The Coeur d'Alene Coop

Crowd Sourcing to Get the Job Done

2011-09-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

The following bit of photojournalism captures the daily activity inside the Coeur d'Alene Coop. Madge is quite the attraction to the younger girls when she in on the nest. I wish I could have recorded the "chicken purring" that occurred during this session!

Who knew chicken's crowd-sourced this daily hen-house activity?

Hmm, maybe I could use a little input...

Yes, I agree...we need a few more like minds in here...

Everyone, please, come in and have a seat...

Standing room only!

The finished product...job well done one and all!

Saving Seeds: A Smart Investment for Your Garden's Future

2011-09-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

The summer garden is winding its way down and fall planting at the 2nd Street Chicken Ranch is well underway. The long raised bed, that just a few weeks ago was an overgrown tangle of bush beans, has been realigned and is reemerging in tidy rows of spinach, kale and cress. The determinate tomato plants have had their final fruits harvested and have been pulled to make room for the garlic.

While all this reorganizing is taking place, it's also time to start investing in next year's garden by saving seeds from this year's best plants. I'm pretty selective about which seeds I save and my friends at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds have nothing to worry about -- I'll still be purchasing plenty of seeds from them once that fabulous catalog arrives.

Saving is Easy

It's pretty easy to save seeds but here are a few thing to note as you get started:

If the plant variety is a hybrid, the seed you save may be sterile or will not produce a plant like the parent variety. It's best not to save seeds from a hybrid. Heirloom seeds reproduce well and will keep the variety going...that's how we got heirlooms!
The best seeds for a home gardener's to save are from those plants that self-pollinate (or are not cross-pollinated). These include garden favorites like tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans and peas.
Choose the best fruit, vegetable or flower. Fruit should be at the peak of ripeness, but not over ripe. Beans and peas should be left on the plant to dry.
Make sure your seeds are dry -- moldy seeds rot! Store in an envelope and don't forget to label it with the name/variety of plant.

Mother Nature is pretty amazing when left to her own devices and you have no doubt encountered a "volunteer" of some type in your garden. This is especially true if you compost or let plants go to seed. Case-in-point, the free seeding echinacea (cone flower). I leave the seed heads for the birds but plenty self seed every year. I have a beautiful garden full of purple and white cone flowers year after year. The same is true with cilantro; inevitably it bolts, flowers and self seeds. I get a new crop without lifting a finger.

While saving beans, peas and dried seed heads is super easy, tomatoes take a little more effort and is something along the lines of a science experiment, but it's still easy.

Saving Tomato Seeds

Here's what you'll need:

The best tomatoes on the plant at the peak of ripeness.
A glass jar or dish for collecting the seeds (one dish for each variety you are saving).
A find sieve for straining the seeds.
A paper plate for drying the seeds.

Here's how:

1. Scoop out the seeds and gelatinous tomato goo from your prize specimen into the glass jar or dish.

2. Add about 2 inches to 3 inches of water.

3. Move dish to a warm place (I recommend the garage where where fruit flies can really live it up) and let it sit until mold starts growing on the surface in about 2 - 3 days. Yes mold. I said this was like a science experiment, didn't I? The mold is breaking down that gelatinous goo and freeing up the seeds!

4. Time to rinse the seeds. Scrape or pour off the mold and dump your seeds into a fine sieve. Rinse with water, moving the seeds around with your finger to make sure all the goo is washed off.

5. I like to pat the seeds dry with a paper towel and then transfer them to a paper plate to dry.

6. Let them dry thoroughly for a day or two. Move them around to make sure none are stuck together.

7. Label and save in an envelope.

I store all my seeds in an airtight container, out of direct light in the unheated garage.

Last year I was unable to find seeds of my two favorite tomato plants, the Sun Gold Cherry and the Juliet, so I purchased plants from my favorite supplier at the farmer's market. I've saved the seeds of both of these varieties to ensure that I have seeds to start next spring!

What has been your success rate with saved seeds? Anyone interested in a seed exchange?

The CdA Coop's Top Garden Picks of 2011

2011-09-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that today is the last day of summer; after all, it didn't really arrive in north Idaho until early August! In spite of the cold, wet spring which extended in to cool, wet summer, we did manage to have a couple of standouts in the garden this year.

