Farm Updates

 Poultry shares are sold out, and we still have grain shares available. Thanks to everyone who has supported us so far! Its been an exciting second year so far!

As we mentioned we are a little bit behind birds. Everyone that is a confirmed poultry shareholder will be getting their shares. A couple things have just set us back a little bit, so the share deliveries will be later than scheduled. We free-range, so of course we expected some problems with predators, it does come with the territory unfortunately. For that reason, we purchased donkeys almost as soon as we moved onto our farm. Apparently our donkeys are too friendly, and we still have had a couple coyote related losses. Our latest farm addition, Joey the Border Collie, should further help reduce our losses. Joey is proving to be a hard working, calm and obedient companion so far that strategically pees on important trees, fence posts, you name it.

Ducks love grass and being out and about from dawn till dusk

Joey settling in, he's a rescue

We also had some hatcheries fall through on us, so of course we were left scrambling to come up with those chicks some other way. We've been steadily hatching since January, and we have also sourced some more chicks from other hatcheries that still meet our standards somewhat. You can read further about our hatchery dilemma here. A long-winded issue that runs deep for us.We love hatching our own birds. It gives us the ability to breed for high-quality birds, it is such a pleasure and hoonour to be a part of the process of bringing little ones into the world. We also know how they were treated and what they were fed from day 1.

An Appleyard duckling we incubated ourselves

Brahma chick, hatchery stock

Buck-eye chicks all in a row, hatchery stock

The grain is coming along nicely. We got it planted so early, with that early, early warm weather we had. Perfect! We've had tons of rain lately, but it seems like we've had a good bit of hot spells in between.  The heat is that saving grace with all that moisture.Grain deliveries will be beginning in November as planned.

wheat in 2nd week of May, already 2 inches tall

Daniel built these A-frames recently to have our chicks out on grass sooner. They need that extra protection, since new chicks are vulnerable. They love it! We put them in, and after about a day of settling in and getting used to the new surroundings they are out on the grass in the sunlight, foraging, mock fighting and doing all the natural things that chicks like to do.

New A-frames, more on the way!

 

 

 

That's it for now, thanks so much for checking in!

Tasty Cracker and Yummy lentil dip recipes

I realize its been a while since I have shared a recipe. I recently made this cracker and some lentil and roasted onion dip for a potluck. Everyone seemed to really like it, so I will share :)

I really like this cracker bread recipe- it's actually a type of pizza dough that I just rolled really thinly, and then pressed seeds/nuts into the top. You get a more crisp cracker if you roll it thin and more of a bready cracker if you don't roll it as thin. Whatever your preference is!

The recipes are as follows:

Tasty Crackers

2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/3 c warm water

Add:

31/2 to 3 3/4 c all-purpose flour (I did a mixture of our homegrown hard red wheat and soft white which is sort of like all-purpose, and I bet all whole wheat would be pretty tasty too- also I imagine you could leave the flour to soak overnight, WAPF style and then continue with the recipe)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sea salt

Mix by hand, or on low speed for until ingredients are mixed. The knead for for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer bowl to lightly oiled bowl and cover with damp towel.  Let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in volume (not such a big deal if making crackers)

Preheat oven to 450F. Roll out dough on counter (sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking) until the dough is 1/8" thick. Transfer onto oiled baking sheet.

At this point you can sprinkle toppings like sesame, poppy, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc. I pressed them into the top of the dough with my fingers after I drizzled a bit of olive oil onto the dough. (this should help the seeds adhere to the dough). The recipe also says you can brush melted butter or beaten egg onto the tops of the crackers instead of olive oil. Score lines into the rolled dough using a pizza cutter to any size you like. I did about 1 x 2' squares roughly.   Bake 6-9 minutes until golden brown.

