Today, we received a batch of new chicks from the hatchery. It’s a real treat to watch the boys experience little teeny birds, especially as they grow.

Comet and chicks

Sam and chicks

-Brian

Jack and Brian talk about planting potatoes for the CSA. (This is Jack’s video debut.)

April 21 – Food Beware at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe

May 15 – Omaha Farm Tour

We crammed so much into this weekend, I am sure we’ll all sleep well tonight.

The whole family worked on cleaning up the yard on Saturday and Sunday.  After this winter, there were about a million sticks, twigs and branches littering the yard.  The boys were absolute gems while we worked to clean them up.

When we weren’t working on that, we were digging up an area to put in a natural pond.  I’ve been reading up on ponds because I have always wanted one and was debating between an ornamental pond with fountain, or a natural pond.  I’ve decided natural is better…and easier.   It’s not complete yet, but it was much easier to dig out than I thought.

The boys in the pond

Check out this awesome bug we found!

To top it all off, we had a delicious turkey dinner, built a fire outside and made s’mores.  It was about as close to a perfect weekend as I’ve come.

My favorite boys

Have a great week!

~Kelly

 By the end of the month, we will receive a new batch of birds, chickens and turkeys. As we’ve done before, we’re getting a mixture of heritage chickens, but we decided to buy Slate Blue turkeys.

The Blue Slate is listed as “Watch” on The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy‘s watch list. The turkeys we had last year were White Hollands, which are “Threatened.” We still have three hens but decided to try a new breed to see how we like them and to add a little color to our flock.

This weekend, our friend, Jennie, came to help on the farm. She commented on the calls of the turkey hens, and it reminded me how much the toms’ calls defined the sounds of summer and fall. In January, when we lost our last tom, it changed the landscape of the poultry house. The girls miss him and still seem a little lost without their protector and leader. I can’t wait to see this new batch grow and take over the farm with their characteristic strut, wing display and chorus of calls.

-Brian