Chickin' Pickin' In Here Game

Lambing is over and after an over 30-days hiatus of sleeping in 2-hrs blocks, or less, I finally get to sleep and take a little "vacation" -- well a farm vacation, which means I still get to do chores and a couple other things here and there for a few days. Today in my drive to chill and relax, while doing the chicken chores, I thought up of a new game. So here it is for all to enjoy:

If you have 2 or more chickens, which I would assume you do since I would never approve of having just 1 chicken, or just 1 sheep, or... well you get the point. So assuming so, and if you have children or want to enjoy some children like playing, which I highly recommend in today’s day and age of great responsibilities, then here's the game. 

This is a team game and each team consists of a human and certain a number of birds (a.k.a. chickens). Each team should have equal, or close to equal, number of chickens. However, in cases where certain birds are more like hogs than chickens, you might want to make the team equal on an ability level rather then a number level -- this is up to you of course. When the number of chickens is higher, an easy way to divide up the birds is by colors, breeds, etc. -- use your imagination... children by nature are very good at this, well at least before they get into TV and/or video-games. 

Next you'll need some treats for your chickens. Something like bread -- in small bites of course.... as we don't want to make the poor birds explode (I'm serious on this) -- works great.

The object of the game is to have your team get, I mean ingest, as many treats as possible. No, humans are not allowed to ingest... and no, not as quickly as possible. The other objects of the game are to increase patience -- by waiting for one's turn, to understand the value of time -- by appreciating quality of time with slowness rather than quantity with as fast as you can, and to be honest -- by playing fairly waiting your turn to throw the treat and keeping your own scoring.

Each team's human takes turn throwing a treat with the goal of having one of his/her bird ingest the treat. If the bird from the same team gets the treat, I mean gobbles the treat, then that team has a point. If a chicken from the opposing team gets and ingests the treat, or snatches the treat from another bird -- as sometime (yeah well often) chickens steal from each other -- and actually ingests it, then the point goes to the opposing team.

Spring Approaching at Stark Hollow Farm

Spring is here, though you wouldn't know it with the sky spitting snow up here on the side of Vermont's second highest peak, Camel's Hump.

But down in the barn, Icelandic ewes are bringing their beautiful lambs into the world, the new heritage breed chicks are feathering out in their nice, toasty brooder and our two pregnant Tamworth Pigs are starting to nose at the slowly thawing earth.

It's only a matter of time before the crocuses show their lovely faces and the pastures start to green.

New Heritage Breed Chicks Arrive

New Chicks

New heritage breed chicks have arrived at Stark Hollow Farm.

These will be raised to about 16 weeks and sold as pullets for folks who want laying hens. Each year we purchase 25-50 chicks depending upon our own flock needs, selling the rest to small, back yard or "urban" farmers who like to keep a few laying hens for their personal use. We provide healthy, fully feathered pullets that are on the verge of laying their first eggs. The hens we raise are heritage breeds, purchased as part of our on-farm heritage breed conservancy program. This year's chicks are comprised of all heritage breeds as follows:

Blue Andalusian (Threatened)

Black Australorp (Recovering)

Plymouth Barred Rock (Recovering)

Buff Orpington (Recovering)

Rhode Island Reds (Recovering)

Sivler Laced Wyandotte (Recovering)

Chicks arrive at 1 day old and immediate care must be given for hydration, food, electrolytes and heat. These little gals need to be maintained at 95 degree Fahrenheit. The temperature is reduced gradually over a number of weeks until the birds feather out.


Keep us in mind if you are looking for a small backyard flock this year!! Chicks will be available in early summer.

Breed photos courtesy of Murray McMurray Hatchery.

Chicks 2012

A new flock of chicks is feathering out nicely in the large brooder Vanessa built. They are cozy under the heat lamp up in the loft with the thumping of the rabbits to keep them company. These are layers, with the first eggs expected in July.

As usual we purchased a variety,including some rare breeds, in support of genetic conservation programs tracked by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (you will also find our Tamworth Pigs, a threatened breed, listed here).

There are Plymouth Barred Rock (recovering breed), Partridge Rock (recovering breed), Dominique (on watch breed), Buff Orpingtons (recovering), Speckled Sussex(threatened breed), New Hampshires (on watch breed), Black Australorp (recovering breed).

