite skittish. That said it is amazing to watch a mother hen at work. the 2 girls co-parenting is pretty neat too. One chick is particularly bonded to one hen - the others are more attached to the other but both hens share duties quite evenly.



We do love out chickens!