Video Update!

It has been a few months since my last update.  My garden this year did not produce much.  It was very wet here and only my green onions, zucchini and yellow squash produced.  I did end up getting a new chicken barn and outdoor pen and here are some videos to update you!


Here is a photo of the completed barn and outdoor pen.

                                                                      Outdoor pen

                                                              Inside the new barn.

                                                    Drainage trench in front of the old barn

                                                                   Young Chickens and Roosters

Storing chicken feed in 55 gallon barrels.

We also just planted 2 bartlett pear trees this fall.  I will keep you posted on how they do.  The wire around them is so the deer will not eat the trees.

June 2014

The weather is nice today, so I spent most of it outside doing some work around the chicken coop.  One thing I have been wanting to get done, was to dig a trench around the old chicken coop, so that the water would drain better.  The location of that coop gets pretty wet when we get a big rainstorm.  I will eventually fill the trench in with gravel so it operates like a dry creek bed.  I took a couple short videos outside also.  My dad was mowing the field around the new chicken barn and the second video is just me driving the mower up to the new barn!  I will have an outdoor pen built on to the new barn soon. Once the pen is built, I can move the chickens up to the new spot.  I will then use the old coop for storage and new chicks.  Enjoy!

The lilies are beginning to bloom!

Info Sheets for Ohio

The following information was taken from www.knoxcountyparks.org.

Deer Resistant Plants

“Plants That Taste Yucky to Bambi”

Perennials

Achillea Aconitum Agastache Alchemilla Allium Amsonia Anemone Anemonella Aquilegia Arabis Arisaema Artemisia Asclepias Aubretia Baptisa Bergenia Boltonia Brunnera Buddleia Centaurea Ceratostigma Cerastium Chelone Cimicifuga Clematis Colchicum Convallaria Coreopsis Cyclamen Delosperma Dicentra Dictamnus Digitalis Dryopteris Echinacea Echinops Epimedium Eryngium Eupatorium

Annuals

Ageratum Alcea Alyssum Asparagus ferns Begonia Brugmansia & Datura Calla lily

California poppy Caster bean Celosia Centaurea Cleome

Cosmos Dahlia Dusty miller Foxglove Gomphrena Hypoestes Ipomea Hypoestes Ipomea Lantana Larkspur Marigold Matthiola (Stock) Melampodium Mirabilis Morning glory Myosotis Nasturtium Nicotiana Papaver (Poppy) Pelargonium Salvia-(blue, gregii types) Snapdragon Solanum-Jerusalem cherry Verbena

Zinnia

Euphorbia Gaillardia Geranium Geum Grasses-(most) Gypsophila Helianthus Heliopsis Helleborus Hemerocallis Hesperis Heuchera Hibiscus Houttuynia Iberis

Papaver Perovskia Persicaria Physostegia Polemonium Poppy Potentilla Primula Pulmonaria Ranunculus Rheum Rudbeckia Salvia-aromatic types Saponaria

Iris Kirengeshoma Kniphofia Lamium Lavender Leucanthemem Liatris Ligularia Linaria Lilium Limonium Linum Lobelia syphilitica Lupine Lychnis Matteuccia Monarda This fact sheet serves to

Sedum (some) Silphium Solidago Sweet Woodruff Tanacetum Thalictrum Thymus

Tiarella Verbascum V ernonia V eronica Wisteria Y ucca

assist Knox County citizens in living within their natural world and is provided by the Knox County Park District.

Myosotis Narcissus Nepeta Oenothera Osmunda Pachysandra Paeonia www.knoxcountyparks.org
Deer Resistant Plants

Trees

Fraser Fir Maples Shadblow Serviceberry Pawpaw Paper Birch Hornbeam Cedar Cypress Fringe tree Smokebush Flowering Dogwood Korean Dogwood Hawthorne European Beech Ginko Common Witchhazel American Holly Chinese Juniper Sweet Gum Southern Magnolia Mugo Pine Black Pine Red Pine White Pine Dawn Redwood Black Gum/Black Tupelo Sourwood Norway Spruce White Spruce Colorado Spruce Douglas Fir Oaks

Shrubs

Bottlebrush Buckeye Bearberry Chokeberry Barberry

Butterfly Bush Boxwood Bittersweet Beautyberry Sweetshrub Blue Mist Shrub Japanese Plum Yew Quince