Here's the lineup, starting with the cool weather lovers, since this was their year again.

Lettuce and Greens:
We had (and continue to have) a fabulous crop of lettuces and greens this year.

The Lolla Rossa lettuce was beautiful, never bolted or became bitter. It is a lovely red leaf lettuce and will be back in the garden in 2012. And then there was the arugula -- we enjoyed this spicy green all summer. I planted this is succession (and now into the fall). If you haven't planted this before, I highly recommend it. It germinates quickly and is ready for harvest in 25-30 days. It's great in salads and lovely braised with a little garlic and bacon (like spinach but with a zing!).

Beans:

I heard from several gardeners that this was indeed the year of the bean. I went a little crazy this year and planted all my beans at once instead of staggering the plantings. That led to beans at just about every meal for several weeks. We put in four types of bush beans; green, yellow wax, royalty purple and Dragon's Tongue. All were productive, but my favorite and the standout was the Dragon's Tongue. This is a flat type bean that starts out green with purple stripes and matures yellow with stunning deep purple stripes and spots. Oh, and did I mention how good they taste? We blanched, steamed, sauteed and roasted. Gotta love summer's bounty.

Tomatoes:

This was another difficult year for Idaho tomatoes...but we did manage to pull out a few winners. This year I started more than 50 tomato plants and much to my surprise, they all grew to transplantable size. Many were given to friends and, I'm happy to say, those plants have been very productive.

The all around winner for yet another year is the Sun Gold Cherry. Nothing beats this little, round orb of sunshine. The sweet flavor explodes "summer" in your mouth and it just keeps on producing. Plant this one.

Another huge producer this year was the Black Plum. It's a prolific cherry-type Roma with a deep reddish-brown skin and meaty flavor. While these are small, they are great to roast and tasty right off the vine.

The Cherokee Purples, a large fruited heirloom, also did well producing lots of meaty, dusky pinkish-red fruits. These were great sliced on BLT's!

One Morning's Harvest!

And then there was the Green Grape. I'll be keeping this one around too. It's also a cherry type, very prolific with oval shaped, yellowish-green fruit. Since this was the first year for this type, I wasn't really certain when the fruits were ripe! It's when they turn a bit yellow! They are sweet and tangy all at once and look gorgeous mixed in with the Sun Golds and Juliet's.

It's bittersweet to see the Summer of 2011 come to an end -- all in all it was a pretty good harvest. Now I'm busy saving seeds (more on that soon) and planting the fall crops...got to get that garlic in next week!

How was your garden this year? I love to know what your standout were and what you recommend!

Fall is the "New" Spring

2011-09-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Mid September finds most north Idaho gardeners busy bringing in the last of the tomatoes, cukes and summer squashes. A late summer heat wave earlier this month really helped those heat seekers move along to luscious ripeness and the bounty is rolling in at the Second Street Chicken Ranch.

But I'm antsy...my summer crops are still going strong. Why, you ask, is this a problem? Because I'm ready, and nearly late, for planting the winter crops. Yes, you read that correctly, winter crops.

Who, in their right mind, would attempt to grow anything in north Idaho over the winter? What with frigid temperatures, freezing rain and several feet of snow? Well, I for one; and I'm betting that there are more. You see, fall has become the new spring. Yep, just like 50 is the new 30! (Hey, I'm buying into that more and more these days!).

It's not impossible -- even here at 47 degrees latitude -- to have a successful crop of greens without a greenhouse. Last fall I planted spinach, covered it with straw for no reason other than to keep the cats out of the dirt, and this past spring I had the most delicious, tender spinach ever. Intrigued, I found a book on winter gardening and started planning the winter garden.

Now granted, you have to plant crops that like the cold and those are limited, but how fun is it going to be to pull carrots in December? Have beautiful, fresh salad greens right up until Christmas? And the bonus -- most winter crops overwinter and start regrowing early in the spring -- just like my spinach did last year. What a great way to get a jump on spring.

So, here I am, happily harvesting the beautiful fruits of summer, but instead of lamenting the pending end of the season, I am eagerly awaiting the next step. I'm not putting the garden to bed this fall, but freshening the sheets and moving into the 3rd season.

