Last winter we hatched quail in my classroom and had surprising success. They grew quickly and began laying eggs in about 2 months. Every step with the quail was a learning experience for me. They are ground nesting so their housing and egg laying is different than chickens. They don’t roost together and have almost … Continue reading Learning with Quail
Author: phillipsfarmbatavia
New Furry Friends at the Farm
My 14-year old son Oliver was offered two female Holland Lop rabbits by a friend of his that no longer wanted them. He asked if we could take them so he could try out a little rabbit business. I’ve also been thinking about raising rabbits as a meat source so I was game to try … Continue reading New Furry Friends at the Farm
(Seed) Starting Again
Every January, when the busy-ness of the holidays passes, I start to feel the pull to put my hands in the dirt. This January and February, with its warmer temperatures and sunny days, I've been feeling the desire to grow even more deeply. On top of that, I've started a new job at a local … Continue reading (Seed) Starting Again
Introducing Louis and his Ladies
Goose family enjoying a morning swim We have official names for the goose family, thanks to our egg customer Jeanne. Meet, Louis and his ladies: Nicolle, Tilda and Bianca. Jeanne sent me French inspired names because of the French background of Toulouse geese and even looked up their meanings! That’s dedication. Louis - famous warrior … Continue reading Introducing Louis and his Ladies
Winter Mulching
My neighbor tells me winter is the time to rest, but all this warm weather has me itching to get out and get my hands in the dirt. We recently got a notice from Duke that they needed to repair a pole on the edge of our property, which would require some brush cutting to … Continue reading Winter Mulching
Guarding the Girls
We’ve had a rough few years here on the farm. With a major health crisis, job and child custody changes, crippling predation in the flock took back burner. We lost all but one duck and dozens of chickens to a hungry family of fox but just didn’t have the bandwidth to address the issue completely. … Continue reading Guarding the Girls
Late summer on the farm
This has been a very busy summer for us with a lot going on personally. In some ways it feels like I’ve had more time to spend on the garden but I’ve also had a lot of other balls to keep in the air. So, I’m happy that I’ve gotten a fair yield without a … Continue reading Late summer on the farm
Making Duck Sausage
When we did the meat bird harvest last month, we also thinned out our duck flock a little, putting some nice big duck breasts in the freezer. I have cooked duck breasts like a grass fed steak (seared then finished at a low temp in the oven) but I was looking for something else to … Continue reading Making Duck Sausage
Meat bird harvest time
It is hard to believe but the teensy Cornish Cross chicks we brought home May 16 are already ready to harvest. These birds grew so amazingly fast, putting on weight almost before our eyes. May 16 June 2 June 23 At 7 weeks old, the males are coming out at 6-8.5 pounds dressed; females at … Continue reading Meat bird harvest time
First Pickles of the Season
We went to Michigan for a week and came back to a garden beginning to produce and flower beds that had turned suddenly into a jungle. It is nice to get away, of course, but takes a lot of prep before we leave and produces a long to do list upon return. I felt a … Continue reading First Pickles of the Season
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