I Am So Over Winter

We are just coming out a pretty brutal cold snap. The last four nights it has been as low as -25 C. We're lucky if the daytime temp gets to be a balmy -19 C. Of course, the breeze wafting over the land at a gentle gazillion miles an hour doesn't help a whole lot. I've been running two heaters in the coop trying to keep it in the minus single digits. At night, I turn off the heaters for safety's sake and the coop gets mighty nippy so I bring in the kits for the night.

Everyone has made it through, thank goodness. Today it is going up to a scorching -11 and tonight it's going to be positively Hawaiian -16. So we're over the worse. For now. Until the next one.

Three and Counting...

Remember that broody hen who ended up with everybody else's and their sister's eggs under her? They are hatching in a somewhat haphazard style. Now why isn't that the least surprising? Haphazard seems to be the 'in' thing at the Dam Farm.

She hatched one out of the original three. I know that for sure because I put 'X's on them. That's about the only thing I did right as far as 'egg management' goes. A week later, she hatched another out and the next day, yesterday another came into the world. She's got eight left. I don't have much hope for them since she's been off the nest a couple of times long enough for the eggs to cool. But we'll see.

Of the three I have, two are obviously all Buff Orpington, the third seems to be a cross. Buff Orpingtons chicks are all yellow, Partridge Chantecler chicks are beige with brown markings, this little guy is yellow with some brown markings. Don has taken to calling him the very uncomplimentary name of 'Skid Mark'.

My second broody hen has ten eggs under her and they are all marked. I also check them every day to make sure some other hen hasn't popped her egg in the nest as well. The attitude seems to be, "If that hen is brooding, I might as well give her my egg and let her do all the work while I have all the fun." Even though I have the broody hens secluded, the others do find ingenious ways to get in, kick the broody hen off, lay their egg and then go on their merry way. Must be the the "me" generation coming home to roost, so to speak.

Growing Mandelas

Mandelas is growing up and the ugly is keeping pace proportionately. I call this her dishevelled stage. Her feathers are sticking up all over the place and not two seem to be the same length. It looks like she had a major fight with a hair dryer and lost big time. I only realize how ugly she is when I look at pictures of her. In real life, her personality shines so bright it just burns the ugly away. She's a bright, inquisitive, cheery little thing. Never nasty and loves to be petted and held. She's about two months old now.

I'm calling her Mandalas now because from all accounts it looks like she is a female. When she goes out to the coop, I will have two pairs of Guineas, a pair of light uglies and a pair of dark uglies. If it was Spring, I probably could put her out now but I think it's just too cold for her now.

She really enjoys being out of her cage and trying her wings out. I let her out when I am doing the rabbit chores. I still have my bucks downstairs. She's constantly underfoot, watching everything I do, and giving her opinion. Good thing I don't understand Guinea because I don't think she's always complementary in her comments. She very curious about the rabbits but they don't seem to be really impressed with her. Probably because she's always trying to peek inside their ears. I think it's either envy or she's sure there is some hidden treasure in them.

Wandering Around the Tub

There's an old comedy routine Bill Cosby used to do about the joys of raising kids. He talks about bath time, and there's a line in there that has stuck with me. He explains when you tell your child to take a bath, you need to give detailed instructions and one of the things he says is something like "You have to tell them to run water in the bathtub or else they'll just wander around the tub wondering what to do." I always found that an extremely funny line simply because of the mental picture I got. "Wandering around the tub." has become a catch phrase Don and I use to describe a state of confusion. I spent the week between Christmas and New Years basically wandering around the tub.

I expected a lot of challenges when we started this whole becoming more self-sufficient lifestyle. I knew there would be times when things wouldn't go well and hard lessons would be learned. I knew there would be a lot of things to master, how to make do with no electricity for days through storms, figuring out wood furnaces, maintaining septic systems and water wells. What I really didn't count on was the simple confusion the accompanies the lifestyle. The DaM farm sometimes seems like nothing more than an acre sized bathtub I wander around in.

The picture of the two eggs is one of things that confused me. The one on the left is a typical egg I find every day in the nest boxes. The right one I have no idea what it is or why it is. It's the size of a marble and I found it under the roosts. Is it a Guinea egg? Could be, but the descriptions I've read doesn't seem to match this perfectly round egg and the colour seems to be much darker than what a Guinea egg should be, according to the books. May-be it happened because a chicken sneezed or hiccuped at the wrong time. Who knows? The books don't say anything about it and when I asked "chicken" people, all I got was "Never heard of that before." I get that response a lot, I'm kind of tired of it, actually. Google is useless because I'm obviously not using the proper key words. Though I must say, I've gotten some pretty interesting results. Unfortunately they have nothing to do with my situation. So I'm confused and I yet again wander around the tub.

