Hack-a-Squash

Michael hacks up the worlds biggest squash which was given to us by Grampa Alligator.

Home Spun!

I'm not one to brag ... well, yes I am! Check this display of home grown eggs:



And check out this comparison. One of these eggs is from our girls. The other two came from a reputable egg vendor at the Farmer's Market. And either of these choices would blow doors on the ghost of an egg picked up at the grocery store. I recommend keeping chickens!



Also, Valerie finished another knitting project at school. I'm sorry to say I didn't grab a photo of the mittens she finished, so we'll just go with the socks:





And we'd really have bragging rights if we actually had the sheep, sheared them, carded, spun and dyed the wool. But get real. I'm not that crazy. Yet.

Plus, if we had sheep, they'd eat my garden. Here is a February progress photo:



We've got some garlic, onions, chard, kale and pansies. Can't see the back ... but there are some tips of peas trying to break up through the soil. And I have to say that I saw my first almond blossoms yesterday (February 8th). So, I'd better get some more veggies in the ground!

Chick-a-palooza

I'd like to begin this post with my apologies for the lack of pictures on today's post. It's not that I didn't take pictures. I actually have quite a few on the camera. But I cannot find the card reader anywhere! I'll do my best to be a little more descriptive. (02/09/12 UPDATE: Michael just arrived home and found the camera card ... in MY desk drawer where it is supposed to be kept. Hunh. Who woulda thunk?)

First of all, I'd like to say that last week I went toe to toe with Mr. Johnson. I was cooking up dinner and looked out to find that Mr. J had flown over the orchard fence and was scratching away at what appeared to be my newly planted peas in the garden. Normally when a hen gets in the garden it is my fault. As we've clipped their wings they don't usually fly the coop. And when they escape, I can pick them up or herd them back into the orchard. Silly me. I attempted the same approach with Mr. J. And that guy got his hackles up and came at me with his talons. Good thing I was wearing my tall leather boots!



I realized I was going to have to trick Mr. J. into making the decision to return to the orchard on his own. I walked down the fence line calling his girls, "Here chick, chick, chick!" Of course they all realized that means I have some treats. So, they started following me. Well, Mr. Fancy Pants rooster was all a twitter at this. I just lured away his harem. So, he began to chase me. I ran right through the gate and into the chicken yard headed for the can of organic scratch. He was going to let me have it. But before he knew it, he was stuffing his crop with corn and I latched the gate shut behind him. Ha! Take THAT!

Later, I saw how he escaped. See this picture of Agnes deciding to jump back into the orchard instead of the garden. What a good hen!




So that night, for our entertainment, we hired Rex and Valerie to go out and give Mr. J the old "one wing" treatment. Now, this is where I needed to insert the picture of those two all dressed up. They put on their heaviest coats, gloves, goggles, boots (and some chain mail) and headed out the back door with some pitch forks and torches -- I mean, scissors and a flash light. We admonished them on the way out that we did not want that rooster injured. He's a good guy and does his job well. Rex and Valerie returned covered with feathers and collected their cash for a job well done.



On Monday morning of this week I got a call from the post office informing me that my chicks were in. I was so excited. And then I realized, Hey! To arrive on a Monday, those little critters had to have been shipped on a Friday. Can you imagine? 27 little fluff balls crammed into a dark box without food and water for three days bumped around from Iowa to California? I was kind of bummed they didn't ship on a Monday to arrive Tuesday. But, hey. I guess I wasn't the one in charge of making those decisions. Some really thoughtful person at McMurray's Hatchery decided that was a good idea. Nice going.



I opened the little box of peepers and picked them up one by one, dipping their beaks in water and setting them under the heat lamp. I ordered 25 White Plymouth Rock Roosters. They gave me a bonus rock roo. And then they also gave me a bonus mystery chick. So, I have 26 classic yellow male chicks and 1 fluffy brown chick whose gender and breed remains a mystery. Seriously, I'll put up some pix as soon as I find that camera card. They are pretty darn cute.





Even with the heat lamp, it was too cold in the garage. So, I moved them back into "Valerie's Pet Shop". I would like to thank Valerie for being such a sport. And really, you can't smell the chicks because the smell of the rats over power everything. Did I mention that her room is like cat bait?

