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Spring arrives in usual Montana fashion with both sun, snow, and mud all at the same time. The microgreens and seedlings don't mind as they are kept warm and cozy in the cabin and cool room. The hens don't mind since they get to wander in the sunshine more often than before. Besides there are a lot of yummy bugs hding in that thawing mud! If you need eggs and microgreens, I will be at the usual place at the usual time (Friday at Fireman's Park parking lot from 12-1230pm) The online store is in it's beta testing phase and I hope to have it fully operational next week! In the meantime, message or email me to reserve anything! And let's give each other lots of space, it's a big state with room for all of us!  Last week was the first day of spring. I celebrated by letting my garden gnome resume his post on the greenhouse gate. His job is to protect all the farm plants at night while I sleep. There aren't any plants in the greenhouse yet, but it's good to give him a few nights of practice!  All the little seedlings are under their domes to protect them from the dry cabin air. They are anxious to get outside in either the greenhouse or the field! Until then, they grow on!  Hens flatten hills and dig holes. There is no in between and no other options.   RAWR! Where to find it all?
The winter egg/microgreen delivery is every Friday from 12-1230pm at the Fireman's Park Parking Lot. I'll be there rain, snow, shine, or freeze!
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While so much happens in the world, the farmers continue farming. In a few weeks, we will begin to have more and more fresh, healthy food available to the community. Right now I am very envious of the hens and ducks, who have a blissful life without the cares or worries of the world. As everything unfolds and new information comes in, I hope to help feed my community not only with fresh, healthy, local veggies but also fresh, beautiful, local flowers. It is as important to stay mentally and emotionally healthy as it is to stay physically healthy and flowers can do a lot to help! I know many in the community have come to know me for my flowers, but I always keep those veggies around and growing! Know that me and your other local farms are here to help keep our community food secure and more resilient during times of change or chaos. (It's why I started farming in the first place) Currently, I will be continuing my weekly deliveries on Fridays so ya'll can have access to fresh microgreens and eggs. Feel free to let me know if you would like me to set items aside for you and I can have them already bagged up and ready to go.  Spring brings new growth! These Daffodils are just popping up, earlier than normal, but it's nice to see something hopeful at this time! (plus, I always worry about the spring bulbs this time of year as they've been sitting there all winter and I worry that they survived, but they always do)  The weekends storm brought a fresh layer of snow, just as the ground was beginning to dry out, it's wet again. More mud to come!  The storm had just enough wind to blow the snow into all the runs so the hens and ducks had a fresh carpet of fluff to walk on, even if they don't like it that much!  Just before the storm came, this little floofer showed up on the porch and seemed to want to come in, eat a little, and hang out. Never seen her before but she definitely enjoys outside more than inside, so I let her free and she ran off to her real home. It was nice to have a little visitor. Hella kitty did NOT like it though!   They enjoyed being able to come and go whenever they wanted! The sun's out so everybody move it!  Food safety has always been something I've taken seriously. I don't only grow veg for myself but also for my community. My hands are the only ones that touch this food and wash and sterilize the surfaces, tools, and equipment so I know when and how it gets done. If you have any concerns or questions, don't hesitate to ask! What's available this week?