Lentil and Roasted Onion Dip

2 c  red lentils
2 medium onion
1 bulb garlic (as in, several cloves)

Soak the lentils in 3 cups water for a few hours. Meanwhile, cut the onions in half, add the garlic drizzle with oil in a baking dish, and broil at 425 for 45 minutes.  Next, rinse the lentils, add fresh water. Bring to a boil, turn down the simmer gently for 20 or so minutes until lentils are soft. Drain and let cool.

Put onions and lentils in food processor.

Add about:

 (I didn't measure these ingredients, you could just roughly add what I suggest and then keep taste testing so that the dip suits your preference)

 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

 2 tsp garlic powder (if you didn't have fresh garlic)

cumin

coriander

paprika

cayenne

Blend all ingredients until smooth. 

Variations: Add roasted eggplant instead of onions, skip the cumin, coriander and  use fresh basil in combination with the rest of the seasonings, use roasted peppers instead of onions or eggplant...

Enjoy the dip spread on your delicious crackers!

Also, don't forget. We are a small farm in Bowden, Alberta. We grow heritage grains, (wheat, rye, barley). If you are interested in purchasing flour, or whole grains from us we do a share program where you can sign up to receive deliveries of grain that was stone-ground in small batches. For more info on our grain shares (as well as our pastured poultry shares, and naturally grown herbs) please visit our website!

It's summer..or spring!!?? And our new open-air coops

The bee's are buzzing, chickens are excitedly cackling as they find worms in the dewy grass...it must be spring!! Or summer...is anyone else confused about this weather? 21 above one day, snow the next.... For the most part, we have had more nice days than not. Not only do the birds enjoy rummaging in the grass, they also love suntanning and relaxing too!

Anna's bantams Mimi, Momo, Esmerelda and Lily, foraging in the green grass

Huey, snoozing like a happy duck in the sun

All this warm weather also means more work outside.

Daniel working hard while I take photos :P

Our guardians also are inspectors, making sure our coops are all up to snuff

The photo that the Donkeys are in reveal the page/chicken wire than Daniel tacked all around the coop. It is buried 6 inches into the soil at the bottom- this is to prevent night time predators from digging their way into the coop. The last photo shows the finished coop (more like finished-ish). It still needs a few more doors and things done inside it- nest boxes, breeding pens etc. We have decided that chickens benefit more from having extra ventilation than from too much insulation. We will be keeping our birds in this coop year-round.

The open-air coop

We`ve already retrofitted one building to look like this, with the south-facing wall completely comprised of page wire.  So far it has worked really well. The air ALWAYS smells fresh, even when the birds have lived in there for a month. Nothing is dank or smelly. This is due in part that the birds spend all day ranging outside. But also due to the fact that the fresh air is circulating at all times, keeping everything fresh. No stale air, no build up of moisture or rot. (When the birds roost at night, they actually poop A LOT). Additionally, we have seen absolutely no illness in our birds. The dank air and nitrogen build up is more often than not the cause of respiratory illnesses and other diseases in traditional insulated coops and crowded barns. With our system, we haven't had a single sneeze, sniffle or swollen eye. This makes me feel really good about what we are doing.

You might ask, but what about the winter? You do know we live in Alberta, where -20 is common? We are very aware of that. You have to know we care very much for the well-being and comfort of our animals. That being said, we have specifically and carefully chosen the chicken breeds that we raise with one specific factor in mind- cold hardiness. Our Chanteclers, light Brahmas and Buck-eyes are all known to handle winters very well. They have the tiniest, flattest combs and wattles, so in turn they don't normally get frost bite. Frost bite is the most major concern when it comes to over-wintering birds.

A Comb by Any Other Name:Comb types: (A) single, Plymoth Rock; (B) pea, Brahma; (C) strawberry, Malay; (D) cushion, Chantecler; (E) walnut, Silkie; (F) buttercup, Buttercup; (G) V-shaped, La Fleche; (H) rose, Hamburg.

