Tuckers Turkey Farm

Life is SO good

2012-01-07T10:57:00.006-05:00

Today I posted this on facebook:

it is like a warm spring morning on the farm...I can smell the rain in the distance, the roosters and chasing and calling, then hens are scratching and escaping, the ducks and geese are talking and swimming and life here is so good it just takes my breath away.

I came into the house after dumping the compost and Good Life by OneRepublic is playing on my iPod, and though he is not talking about farm life I can apply some of the lyrics to my life here on the farm. I could complain about a lot of things, things that I have not gotten done, about the constant contamination of my farm pond, the lack of good fencing.... but I just can't. I go outside and instead I see all the beauty and I realize how very luck I am to be alive, to have a little piece of heaven here in this beautiful town of Berea. I love my chickens, ducks and especially my geese. I love my cold frames and my farm cats, and visits from the neighbors peacock. I love the birds in my feeders. When there is so much to be thankful for it just seems like complaining about anything is a waste of this very very short life that we have here on earth. The weather is due to turn brutally cold again, and even then when I have to defrost the waters and freeze my fingers off to feed the farm animals I will not complain. I will come in the house, enjoy a cup of tea and look through my seed catalogs and dream of all the wonderful possibilities that spring will bring. Life is going by too fast. Enjoy every second.

This has gotta be the good life

This had gotta be the good life

This could really be a good good life.

When your happy like a fool, let it take you over.

Melting!

2011-07-31T15:35:00.005-04:00

As many of you already know we are living through one of the HOTTEST summers in a long time. We have lost two chickens to the heat, but all of the other animals are doing well. We are checking on the animals several times a day in this heat, making sure that they all have cool water to drink during the day. The garden didn't do as well as I had hoped this year, but that is OK. I am getting ready to plant my fall garden. I grew a new type of cabbage this year that is actually doing very well, it is called

Couer De Beouf Des Vertus. I have NO idea how to pronounce it, but it is growing well, though it is very vulnerable to the c

abbage worm so I have to go out and hand pick the worms and eggs, but I am about to harvest the cabbage and I bet that it will be worth it. I just love cabbage and I am so excited to try this one!

Here is what it looks like. Please be sure to support you local farmers, without you we would soon cease to exist!

Spring is here!

2011-04-23T11:51:00.007-04:00

Spring has been very busy here at TTF! I ordered 50 new laying hens from Murray McMurray hatchery to keep up with the demand for fresh pastured raised chicken eggs. I have also added more ducks and geese to the farm as well. We are up to our elbows in cute fuzzy babies!
The weather here has been very rainy, but I have to say that I don't mind it. I have a lot of seedlings out in the garden that really need it.
The apple, peach, pear and cherry trees have already flowered and I am hopeful that we will have a large supply of fresh fruit this year. I also planted 30 pounds worth of seed potatoes this year! I am growing German butterball, and our favorite All blue from Seed Savers Exchange! I also ordered seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds, my favorite! We are going to grow LOTS of Hazelfield tomatoes this year, they did very well here last year. I am also looking forward to growing peanuts again, and this year hopefully getting to eat them! The chickens found out where I set them outside to dry and ate every last one of them! I think I will dry them in a dehydrator this year. Are you planting this spring? What are you trying that is new?
Speaking of food...right now my favorite food is fresh asparagus with poached eggs! If you have not tried them together I can't recommend it highly enough! Get some fresh eggs from your local farmer, cook your asparagus in boiling water, scoop them out and then drop your eggs into that same water and poach them. Asparagus tastes so good dipped into egg yolk! Try eating local this spring, I promise you will enjoy it!

My Favorite Season

2010-09-29T23:25:00.002-04:00

It is been a very long, very hot and very dry summer. The weeds loved it. I certainly did NOT!
Herbs did great, as did the asparagus and we are still getting some tomatoes. Today we harvested peanuts from the upper garden which was a wonderful surprise! It is like finding a buried treasure and in my opinion it is better than gold.
It's time to plant some fall crops such as:

Kale – Nutritious leafy greens on productive plants that over-winter easily even in cold climates.
Collards – Another leafy green similar to kale but with larger, stronger flavored leaves.
Lettuce – Plant varieties bred especially for growing during the fall season or in cold frames.
Spinach – Not as easy to grow as kale and collards, these leafy greens will also over-winter.
Turnips – Here’s a quick maturing root crop that’s productive and easy to grow.
Rutabagas – Larger and sweeter than turnips, plant earlier in the summer for fall harvests.
Broccoli – Popular, productive and much easier to grow than cauliflower.
Cauliflower – Finicky grower, planting must be timed well in order to develop large heads.
Mustard – Spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast growing vegetable.
Mache – Very cold hardy, mild greens can be grown right into the winter months.
Cabbage – Grow from transplants (like broccoli and cauliflower) or start seeds indoors under lights.
Oriental Vegetables – Wide range of unusual varieties are available for fall production.
Escarole – A bitter leafy green vegetable that can be cooked or used raw as a salad green.
Endive – Similar to escarole with attractive frilly leaves.
Brussels sprouts – Start seed in early summer or purchase transplants.
Arugula – Fast growing leafy greens for salads or gourmet recipes.
Leeks – One of the hardiest plants in the garden, leeks can even withstand winter freezes.