Cypress Sweet Pepperbush Smokebush Cottoneaster Forsythia Rose of Sharon Wintergreen/Checkerberry St. Johnswort Inkberry Juniper (low grow types) Japanese Kerria Pea shrub Drooping Leucothoe Spicebush Oregon Grapeholly Bayberry Mockorange Firethorn Japanese Andromeda Pieris Cinquefoil Fragrant Sumac Willow Elderberry Spirea Snowberry Lilac Viburnum Chase Tree Weigela Yucca

Veggies & Herbs

Basil Chives & Onions Comfrey Lavender Mints Oregano Parsley Perilla Rosemary Tansy

Deer really aren’t out to destroy your day, they’re just hungry. The trick is to make your plants unappetizing to them. There are commercial products that can help, so give them a try.

A home remedy that might work for deer, squirrels and rabbits is:

1 gal. water, 2 T. Tabasco sauce, 2 T. dish soap, 1 t. garlic powder. Spray on plants weekly or after it rains.

Deer use their sense of smell to decide what might taste good. So pick heavily aromatic plants to place all around the yard. It will confuse them. Also bitter, course textured, sticky or prickly leaves send deer to a new restaurant after a few bites.

The listed plants are usually deer resistant. Be aware that in the spring most everything tastes good. Please note this list is no guarantee—only some suggestions—for living with native wildlife.

www.knoxcountyparks.org

Hummingbird Plants

“Plants That Attract Hummingbirds”

Annuals

Abutilon Agapanthus Agastache Balsam Bromeliads Canna Cardinal Climber (Vine) Cestrum

Cleome Cuphea-cigar plant Cross Vine Cypress Vine Dicliptera suberecta Eucalyptus Four-o-clocks Fuchsia Hamelia patens Impatiens Lantana Mandevilla Vine Morning glory (Vine) Nasturtium Nicotiana Pentas Petunia Salvia Scarlet Runner Bean Shrimp Plant Snapdragons Verbena Wax Begonia Zinnia

Perennials

Alcea Althea Aquilegia Asclepias Campanula Campsis-trumpet vine Clematis

Crocosmia Delphinium Dianthus Dicentra Digitalis Epimedium Hemerocallis Heuchera Hibiscus Hosta

Iris Liatris Lilium Lobelia Lupinus Lychnis Monarda Nepeta Papaver Pelargonium Penstemon Phlox paniculata Physostegia Salvia Saponaria Scabiosa Symphytum (comfrey) Vinca major

Trees

Aesculus carnea Red Horsechestnut Aesculus flava Yellow Buckeye Aesculus pavia Red-Flowering Buckeye Cercis canadensis Redbud

Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood Crateagus spp. Hawthorne Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree Magnolia virginiana Sweet Bay Magnolia Prunus serotina Wild Black Cherry

Salix spp. Willow Stewartia psedocamellia Japanese Stewartis

Shrubs

Abelia grandifora Glossy Abelia Azalea exbury Deciduous Azalea var. Buddlleia Butterfly Bush Caryopteris B lue Spiraea/Blue Mist Shrub Clethra alnifolia Hummingbird Summersweet Hibiscus syricas Rose of Sharon Kolwitzia amabilis Beautybush Lindera benzoin Spice Bush Ribes sanguineum Red-Flowering Currant Rhododendron Rhododendron Sambucus racemosa Elderberry Syringa vulgaris Common Lilac (most varieties) Viburnun spp. Viburnum

This fact sheet serves to assist Knox County citizens in living within their natural world and is provided by the Knox County Park District.

www.knoxcountyparks.org

Hummingbird Plants

The Hummingbird Scene

If you want to attract hummingbirds the natural way, plant their favorite plants. They don’t have a sense of smell; they do have great eyesight, and red is their slight favorite, (but other colors will do just fine). Research has shown that hummingbirds can see the color red, especially a large area of it, from over a half a mile away.

As you’re planning your hummingbird garden, try to provide a succession of red, orange and pink flowering plants. You’re sure to lure migrating hummingbirds to stop along the way, and you’ll keep your yard filled with hummingbird activity throughout the growing season and well into fall.

Don’t forget to provide convenient perches nearby, since 80% of the time hummingbirds rest from all that wing action. Shrubs are a natural fit for this job. When the nectar-rich flowers fade, they provide perches, cover and even nesting areas.

