Winter is around the corner

This is the time of year that I like think about our feathered friends. With so many birds that stay around during the winter months it is important to feed these little guys. I make sure to provide plenty of water and suet. The bushtits and flickers really love it. At any given time I can see at least ten of these cute little round guys hanging on my suet feeder. I have left out a fuschia basket that they like to hop around as well.

I am not usually thrilled about fall. I think it is the anticipation of the dark cold months. This fall however has been particularly beautiful. The berries on the bushes have been extra red. The leaves on the trees have been brilliant. Can you believe I just harvested the very last of our raspberries? Just enough to put on top of some granola. The seasons seem to be changing in ways that I can't explain. But is makes every year a little bit of an adventure.

Cute in an awkward way

I thought I had better post some pictures of the chickies. It has been too long and they have grown too much. I am so behind that I neglected to post a picture of Buttons the youngest chick. She was born the day after Dottie. I have posted some pictures of her as a baby baby and some of all of them today. Enjoy

Drum roll please...Introducing Dottie!!

Today when I came home I went to check on Henny Penny and set up better digs for her stay with us. I was so excited to find another broken egg. Yes another chick. I could here the two peeping away but I could not find her at first. Was she all curled up in mama's feathers? Nope. She was way back in the corner of the kennel. It was hard to find this little gem because she was so yellow she blended into the shavings. She has two little black dots on her head. I immediately called the mother in law. I described the little bundle to her and she chose the name Dottie. I had thought that would be a good name as well. So the flock grows. I can't wait to see what little miracle will happen or pop out tomorrow.

Henny Penny comes home to nest!

While mama's away that cats will play, well in this case the chicks will play. Today we got an excited call from my mother in law Birdie. Henny Penny hatched an egg. She had a visiting rooster for awhile. Sparky. Henny Penny is her little silkie. She has been sitting on several eggs for a few weeks and one cute little feather footed chick decided to emerge today. We are even more excited here at Front Yard Farms because Birdie has to leave for six days. No we never get excited when our beloved Birdie leaves town but in this case it means that we get to take care of Henny Penny and baby Sparket and her six other sibs that are waiting to hatch. I feel like I am in kindergarten again taking home the class pet. Talk about cute. I will add some pictures of all the cuteness when I can get a good shot of these little gals.

Getting Dirty

It has been awhile since I have written. I went to a psychic today. You may ask what that has to do with writing about gardening. Well she told me that I need to let all these ideas out and move forward with them. So I am starting with being more dedicated to my blog. My little blog here derserves that attention. I'd like to write about something I am quite passionate about and my son has become quite passionate about...WORMS. Yes worms. You may at first think eewww. Although if you are a gardener you may say "Yaaaah!" The little man and I have been quite busy with our worm bins and making new little bins of compost. I have been showing him how we can add things to the compost bins and watch them compost down into a wonderful black gold. Today we dumped out one of our bins and addes some leaves from the neighbors yard and a little straw. We also added some worm castings and some chicken poop. We mixed it together and them put it back into its bin. We will continue to turn it every other day or so and see how long it takes to compost. I have been teaching him how the worms eat our "garbage". He enjoys watching the little guys wiggle around and feed on the rotting food. He understands that bacteria breaks down the food then the worms are able to eat it. Their castings or poop is high in nitrogen. He knows if we add some worms and their castings to our compost bins that it will speed up the process. Composting and worm bins are a great activity for children. Sometimes I will catch him out at the bins looking for worms or even turning the compost. He's three. I have added some pictures of our day. I will write more about bins. I have also added some pictures of our swiss chard starts planted with some of the compost we screened last week.

HEat

Well with all this heat it has been hard to garden. We harvested a lot of vegetables and fruit this morning before it got too hot. The chickens have been panting these past few days. We have fans going along with ice packs in their nesting boxes. We have been giving them frozen fruit to keep them cool. I will post a picture of our bounty soon. I thought I had just better write something since it has been so long. Coming soon a post and pictures from the big sale.

Growing

Oh my goodness it has been too long since I have written.  Everything is growing, the garden and the chickens.  Those weee little chicks are not so weee little any more.  They are growing fast and just look like miniature versions of our big girls now.  The Front Yard Farm is filling in fast.  We have been eating lettuce, turnips and strawberries.   The blueberries are coming along as well as everything else.  The Fuschias are blooming and our hummingbirds are back.  It feels good.  It is time for me to get out and weed again.  I haven't cared as much this year and I am just enjoying seeing everything grow.  I have planted some eggplants this year.  That is a first for me.  I will let you know how that goes.  I lost the asparagus.  Oh well I guess next year I will try again and wait 3 years.  I will post some pix soon.  Hope everyone is enjoying gardening.  Come and see me at the Urban Farm Store.