Enjoy the fall, and don't forget to get those cameras out and take lots of pictures!

Spring, not summer

2010-04-19T23:00:00.005-04:00

Spring started out very warm here and I already have a jump on my farmers tan. Temps were soaring into the 80s for a few weeks, but now things have cooled off again. I am actually glad about that because my peas, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts were not doing well in the heat. There were two mornings with frost after the last frost date, but everything seems to be doing well so far. The apple trees are just about done blooming and the peach trees finished about three weeks ago, the cherries and pears are also done as well. I look forward to all the fruit this year.
We have started to give farm tours for the first time, and I think that they are going well. I love to tell the story of how we got here. The kids help a lot too setting up their rock collection and lining up the pet cages to show off all of our animals. Over the last few months we have sold some animals and gained some. Rabbits are the newest addition and I just love to watch them hop around the house and tear old coloring books to shreds, throwing paper everywhere and making a bloody mess! We now have a broody hen sitting on about 10 eggs so we are expecting little ones in about two more weeks. We were hoping for some broody ducks this year, but that is not looking too good right now. The white chinese goose is sitting on a bunch of eggs so we are hoping that some of them may hatch out this year because none of them hatched last year. I will keep everyone updated on our facebook page.
For plants I have started about 80 tomatoes, and equal amount of basil and then, in smaller amounts: cilantro, rosemary, sweet majoram, oregano, romanesco broccoli, leeks, onions, garlic chives, and flowers. I bought pepper plants and raspberry plants this year. I had my first asparagus come up this year, which I had found lying on the ground after I accidentally chopped it off while removing the chicken wire from that section from the garden. Keep laughing...it could happen to you! The herbs survived the winter well for the most part, except for the rosemary, which happens to be my very favorite. I have declared war on the mint, chocolate, and other types because they are running through the herb bed like wild unruly children. Mint makes a wonderful tea and has many other uses so none of it will go to waste. The one thing that I am most excited to grow this year are pineapple tomatillos. I couldn't believe it when I saw them in a catalog so I just had to try them. Last year the tomatillos did great in the garden.
Finally, to the right is my pea box, as I like to call it.
My friend got the box for 5 dollars, Dan salvaged the
four posts out of the trash, and I stapled leftover
chicken wire to the sides. The peas will grow up the chicken wire which will shade the lettuce growing in the box. I think that I will add carrots to the soil later when the lettuce is done.
So... what are you doing in your garden this year? And most important of all... are you supporting your local farmers? Please be sure you do!

Waiting for Spring

2010-03-01T13:08:00.004-05:00

I went for a walk around the farm the other day and guess what I say under the hazelnut trees? The crocuses have poked through the ground, but the flowers haven't opened yet. The weather people are saying we may get into the 50s later this week. I went through all my seeds the other day to see what I have and I walk through the garden trying to plan for this year. One of our geese has already started laying eggs so I will begin shipping orders of goose eggs soon. The chickens have slowed down with the cold weather, but we are hoping they will pick up soon so we will be able to fill more orders. I have been reading books by Joel Salatin and I really love his books. I have learned a lot about making my farm more profitable, and I am trying to take steps in that direction. Going local is all the rage right now, but we need to stop talking about it and start really supporting local farmers by putting our wallets into our local economy and not into the pockets of the evil empire. I bought some goat the other day from a local farmer and I would encourage you to take some of your money and put it into your local farms, without YOU we will all disappear! I love farm life, and I can't imagine any better way to spend the rest of my days here on earth.
If you are wondering where your food comes from I encourage you to watch the movie FOOD INC. Stay warm, and remember SPRING IS COMING!!!

It's Been a Long Winter

2009-03-14T16:54:00.009-04:00

It has been a long winter here on the farm. We made it through the ice storm ok, losing power for under two hours and we also lost two pine trees by the pond. We were very lucky!
Our seeds arrived from Baker Creek this week and I was so excited. Spring IS coming, and the sooner the better. I ordered lots of tomatoes in different colors. I also ordered cukes, watermelons, leeks, pumpkins, corn, peas, carrots, and I will be growing LOTS of herbs. I have found that I enjoy growing herbs and I plan to expand my herb garden to at least twice what it was last year. I have started 3 trays of seeds so far, but I am just beginning! I am starting flowers, tomatillos, brussel sprouts and peppers indoors right now.

The animals did well through the winter and we now have a broody hen. The hens have started laying more eggs (thank you girls!) The geese have started laying eggs and we expect the ducks to follow any day now. We hope to sell baby ducks this year, and maybe some geese too. Last year we hatched out 4 ducks and one goose!