This fact sheet contains some of hummingbirds’ favorite nectar flowers. Happy gardening and keep your eyes on your hummingbird plants.

Top Twenty Hummingbird Plants*

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Beebalm or Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma) Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadense) Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) Rosebay or Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) Giant Blue Sage (Salvia guaranitica) Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana) Mimosa or Silktree (Albizia julibrissin) Shrub Verbena (Lantana camara) Butterfly Bush (Buddlia davidii) Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea)

This fact sheet serves to assist Knox County citizens in living within their natural world and is provided by the Knox County Park District.

www.knoxcountyparks.org

* Source: Operation Ruby Throat, the first ten plants listed are native species.

Butterfly Plants

“Plants That Provide Food & Shelter for Butterflies”

Annuals

Ageratum Allyssum Cosmos Gallardia Impatiens Heliotrope Lantana Marigold Morning glory Nasturtium Nicotiana Pentas

Petunia Queen Anne’s lace Snapdragon Sunflower Thistle Tithonia Verbena Zinnias

Perennials

Achillea Agastache Alcea Allium Arabis Armeria Artemesia Aruncus Asclepias Aster Astilbe Aubrieta Baptisia Centaurea Centranthus Ceratostigma

Perennials

Chelone Cimicifuga Coreopsis Delphinium Dianthus Dictamnus Digitalis Echinacea Echinops Erigeron Eupatorium Gaillardia Geranium spp. Helianthus Heliopsis Hemerocallis Heuchera Iberis Leucanthemum Liatris Lonicera Lupinus

Malva Monarda Nepeta Origanum Penstemon Phlox Physostegia Rudbeckia Salvia Saponaria Scabiosa Sedum Solidago Viola

Herbs

Anise Borage Catnip Dill Fennel Hyssop Lavender Mints Oregano Rosemary Rue

Sage

Veggies & Fruit

Arugula Cabbage Carrot Celery Mustard Parsley Turnip Blueberry Raspberry Peach

Trees, Shrubs & Woody Climbers

Aesculus - Yellow Buckeye Azalea spp. - Azalea Asimina - Common pawpaw Buddleia - Butterfly bush Caryopteris cvs. - Blue Spirea Celtis occidentalis - Common Hackberry Chaenomeles cvs. - Quince

Clethra - Summersweet Cornus spp. - Dogwood Cottoneaster spp. - Cotoneaster Hibiscus - Mallow Ligustrum spp. - Privet Lindera benzoin - Spicebush Liriodendron tulipifera - Tuliptree Prunus sargentii - Sargent Cherry Prunus serotina - Black Cherry Rhododendron spp. - Rhododendron Salix spp. - Willow Sassafras albidum - Sassafras Syringa spp. - Lilac Viburnum spp. - Viburnum Weigela spp. - Weigela Wisteria spp. - Wisteria

www.knoxcountyparks.orgButterfly Plants

Beauty on the Wing

A complete habitat for butterflies includes more than pretty flowers that have the nectar most desired. They need mud, water, sun and a plant to lay the eggs that will feed the caterpillars. The list of plants in this fact sheet, probably far from complete, will attract and keep butterflies in your yard. Butterflies choose the flowers they desire by smell, not by color.

Fast Garden Butterfly Basics

Flowers, flowers, flowers. You cannot have too many from the butterflies point of view. If they have favorite colors, red would be at the top of the list.

Plant in large groups or clumps rather than individually.

Choose the sunniest spot in your garden to plant your nectar flowers.

Plant groups of similar colored flowers together.

Try to protect your beds of nectar flowers from the prevailing wind.

Make sure you have plants that will flower throughout the season.

Avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides.

Butterflies like to bask in the early morning sunshine on sun-warmed rocks, bricks or gravel paths.

Provide a muddy puddle in a sunny spot.

Caterpillars are hungry. Provide plenty of host/larval plants for them to eat. Make sure provide the correct plant (i.e. the ones that butterflies native to your area will lay their eggs on).

Consult your local library for books on gardening for wildlife.