The main seed starting area is bursting at the seams with flats of seeds waiting to germinate, seedlings growing strong, and ones waiting for the soil to be ready, thus the micros had to make way. Now they are in the cool room, which has been converted with a basic heater and some lights into a tiny growing room (some of those seedlings will also end up here). The hens are still enjoying every little bit of sun and warmth they can get, especially since it's gonna get cold for a while. Hella continues to shun the wet muddy world outside in favor of the sunny spots in the dry, warm house. And I continue to putter away organizing and prepping the 15-20 different projects that pop up during the week and that need to be done before the 'real' farm work of prepping soil, planting, and harvesting gets underway. Even if it's raining or hailing, I'll be at the Fireman's Park parking lot on Friday from 12-1230 with lots of duck egg (be sure to check out the recipe for creme brulee), rainbow eggs, and fresh tasty microgreens.  The micros are now in the cool (warm?) room enjoying a space of their own, waiting until the cold passes and they can then be grown under the big, blue sky.  The run that blew down in the storm is almost finished, but the hens don't mind as they get let out in the sunny weather and take advantage of the time to roam and scratch and peck and squabble.  More organization to help keep me on the straight and narrow, lean up the farm, and bring some semblance of order to inherent chaos. Gotta get ready for the season!  Hella follows the sunshine as it's rays move throughout the house. Still too wet for her to want to venture out very much  This is all you need to make extra creamy duck egg creme brulee, and you won't even need that many eggs! The recipe is up on my website and is easy to make, will keep in the fridge, and is super impressive!  Yummy! A crispy sugar crust concealing a creamy custard underneath! Make a batch for a nice weekend dinner and another batch to enjoy throughout the week! What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
The winter egg/microgreen delivery is every Friday from 12-1230pm at the Fireman's Park Parking Lot. I'll be there rain, snow, shine, or freeze! The hens get to roam and range early, much to their delight! The preparation for spring begins, repairs get made, and the parts to repair and rebuild the tunnels are on their way! So many projects on the go at one time makes it feel like both everything and nothing gets done. Stop by Fireman's Park this Friday from 12-1230 to get your eggs and microgreens. The meyer lemons are all gone, but will return in April!  A fresh carpet of snow over the weekend and a crisp 14F morning on a clear day makes every blade of grass and twig sparkle and shine!   RiRi splashes and pecks at all the yummy things she can find in the puddles!  Emily, her sisters Anne and Charlotte in the background, enjoy roaming the range with the rest of the flock, getting a last taste of freedom before the sun goes down and they return to their roosts!   And the organization of the carport is starting to take shape as I get it ready for the busy spring/summer season! What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
The winter egg/microgreen delivery is every Friday from 12-1230pm at the Fireman's Park Parking Lot. I'll be there rain, snow, shine, or freeze! The seedling start popping up! Fresh sweet lemons! And juicy, crisp microgreens! Many things make it feel like spring, even if the cool wind likes to remind me otherwise. Soon these little plant babies will be planted out under the repaired and replaced tunnel (parts on on order now). And they'll get to bask in the warm sunshine. Until then, the micros grow and the chickens & ducks lay eggs! Eggs, micros, and lemons will be available this Friday from 12-1230pm at Fireman's Park parking lot in Libby! Get the sweet juicy meyers before they are gone!  Pansies & Violas! The first seedlings to emerge. Followed by the first kale, foxglove, and carnations babies. They are the start of the, seemingly, never ending springtime train of seed flats.  Just before harvest time, the microgreens form a thick forest of stem and canopy of leaves. They are so lush and vibrant that I almost hate cutting them down.  With the sunny days and slowly retreating snow, the hens get to enjoy more and more grass to scratch in.   The pots finally have a resting place. They have been moved around over and over again and were blown into the woods in the wind storm. After gathering them all back up, they got new shelves under the carport making use of the space between the supports and can blow away no more!  Eggs and micros, a perfect breakfast (or lunch or dinner)! I like to pair them with a little hummus and kimchi for lots of flavor and healthy (& yummy) goodness! Where to find it all?