Right now I am reading The Plant Propagators Bible by Miranda Smith, so once you are ready to go beyond seed starting I highly recommend it!

Here are some links on seed starting. Have fun!

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/ten-seed-starting-tips.aspx

http://www.humeseeds.com/indoor.htm

http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/starting_seeds_indoors.html

Where do you order seeds? I get my seeds from Bakers Creek and Seed Savers Exchange. But there are other great companies. Here are a few!

http://rareseeds.com/

http://www.seedsavers.org/

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

http://www.wellsweep.com/

And then of course you have to prepare your garden for spring! If you don't have a compost pile start one now. Lay cardboard out on the area that you want to grow on and put some rocks on it so it wont blow away. Warm days are coming, before you know it you will be in your garden planting food! Until then read lots of good gardening books and magazines while wrapped in a nice warm blanket.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T21:43:00.006-05:00

I can hardly believe that another year has gone by. 2008 flew by as if it were only a month long. It is true that the older you get, the faster time goes by. Life is still busy here, even in winter. The chickens are still laying eggs, though not as many. I am busy composting and putting leaves on my garden to protect my soil from the freezing temps. The chickens love to scratch it off just so I can put it back again! We have adopted a few more chickens and a duck as well. We also had our first clutch of ducks hatch and that was SO exciting. The babies are now larger than their mum. We have one chicken named Pumpkin who is very friendly. She will walk into the house if you hold the door open and she will fly up onto the couch or into your lap and sit with you. We have been adopted by a large rooster we call Captain Grey. My neighbor lost almost all of her chickens to a pack of wild dogs in the last two months, and I guess he was lonely so he has been coming down here each day. In the morning we went into the barn to let the chickens out of the coop and there he was, waiting for the girls! At first he would leave every night but now he sleeps in the barn, we leave a door open for him and he flies up there. He won't go into the coop, but all the better I say because we have three roosters in there already. I imagine that would be a bloody mess, as roosters love to fight! We have also added two dogs and two goats to the farm. I love the goats, they are very friendly and fun to have. I have also become a dog person. I just love dogs more each day. My favorite are still the chickens though. I can just stand outside for hours and watch them and listen to all the noises they make. When I go outside with the compost bucket I look behind me and find at least 15 chickens trailing behind me. Yes, country life suits me.
The seed catalogs have been coming in since before Christmas so I am often dreaming about growing a very large garden. It has been very warm lately but I find there is nothing that fills me with sunshine on dark and cold winter days then pictures of tomatoes, cukes and flowers. My favorite are always Seed Saver Exchange and Baker Creek. What are you planting this year?
It's never too early to start planning and composting so start today!
Don't forget to feed the birds and provide them with water this winter.

Fall on the Farm

2008-10-17T11:30:00.008-04:00

The cool weather is finally setting in, and there are changes all around. The trees are bursting into beautiful colors, one last chorus before they all fall to the earth. This morning I went outside and stood in the garden and just listened to the sounds of the chipping sparrows, song sparrows, house sparrows, blue jays, nuthatches and many other birds. I could smell wood burning, I assume that is someone's attempt to ward off the chilly air. Soon there will be a frost so it is time to think about covering the roses and cutting the herbs one last time before putting them to bed for the winter. We have acquired two goats, and they have so graciously mowed down my garden of all weeds so I can think about planting some cool weather crops now. The harvest this year was good despite the lack of rain. Peppers were abundant, as were the McIntosh apples. There were so many apples that the branches had to bend almost to the ground under the weight of them! The tomatoes did well, and we had some lettuce as well. The potatoes did not produce as much as we had hoped because the potato beetle got them again, but we did enjoy eating them. This year we ordered all blue and red gold. The red gold are creamy and so yummy, and the blue are great for making fries, chips and mashed potatoes. The flowers and herbs did well, and I was so pleased.

Each day as I walk out and just take in the sights around me, like the six black fuzzy baby ducks that hatched, or the chickens who come up to me and talk to me, the sun coming over the mountian, or the moon lighting up the night I am just in awe and wonder of all the blessings that farm life has been. I can't imagine any other life now. There are times when I miss home and some of the things that city life has to offer, and I will always miss the ocean but this is where I belong. Here in the midst of roosters crowing, hens laying, birds singing, and food growing. Here I will live and grow and discover and learn and pass it all on to my children. This is the good life.

Warm Days on The Farm

2008-05-30T12:18:00.005-04:00

This morning I got up and went straight out into the garden. I went out just after ten and it was about 70 degrees out and starting to feel humid. I started to move pieces of wood around to mark around what will soon be the watermelon garden. Meghan helped me. She is so funny, she loves to help in the garden. I had to move these 6 foot long wood poles and she grabbed one end while I got the other. She also helps me pull weeds in the strawberry garden, which will be next to the watermelons. On the way by something red caught my eye. There were cherries on the cherry tree! Perfect little red cherries! I was so excited. Meghan wanted to eat them, and I was trying to explain to her that they weren't ripe yet, so they wouldn't taste that good. We then went into the garden and I started to pull weeds from the herb bed. She went down to check her potatoes (which she keeps calling tomatoes) and she started yelling because she found two Colorado Potato beetles. Don't worry, the plants have been saved, I squished the bugs with my sandal! Joshua made some horseradish spray by putting leaves of the horse radish into water in a spray bottle and letting it sit in the sun, and that is supposed to help keep the beetles off, so I will have Meghan spray hers potato plants with some the next time we head out there.