New Portable Chicken Condo

The most artistic, beautiful coop ever, designed and built lovingly by Vanessa. The construction follows traditional timber framing principles. Soon it will have wheels and be moving around the pasture behind the sheep.



Under construction...

Gardens at HOWL

Our gardens at HOWL - A Vermont Women's Land Trust, pictured below about 2 weeks ago, are in full swing. I have canned 8 pints of green beans. Numerous meals have been accompanied by this wonderful legume, which is so rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium & fiber. The piggies have had their fair share as well.



Summer squashes abound and a few tomatoes are finally ripening. Swiss chard, beets, turnips and of course lots and lots of basil. About 10 servings of pesto are now in the freeze. Soon the tomatillos will be turned into salsa verde and more pesto will be made. Potatoes survived an early tussle with the Colorado potato beetle. With some vigilant hand picking of those pesky larva, I managed to eliminate them. The early blight and I are having a time of it...so far I am winning. I heard the late blight was here in Vermont, but I am hopeful that I won't get it.

The piggies have been given the remains of the spinach, arugula and broccoli, and I chop up the really large zucchinis for a nice side dish at dinner time.

Clearing the pastures

Slowly clearing and improving pasture is a lot of work. With our new mower, we can mow down all the weeds that the sheep don't eat...but only after we cut out all the saplings. Look at this pile!! Icelandic sheep eat most all weeds...even some that are toxic! Icelandic sheep are perfect for Vermont climates and conditions and are really helping to bring these fields back.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly...

My friend Jude took this photo of two of our Plymouth Barred Rock chickens...I couldn't resist...

Stark Hollow Farm animals have arrived at HOWL

The Icelandic sheep, Tamworth pigs and layer hens of Stark Hollow Farm have moved to their summer home at HOWL - Vermont Women's Land Trust in Huntington, Vt. The grass was already hip high by the time the animals landed over the Memorial day weekend. The critters are so happy to be there. There are 24 sheep, 4 pigs and 9 chickens right now with a few more layers on the way. We are working with HOWL on stewardship of the land to help bring back the fallow pastures. This year we hope to have the sheep graze out the labyrinth so that it may once again be enjoyed by HOWL caretakers and visitors alike.

Vanessa & her new truck

Ain't she just a farmer now! Our new (well, really used) Ford F150 was a real asset as we moved all the animals from Starksboro onto summer pasture at HOWL. Oakley loves the bench seat. It's got a hitch for the trailer and everything...every farm has gotta have a truck!

Snake meets chickens

This friendly little guy lives near the chicken coop...he has struck up a mutually cautious relationship with the chickens. The garter snakes are not poisonous and are very common in Vermont, but I did witness the snake go into full strike mode and actually strike out at the chickens the first time they saw him. Chickens, being naturally curious and sure that anything small that moves must be food, walked cautiously over to check him out. He coiled up as you see here and held that position until all chickens were done and made a few warning strikes. The chickens for their part, not being the brightest animals in the kingdom, knew enough to leave him alone!

Chicks move to new home

The chicks are now fully feathered and moved to the main coop to finish growing out to pullets. Plymouth Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds with a Black Star thrown in for good luck! Cooler Vermont weather requires them to be well heated until their feathers come in, but now, a 5 weeks of age, they are almost ready to withstand the cool nights we still have this spring. Of course, capturing 46 flappering chirpering birds was no small task. But, a few lost feathers and about 45 minutes of my time and the birds were all settling in to their new home!

Chicklets

Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Barred Rock chicks have arrived and are thriving in the chick brooder which was custom crafted by Vanessa. They are now 2.5 weeks old and are feathering out nicely. We have had a 100% survival rate and are pleased to see them doing so well. Four were sold at a couple of days and the remaining 46 chicks will consume a gallon of water per day and a couple of pounds of crumbles. The grow quickly and soon will be moved into the main coop as the adult flock is moved onto pasture.