Read more: http://www.grit.com/multimedia/image-gallery.aspx?id=1344&seq=25#ixzz1uxim7H4k

 As the above image shows- D show the cushion comb that Chanteclers have. See how it is small and flat against the head? This means it will not get frostbitten. Any of the ones, especially image A or F,  show a tall comb with thin fleshy appendages- these are extremely susceptible to being frozen off, causing discomfort to the birds. We also raise the buck-eyes and Brahmas which have B, called a pea comb, also a small flat comb against the head.

 Second, a concern that many producers have is not even to do with the birds, its to do with the eggs and water- both of which can freeze in the cold temps. We have decided we would rather lose a few eggs, but then have a very low-input system for raising our birds, where we feel they also have a higher quality life. Also, its not a big deal to change out the water when it freezes. We visit the coops anyway twice daily at least, to check in on the birds, feed them, etc. The  savings (no building to heat, easier construction) and most importantly the fresh air for the birds outweighs any other cons that we have thought of.

In order to partly compensate for the lack of insulation, we will put a barrier of straw bales around the inside of the coop which will provide a little bit of insulation as well as more protection from the elements (wind mainly). We also plan to construct insulated nest boxes, both for the added comfort for the bird, and to prevent the eggs from freezing.We will keep you posted on how this works out- it's a little bit unorthodox, but that's how we roll.

We also have 200 chicks and 100 turkeys showing up in the next two weeks. These, in addition to the ones that we have been busy hatching out since January, will comprise the shares for the fall of 2012. We certainly have our work cut out for us. These little guys will first go into a heated brooder, and then when they begin feathering out, we can also have them out on the grass. We know of people who have little chicks out on the grass from day 1, and we really would like to do that- but it kind of depends on our time and supplies available if we can accomplish that in time or not. Otherwise, we will use our barn for now and work on an outdoor set-up for the future.

Some Buck-eye chicks

Thanks so much for reading, until next time...

Cold Frames, Friends and bliss!

 Its been a few weeks of farming bliss, seeing the warmth of having friends that are as excited as we are now that have a farm, figuring out our routines as we do chores, slowly working on our ever-growing list of projects. Many of which are going faster due to friends generously giving us their time and energy to help us. Thank-you, you know who you are!!

Last Saturday we decided it was time to build our cold frame/high tunnel to house our potted herbs for the spring, and also our  entire "baby" crop Basil for the summer (Basil can't handle the cooler evenings here in AB). We had a handle on how to build something like this- previous experience building metal high-tunnels for John Mills at Eagle Creek Farms as well as some theoretical knowledge. Well, we can give ourselves a pat on the back (I think)! Along with help from our friend Kyle we managed to complete a tunnel, complete with 1 door (sort of...it sags a bit...) and 1 ventilation door in the back (which may not exist yet...) but it is pretty much done! And it seems reasonable sturdy too. It was a surprisingly hot, sunny day (20 C above) and so we got a lot of sun! Between the hot sun, a beer and a wee bit of dehydration we felt pretty good! Ha!We can call it a very productive and wonderful day.

Skeleton of the tunnel

Wood supports added

Finished tunnel covered with greenhouse poly and a door in front and back ends

The fun continues...between trying to get dinner served for my hubby on time (well, on time is a great exaggeration) and farming stuff I have also been able to do some work on our garden.

 The previous owner took great care of his property...everything was raked, well-weeded, and he was also an orderly sort of fellow... straight rows in his garden beds, a clump of tulips at each corner of the deck...don't get me wrong- I appreciate gaining possession of a clean yard, but the whole effect is also fairly boring. This just means I have a clean slate to work with- this appeals to creative me very much! First thing first, a herb garden near the kitchen is in order. So far I have dug up a good chunk of dirt next to the deck, right nearest to the kitchen entrance. Daniel left one morning from a lawn and came back that evening to a minor excavation! Ha! Digging up boring lawn is one of the most liberating feelings :) I adore it...honestly, it's entirely possible that I dig up lawns purely based on my need for that feeling of liberation....well, that and the added effects of a much more diversified flower/veggie/herb bed, water retention in the diversified plant matter, increased insect populations (namely butterflies and bees!), and so on and so forth. It's going to be a lot of work, I realize this- especially after 2 days have gone by because other things have demanded my attention. And still the half dug yard waits for me.