I pulled up some radishes, which are shown above, and they are extra spicy even when they are this small. YUM! Radishes are by far one of the easiest things to grow. Even if you don't eat them it is so much fun to grow them with kids who can't wait for things to grow! They are ready to pick within ten days. In the garden there is one tomato that has flowers, there are some florettes showing on the broccoli, there are flowers on the bean plants, some of the shallots that I planted and thought for sure they were dead have come up, the onions are doing great as well. The peppers aren't growing as fast as I would like, but they are doing ok. The corn is coming up, and you can tell which one is the strawberry popcorn because it has dark red stalks. My climbing rose on the side of the house has its first open bud, which is a beautiful pale pink and there are lots of other buds just waiting to open. The climbing rose in the duck area is in full flower and has a wonderful scent to it. The peach trees are doing well, the fruit is about the size of a kiwi fruit. The apple trees are just weighed down with apples, so I am hoping for a great harvest this year. There are grapes on the grapevine, and I still have three grapevines that need planting! And unfortunately the weeds are also doing great so I have hours of weeding ahead of me...but that can wait for tonight when it isn't so warm.

The birds are very active right now. As I sit here writing there is a chipping sparrow carving out large chunks of suet, letting them drop to the ground to eat it, then flying back up to wipe its beak off on the branch. The red winged black birds are also eating the suet, along with the downy woodpeckers, and red bellied woodpeckers. I haven't seen the white or red breasted nuthatches yet but I am hoping they will make an appearance soon. There are Carolina chickadees nesting in a dead tree in the orchard, and the bluebirds are very active, which is great because they eat tons of insects. There are cardinal and robins and grackles and the list could go on and on.

The pond is starting to become covered with duckweed again, and the boys brought home some fish for the pond although I am not sure if any of them survived. The bullfrogs have started singing and the peepers seem to have quieted down now that they have finished announcing "SPRING IS COMING! SPRING IS COMING!" I love watching the changes that happen all over the farm season by season. It reminds me so much of God and how things are new every morning, and how great is His faithfulness! When you live on a farm you get to see those promises unfold in so many ways right in front of your eyes.

Planting Time

2008-03-24T10:31:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend I planted out 75 strawberry plants. 5o of them are June bearing, and 25 are everlasting. I planted them carefully and then covered them with a thick blanket of straw because I knew that it would dip into the 30s for the next few nights. I also planted cabbage, peas, beans, radish, rutabega and lettuce in a seperate bed. I covered the beans with straw to protect them from the cold as well. I purchased some Johnny Jump ups and planted them and I also acquired a rosemary and lavendar plant. I still haven't decided how I will design my herb garden yet.

Planting was back breaking work but I felt quite satisfied when I was finished. I am still trying to decide where to till up a new garden, the site that I had wanted to plant is filled with gravel (quite suitable for lavendar) so now I must come up with a new plan. I also need to find a way to fence in the garden to keep the chickens out! They have already been scratching the straw off my strawberry beds and I don't want them to eat all of the seedlings. When the plants are strong and mature I will allow them in the garden on a limited basis to help with bug control.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/strawberries/growing.html

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1998/3-13-1998/plantsb.html

THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

2008-02-13T11:17:00.004-05:00

Well, there are only two days left until the GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT! Dust off your field guides, and get your binoculars ready to count the birds. See the bottom of the page for links on how to identify birds that you are most likely to see in your backyard.

You can submit your results here:
http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/input

WHAT IS THE GBBC you ask??
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

Participants count birds anywhere for as little or as long as they wish during the four-day period. They tally the highest number of birds of each species seen together at any one time. To report their counts, they fill out an online checklist at the Great Backyard Bird Count web site. As the count progresses, anyone with Internet access can explore what is being reported from their own towns or anywhere in the United States and Canada. They can also see how this year's numbers compare with those from previous years. Participants may also send in photographs of the birds they see. A selection of images is posted in the online photo gallery. In 2007, participants reported a record-breaking 11 million birds of 616 species. They submitted more than 80,000 checklists, an all-time record for the ten years of the count.

Why Count Birds?
Anna's Hummingbird. Photo by JackDoyle, OR, 2007 GBBC participant
Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time.We need your help. Make sure the birds from your community are well represented in the count. It doesn't matter whether you report the 5 species coming to your backyard feeder or the 75 species you see during a day's outing to a wildlife refuge.

