Tamworth pigs are growing fast
The three Tamworth pigs we brought home about a month ago are doing great and seem to be growing almost before our eyes. David insists that when he feeds them late in the day, they look bigger than...
View ArticlePot Pies and Egg Money turns 50!
Okay, okay, not really. But this is the 50th post on the Pot Pies and Egg Money blog, so who needs an excuse to celebrate? I thought about listing 50 ways to cook a heritage turkey (my related post of...
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Ducks in the High-Occupancy Vehicle lane
Farmall tractor at Nash's Delta Farm.Last Friday we got a call from Scott, who works for Nash Huber of Nash's Organic Produce in Sequim. Scott had been tending a flock of Khaki Campbell and Indian...
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Duck eggs now available at Sequim stores
Our 4-year-old Blue Swedish ducks still produce 5-6 eggs per week! As our laying ducks came into full production earlier this spring, we were collecting 30-35 duck eggs per day. Sequim's wonderful...
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Canyon Creek Farms: we're certifiable
3-week-old Khaki Campbell ducklings You've suspected that all along, haven't you? Now we can confirm the truth: Canyon Creek Farms is on the verge of being certified organic. After wading through the...
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Cat on a hot chick brooder
Poor Cosmo. Our cat suffered through a bout of empty-nest syndrome this spring, after we moved our 51 New Hampshire chicks from their indoor brooder to an outdoor transition coop. For more than two...
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Northern Goshawks prefer organic chicken, too
Young adult male Northern Goshawk. Last week I was able to get some decent photos of a Northern Goshawk at our farm. Unfortunately it was standing on the dead body of one of our young New Hampshire...
View ArticlePreparing (again) for the Mother Earth News Fair
As you know, I've had the privilege of sharing my presentation on raising turkeys at the Mother Earth News Fair twice now. This past June I had a great time at the Fair in Puyallup, and was invited to...
View ArticleStop calling me a twit!
I know, I know. But here's the thing: This week I finally got around to signing up for a Twitter account. I don't really know what took me so long, especially considering I don't have much to do other...
View ArticleDays are getting shorter; should you have lights in your chicken coops?
As we move into fall months, and days are getting noticeably shorter, many of our birds have begun to moult. Our turkeys actually started moulting in August. Our older ducks and chickens are definitely...
View ArticleIf you missed the Mother Earth News Fair in PA...
...well, let me tell you, you really did miss out. I hear there were over 15,000 visitors over the three days of the Fair, and the energy and atmosphere were consistently positive. If I'd been swift...
View ArticleI-502: A good example of why you should get the facts before you vote
[Disclaimer: The following is an op-ed piece. All opinions are mine alone, and unless otherwise indicated, are expressed as generalities. I welcome your feedback, but ask that you please read this...
View ArticleChicken broth and meat: Making the case for pressure canners (Part One)
We slaughtered some chickens yesterday, and we'll be doing more Monday morning. The roosters we slaughtered yesterday are all between 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 years old, so they're definitely stewing birds (I...
View ArticleTime-sensitive material: Call for submissions!
If you follow me on Facebook, you already know that I recently received a draft contract for my first book. It stipulates a tight time schedule: the finished manuscript is due on February 1, 2013....
View ArticleI was going to call it "The Sustainably-Raised Egg and I," but...
What can I say. I've never been very good at coming up with names for things. However, it is now official: my first book, "Pure Poultry: Living well with heritage chickens, turkeys and ducks," is on...
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Farm-fresh eggs: To wash or not to wash
Nice clean eggs, ready to be weighed and packed. I would not have believed how much strong feeling this particular subject stirs up. Some people assert that eggs should always be washed, preferably...
View ArticleEqual time for ducks: More on washing farm-fresh eggs
Thanks for all your comments and feedback on my recent post about whether homegrown eggs should be washed. It occurred to me (after the fact, as usual) that when I wrote it, I was really just thinking...
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Free eggs? Not exactly...
Dual purpose New Hampshire pullets I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think it's time to address a misconception regarding poultry: If you raise laying hens or ducks, there is simply no such...
View ArticlePure Poultry is going to press!
"Part memoir and part roadmap to success, Pure Poultry tells a compelling story full of grit, passion and discovery as the author and her husband embrace a sustainable, off grid life in the woods –...
View ArticleStart your Christmas shopping early this year: Pure Poultry is here!
Check out the Pure Poultry video trailer! I bet you had forgotten you pre-ordered my new book Pure Poultry, didn't you? For quite some time now, the amazon.com page for Pure Poultry showed a release...
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