Speaking of Mr. Whiskers, aka: Steve Austin: the 6 Million Dollar Cat ... he is no longer allowed outside. He's too expensive. So, he's inside lazing around and getting bored. He managed to get into Valerie's room the other night while I was out at my organic gardening class. Poor Shaina, our sitter (for pets and kids). She's been through everything with the pets. She was the one who had to inform us that Turbo Fluff died while we were in Costa Rica. And she's also the one who had to inform us that Lucky went missing while we were in Santa Cruz. Well, fortunately nothing died Monday night. But there was a bit of a scuffle with Mr. Whiskers and one the of the little chicks was later found on the opposite side of Valerie's room behind her dresser. Valerie put the semi-injured chick into a box within the box under the heat lamp with a couple of its friends. By morning they were all flocking together in the brood box and tragedy was avoided.

Shaina, I would like to thank you for continually coming back to sit for our kids and pets in spite of everything you've experienced!

In other news we're planting 25 five gallon potted cherry laurel trees along the back fence. I was going to put black berries back there (natures barbed wire that makes a fine cobbler!) But Michael really wanted a nice green wall that would block out the neighborhood lights behind us and the sight of their Hummer. How obnoxious is that? So, we've been doing a lot of digging. And I'll admit, it's nice to have something evergreen back there. It will make a nice wind break and habitat for birds and stuff.

I also replaced our dead avocado tree with a donut peach tree. And I replaced the four grape vines I killed with 4 new ones. (Red flame, Thompson's Seedless, Chardonnay and Muscat ... yum!) In the front yard I planted a small ceanothus tree and an elderberry bush. Yes, this is getting a little expensive. The good news is that the gardening class the other night was about propagation. So, anyone willing to donate cuttings ... I'm ready for you!

Before taking off for Chicago Michael designed, built and installed the world's longest clothes line. I guess I could do laundry for the whole neighborhood. I have to measure how long it is. But I would say at least the length of a full ladder fire truck.


I've got my little pepper/tomato/huckleberry starts in my office window. Yay! They look like they are doing okay and happy. I can't wait to start another round of those guys.



Also, the kids worked hard in the orchard last weekend. Rex painted white socks on all the orchard tree trunks to prevent sunburn. And he put together signs that Amira and I painted so that we know what kinds of trees we have back there. The only two that didn't get labeled are the Bing Cherry and Emerald Pluot. But it's so nice to look back there and know that this is the Muir Peach and that is the Fairtime Peach. Oh, and this is the Eversweet Pomegranate and that is the Ambrosia Pomegranate. I get a lot of satisfaction looking out there at those signs and those trees!





I picked up some pallets upon which my bee hives will sit. I'm counting down the weeks until I've got bees to deal with too! I want to paint their new home too. I'm not an artist or anything. But I like that homespun kitschy feel. And I finally ordered some turkeys from Carol Albrecht out at Chaffin Farms. She thinks she can hatch out some Bourbon Reds. Waaahoo! Can't wait for those guys ... well, yes I can. I really have a lot going on.

Oh, and someone is dropping off an incubator today. Yes, just what we need. I think we'll put that in Valerie's room too! I'm going to get a sign that says, "BARN ENTRANCE" and put it above her door.

So, this is all what is going on here. Still sheet mulching the front. Kids still taking music lessons (piano, cello, etc.) I'm dreaming of an edible yard. Michael is bucking up and funding this whole adventure. Thanks, Honey!

Ironic Names

Today we received the preliminary report from the lab on Fat (Phat). What we've discovered is that we should avoid names that could be ironic. For instance, "Lucky" was the poor hen that got carried off by a hawk. And Fat, well, ....



In case you can't read that, it basically says she's fat and died of a ruptured liver.

I have to confess, all of my chickens are on the large side. I never considered them to be obese ... perhaps I'm in denial? Well, we'll get the tests in another week or so to see if there was something else to it all (bacterial or otherwise). Although I had just read a snippet on Backyardchickens.com about a similar sudden death with someone else's Buff Orpington. Their tests came back also saying that the chicken was obese and died of a ruptured liver.

I don't know ... maybe it was the cocktails? (Actually, there was no pun intended originally there).

Dang, it's cold!