This fact sheet serves to assist Knox County citizens in living within their natural world and is provided by the Knox County Park District.

www.knoxcountyparks.org

Ohio & Midwestern Natives

Perennials

Actaea pachypoda - Baneberry Adiantum pedatum - Northern Maidenhair Fern Amorpha canescens - Lead Plant Amsonia hubrichtii - Blue Star Anemone canadensis - Meadow Anemone Anemonella thalictroides - Rue Anemone Aquilegia canadensis - American Columbine Arisaema draconitum - Green Dragon Arisaema triphylla - Jack-in-the-Pulpit Asarina procumbens - Twining Snapdragon Asarum canadensis - Wild Ginger

Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Weed Aster divaricatus - White Wood Aster Athyrium felix-femina - Lady Fern Callirhoe involucrata - Winecups Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold Calylophus serrulatus - Prairie Lode Cassia hebecarpa - Wild Senna Chasmanthium latifolium—Northern Sea Oats Chionanthus virginicus - Fringetree Cimicifuga racemosa - Black Cohosh Coreopsis auriculata Nana - Tickseed Coreopsis tripteris - Prarie Tickseed

Corydalis sempervirens - Harlequin Dicentra cucullaria - Dutchman’s Breeches Dodecatheon meadia - Shooting Star Dryopteris marginalis - Leatherwood Fern Echinacea paradoxa - Yellow Coneflower Echinacea tennesseensis -Tennessee Coneflower Eryngium yuccifolium - Rattlesnake Master Erythronium americanum - Dog Tooth Violet Eupatorium perfoliatum - Boneset Euphorbia corollata - Flowering Spurge Filipendula rubra Venusta - Meadowsweet Goodyera pubescens - Rattlesnake Orchid Helianthus microcephhalus - Smallhead Sunflower Helianthus salicifolius - Willowleaf Sunflower Hepatica americana - Round Lobed Hepatica Hesperis matronalis - Dame’s Rocket Hydrastis canadensis - Goldenseal Iris pseudacrus - Yellow Flag Iris versicolor - Blue Flag

Jeffersonia diphylla - Twinleaf Juncus effusus - Soft Rush Liatris aspera - Rough Blazingstar Liatris ligulistylis - Largehead Gayfeather Liatris microcephala - Smallhead Gayfeather Liatris spicata - Gayfeather

Lilium superbum - Turk’s Cap Lily Linaria vulgaris - Butter and Eggs Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower Lobelia siphilitica - Great Lobelia Lotus corniculatus Plena - Birdsfoot Trefoil Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ostrich Fern Mertensia virginica - Virginia Bluebells Mimulus ringens - Monkeyflower Oenothera lamarckiana - Evening Primrose Oenothera missouriensis - Missouri Primrose Opuntia humifusa - Prickly Pear

Osmunda cinnamomea - Cinnamon Fern Osmunda claytoniana - Clayton Fern Osmunda regalis - Royal Fern Pachysandra procumbens - Allegheny Spurge Panax quinquefolia - Ginseng

Phlox divaricata - Sweet William Phlox Physostegia virginiana - Obedient Plant Podophyllum peltatum - May Apple Polystichum acrosticoides - Christmas Fern Pycnanthemum virginicum - Mountain Mint Ratibida columnifera - Mexican Hat Ratibida pinnata - Prarie Coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida - Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia maxima - Giant Coneflower

Rudbeckia missouriensis - Missouri Coneflower Rudbeckia triloba - Three Lobe Coneflower Ruellia humilis - Wild Petunia Sanguinaria canadensis - Bloodroot Sanguisorba canadensis - Canadian Burnet Silene regia - Royal Catchfly

www.knoxcountyparks.org

“Plants That Love It Here!”

Ohio & Midwestern Natives

More Perennials

Silene virginica - Fire Pink Silphium integrifolia - Rosinweed Silphium laciniatum - Compass Plant Silphium perfoliatum - Cup Plant Sisyrinchium angustifolia - Blue Eyed Grass Smilacena - False Solomon’s Seal Solidago caesius - Bluestem Goldenrod Solidago cutleri - Cutler’s Goldenrod Solidago rigida - Stiff Goldenrod Sorghastrum nutans Sioux Blue - Indian Grass Spigelia marylandica - Indian Pink Spiranthes odorata - Fragrant Ladies Tresses