What about you, any plans for a winter crop?

Oh Snap! Peas Please Me

2011-07-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

One of the few benefits to a cool, wet summer is how great the cool weather crops grow. Okay, I'm inclined to say this is the only benefit to a cooler than normal summer. Nonetheless, if you love harvesting fresh peas, non-bitter or bolting lettuce and arugula into August, this has been your kind of summer in north Idaho.

The sugar snaps are fat, super sweet and best consumed right off the vine (most don't make it into the house). For those that do, our second favorite is tossed in a salad of garden lettuce with goat's cheese or lightly sauteed in a little chicken stock. Yum!

I just planted a third crop of lettuce, a spicy mesclun mix, along with more arugula. Even if the dog-days of August arrive, these crops will be fine and will take us into the early fall.

The cooler weather has the tomatoes a little smaller, but there are lots of greenies and I did manage to pick my first delicious, mini burst of summer delight, Sun Gold Cherry tomato the other day -- with lots more waiting in the wings for Mr. Sun to kiss upon.

Flock Integration: So Happy Together

2011-07-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we moved our 16-week old pullets into the main coop with our two older hens. I'm happy to report it was a great success with no bloodshed, no loss of feathers or any real discomfort for anyone (especially me). Amazing. I'm crediting this successful flock integration to the "meet and greets" and other factors mentioned previously.

Combining flocks is something that all urban chicken farmers will have to face at some point if you want the eggs to continue. It's a fact that younger hens produce more eggs than older hens. The most productive laying period is the first 18 months of the laying hen's life, after that, production tapers off.

We've been fortunate that Madge, who is just over two years old, still produces an egg every day. Helen, who really is an old biddy at 3 and a half, is a little more sporadic in her laying. She currently appears to be on vacation...again. Can you say "Coq au vin?" The good news is that our pullets will start laying in just a few more weeks (laying usually begins between 20 and 24 weeks). Maybe all that new activity in the nest will spur Helen back into action.

One last minute, secret weapon I pulled out to assist with the move-in was the Flock Block. The older girls love this salt-lick sized block of corn and molasses -- that is, after they get over the initial fear of it being in the coop. They say "dumb cluck" for a reason!

After we moved the pullets in the coop, I placed a fresh Flock Block in as a diversion tactic (often a head of cabbage or other special treat is recommended during integration). Madge set out immediately in what can only be described as major hand-wringing worry...oh my...oh my...somethings different...oh my...what is that?...oh my.... Of course this translated to crowing loudly from the safety of the roost. In the meantime, Helen took refuge in the back of the pen madly pacing back and forth. The pullets were oblivious to it all!

Eventually, the youngsters began pecking at the block and of course the older girls jumped right in once they discovered it wasn't going to eat them! Nothing like a little corn and molasses to sweeten the move-in!

I won't be able to actually test my integration theories until we do this again (in another 2 years), but I'd like to know how you have combined flocks or if the meet and greet idea has worked for you. Let me know.

Sweet 16

2011-07-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

The 2nd Street Chicken Ranch is celebrating a Sweet 16 this weekend! Our "chicks" are 16 weeks today and will be moving to the main coop with Helen and Madge.

After a month of informal "meet and greets" on the lawn, everyone is ready (well, ready or not) to live together. There is no doubt in anyone's pea-sized brain as to who the ruler of the roost is: Madam Helen; and her Sargent-Major, Madge, makes darn certain that the underlings tow the line. Such is the way of the pecking order.
Combining flocks is perhaps the most stressful event the urban chicken farmer and the flock will undertake. I speak from experience. Given last summer's introduction of Madge, and the now departed, Midge, I hoped for a better way.

The meet and greet concept worked really well for the current flock configuration and here is why:

First and foremost it was neutral territory and not in anyone's coop.
We are introduced four young birds to two adults (unlike last summer's situation with two adult birds going in with five adult birds). While the youngsters tested the pecking order, they became subservient very quickly.
The older birds couldn't "attack" everyone at once (unlike last year's five against two). In fact, age may have mellowed the older girls -- there has been little blatant attacks on the youngsters. Usually just a glare or raised hackles is all it takes to clear the way for the older girls.