The winter egg/microgreen delivery is every Friday from 12-1230pm at the Fireman's Park Parking Lot. I'll be there rain, snow, shine, or freeze! Keeping chickens and other poultry in winter isn’t difficult but it does require some preparation as repairing or setting up fences in 3ft deep snow or scrambling with extension cords and heat lamps to prevent frost bite in sub zero conditions isn’t easy. Each of the next 6 weeks, I’ll focus on one aspect of caring for chickens and ducks in winter The main things to prepare for are:
Managing a change or possible increase in type and number of predatorsWinter can be harsh for all animals, local wildlife included. Food is harder to find and it’s always cold. And because we feed and supplementally heat our coops it means more than just the chickens and ducks are happy to make use of both and sometimes other animals are looking not for chicken feed but chicken dinner. Below is my top tips and methods for keeping the hens safe from all the other animals that come around during winter. Rodent (mice & wood rats)These may be the smallest but they can be the most pernicious of predators to deal with when raising poultry. They are the smallest and thus the hardest to keep out. They eat the hens’ food, poop & pee all over the place (well so do the hens, but they live here on purpose), chew through stuff, and cause general mayhem.  Rodent tracks are a common sight in winter. I don't mind unless they get out of hand. The 3 best ways to deal with them are:
Rats & mice are predators? what!? Yep. They probably won’t do too much harm to most adult birds, but they can serious injure or kill chicks and young ones. On the flip side, adult birds may also eat them so they aren’t the worst out there for outright bird deaths. Weasels (mink & ermine)These are the ones I’ve lost the most birds to, mainly mink. And why are weasels so bad? Bloodlust. Once they kill, they can kill all of the flock. Sometimes, and more commonly in ermine & mink, they go crazy once they taste that blood and go through the entire flock and kill as many as they can get ahold of, probably all if it is at night and the birds are asleep.  an ermine in it's winter color. This one had discovered the barn coop and was terrorizing the hens, even if it hadn't gotten in yet. It was only a matter of time at that point. If they are around how do I manage them? Don’t try to eradicate them. You won’t be able to and, really f***ing important is that they eat rats and mice! They are the most common and prevalent pest/predator and the mink/ermine (like hawks & owls) eat them! They can be our friends and allies!!! The key to letting them stay but keep them away from your hens? Let their prey stay around. This is the reason why I only start removing rodents if they get out of hand. When they are around the predators prefer them to chickens & ducks! Yep! Believe me! The only time I’ve had a problem is during Deep Cold & Deep Snow (the time in mid-late winter where there has been 3 feet of snow for weeks and the temps go below and stay under the single digits). This is when their prey stays cozy in their holes with their caches of nuts & seeds so they can’t get to them, so they go after the birds. This is when my .22 comes out to stay ready by the door in case I see them trying (or in) the coops and I start spreading the cayenne everywhere. Cayenne? wtf? yesireybob! Cayenne is so useful as a deterrent for any mammal (mink, ermine, lions, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, even bears). It’s almost the same stuff in the bear spray cans but cheaper and easier to use. [FYI bear spray is a deterrent but not in the same way I use the cayenne. Bear spray stops animals from attacking when you spray it on them. The cayenne is a passive deterrent.] Get a big jar of cayenne powder and sprinkle a big, solid, line around the entire coop and run, barn, etc. If a predator comes sniffing around they will get a nose or paw full of cayenne and it is a huge irritant for their sinuses and mucus membranes (hey bear spray stop charging grizzlies in their tracks!). Not only do they go away but they learn to stay away. We can all live together! Oh yeah, and chickens & ducks can’t taste/smell capsacin (the active ingredient in cayenne and other spicy peppers) so it doesn’t bother them at all! so perfect! (Note: it will irritate pets, like your cute kitties and doggies, so keep them away if you use it. and keep it off of you!) And remember: every new snowfall (or melt) means you needs to refresh the line!  the magical circle of cayenne! Eagles, Hawks, & Owls (ravens & crows)The big guys of the sky! So beautiful! So majestic! What you don’t have eagles all over the place! guess you don’t live in Eagle City like I do. Drive along the highways in winter and you’ll see dozens by the side of the road feasting on the deer that succumb to traffic. They can also be a problem for little (& big) chickies! The best way to minimize the fright from them is to give your birds cover. It can be a roof, screened cover, or just lots of little bushes or shrubs. A tall cover is not so good since those agile hawks can fly under it, so go for low, tight shrub and plant cover. Large overgrown shrubs are great! My girls have ducked under the huge lilac in the lawn so many times when they’ve seen a shadow in the sky. So make sure the cover is just a few feet away, like max 5-10 feet, from anywhere they are in the field. That way they can duck (or chicken, hehe) and cover any time they feel the need! Also, make other areas, away from your birds, super great for those owls, hawks, and eagles. Put posts at the far end of the field. Hawks love to sit on em and look for those rodents and small animals in the field. And you want them to eats those rodents! Like the mink & ermine, they are your special friends! 