Trees, Shrubs & Woody Climbers

Acer rubrum - Red Maple Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple Betula nigra - River Birch Amelanchier canadensis - Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis - Allegheny Serviceberry Aronia melanocarpa - Black Chokeberry Asimina triloba - Common Pawpaw Campsis radicans - Trumpet Vine Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush Cercis canadensis - Redbud Celtis occidentalis - Common Hackberry Chionanthus virginicus - Fringetree Cornus florida - Flowering Dogwood Cornus racemosa - Grey Dogwood Gleditsia tricanthos - Honeylocust Gymnocladus diocia - Kentucky Coffeetree Hamamelis virginiana - Common Witch Hazel Ilex verticillata - Common Winterberry Juniperus communis - Common Juniper Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Red Cedar Lindera benzoin - Spicebush Liquidabmbar styraciflua - Sweet Gum Liriodendron tulipifera- Tuliptree Malus -Crabapple Myrica pensylvanica - Northern Bayberry Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood Parthenocissus tricuspidata - Boston Ivy Physocarpus opulifolius - Common Ninebark

Stylophorum diphyllum - Golden Wood Poppy Thermopsis caroliniana - Carolina False Lupine Thermopsis lanceolata - False Lupine Tiarella cordifolia - Foamflower

Trillium grandiflorum - Giant White Trillium Trillium luteum - Yellow Trillium Uvularia grandiflora - Merrybells Verbena hastata - Blue Vervain

Vernonia noveborecensis - Ironweed Viola pedata - Birdsfoot Violet Viola pubescens - Downy Yellow Violet

Prunus virginiana - Common Chokecherry Quercus alba - White Oak Quercus bicolor - Swamp Oak Quercus coccinea - Scarlet Oak

Quercus palustris - Pin Oak Quercus rubra - Red Oak Quercus shumardii - Shumard Oak Salix discolor - Pussy Willow Symphoricarpos albus - Com.Snowberry Thuja occidentalis - Arborvitae

Tsuga canadensis - Canadian Hemlock Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum lentago - Nannyberry Viburnum Viburnum prunifolium - Blackhaw Viburnum Viburnum trilobum - American Cranberrybush

Ohio’s native plants have had about 8,000 to 10,000 years to get it right! Since the last glacial event, the plants that thrive in Ohio’s climate and soils have coex- isted with all of our insects, diseases and for just a short time...all of us. They are true survivors, well suited to the rigors of our local landscapes. Species native to Ohio are able to provide the very best habitat for local wildlife and require less fertilizer, less water and less effort in controlling pests. (Translation: less worry and maintenance!)

This fact sheet serves to assist Knox County citizens in living within their natural world and is provided by the Knox County Park District.

Garden Update and Baby Chicks!

Hello!  Since I last posted we have had a successful hatch day! We also finished up a lot of the planting.  I took some photo updates and a couple of short videos.

This first photo is the squash.  Zucchini and yellow squash.

I bought these cabbage plants, since cabbage takes quite a long time from seed.

The next two photos are tomato plants.  This year I have heirloom tomatoes, and Roma, Beefsteak and cherry.

 The whole garden before we put up electric wire around it.

 Dad and I beginning to put up the electric wire!  This is to keep deer out.  We have at least 12 in the back of the field.

I just planted these seeds.  Jalapeno, Chile Piquin, New Mexico Hatch and Serrano!  In the greenhouse.

 The bamboo next to the garage is getting big!  It's at least 6 ft high at this point.

The next two photos are Cilantro and Basil sprouts that I planted in the sponge!  I had never heard of doing this before.  My mom found these natural sea sponges that can be used for this purpose and they've sprouted!

Here they are!  My 12 baby chicks that hatched in the incubator a couple of days ago!

In the video below, its just my chicken Freebie taking a dust bath.  

Short video of the hatchlings!

Unusual Foggy Sunset

I took some photos last night when I went out to close up the chickens!  It was unusually foggy so I took some photos and a short video.  I don't remember the last time I saw fog around here in the daytime!  Check them out!

This video looks like the beginning of a scary movie!

May Gardening Update

Hello! I thought I'd post another update on how the garden is coming along.  I am in the process of getting a new chicken barn and we've been clearing space for it.  We "candled" the eggs in the incubator (holding a light up to them) to see if any embryos were forming and there are at least 6! I didn't check all of the eggs, but I wanted to make sure we at least had something forming.  Hatch date is the 27th!  They could begin hatching a day or two early.  I have gathered all of my baby chick supplies and just need a large box!  Here is a photo of the chick supplies, feeder, waterer, brooder light and thermometer.