Storm of April 28th, 2010

The weather in Vermont never ceases to amaze me. It was a crazy day on the farm with 20" of heavy spring snow. Power went out during the wee smalls of the night and the chicks had to be heated with hot water bottles and eventually needed to be moved inside next to the wood stove. With fence lines down everywhere, the chain saw came out and offending tree limbs were removed. As we worked, the snow kept coming down. The silence was broken every 10 minutes or so by the sound of a cracking and falling limb or tree. It was scary for a while with trees coming down around us. The little piglets got out and had to be chased down, which, thankfully, wasn't too hard with the deep snow. In between clearing the electric netting and fence lines, we stopped to admire mother nature's work...and feed a bottle to little Bibo our last little lamb of the season, a triplet out of Mara who needs a little extra help. Once the snow stopped in the late afternoon, the sheep came out to scavenge the many fallen buds and leaves that were lost by the trees in the storm. They washed them down with fresh snow and tramped back to their hay lined shelters to ruminate on things.

Inspiring Local Newspaper Article

A newspaper article you might ask? No, I did not find it on the internet and yes, some still do read a paper newspaper you can hold in your hands. No, it wasn't me who had the paper -- although I actually would like to read a real paper newspaper i have no time to read (i.e. also am not the most prolific reader), do not want to use up paper if I don't have to, and do not want to waste money... so no paper for me, but I really like the idea.

In any case, now that I have managed to ramble along about nothing (i.e. thankfully i have no time to waste!), the newspaper article was given to us by Laura's parents. I admire them for reading the paper and am grateful to them for giving us the article. OK, at this point I really think you need to read the article otherwise you'll think that I'm rambling again, start thinking I am just writing a dissertation between news on paper on online, or most likely just think that I'm nuts! Oops, looks like you're still waiting; with no further due here is the: ARTICLE. Please read it.

OK, now that you have read the article -- unless you got too bored by my special ability to write nonsense -- here's a summary of the conclusion of my brief review: it's our story and our current condition as we strive to be farmers, but it's so inspiring to know we're not alone! Just such an amazing injection of energy in these days when industrial factory farming seems to be the only way or the highway.

I am going to frame this ARTICLE -- kind of like those motivational posters you find on walls of offices to make you more "productive". But in this case with a VERY different motivation (i.e. as if i actually needed one when i have no troubles being out at 6:30/7 AM feeding animals. carry 5-gall water buckets in 0 degrees F, shovel manure, and the list goes on). But i do need some inspiration at times, here and there. In those times, when I feel beaten down and exhausted from trying to make my "little" sustainable farm viable and juggle 2 jobs (i.e. 1 of which is the "paying" "daytime" job), I will read the ARTICLE.

My final words: I have a smile from cheek to cheek because I am on my way out to feed my sheep!

Bye Bye Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants, our rooster, has found a new home with a family who is breeding and raising chicks. We expect he'll have a good life at his new home. Now, Vanessa can roam the barn yard free from fears of a rooster attack. She spent last night re-vamping the coop...adding the heated poultry waterer she got for christmas, re-wiring and general clean up. The girls seem happy and are still laying lots of eggs. One broody girl has been moved to a brood area to see if we can hatch some of Fancy Pant's chicks. We should know in about 15 more days!

VT Grazing & Livestock Conference

Laura and Vanessa attended the Vermont Grazing & Livestock conference in Fairlee, Vermont. The theme was Farming for Modern Markets and we attended a variety of workshops including Partnering Retailers and Producers to Feed a Hungry Public, Bedded Pack Management for Winter Housing, Managing Small Ruminant Parasites, among others. We enjoyed a presentation by Brian Moyer, Director of Rural Vermont. We networked with numerous other farmers small and large who care about sustainable farming and agriculture. It was a great day.

(follow link)
Vermont Grass Farmer Association

The rythm of farm life.

The sheep are loving the round house and all the girls should be bred now and into their 2nd trimester. They were all rounded up yesterday for a good hoof trimming, which meant a taste of grains which of course they just love.

We've put our name on the list for some English Saddleback pigs, a rare heritage breed. Hopefully some gilts for eating. If not, we'll get some Tamworths. All the chickens are laying now and we have a regular surplus of eggs which find a home in the frying pans of several friends. Researching meat recipes for ham and salamis and will begin curing soon. Also researching natural remedies for parasite management and getting ready to cut and split more firewood for next winter.

Still trying to find a home for one snappy Silver Spangled Hamburg rooster...it may just have to be the stew pot.

The rhythm of farm life.

Organic Farming - NY Times Op Ed

Read this wonderful piece by Maira Kalman about organic farming and urban living. Back to the Land

Chickens peruse the garden

The chickens peruse the remains of the summer garden.
The rooster peruses the hens.