2 things I do that most ppl think are weird: - I praise my girls when they get nervous/cautious/or run under cover when they see a ‘sky shadow’. Even if it is a turkey vulture, plane, of just me flapping the laundry I tell them ‘good job’, ‘way to be safe’ anytime they react. - I say hello & thank you to the ravens & crows that live nearby. They can be a predator for young pullets and chicks, but you should be keeping those safe anyways. More importantly, Ravens & Crows don’t like hawks or eagles hanging around near their nests. They chase them away. I have a group of Ravens that nest about ½ mile up the valley from me and I know I would have more hawk problems if they weren’t there (mainly because in early spring before they nest and late fall when they are done is when I have the ‘hawk trouble’). So I thank them and welcome them. Hey they were here first and doing a great job to help protect my girls! Thanks Ravens! The Big Guys (Wolves, Lions, Bobcats, Coyotes, skunks)The scary ones. For these the best plan is a good defense. Build the coops sturdy enough to withstand an assault overnight or while your away and when they are around, spread that cayenne. I’ve had a bobcat spend three nights poking around the coops & runs looking for an in and finding no whole in that armor. SO it decided to hang around the barn and hunt the rodents. Super cool, but after a week went by I kinda wanted it to move on and wasn’t sure how to do that politely. The next day that problem was solved when a lion moved in, beating it’s paws bloody against the front wire on one run before I scared it off. That run was damaged, but not breached! I renewed my cayenne barrier and kept a close watch (and kept my bear spray and 6” knife close by at all times). They stayed away the rest of that winter and I learned that my coops can stand up against the onslaught. So don’t be afraid to build those coops strong! Skunks: they are cyuuute! the cutest! but stinky and deadly to hens so don’t discount them!  a bobcat sunning itself in front of the barn. It couldn't get into the chickens coops and runs so it decided to hang around the barn and go after the rodents. Fine by me. It just meant my own littler kitty had to stay in the house! (bears)The big guns. I’m not sure you can functionally build anything strong enough to keep them out entirely. They are stronger than you think and can just rip off a truck door like we open a candy bar. Thankfully, they aren’t mostly looking to eat the birds, but will, and usually are looking for that yummy grainy feed! I consider them like giant, super dangerous rodents, and keep the feed away from them. If you live somewhere with problem black bears that are used to people. Good luck! Just keep anything edible, including your trash out of their reach. That’s the basics! (and more!)
And no matter what kind of livestock you have or predators you deal with, nothing can substitute for time spent with your animals. Observe them. Listen to them. See the patterns in their behavior and learn it. It can show you what they are wary of and what they need from you to make their life the happiest and most comfortable you can make it! You’ll also learn to know the sounds the hens & roosters make whether the predator is airborn or on land. They have different warning calls for that. If you have ducks and you see them all staring at a blank spot in the sky, know that it isn’t blank. There might be the tiniest, most distant speck, but they see it and are watching it, so learn to watch them. They are your masters. Keeping chickens and other poultry in winter isn’t difficult but it does require some preparation as repairing or setting up fences in 3ft deep snow or scrambling with extension cords and heat lamps to prevent frost bite in sub zero conditions isn’t easy. Each of the next 6 weeks, I’ll focus on one aspect of caring for chickens and ducks in winter The main things to prepare for are:
Week 6: managing boredom (especially if they are used to pasturing in summer) Cabin fever isn’t just an affliction of humans, poultry feels it too! Even though it’s usually called being cooped up ;). Here ‘ll mention the ways I keep coop boredom at bay so the hens are healthy AND happy!  Food Treats!!! the gold mine. Hens (chickens and ducks) love food. It is their reason for being as they eat to eat, eat, eat so they can lay those golden eggs. But there are a few tricks so that it gives them the most benefit and doesn’t become harmful.