Your counts can help us answer many questions:
How will this winter's snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?
Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others?
How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?
How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?
What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?
Are any birds undergoing worrisome declines that point to the need for conservation attention?
Male Wood Duck. Photo by Tim Springer,TX, 2007 GBBC participant
Scientists use the counts, along with observations from other citizen-science projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and eBird, to give us an immense picture of our winter birds. Each year that these data are collected makes them more meaningful and allows scientists to investigate far-reaching questions.For highlights of past results, visit the Science Stories section of the GBBC web site.

http://www.whatbird.com/

http://www.birding.com/bird_identification.asp

http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/birds.html

http://davenation.com/birds/

http://www.attractwildbirds.com/identifybirds/most-common.htm

http://www.emporia.edu/ksn/v42n2-february1996/birds.htm

Baby Chicks

2008-02-11T13:33:00.000-05:00

We ordered our chicks from Ideal Poultry this year. The customer service over the phone has been excellent so far, and the chicks arrived healthy two days after shipping. We ordered 25 chicks, and we have lost one, and I haven't figured out why she died. I spend a lot of time fussing over them, making sure their water is clean and that they have plenty of food and I also talk to them a lot. Right now we have 8 chickens in the coop, and I love when they follow me around outside looking for treats. They make musical chirps, it is a beautiful sound! I keep them in a refigerator box with pine shavings, a 250 watt light bulb and the box is also next to a baseboard heater which is set on low. There is plenty of room for them to run around, but I would not place more than 25-30 in a box this size. I always make sure to spray our shoes with Lysol when we come in and I always wash my hands when I come in from caring for my chickens outside.
Here is some more information on raising baby chicks!

http://www.kountrylife.com/content/how15.htm

http://www.mypetchicken.com/ebook.aspx?Chapter=4

http://www.upc-online.org/caring_for_chicks.html

http://www.strombergschickens.com/stock/chick_care.php

Cleaning the Chicken Coop

2008-01-25T11:16:00.000-05:00

Winter is a good time to clean out the coop. The weather is cold and I think it makes it easy to tolerate this sometimes unpleasant chore. I didn't mind doing it, I actually enjoy chores around the farm. I love my chickens and I love giving them a nice clean place to lay their eggs, sleep and eat. They don't spend too much time in the coop, because we let them out every day to roam around the farm.

We are planning to make some renovations to the coop. The hen that you see in the picture is sitting on the loft, and I want to change the area underneath the loft into a nursery area for baby chicks, or for a hen and chicks in case any of my hens go broody. I am also going to build nest boxes and we will need another roost too. I can't wait to order more chicks! I am reading a great book right now by one of my favorite authors Carol Ekarius called Storeys Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. There are lots of great photos and information on chickens. We have decided that we are going to order more laying hens, more broilers to eat and maybe even a few chickens that are rare. Here are some web sites about chicken coops!

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/10.html

http://www.demesne.info/Garden-Help/Keep-Chickens/Planning-Coops.htm

http://www.mybackyardchickenfarm.com/chickencoop.html

http://www.henspa.focuspage.com/Henspa%20Features.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Build-a-Chicken-Coop---6-Crucial-Elements-on-Building-a-Chicken-House&id=477219

http://backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html

http://www.mypetchicken.com/

Meet Big Red

2007-12-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

Big Red is our head rooster. We have three roosters right now. Red watches carefully over all the hens. He warns them of danger, and when he finds food he calls to them with a beautiful clucking call. I love to watch him. He doesn't share his hens with the other roosters, and if they try to get too close to the hens he chases them off. There have been some scuffles when the white rooster tries to challenge him, but he has won every battle so far. If you are going to have laying hens I highly recommend one rooster, and no more for your hens. If you have a large number, say over 20 then you may want two of them. Choose your breed carefully especially if you have small children. Right now we have three roosters. The Silver Laced Wyandotte had gone after me and my four year old, so he will be turned into chicken soup soon.

I am almost positive that Big Red is a New Hampshire Red. I didn't order him, I just bought him at the local Farm and Garden store. If something happens to him, I will definitely consider buying another one. So far he is very friendly even with my daughter. She has spent a lot of time with him because he is her chicken. She loves to hold him, and he does very well.

Here are some great sites. Some have information about breeds, and some sell chickens too.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/default.aspx

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/default.html

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-518.pdf

Well, that should keep you busy for a while! I don't think that I will blog again until after the holidays so MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's Never Too Early

2007-12-01T21:14:00.000-05:00

I have started to pull out some old seed catalogs while I wait for the new ones to arrive in time for Christmas. I got an e-mail from Baker Creek today informing me that their 2008 catalog has been sent to the printers. Check it out at http://www.rareseeds.com/ There is nothing more exciting for the gardener than the arrival of colorful catalogs in the dead of winter when all is devoid of color and bare. I have great plans already. I have fallen in love with roses for some reason. Right now I have 4 rose plants. I think that I am going to learn how to propagate them so I can have more. Propagation is something I am fascinated with! The thought of cutting off a bit of a plant I love and growing it into another whole plant is so exciting! I dream of trellises filled with roses, and roses climbing onto the porch filling the house with sweet smells. I am also dreaming of pumpkin patches and lots of tomatoes and yummy lemon cucumbers for my plate. A winter without dreams is like a gardener without a bit of soil. Well, I am off to do some more dreaming. What are your plans for next year?

