Category: Chickens & Eggs

We didn’t really break out the flip-flops yet, but we have had a very productive February!

• We got some chicken coops painted and new roosts built on those 70 degree days.  (It’s not breaking child labor laws if he begs to help!)    
• We joined the Chicagoland CSA Coalition – Band of Farmers and have been meeting with other local farmers to collaborate and share ideas. 
• We found some antique supplies that we cleaned up and are putting to good use.  An egg basket and scale!  It’s fun to think about what has changed and what remains the same since these were last used.  I just love combining modern technology (Excel spreadsheets, I-Phone timers and camera, etc.) with these old treasures!

• We celebrated CSA Day (February 24th) on Social Media with over 1,400 other farms. 
• Our focus for March will be continued planning for our CSA.  We are overjoyed with the enthusiasm that people have for fresh, local produce and we are excited to give them the very best!

January is a time for planning and getting organized for the coming year.  We’ve been comparing varieties of plants, ordering seeds, planing garden space, preparing the greenhouses, and reading articles on the latest tips and techniques.

We’ve also been washing a lot of eggs!  Our chickens must think it’s spring because they have been laying extra eggs lately.  I think I’m going to make some cream puffs today to make good use of the surplus.

The picture is of a GIANT egg that one of our chickens laid this week!

We had a fun and productive weekend at the farm.  We moved both chicken coops (built on hayracks with wheels) over to the “Chicken Habitat”.  It’s always an adventure to watch Dan use the tractor to maneuver the coops. The “Chicken Habitat” is a large fenced area with lots of greens and stumps for the gals to explore, while still allowing them a bit more protection from anything that might enjoy eating them…  Since the coops are on wheels, we can relocate them anywhere on the farm to give them new places to roam.

The newest group is 12 weeks old.  They’ve gone from adorable chicks through a gangly awkward phase (don’t we all…) and now look like small chickens.  We tried to coax them outside yesterday, but most of them are still a bit unsure and choose to stay inside.

After a family cookout, we transplanted broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower until we ran out of daylight.