Dear CSA Members,
Another beautiful, sunny January day here on the farm. NOT WHAT WE WANT! But, we might as well enjoy it. Our daughters, Maddie, 11, Millie 9, are now driving the golf cart (my handy-dandy-zip-around-the-orchard- vehicle of choice…I love it!).
They went over to the newly constructed chicken house, the pride and joy of my packing shed crew/carpenter crew, which is painted in classic New England Barn colors of fire engine red and white. Their mission: to feed the pullets. Actually, of the 20 young chickens we’ve raised from chicks we received in November, four of them are roosters. Did I forget to tell you about raising chicks in our garage? The dust! The smell! The floor covered in wood shavings! But, it was fun and worth the mess. Anyway, under the capable mentorship of Marlene and Kristin, our garden gurus, Maddie and Millie did a fine job of raising the chicks from babies to teenagers and now they are “free range” in a fenced area around the little house. The fence is a sturdy chain link to protect the chickens from coyotes, raccoons and foxes.
Yesterday evening the girls went over to put the chickens away in their coop while I picked some greens from the nearby garden. Maddie and Millie with the help of some friends, herded and lured the chickens into the house for the night. Then they decided to go inside and visit with them. I could hear
the chattering and clucking going on for about 15 minutes and then, I turned around and saw them all, girls and chickens both, outside of the coop running around! The kids enjoyed capturing the hens and putting them away so much that they just wanted to do it again!
All the best from the barn yard,