We'll do one more lawn party today and then everyone will retire to the main coop. We're not going the route of "combining flocks in the cloak of darkness;" which is a highly recommended method of introducing new chickens to existing flocks, simply because these girls have already mixed and mingled and have lived next to each other for the last 3 months.

The temporary condo coop in will stay put for a few more days, just in case a serious case of bullying breaks out and someone needs to go in "time-out."
It is amazing how fast the last 4 months have gone by. It seems like just yesterday we had four fuzzy, yellow chicks. And just think, in another four short weeks, we should be getting our first eggs. My, my how fast they grow up and leave the nest.

Getting to Know You

2011-06-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

We held our "Hens & Chicks Meet & Greet" over the weekend and I think we've found a way to ease the drama, trauma and pain of small flock integration.

And what a relief that is, given the trauma endured last August when we integrated two new hens into our flock. It was so bad, we ended up sending two from the original flock (the bad-girl bullies, Henny and Penny) to live with a much bigger flock "on the farm" (can you say chicken-stew?).

Helen and Madge, our two remaining hens, are fairly low key. Helen is queen of the roost, but she and Madge get along. The chicks are 10 weeks old and are almost as big as the hens (in body size only - the hens outweigh the chicks by several pounds).

Are you my Mother?

Getting everyone together in a neutral setting was the key to the Meet and Greet's success. We used a 25' length of plastic garden fencing to create a "playpen" on the lawn. In went the chicks, who were delighted to be out of the coop, although clueless as to what to do.

Since Helen was busy sitting on the nest, I scooped up Madge and tossed her in the pen. And waited...

Testing the pecking order.

Ah, youth. A time to spread your wings. To flap off in the face of authority. To find out just where you stand in the pecking order. A time to discover you're not at the top of the order.
It didn't take Madge long to put Marigold in her place and let everyone else know that when Helen is away, Madge rules. With nothing more than a glaring look in their direction, the chicks quickly learned that blonde means business.

Helen meets the chicks

Enter Helen, fresh off the nest, confident in her role as ruler of the roost. Holding my breath, I dropped her in.... I have to admit, I was expecting something more from Helen. Not that I was disappointed, but she really didn't seem a bit interested in the chicks. In fact she was content to eat grass and peck around; that was until Ms. Marigold decided to test the pecking order again. Wowee - what a dust-up! In a quick as lightening flash, Helen delivered a sharp peck to the back of her head and that was enough to put everyone in their places.

Helen dominating. Note the two chicks on the right - fleeing.

The chicks quickly learned to respect the elders and the elders, beyond a couple more glaring looks or threatening stances, basically ignored the chicks.

We did a second play date on Sunday with similar results...no drama, trauma or pain. We'll have a few more of these Meet & Greets over the next few weeks. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's good to get to know one another before moving in together!

Birds of a feather

The Basil Bust

2011-06-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

I love basil. Its heady, sweet smell is an instant reminder of summer, warm sunshine and tomatoes. During the winter months I purchase living basil (hydroponic) and come early March, it's the first seeds that I start.

Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, the beautiful flat of basil which I started and nurtured during the cold, wet spring has succumbed to just that -- the cold, wet spring. Arrrrgh! You'd think I'd learn after going through this last year. Basil, of all the herbs, is incredibly delicate and require warm temps to survive. And that just something we just haven't had a lot of here in Coeur d'Alene this spring.

I'm not alone in this crop failure, as friends have lamented that their tiny basil purchased at Farmer's Markets are also failing. But, there is good news! It's not too late to start basil from seed outside in pots or in the ground. In fact, right now is the right time!

About 9 days ago I seeded two pots and tucked seeds in along the edge of the tomato beds. Today I have tiny basil sprouting from pots and the ground. One packet of seeds at $1.99 will yield more than enough basil --and it will be ready just in time for ripening tomatoes in August.

Maybe next year I'll learn my lesson and just sow basil outside in June. Probably not though, I'll take my chances and hope that next spring will be warm and sunny. The gardener is an eternal optimist!