I have a broody hen. In fact, I have two. Why on this Green and Good Earth hens would go broody in the dead of winter is beyond me. With a little research, I did find out it sometimes happens but the why seems to be a mystery. Anyhow she was broody and she had one egg so I stuck a couple more under her just to see what would happen. I figured brooding 3 little chicks was something I could manage. After a week or so, I moved the hen to a nice, secluded enclosed spot, I noticed she has another egg. OK, well, I guess that she laid one more the day I put the two under her. A week after that, when the hen hops out to eat I look into the nest. Low and behold there's TEN eggs under her. How did that happen and I thought hens stopped laying when they went broody and are they even fertilized considering she's been in solitary confinement for a week and does this mean they'll be hatching at all sorts of different time and why is a hen broody in the middle of winter? I'm confused and I meander around the tub once more. At least this time I have an inkling that I should be looking for faucets. I have found out that it's entirely possible that other hens will sneak an egg in and I did find other hens on her nest a few times. I finally figured out how they were getting in and put a stop to that.

Inter spacing all the chicken doings were weird rabbit activities. Ceilidh, an excellent mom who pops out litters with no fanfare and cares for babies beautifully has decided to totally forget how to have bunnies. She ignores the nest box and persistently builds a nest in the coldest corner of the colony. Finally, I move the nest box over there and she gets a clue. She's due on Dec. 31. In the afternoon of Dec. 29, I find a little kit in front of the nest box all by its lonely. She hasn't pulled any fur at all. I take the kit inside because I know it will freeze. I figure she'll be have the others shortly so all I have to do is wait...and wait...and w-a-i-t. Gives me time to wander around the tub again. The next afternoon, she drops another lone kit in the middle of the colony. I look at Ceilidh, confused, wondering how she got in the tub with me. She's not supposed to be doing this, I know this because I've read the books. Unfortunately rabbits can't read so there's no way she and I will ever be on the same page. I take that kit in to join the day old kit who's obviously really hungry by now. The next day, Ceilidh kindles five more in a beautifully fur lined nest in the nest box. I've been feeding the other two by hand. That night I put them in with the others. Why did she have such an odd kindle? Was it because of the colony setting, something she'd never kindled in before that confused her? Can rabbits get Alzheimer's? What are the odds of teaching her to read? Can't be much greater than a rabbit dropping a kit daily for a couple of days. I wander around the tub yet again, this time not even knowing there's supposed to be faucets.

The kits are doing fine and the two broody hens seem fine and all is well. I've climbed out of the tub for the time being, and I didn't even need a towel to dry off since I never got wet.

A New Visitor

The latest storm blew in and brought a new friend along with the new year. I believe this little bird is a mourning dove. The picture is taken from inside the house. She is sitting on the cable that runs to the chicken coop. She's actually on our deck where it's somewhat protected from the wind and cold. And windy and cold it is. The blizzard brought winds over 100 klicks an hour and the wind chill was in the -20s somewhere. I'm not sure of the exact number; anything under -15 just becomes 'freaking cold' and numbers no longer matter, -23 or -35, it's all just freaking cold to me.

This delightful guest is charming us all. She sits on the wire waiting for all the other birds to finish eating at the bird feeders then she flies over and daintily moves around the trampled snow, royality showing in her every step. She delicately picks over the leftovers pretending it is the human equivalent to caviar on toast points. After she has her fill, she sometimes flies away or, more likely, comes back to the deck. She'll land between our dining room doors and the styrofoam insulation I left on the deck from building the coop. The little six inch space between the doors and the styrofoam is a very cozy, sheltered nook made just for a 'lonesome dove'. Finding a place for the styrofoam and storing it was one of those things that belong to the "Almost Season". Sometimes not being the most efficient and energetic person has it's rewards. Everytime I pass through the dining room, I take a peek at her, she looks back curiously but doesn't seem fearful.

I always thought perhaps procrastination has an upside, I just didn't think it would be soft-eyed and fluttery.

The Great Worm Escape or What Happens When you don't pay Attention

Life doesn't always run smoothly and sometimes the results are tragic or annoying or really, really funny. Some you learn a lot from, others you re-learn something you had no business forgetting in the first place. This is one of the really funny ones with a dash of new knowledge tossed in to make the whole mis-adventure somewhat worthwhile.

I've always kept my worm bin in the cold room which also passes as the wood room come winter. It's a big room, we stack about 8 - 9 full wood cords in there every fall, and being over the uninsulated attached garage, it's cool in the summer and cold in the winter. Perfect place for the worms plus the bin is not in the house proper so that's a perk for the squeamish (not I of course; but there is a couple of people in the household who can't say "worms" without adding a "EEWWW").

Our wood order came and sat in our driveway. We have found that's the best way to get the wood in ASAP. We tend to do the chores first when they impede our convenience and comfort, not to mention being a constant reminder every time you open the door. Tripping over a log pretty much puts the thought "Oh geez, gotta get that wood in" right smack center front of the brain along with a bruise on your leg.

Putting the wood in is pretty efficient because we have a hole cut out in the garage floor and we simple toss the wood directly down into the wood room. Then we go down and stack. I say 'we', but easily 80% of the work is done by Don and the kids. I stay away mostly. 'We' can't very well throw the wood down if the worm bin is there because 'we' don't want logs bouncing off the bin. So 'we' moved the bin just outside the wood room where the washer is. I noticed that when the bin was moved, the tray and the four little cinder blocks that raises the bin over the tray did not get put back in place. I didn't really give it much thought, I figured it was only temporary and it wouldn't effect the worms. And it didn't, the worms did fine and the wood was being brought in over the next few days.