So, it was down somewhere between 17 and 22 degrees last night (depending on which thermometer we check). But it was cold enough to freeze up the pump again putting laundry at bay. And most critically, the poor chickens! Michael broke the ice on their water once this morning. But it froze back up. Speckles is show here doing a little ice skating. Or, maybe she's stuck in the ice?

Life and Death on the Ranch

It is with a heavy heart that we say good-bye to Fat, aka: Phat. She was a good mother (if briefly) to two little chicks (who survived a week before being filched by a neighborhood cat).

We're not sure what happened to her. Yesterday Michael was outside working on the coop. We both said good night to all the chickens as they scratched around for snacks and hopped into their coop. This morning Michael could see her standing in the corner of the orchard standing quite still with her tail down. Mr. Johnson was all upset about something. Michael went out to take a look and came back shaking his head. Soon she lay down in the sunshine with labored breathing, had a few convulsions and passed.

So, there were no signs that she was getting ready to depart. I wonder if perhaps she had a parasite or came down with a virus or bacterial infection? I'm kind of nervous to see what condition her friends will be in the morning. Whatever it was seems fast acting.

We're sending her remains off to UC Davis to have them analyzed for answers.

In the mean time we did a major clean up of the area and rinsed the water bucks with bleach and gave them a good scrubbing. I've heard that adding food grade diotomaceous earth to the food can be a combatant against parasites. According to some of my sleuthing, about 80% of pastured flocks are susceptible to parasites.



And in other news, poor Mr. Whiskers has had another burst abscess. Poor guy. He is getting too expensive to let outdoors. He came home with a bunch of stitches and the cone of shame the other day. The cone would not allow him to eat and drink ... or have peripheral vision. So, we thought he'd be more comfortable if we made a shirt for him to cover his stitches and drain. Well, of course he is a cat. So he says he is really not comfortable with the stitches, the drain, the cone, the shirt or being cooped up inside. I tell you, there is no pleasing some pets.

Okay, let's hold together some good health for the family and all the critters! Send healthy thoughts this way.

The Chick Inn

Above is pictured a pretty fantastic December 2011 sunset. The view is looking West from from our driveway (note attractive minivan!)

I was going to post another photo of the sunset showing the back of our house. But then I realized the back of our house still looks like a junkyard. I've been collecting cardboard for sheet mulching the front (which I still haven't finished) and it's blowing all over the weeds in the back. So, I'd rather just paint you picture with my words. I'll bet you're glad I just did. Probably feel better about your own yard now, don't you?

So, today our friends deposited 4 little 4 week old chicks to spend a week at the "Chick Inn" while they run off to Utah and Colorado. I still don't understand why they wouldn't want to undertake the drive with four prolific poopers (in addition to their three kids). I guess that kind of adventure is not on their 2012 list. Anyhow, the Chick Inn is located in Valerie's bedroom. She's delighted. The little feathery birds haven't spent much time in their pen. They've mostly been carried around on the shoulders of the neighborhood kids.

Napoleon isn't too put out by the new visitors. But he wanted to remind me that he should be star of this blog post. See below.



That said, he is a little curious about the new critters.





Amira says Valerie is opening a pet shop in her room. We say Valerie is a pet shop. Remember, Ellie May, you're just chick sitting. We have to return these critters when our friends come home.




In other news, I've been drawing up more plans for that backyard. As soon as I figure out how to use the scanner, I'll put them up here. Needless to say, we've got some more fencing and gating work cut out for us. Also, some trenching for pipes. Today I just put in an order for 25 White Rock Roosters to be delivered around the week of February 6. Those will be our "meat birds". We'll see how that goes.




I've also got to talk to the feed store about ordering some turkeys. I think I'm going to get 3 Broad Breasted Bronze (that will take about 6 months to get to market weight) and 3 Bourbon Red (heritage breed) turkeys that will likely take 18 months to get to weight.





Oh, and I've got my feelers out for bees. I'm getting ready to order an assembled starter kit for bee keeping from Dadant. They've got a shop right close to the house. And I'm hoping to hear back from Selby Honey to see if I can order some bees. I hope to get them installed in time to pollinate that orchard.





Between all these critters and the garden and other yard issues ... well, okay, as usual I'm overly optimistic. Probably. But, if I want to have eggs, chicken, turkey and honey and veggies, a girl has got to get on it. It's a process. That reminds me, I still have some lard to process and sausage to make. I'm sure I'll find the time.