Time for the Manito Plant Sale

2011-06-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for the Friends of Manito Spring Plant Sale at the Manito Gardens in Spokane, WA., this Saturday, June 11 from 10 am to 4 pm. This is a fabulous sale for plants (just download the 19 page list to see everything they're selling!). It is a fund-raiser for the gardens, so while the plants are not necessarily "bargained-priced," you are going to find a terrific selection of healthy and unusual plants.

Purple Loosestrife

I went to the fall sale last August (they do two each year - spring and fall) and came home with an assortment of goodies: grasses, cone flowers, purple gooseneck loosestrife, Solomon's seal, sea-hollies and more. I'm happy to report that everything wintered over and looks great.

If you are in the Spokane area, don't miss these sales!

Ambitions and Abundance

2011-05-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

In addition to this blog, I keep an "old fashioned" garden journal - one I write in just about every weekend. I usually start writing in January - listing out the new seeds or plants I want to try - and wrap it up in October with the "most successful" list for that garden season.

This year my January wish-list was huge and I quickly realized that I would need way more land than what our small, urban backyard could supply. I needed to scale back the list and get realistic as to what I could grow successfully (like 14 types of tomatoes that resulted in more than 50 tomato starts!).

We have four 8' x 4' raised beds and one 16' x 3 bed; a couple of smaller herb/flower beds and a perennial flower bed (which keeps getting smaller and smaller as the number of raised beds grow). I got 18 tomato plants in the ground last weekend -- all those that I can accommodate - and that spurred me to take inventory of the edibles that are currently "in the ground."

Tomatoes (14 types), potatoes (3 types), grapes (2 types), arugula, lettuce (3 types), radishes (3 types), basil (4 types), sage, thyme, cilantro, chives, oregano, rosemary, garlic, fennel, purslane, spinach (already harvested), cress, chard, beets (2 types), carrots (4 types), onions (3 types), shallots, peas, peppers (2 types) and strawberries.

Early Radishes

Still to plant: bush beans (4 types), cucumbers (2 types) and squash (2 types).
I was amazed at the list. I am amazed at my ambition and the pending abundance. It's a good thing I cut down my wish-list in January. Maybe the 2nd St. Chicken Ranch needs to start its own CSA!

Time to Plant Those Tomatoes

2011-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's been another cool, wet spring in north Idaho, but I think we are finally out of frost danger. The 50+ tomato plants that I started in early March have been hardening off in the covered hoop bed for about two weeks. We've been monitoring the overnight temperatures pretty closely with the help of a thermometer with a remote sensor and this has worked really well.

When the temp is going to dip below 40 at night we cover the plastic with another "blanket" -- a heavier, blue tarp. This has helped, along with the few sunny and 70 days we've had so far this year.

I have to admit, the starts look great and I'm calling the "starting tomatoes from seeds" a big success this year. Now on to the next step - getting them into the ground. We have two beds dedicated to tomatoes and this year I am trying something new. Instead of the traditional tomato cages for support, we are going to try the cattle panel idea.

We purchased a 16 foot section of cattle panel - we'll put an 8 foot section into each bed. I'm still researching the best planting scheme. Some people have put the panel down the center and staggered 3 or 4 plants on either side. Another placed the panel about 1/3 into the bed and planted 7 on one side, allowing for a row or two of other crops in the same bed. Either way, I'm not going to get 50 plants in!

Stay tuned -- I'll post photos and the final outcome later this week!

New Chicks on the Block

2011-05-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Madge and Helen check out the new neighbors.

Our new girls have settled nicely into their brand new, one bedroom, starter home. It's pretty exciting to move into a new house and get to know the new neighbors -- especially when the old biddies next door are the "mother hen" type...so to speak.
After much discussion on the type of pen we were going to build, Hal and I settled on a pre-made "chick-n-pen" from the farm store. It fits perfectly on the mini coop and provides enough space for the chicks to roam around. A leftover piece of fiberboard (which already matched the paint) was added to keep the rain at bay.

These are temporary digs for our chicks, who are now 7 weeks old. My goal is to have a combined flock living under one coop/roof by week 16 (mid-July). My integration strategy includes a couple of "meet and greets" inside the confines of a large, plastic-fenced pen. All that tasty, green grass will surely provide a distraction for the big girls...at least for a few minutes.