The Snow Bird

2007-11-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

The dark eyed junco arrived today! I was so excited. There were three of them foraging through the remains of my garden. I spread some seeds on the ground near the area

that I saw them, hoping this will encourage them to stay in the area for at

least a few more days! Here is some more information from enature.com

This lively territorial bird is a ground dweller and feeds on seeds and small fruits in the open. It also moves through the lower branches of trees and seeks shelter in the tangle of shrubs. Until recently the many geographical forms of this bird were considered separate species, but since they interbreed wherever their ranges meet, they are now considered one species.
description 5-6 1/4" (13-16 cm). This species shows much geographic variation in color. Typically, male of western population ("Oregon Junco") has black hood, chestnut mantle, white underparts with buff sides. Eastern male ("Slate-colored Junco") is dark slate-gray on head, upper breast, flanks, and upperparts, with white lower breast and belly. Both forms have pink bill and dark gray tail with white outer tail feathers conspicuous in flight. The pine forests of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and eastern Montana have an isolated population ("White-winged Junco") similar to the eastern form but with 2 white wing bars and extensive white outer tail feathers. Birds of the Southwest ("Gray-headed Juncos") are gray overall, with a reddish-brown back. Female "Oregon Junco" has gray hood; females of all forms less colorful.

My New Allies

2007-11-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

I have never really liked the American Crow much, especially when I was in the city. They were loud, persistent and messy! My opinion of them has now been changed forever! Yesterday a large Red-shouldered Hawk decided that my chickens looked like a nice tasty lunch. All of the chickens were hiding in the coop, all expect my red hen Chili. I thought for sure she was gone. I went out and got a good look at this huge and beautiful hawk, but I was feeling sad about the loss of my little red hen. Then I noticed the crows. They were swooping and yelling "Leave our territory!" It was then that I realized how important they are to me. Their persistence and complete lack of fear chased the hawk away, and I am happy to report that Chili is fine, she was spotted about an hour later in the yard. Now every time I hear the crows I stop and survey the sky and trees for a large feathered predator. I love the predators, and now I love the crows too.

Fall Birdwatching at the Farm

2007-11-03T18:07:00.000-04:00

The Carolina Wren (right) is just one of the many birds that are visiting the farm here in the fall. We were so excited last week to have a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers return last week. They were flying through the orchard early in the afternoon. They are truly magnificent birds. If you are looking for a great book about a similar but much rarer Woodpecker to read then I highly recommend The Grail Bird by Tim Gallagher. (the story of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker) You can learn more about this book here: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/pastsearches/2004_2005/stories_reports_0405/grail_bird_html/document_view

We also have Caroline Chickadees (below), Tufted Titmice, House Finches, Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, Starlings, Marsh Wrens, Peregrine Falcons, Cardinals, Goldfinches, Red Winged Blackbirds, Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and one of my very favorite the White Breasted Nuthatch.

You can count birds each day and then submit your results to Ebird!

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

This is a great project for homeschoolers, or bird lovers. To take care of your feathered friends during the winter you will want to offer them food, and water, especially when your land is all frozen and water is hard to come by.