Then I noticed the worm bin had been put back into the wood room. It was still not raised over its tray but sitting directly on about 2 - 3 inches of bark that covered the floor. I kept intending to get the bin back on the tray but it was just not a priority since the worms seemed to be fine when I fed them. Though I must admit, in hindsight, I didn't see as many as usual when I checked the bin.

Last weekend, fate had it that Don and I were both in the wood room at the same time and it was the perfect time to address the worm bin. I had decided to move it out of the wood room because the wood room was getting a wee bit too chilly and I was worried the worms would freeze. So after setting up the tray and blocks in the new location, Don and I lifted up the bin. We were going to drag it because that's the way it had been moved but I thought lifting was a better idea just to make it easier on the worms. Sometimes my little voice is right on the money. We noticed right away a few worms wiggling in the bark. I picked them up and moved the bark around just in case the was a couple more...

"OH MY GOD!!!" Don exclaimed in shock and horror, "There's a whole HERD of them!" It didn't seem like a good time to point out that the proper word is 'squirm', I was a little taken back myself. Not to mention being very busy fervently thanking the powers that be we did decide to lift the bin and not drag it. I really wouldn't want to see the results of that - worm mush has no appealing ring to it at all. Turns out worms really like bark - something I didn't know. Since the worm bin was not suspended on blocks when a worm stuck its wee head out a ventilation hole in the bottom it didn't encounter wide open space. If it did, it would simply withdraw right back into the bin but since there was all the lovely, comfortable wood bark, the worms decided to pull up stakes and move to a better neighbourhood - the floor of our wood room.

The next half hour was spent with Don holding a spotlight while I picked up worms.
He: There's one.
Me: I see it.
He: Bunch over there.
Me: OK.
He: There's another freaking herd.
Me: Thanks, and they are called a squirm, horses are herds, worms are squirms.
HE: I don't care, let's just get 'em off the floor.

Must of picked up easily 500 worms. The good thing is, they didn't venture out past the area of the worm bin, must of been too cold once they were out from under the bin in the wide open space..."Wood Room Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the USS Worm Squirm..." You gotta be a Trekkie to appreciate that quote. Ah, adventures on the homestead. "What did you do all morning?" Answer in a long cowboy drawl. "We-elll, we's rounded up a maverick bunch of worms that broke loose from the squirm."

The adventure did have some benefits. The worms were healthy, very lively and squirmy, and a good color. They were obviously thriving in the bark and the one thing we have an abundance of is bark. I figure it'll make great bedding for them. Which is wonderful since their usual bedding, fallen leaves, is under a foot of snow. And, if there was any doubt left at all, you know you have found your one true love when spending half the morning picking up worms is full of giggles, puns and co-operation. Quality time shows up in the oddest and most unexpected places, just like worms.

2008 Garden Reflections, Final Chapter

Basil and Tomatoes are said to do well together. Tomatoes are supposed to be more flavorful. I haven't noticed it myself but I think my tomatoes are pretty perfect to begin with. It's hard to notice any improvement of perfection :). THe tomatoes did really well in the annex, both the ones I planted and the ones that sprung up on their own. The yield might have been better if the tomatoes weren't so crowded and they might have ripened faster on the vine. I was hesitant to transplant any but next year I will if any should spring up. The basil was the best I've every had. This is the first year I started them from seed. Some of the plants were close to two feet tall and very bushy. In past years, the basil struggled to get enough sunlight in rows with the tomatoes. This year they were planted more in a 'square' mode other than rows. May-be that helped. I will try that again next year.
Two (green) thumbs up for basil and tomatoes.

The Three Sisters also did well. Lots of sweet peas and a fair yield on the corn. They were planted in the back of the garden in three rows. I planted radishes along with the sweet peas to discourage the corn boer. I rarely find any and this year I did see less. The thing is the radishes grew very fast and did get in the way of the sweet peas. I ended up taking them out early to mid July. I think next I will plant them a little later.
Two (green) thumbs up for the Three Sisters.

Total failures:
Garlic. They were something new I tried. I planted them at the bottom edge of the garden, between the lawn and the pumpkins. The long grass and the vines totally covered them and I found nary a garlic. Would like to try it again but should plant some where else.

Parsnips. Another new experiment. I planted them near the bottom of the garden, in front of the the Three Sisters. The tops grew well but the roots were long, thin and useless. If I try them again, I will really have to thin them out as the season progresses.

So that's about it for what I grew in the main veggie gardens. I think it was a good year. I do believe that after four years of putting compost and manure on is finally giving the plants a good healthy start. This year it was all my own compost and manure; may-be it was just a coincidence that the garden kind of 'popped' but I think that the bunny balls aka rabbit manure did help quite a bit. I'm looking forward to adding my own worm castings next spring!