 When an early (early) Robin shows up and starts chirping in the morning it can begin to feel like spring, but don't let it fool you. After very mild weather, both day and night, the clear skies have returned later this week and with it the warm days (perfect for greenhouse work as it gets roasty in there with full sun) and frosty nights (deep into the single digits which means all heat lamps on for chickies and ducks). Tomorrow's delivery marks the return of the microgreens! They are back and back for good! Come snatch 'em up! If you're interested in learning more about how I get the clucks and quacks through the winter so they stay comfortable and healthy enough to keep laying, head over to my website as I've put up the next installment of my Chickens (& Ducks) in Winter Blog Series. The latest is 4 of 6 and talks about how to design and build their houses to ensure it's good for the human and good for the bird! Click below to check it out! Come get your rainbow eggs, ducks eggs, and microgreens (they're back!) this Firday, February 21st from 12-1230pm at Fireman's Park.  A fresh bit of snow early in the week lets you know that spring isn't here yet. Hope that early (early) Robin has a good place to settle in and stay toasty!  The sunny days are nice for letting the barn hens out since otherwise they are cooped up without their run! Now they're can run around the whole world (which I let them do in the evenings outside of when there's snow covering the ground anyways).  The new few inches of snow means the rest gotta stay in until it melts again (which probably won't be long) otherwise they all crowd in on the same dirt patches and start turf wars between the two clans. Hens are not egalitarian creatures!  Laying eggs almost everyday is no mean feat! Time to get busy! When the sun comes out and the greenhouse warms up, Hella appears. She was a great helper in cleaning out all the old tomato vines (and some old hollyhock stems)!  Sometimes a farmer's work is best accomplished by standing at the door or gate and just watching. What's available this week?
Keeping chickens and other poultry in winter isn’t difficult but it does require some preparation as repairing or setting up fences in 3ft deep snow or scrambling with extension cords and heat lamps to prevent frost bite in sub zero conditions isn’t easy. Each of the next 6 weeks, I’ll focus on one aspect of caring for chickens and ducks in winter The main things to prepare for are:
Easy Human access for Regular Cleaning, Maintenance, & CareThe hens may live there but they aren’t gonna clean it or repair it, you are. Make it easy for YOU! Who cares about the chickens, they get along just fine, but if you hate going in to clean water bowls, to refill food bins, to clean nest boxes or roosts then you will put it off, potentially causing injury or illness for your little feathered friends. So many books & websites for small flocks give the deets on what the chickens or ducks need with a just a small name drop about what you, the farmer, the rancher needs. Especially in winter. Everything takes longer in winter. Requires more clothing. Gloves. Hats. Headlamp. Jacket. Boots. Everything is harder in clunky gloves and if it’s cold enough you don’t wanna take those off to open the metal gate latch that is frozen shut or to wipe down the water bowl. Don’t do it. I’ve done it. It’s not fun. So these are my key tips and hints for making it easy and breezy to clean and care for the structures that care for your hens even when if is -15F and you are hindered by clumsy gloves, headlamps, and winter gear. 1) Build in Enough Access 'Doors' This might seem an obvious tenant to keep in mind while building to ensure easy access, but I've found that I always think that one, small one will be good enough. And it may be for while but soon as chores and snow pile up and temperatures drop it won't be. You'll get frustrated and hinges might break or come loose and you might need to quickly close off one, so having another is vital! Each access door should follow these guidelines:
Use Simple (but effective) Latches:
Place nest boxes near doors - the human-sized doors that is. It makes it easier for you to grab 'em often as the temps drop so less eggies get frozies! Place heat lamps in a useful but accessible location - bulbs will break. It's a fact of life. Especially if the temps drop fast and a little frost forms on the bulbs before you turn them on, then they go POP! Changing the bulbs in steeply cold temps with big bulky gloves with restless hens underfoot is so easy you'll never curse while getting the job done. Also, even though hens don't like deep cold, you'll be surprised at what they can find comfortable. Feathers are an supreme insulator (think of all those fancy down coats used on Everest) so give the hens some space to move away from the heat. At some point they'll wanna cool off. Minimize or Eliminate dark corners, nooks, and crannies - The hens will lay there eggs there, you will need to crawl in to get them (unless you are a jedi knight who can summon them to you), these are the droids - I mean eggs - you are looking for. A dirt floor is great, but ... -
Place food and water near where it is easiest for you! - of course the hens need easy access to both, but so do you. They don't get any fresh water or more food unless you give it to them, especially in winter! Make it easy on you first! They are little and can hop up and down, can kinda fly, and have long necks (longer than they look at first) so making them work for it isn't so bad, especially when they would just be sitting on their rumps all winter waiting for fresh grass and grubs!
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AuthorI'm Farmer Megan with a life full of cackles, clucks, quacks, weeds, crazy kitten, and one tiny, senior, blind dog. Archives
March 2020
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