When winter has left trees barren and daylight hours are few, birds still fill our suburban landscapes. We marvel at the resourcefulness of wild birds as they search out food and warmth through the long winter months.
We can help to provide these birds with food, cover, roosting areas, and nesting spots by planting native seed and berry-producing trees, shrubs, and vines. Should we also set out feeders? Experts disagree as to whether backyard bird feeding makes a significant difference for whole bird populations, but for the individual birds in your own backyard, feeding certainly can help. Winter feeding also gives you a chance to observe wild birds at close range.
When to feed—Feed more often at times of peak energy demand, such as during temperature extremes, nesting season, migration, and in late winter or early spring, when natural seed sources are depleted.
Where to feed—Birds are most likely to eat where they feel safe. Make sure that there is nearby cover to which birds can quickly escape from predators, such as free-roaming cats. Place ground-level feeders in spots where predators cannot hide easily, and set up a loose mesh fence around the feeder.
If the feeders are near a window, alter the appearance of the glass to help reduce window collisions. Try covering windows with a fine plastic garden netting, placing hawk silhouettes about four inches apart on the outside of the window, or painting a scene on the window's exterior with soap. Many birds will feed at more than one level, but they do have their preferences.
Ground level: mourning doves, sparrows, towhees, juncos
Table level: cardinals, finches, and jays Hanging feeders: titmice, goldfinches, chickadees
Tree trunks: woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens
Selecting a feeder—Plastic, steel, or glass feeders are best because they are easy to clean. Feeders with porous surfaces, such as wood or clay, can be difficult to clean and may grow dangerous algae and fungi. Smaller feeders empty out more quickly, so there's less chance of wet, spoiled seeds. Rain can be a problem, so make sure the feeder has drainage holes, and consider placing a plastic dome on top.
Proper maintenance—Regular upkeep is necessary to keep your feeder free from contamination by disease-causing bacteria.
Set up more than one feeder and allow ample space between feeders.
Choose feeders that have no sharp edges or points. To help keep food cleaner, use feeders that allow birds to perch away from the food.
Clean feeders often. Immerse them in a 5–10 percent solution of chlorine bleach and warm water for two or three minutes. Scrub with a stiff brush or a scouring pad, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and dry completely before refilling. Clean feeders designed for ground-feeding birds every two days.
Rake up spilled seeds, hulls, and feces at least once a week.
Keep seed dry, free of mold, and safe from squirrels by storing it in a metal can with a tight-fitting lid, such as a clean garbage can. Discard damp seed.
In wet weather, put out only enough seed to last several hours.
If you notice dead birds or obviously sick birds (they're less active and less alert) near your feeding station, stop feeding immediately. Discard all seed; then clean and disinfect all feeders and the ground below them. Wait a week before resuming feeding.
Water—Birds need water year-round for drinking and bathing. Set up at least one birdbath. The surface should be easy to clean, and there should be a gently sloping shallow end. Place the birdbath away from the feeders to keep the water from being contaminated. Rinse the birdbath daily before refilling it, and clean it once a week, using a 5–10 percent solution of chlorine bleach. You can use a birdbath heater that has a built-in thermostat to warm up the water just enough to keep it from freezing. Never add antifreeze or other chemicals to the water.
In your absence—Keep your feeding schedule consistent, but don't worry if you must stop feeding briefly—while traveling, for example. Wild birds will find other food in your absence, especially in suburban areas, where other bird feeders are just a short flight away. If you live in a rural or isolated area, however, try to arrange to have a neighbor maintain the feeders in your absence, just as you would have someone look after your pets or houseplants.
Providing food for wild birds will help the winter pass more comfortably for them, while adding interest and activity to your winter days. Come spring, as the nesting season unfolds, you'll have the added pleasure of recognizing many of the birds as individuals.
Excerpted and adapted from The HSUS's brochure, Backyard Feeding of Wild Birds.

A great book

2007-09-19T23:15:00.000-04:00

I have just finished this book and I loved it. I truly gives hope to a weary farmer like myself and I only have three acres. I laughed, cried and was deeply moved and inspired as I read this book. I am happy to know that I am not the only one who left the city to have a small farm. If I ever get a chance to visit New York I am going to find Keith to thank him for this book, and also to buy some of his garlic, which I hear is some of the best in New York! So thank you, Keith for inspiring me to continue on in my dream of transforming my small patch of land into a sustainable farm.

The Farmers Great Helper: Assassin Bugs

2007-09-10T14:15:00.000-04:00

TAXONOMY
KINGDOM: Animalia PHYLUM: Arthropoda CLASS: Insecta ORDER: Hemiptera FAMILY: Reduviidae (assassin bugs & ambush bugs)

Other Names: Reduviids

What are Assassin Bugs? They are bugs that are located all over the world, with several species.
Are Assassin Bugs helpful at all? Yes, they are among the beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and praying mantises, who prey on insects that can harm our garden and crop plants. But you wouldn't want to pet one!
Are Assassin Bugs hurtful at all? Yes, some species spread disease with their bites (see article below). Many also have a painful bite, designed primarily for biting other insects.
Here are selected bits of information about the assassin bug collected from various sources:
a. Conenose bugs (assassin bugs and kissing bugs). The family Reduviidae has a short, 3-segmented beak attached to the tip of the head. The prosternum is grooved to receive the beak when the bug rests. Antennae have four segments and the anterior portion of the head is extended. There are over 3,000 species of reduviids, about 100 of which suck blood. Blood-sucking species are generally abundant in warm areas of the New World from the southern U.S. to South America. Most are predaceous, sucking the blood of other insects giving them the name "assassin bugs". Those that suck the blood of warm-blooded animals have a slender straight beak and the antennae are inserted on the side of the head between the eyes and the end of the beak. Predaceous forms have a stout beak and antennae are on top of the head. One species, Reduvius personatus, is known for its painful bite and is commonly called the "masked hunter". This entire family of bugs is commonly called "conenose bugs".
Other names: kissing bugs, ambush bugs and thread-legged bugs. The "kissing bug" bites humans at night, including biting lips, ears, and eyelids for blood.
A group of assassin bugs in the tropics, known as Conenose bugs, transmit the serious human Chagas Disease, which sometimes causes death.