Another project I just started is a sponge herb garden.  My mom got these two sponges for me and they say you can plant seeds in them without soil.  So, I am experimenting with Basil, Flat Leaf Parsley and Cilantro.  Here is what they look like, the seeds are already in them!  I'll take more photos if they sprout.

Here are a few things up in the garden.  Onions (top photo), Zucchini (2nd photo) and Radishes (bottom photo)

Here are some photos of what the green house plants look like at this point.  They're leaning sideways because we had to bring them inside due to a frost warning.  They'll straighten up now that they're back outside.

The cabbage I bought, I don't usually grow that from seed.

The next few photos I took while outside today between clearing the area for the barn.

This is a photo of the bamboo we have growing on the side of the garage.  My dad got a start of this from someone and it gets huge every year.  I am considering starting it in other places also.

I've shown this to you all before its dad's farming rig.....1946 Farmall Tractor.  We have another tractor we also use to mow the field with.

Below is my farm rig. ha ha Not too big but that's OK. I use that cart to haul all sorts of things.  Water jugs for the chickens, bags of chicken feed, rocks, bricks, cement blocks and we've put tree limbs in it also.  It looks small but it can haul 800lbs of stuff!

I will update in about a week, there should be some video of day old baby chicks to post!

May 2014

Hello everyone! It's been a couple of months since my last update.  Many things have happened.  This was a very hard winter and I had lots of problems with my chicken flock.  I had a couple I lost to sickness, and a fox got 6 of them.  My buildings are starting to really shift in the ground since they are close to 80 years old.  We are getting a new small barn this spring and I got 2 dozen hatching eggs to hatch!  Here are a couple of photos of the hatching eggs and one of them in the incubator! Our approximate hatch date is May 27th!  Exciting!  Blue egg customers will be happy, 8 of the hatching eggs are blue! If those hatch there is a chance those chickens will lay blue eggs!  This incubator is the same one we used when I was a kid!

So far we have some tomato, pepper and cucumber seeds started in the greenhouse!  Here are some photos.  We also planted kale, swiss chard, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce and dill.  We still have many rows to fill.

Ok, here are some various photos of just things happening around me.  Some of these are just blooms from trees, some hyacinths, a succulent ground cover my mom has, and some mushrooms I found.  Also, I had this decorative haunted house birdhouse my sister gave me.....during the winter, a mouse was in it inside the house!  I put the house outside and now a couple of wrens have started making a nest in it! I took some photos of that!  Yesterday I found a robin's nest!  The robin isn't too happy as we pass by and often times swoops down at our heads.  Enjoy the photos!

I will update again soon with some more photos of what we have planted in the garden and how the plots look so far.  I got rained out today! I was going to take some video!  Enjoy the photos!

Winter 2014

Hello! I realize it has been a long while since my last update.  We have had the coldest winter that I can remember.  Lots of snow and temperatures in the negative for much of January.  We have also had lots of snow! I have been collecting photos to post for the last few months though and thought I'd share them today and give you an idea as to what I've been up to!

Despite the cold weather, the chickens have been troopers....I have gotten lots of eggs!

This is Freebie, she is the only one I have who lays white eggs!  Many of which are double yolked!

When the temperature was in the minus range for days on end, I had to mix up some treats for the chickens.  This was to reduce pecking at each other, since they couldn't be outside.  I also added a lot of straw to their coop and as you can see, they enjoyed that!

This was a mix of laying feed, sunflower seeds, crushed eggshells, cracked corn and molasses. Baked at 350 until brown and crisp on the top.

Because its been so cold we've had visitors that are not out usually in the daytime...this was an obvious worry.  This one is only a baby, but a baby can kill all of your chickens.  There was also a really large raccoon out by the pen earlier that I didn't get a photo of.  I had to close up the chickens early both days. He's cute though.

This one I call Baby Beard. One of the chicks hatched by Big Mama.  All grown and laying brown eggs!

I call her Rainbow, because she has so many colors.  These chickens are mixed breeds.  It has been fun seeing what they would grow up looking like.

This one is also one of the babies.

 Me and Big Mama chicken.

 Me and Blackbeard, one of my blue egg layers!

Soon I will be planting vegetable seeds and flowers!  I also plan on starting some greens for the chickens in the greenhouse as soon as temperatures permit!  I will give you updates on those things soon!