Raising Chicken Teenagers

Honey bee taking advantage of the sage blossoms in the garden.

Time flies by and our darling baby girls are now teenagers with attitude (I'm not kidding)!  They are getting personalities as well as all of their "big girl" feathers.  They are still on chick grow feed.  At the farm store the other day, I learned that some people actually keep their girls on chick grow until they are about fourteen weeks, then they switch to mash.  After several batches of chickens, I am still learning!

Along with growing feathers and such, their smell also grows!  I am having to change their house about twice each week and that still isn't enough.  Lucky for me, I am able to keep them in the garage.  If they were in the house, we would be in trouble.  For such small little fluffy things, they can sure be foul (haha).

The building of the new coop, "Cluckingham Palace" (complete with pink chandelier), has been put on emergency status and we have been working on it each Sunday.  The walls were put up today, the roof is next followed by chicken wire and inside structure.  I will post pictures for all to see as it is built.

Gigantic head of broccoli!

As for the rest of the farm, things are really starting to go with the heat.  We have been in a mad rush to eat lettuce so that it does not bolt.  We have eaten salad every day for the last two weeks (sometimes twice a day) and I love it.  I picked and shelled about eight cups of peas (my fingernails are green) and have been so excited to add them to our meals.  Last night we had fresh fettucini with Romano cheese and peas, topped with fresh basil.  It was heaven!  About 90% of our meal was picked or made fresh that day thanks to our little farm and the farmers market.  I get really excited when I think of the amazing vitamin content that the fresh food has compared to what we buy in the store (I know, I am a farm nerd).  The difference is significant and it will make a difference in my children's lives by feeding them farm fresh food.

Heirloom variety of cauliflower called Veronica...alien plant!!!

Our broccoli and cauliflower is also coming on.  We are going to be so sick of it by the time it is all eaten!  I picked a broccoli head that would rival all others in size (about 10-inches diameter).  It was much larger and more colorful than the heads at the grocery store.  In fact, I am always taken back the first time I steam homegrown broccoli for the season.  It is so much greener and softer.  The difference is so noticeable.  I smiled last night while my two-year old gobbled broccoli and then proceeded to tell my five-year old that it was sooooo yummy!  It's little moments like that which make all of the hard work and calluses worth it!

Blossom on one of the heirloom potatoes "Carola"

Happy farming and harvesting!  Go get dirty girls...

Potatoes growing beautifully.