Chinese Red Noodle Bean

2007-08-27T11:54:00.000-04:00

The Chinese Red Noodle bean has the most beautiful flowers, and they are the most striking bean I have ever seen. My son grew these in his three sisters garden this year. The beans were over 2 feet long, and were a dark red color. We ate some raw and we also cut them up and added them to chicken soup. They were really good. Even if you don't like green beans I would grow them just to enjoy their appearance. They did really well here in zone 6 despite the drought and humid conditions. We found that it was best to pick them when the beans were just starting to swell and had a bit of a bumpy appearance. Before that they were too stringy and after that they were too starchy. You can order these beans from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at http://www.rareseeds.com

Concord grapes

2007-08-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

We have one large and two small concord grapevines on our farmstead. Most people don't like to eat them right off the vine, but we all love the extra sour taste of them. I am going to try to make some freezer jam if I get enough grapes. The resident cardinals are quite fond of them too.

Here is a recipe to try:

Spiced Concord Grape Jelly

This type of jelly is sometimes called venison jelly because it is served with venison meat.

Yield: 2 1/2 Cups.
Ingredients:

3 or 31/2 pounds (2 quarts) Concord grapes

2 cinnamon sticks

10 allspice berries

3 cup sugar

4 sterilized

1/2 pint canning jars with lids and rings

Instructions:1. Stem and wash grapes, discarding any that are withered or blemished. Put them in a 4- to 6-quart stainless steel pot; mash them with a potato masher, extracting as mush juice as possible. Cook mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer, stirring, 10 minutes.
2. Strain through strainer. You should have 4 cups. Return juice to the same kettle. Add cinnamon sticks and allspice berries. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add sugar. Boil, stirring, for 20 minutes. To test for jelling, put a teaspoonful in a dish and put the dish in the freezer for a minute. If the jelly wrinkles when gently pushed with a finger, it's ready.
3. Strain to remove cinnamon sticks and allspice berries. Pack into hot sterilized jars. Label and date. Store in the refrigerator up to 6 months.
Cooking Tip: You'll notice that unlike some jelly recipes, this one has no added pectin, the substance that helps to create jelling. That's because Concord grapes are naturally high in pectin.

The Pond

2007-08-21T08:56:00.000-04:00

We love our pond. One of the many things that we desired to have when we bought our property was a pond. Of course I had no idea that our pond was full of snapping turtles until I found a goose floating in the pond with its head missing! We have pulled out 8 large ones so far, and 6 babies. Actually we didn't pull them out, I found turtle hunters to do it for me. What do I do with them? I let the turtle hunters take them home to make turtle soup. I have never tried turtle soup and I have no desire to.
I wonder if previous owners actually made this a turtle pond with the intentions of having an endless supply of turtle soup! I plan to build a walkway along the edge of the pond, and even a bridge across it eventually. I am going to fill the pond with catfish and bass for eating. I would also like to have a small fountain to get the water moving. Our pond is now home to crayfish, snails, spring peepers, bullfrogs, leopard frogs, dragonflies, and salamanders just to name a few! I love to stand by the pond at dusk and watch the bats fly over the pond eating insects, and I also open the windows at night and listen to the sounds coming from the pond. I would consider a pond a very beneficial addition to every homestead! It can provide a wonderful habitat for a diverse population of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

2007-08-18T14:57:00.000-04:00

The other day my son harvested his blue potatoes! There were over a hundred of them, which is great considering that we had a continuous assault of the Colorado Potato Beetle. We didn't use any sprays, though. We just picked them off and put them in a jar of water to drown them. While we were harvesting we found a tomato horn worm covered in wasp parasites. We left it in the garden so they eggs could hatch. We are hoping they will be back next year to help destroy even more of the big fat green and very hungry monsters! We made chips last night and they were so yummy! The middle was a cool, they were blue and when we fried them they turned a bit golden, but still with a hint of blue. They were the best chips ever!!!

Welcome to our Farm

2007-08-17T11:29:00.000-04:00

Welcome To Tuckers Turkey Farm. We are located in Madison County, Kentucky. We moved here in the spring of 2006, almost a thousand miles from home, far away from everyone we knew, in search of a dream. We lived by the ocean in New England and we loved it there. Soon we began to realize that we wanted more than just living in an apartment for the rest of our lives. We also wanted to live a more healthy life and grow our own food. I am a homeschooling mom of three and my husband is an electrician. Buying a farm anywhere in New England was next to impossible, so we brought out a map, closed our eyes and threw a dart to see where it would land. Just kidding. We carefully researched all over the country for a good place to raise our family and buy a small farm. We prayed and searched and soon had narrowed it down to three states. My husband posted his resume online and we finally decided that Kentucky would be the place for us to call home. Originally we wanted to move to Bowling Green, but God led us to Madison County instead. Four months after we moved here we closed on our very first home. It had everything that we needed, and a lot of things we wanted too. We love it here. I miss the ocean and our family and friends, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Stay tuned for more farm adventures! Pictured here is a chicken coop that we built ourselves!