Showing posts with label basil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basil. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Fall Check-In

Colors have changed here on the farm:Dark reds, bright yellows, dark browns, and some autumn treats falling from the 4 large pecan trees on the property:

The squirrels make their run to and from the woods to the pecan trees all-day-long. Listen carefully you can hear them making quick work as they toss the shells from the branches littering the ground beneath. Fence posts make great place for squirrels to stop and crack a few and get a good view of anything suspicious.Like Mr. Kitty as he sits quietly to watch their daily rounds between trees. nothing moves but the tip of his tail. Cool nights have started and all the rent-a-chicks are back home and tucked away all warm in their mini-coop. Have about 25 of them so they get to cuddle together for warmth at night. They are just now learning how to use the perches. Over at the eggmobile, the flock is doing great. Last springs rent-a-chick group is coming along. Should be laying any day now. Waiting for the colorful egg-basket to start soon. Here is a review of the breeds: Easter Egger HenIts not hard to spot the Easter Eggers because they have puffy feathers that poof out from their cheeks. They also have very small pea combs. Silver-laced hen. I am beginning to think these feathers act as bulls-eye for the hawks, only 1 hen of the silver laced left, cry.... Speaking of predators, hoping the maturing Roosters will help curb that problem alittle. As I was snapping shots, one was keeping an eye on a vulture that was soaring high in the sky. He lets out a special warning squawk if he suspects a predator is around and the ladies head for cover.
The Welsummer has gotten quite handsome. Really struts stuff and shows off his tail feathers. Front view of his beautiful colors Believe it or not here is his counterpart, a Welsummer hen:The other boy in the flock is this New Hampshire Rooster: Testosterone has done him well from chicken nugget to beef-cake. Black Austrolorp hens have been alittle shy lately. They are molting their feathers now, and this one seemed alittle self-conscious Losing feathers or leaves, its all part of nature and change of season.
Maple trees are the prettiest.
Have hosted a few photo shoots out here (pics to come soon). Fall sunsets are picture-perfect. In the front acre, all the flowers have been yanked, thanks to help from my new-found neighbor friend Melissa. We spent a sunday pulling them all and tossed into a gigantic pile in the back pasture and swapping stories of chickens and goats. Hoping to have a nice bon-fire with the spent zinnia plants. Instead of pulling up the plastic rows altogether, have decided to take advantage of the weed free planting opportunity for 1 last season. Still getting a few goodies from the rows. ok, so I wished I liked radishes more! But I couldn't resist planting them with a short 3 week seed to salad timeline.
Dill, and basil still left of the herbs. The Dill seems to fizzle in the heat of summer, but fall and spring it really thrives.
Beautiful Row of pole Beans and Peas soaking up the last few days of quality sunlight!

And finally... got the chick pen done, but now that its November, it's gotten too chilly at night to put the baby chicks inside it. Will probably move this into the greenhouse during the winter to help keep them warm, and let the new chicks run around in this until spring.

More pics to come of some farm photo shoots, rent-a-chick day, and the new goats of course. Also been busy in the kitchen with making the best of the last weeks of basil!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Summer Fun at the Farm


Dreams do come true! Business is off and running thanks to all the blueberry customers that stop by after their trip from the berry patch. The farm down the street is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday so I see my be$t days and foot traffic then. Even have started to recognize a few repeat customers! I must say its starting to feel official :) The edible herb bouquets are selling like hotcakes. Who wants to buy limp soggy leaves from the supermarket when you can have this deliciously fragrant 3-basil centerpiece on the table fresh from the farm? Yum, the scent will fill a whole house.

Peak of the season with Rows overflowing with every color of zinnia.Just grab a mason jar and some scissors to create your own casual arrangement. You are never alone in the garden either....August heat has Butterfly season is in full swing -
Good luck trying to take a picture of these beauties without a zoom lens though. As soon as you get close enough...they're off and flying -

So many flowers, so little time! Like to think I'm doing my part to help feed the starving butterflies. Speaking of not being alone, had this feeling like I was being watched and bumped into this critter cruisin' the basil patch tonight. Almost human-like way of swiveling its head with the huge bug eyes checking you out. Half expected it to smile and say "Hey, whats going on?' Creepy cool. Aliens do exist!Note to self - more queen's annes lace next year. Some to share with the caterpillars, more to cut. It adds elegance and lacy touch to arrangements and adds more of these:While not as large or colorful, these brown skippers are so numerous they are darn-right aggressive. They will bump into you in the fields and chase you down if you have a flower in your hand. The girls have been working hard mingling and hamming it up with all the customers. Egg production has been alittle slower in this heat though, demand is up and still in backorders. They crushed a much deserved watermelon treat in a matter of seconds tonight. Need more chickens, cannot keep these eggs in stock! Feeling a Rent-A-Chick order coming very soon....

Here is a young rooster showing off his stuff (can you hear the bee-gees singing the "stayin alive" song in background?) and boy does he stand out like a sore thumb in the crowd of cackling hens. Will be the ladies man for sure. Just breaking the 4 month mark and seems they snuck another boy in the batch. I say snuck but really whenever you buy hens from any hatchery they can only guarantee a 90% accuracy rate, unless you buy sex-linked chickens which have distinctly different boy/girl color patterns upon hatch, otherwise you will always risk ending up with a few in the bunch.
Not sure what I'm going to do with him yet. Last one was on craigslist the moment he started testing out his honker.
Unless homeboy starts laying some eggs... hoping someone can swap me a laying hen in exchange for this feathered alarm clock.
He is a Welsummer so he will be a handsome guy - just like the classic one you think of on the Kellog's cornflake box.
We will see what happens, depends on how early he gets up... :)