Mailorder Chicks

Ordering chicks at the end of the month. Just trying to decide on which ones.


We want some flock diversity and right now it is just the seven Australorp hens.



Murray McMurray Hatchery has some nice birds at good rates.

I think we might go with fifty of their "Rainbow Layers" as well as another dozen or so of something else that should lay well.

We're splitting the birds with the neighbor so hopefully that'll help on shipping.

Earthships

We visited the world headquarters of Earthship Biotecture in Taos, NM. Some cool concepts for off the grid living and sustainable building. We put up a photo album on Picassa here. Enjoy.

Winter Time

These lucky hens get a serious variety of fresh produce from a few places around town.

Goodbye Twenty-Ten

From the table at thanksgiving:

 

 Freshly dug carrots:

First Snow

Our first snow was pretty late this year; also very minimal coating. We usually get a pretty good snow by around Halloween. Our last four winters have been pretty intense and I've heard people say last winter was the best powder/ boarding/skiing season ever. So it makes sense we are getting a tame winter. Seems we are starting off winter true to the Farmer's Almanac's prediction of a drier and warmer one. Global warming is a hippie scam. Just pay attention to nature's cycles.

Homegrown Squash Soup

 Very tasty.

Recycling Lumber

Feeding Chickens Out of Dumpsters

This was just one day.

Redesigned Cold Frames

New design is way more passive-solar. Up against the footings of the house the sun's energy is much better utilized.

Look Out Future Generations of Garden Pests!

 This pregnant Praying Mantis had been hanging around our front door for a few days so we relocated her to the 3 Sisters garden area.

Eggs Are Delicious

 We have been eating eggs from our hens. Some days we get one egg and some days four. They are just starting to lay and once we take care of the two roosters things will mellow out a bit. 

More Canning and More Coldframes

 Did four more quarts of some nice yellow and red organic tomatoes. (all free by the way)