Waking up from a dead sleep, washing my face then throwing myself straight into writing the farm journal has an interesting challenge. When I awake I am full of the plans of the day to come. I am not naturally retrospective in the morning. My natural inclination (and I am sure I m not alone in this) is to put into action the plans my sleeping mind has rendered during the night.
So first I have to write today’s list and then look at my pictures for a minute before I can focus on yesterday.
The sun yesterday was generous and gentle. A Northerly kept it cool but did not keep the inhabitants of the farm from spending as much time napping as possible.
And while they napped we sowed the wild plant seeds down the back. I still have one more bag of flowers for the back, and oats and field peas for the pigs fields round the barn. Thank you to all who contributed to the wild flowers and fellowship trees fund (to help clear up the mess the uninvited digger made) through the Pay Pal donation account and especially Pat who is on holiday at the moment.
The meat chicks I am growing this spring are the most vigorous and industrious ever. They are not the regular jumbo Cornish hens – these ones take longer to grow and seem much more natural in their behaviour – still a hybrid – but strong and busy. The slower growth means their feet can keep up with their bodies. (though I always add kelp to their feed anyway) and still white so they are cheaper to dress than the red ones. I cannot remember their exact name – wait there: I will look it up for you. Cornish Roaster. From McMurrays – a company that never lets me down. Typically pragmatic in their labeling.
Alex has just finished the maintenance on the chicken tractor but for the next few weeks they will lounge about in the turkey house until they are big enough for the outside.
Yesterday Elle was in the barn – right up in the ‘gods’, when she heard Molly calling to her babies. She crept very slowly to the edge of the loft and took this picture for us.
And later this one of Geraldine.
Lovely to have a photographer on the farm for a while.
Our list is long for this week. The new North garden (now without pigs who are in the rat house paddock) is tilled and ready for the tomatoes and pumpkins and watermelons and etc. So today we will measure it up – download the garden plan from my head to paper and begin to plant.
Rain is forecast for Wednesday so I am hoping to get the lot into the ground before then.
Today is perfect for garden work.
I hope you have a lovely day
celi
The weather forecast is perfection.
The Kitchen's Garden 
47 responses to “Night Renders”
A pile of piglets! And a touching photo of Molly.
Dear Molly.. she is such a good girl when she has her babies.. but when she is single she is WILD.
Those piglets are beginning to look sturdy at last after a slow start, and no wonder, with the Milk Bar open day and night. Whoever knew wild Molly would grow into such a responsible and careful mum?
Yes, they follow her about drinking as she walks now so they are growing fast!
First two pictures are a hoot! Elle’s doing quite well with her shots too. But Geraldine’s not too sure about this new arrangementioned, I think.
Geraldine does not like it up there at all – c
Great pictures. The sleeping piglets look like they were carefully poured out of a bucket unto the ground. Outside of Winnipeg, there is snow flurries and cold temperatures with gusty winds. Brrr. I did see swollen leaf buds this morning, so there is hope. We generally wait for the May long weekend to feel fairly safe from frost. Good luck with your garden.
Snow flurries – on no – that sounds unfair
I wasn’t aware chicks had categories, such as meat chicks. How many types are there?
Great pic from the rafters.
I keep saying we have lots of ideas but no plan, so I must take your lead and start writing things down before they are forgotten, or remembered too late!
Goodness, your weather is so much warmer there than here in southern Ontario. Today was a fabulous day with clear blue blue skies but still on the very cool side…in the low 50’s on the f scale. But the cherry blossoms are out in full array, as are many spring flowering shrubs and bulbs. It’s an energizing time of year, isn’t it.
I checked out the link to your Cornish Roasters and was surprised at the price of them. Is the price quoted per each or per pound, or how are they priced? If it’s per each, then after caring for them, feeding for a couple of months then the cost of butchering and cleaning, hardly seems worth it to grow them yourself. I can purchase a 3 lb. chicken in the supermarket, when they’re on sale, for under $6, and usually pick up 3 or more at a time when that special is on. Perhaps your purchase price is by weight though, and that would make more sense, I guess.
Hope you had a great day! ~ Mame 🙂
Am curious when you say the white chickens cost less to dress? We dress our own and usually I raise the Cornish cross but this year decided to go with the Red Rangers due to their reputation of being better foragers. I’m pleased so far as they are definitely suited for pasture but now worried about processing them. Any insights? thanks, Brenda
I have some Japanese Quail that are the most unnatural things ever. The instinct to brood has been bred right out of them. I went in today to feed and water, and the female is sitting on eggs. Poorly, but she is in a brooding posture, and perhaps she will even manage to turn them, too. We’ll see.