The boring undug yard- the grass looks a little sad cause its spring and not all the grass is green yet

Partially dug herb garden, same view as above photo. The left edge will actually be another path (like below) and then the rest of the grass on the left will also be dug up

First little brick path through the right side of future herb garden

It doesn't look like much, I know.  It will get finished and look beautiful, in time... The problem is patience. Patience is the single most virtue I lack and which is most needed when it comes to gardening. My recent interest in "pinterest" (don't get me started, a friend told me I absolutely needed to try it out, as it turns out, I like virtual pin boards... I do in real life, so I guess it's not a far stretch to...virtual.... pin board?) oh right, so I'm all on fire researching  creative and grounded garden ideas- from creative things like hanging mirrors in the garden to reflect light around (cool,right?!) to more grounded ideas like sheet mulching to get a garden going.... And I have all these dreams germinating of what this little herb garden and all my other gardens will look like...images of cottage-ey mature plants spilling over rock borders... (pinning all these images on pinterest of course) And then I look at my just flipped sod....bare earth...will I have the patience to see this through? We'll see. I do live the process though, as impatient as I am. Soon I'll just plant some herbs in that gorgeous, rich soil.

Maybe one day the herb garden will look like this...one day!

The beauty about all of this is accepting the process it seems. Sure I want an amazing garden in the end, but the process, work and years of tending are what is the important part. Collecting and adding unique perennials, herbs and other plants to the garden, watching them grow. Making and finding unique treasures from the forest, 2nd hand stores, antique shops, and finding special places for those treasures in the garden. And of course the learning along the way, understanding lifecycles, plants, insects, nutrients, how everything is connected... becoming a better person (ie, gaining patience!).

I am only slightly, ok a lot, overwhelmed by the tasks ahead. Something that keeps me sane though is, well first Daniel. Truly he is a rock and carries much of the weight of the decision making, financial planning burdens. And secondly, the fact that the best you can do is take things ONE day at time (and use chalk boards, to make lists and prioritize!) ok I think I'm done now! oh ya, enjoy yourself, everyday! Take pride in the work you do, in the things you accomplished THAT day.

First week in the farm

The good life, that's what this is. It's sounds cliche, but this is what I've dreamt about since I was little. Life on the land, growing your own food, hanging laundry on the clothesline, heading down to the barn every evening and morning and give your bunny a cuddle, water and feed the birds (and sometime soon milk the goats!!).

This first week we had Daniels parents staying with us. They took a whole week of vacation time to give us a hand. Mike's expertise has been saved us a lot of trouble and us standing there scratching our heads saying "gee, hmm, guess we'll google it!". Mike has converted our bath tub into a showers, set up electrical thing a ma bobs (yep, that's what they're called) in the barn, helped hang a clothes line (that's proper and taught), build fences, convert things, build doors, the list goes on!

We successfully converted on building into a coop that all our birds are now in, including the ducks, chickens and turkeys. They're all very happy. First we're teaching them where home is by keeping locked on the coop for 4 days, then we can let them out. During the day they 'll go wherever they darn well please, and at night they'll come home to their safety zone the coop. We've cheated actually and let them out and about a bunch already. All the birds wandered around exploring their new yard.

There is white fencing around the yard that the birds are in, but this fencing is only to keep our two donkeys contained. Yep, we bought two mini donkeys at the odd and unusual on sunday. Our friends Wilma and Devina spent the afternoon with us. Their names are Desiree and Sally. Sally is due to have a foal sometime mid-summer, which I'm so excited for!!
The birds still go under, through and over the fence to range through the trees to the easy or the pasture to the south and the west.

We feel so lucky and happy to be on this beautiful property. It's been very well kept, and yet old, weathered treasures of barn wood and metal wheels are to be seen.