Given our past experience with flock integration, I'm hoping these backyard play dates make the transition easier for everyone -- especially those of us without wings and beaks.

Cinco de Mayo Pesto

2011-05-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

The May 2011 issue of Bon Appetit has a great recipe for Chive Pesto. In addition to chives it also calls for parsley. Since I'm not a big fan of this herb, I decided to try it with cilantro. With a couple of ingredient swaps (lime for lemon and a dash of hot sauce) you have Cinco de Mayo Chive Pesto!

It's a super easy and delicious way to use those spring fresh, onion-y chives growing in your garden.

1/2 cup chopped chives (packed)
1/2 cup cilantro (packed)
2 Tbs pine nuts (more authentic Mexican would be pepitas/pumpkin seeds)
1 clove garlic
2 Tsp fresh lime juice
Dash of bottled hot sauce (to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil

In a food processor add chives, cilantro, nuts and garlic. Pulse until chopped. With machine running, stream in olive oil until combined. Whirl in lime juice and hot sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This is great on grilled fish, chicken or veggies and, as the original stated, great on roasted potatoes too. Delicioso!

A Sure Sign of Spring -- Farmer's Market!

2011-05-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, May 7th, the 2011 Kootenai County Farmer's Market season opens! Come rain (probably) or shine (hopefully) the vendors will be there with a fantastic assortment of flower, herb and veg plants, fun art, yummy eats and great music!

The Saturday market is located at the corner of Hwy 95 and Prairie Ave., and runs from 9 am to 1:30 pm. A Wednesday market is held in downtown Coeur d'Alene at Sherman Ave. and 5th, from 4 to 7 pm.

We never miss "opening day" and this year is no exception. Even though I have 50+ of my own tomato starts (and could be a vendor!!), I will be searching out a Sun Gold Cherry, Juliet, and a Black Prince. Two of my favorite vendors are Killarney Farms from Cataldo, ID (nice variety of tomato plants and greens) and the Idaho Tomato Lady / Mountain View Farm, from Hayden, ID.

If you go and succumb to the temptation of purchasing tender annuals (like tomatoes, peppers, basil) make sure you keep them in the garage or sheltered area. It's still too chilly to put them in the ground! Last average day of frost is May 15 for this area. I usually try to get my tomatoes in by the May 20th - but let Mother Nature (and your soil's temperature) be your guide.

Here's to Farmers' Markets, joy they bring to welcome Spring!

House Those Hens for Under $10: How to Build a Chicken Coop on the Cheap!

2011-04-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Our chicks are just about 3 weeks old and it is amazing how fast they grow. They don't look anything like the cute, fuzzy balls of fluff we brought home at the beginning of the month. They are still living in our family room in a clear plastic Sterlite tub, but the time is coming for them to move on up and out of the house!

Integrating chicks with adults is not a good idea, but eventually everyone is going to have to live together. Until that magical moment (I'll have more to say on that topic in a future post), we need temporary "outdoor" housing for the growing brood. Our local farm store advertised a swell looking small coop for $239 - yikes! And a search on Craig's List returned few options as well. With time running out (who wants month old pullets living in the house?), we turned to the DIY plan.

Hal sketched out a basic salt box coop design and we were off to the home improvement store. We purchased two 4 x 8 sheets of OSB plywood ($6.97 each!!) and we were on our way to a new temporary coop. Within two hours we had the basic structure together. We ended up using just one sheet of the OSB plywood. The roof and floor came from a few pieces of plywood we had left over from other projects; otherwise we would have needed the second sheet. We also had screws, the 1x corner supports, roof hinges, decorative trim and paint. Our cost in this has been our time and about $7.

I am confident that you could build something similar for well under $50 with supplies from a Habitat for Humanity store or similar second hand building supply store.

It's with screws, so when the chicks move into the main coop, it can be dismantled and stored. It will be great to have on hand for future juvenile housing or for any reason that we need to separate flock members.

The coop measures 3 feet across, 3 feet tall in the front and 28 inches tall in the back and 32 inches deep. The roof is hinged and lifts up from the back. It will sit on four 4x4 posts about 18 inches off the ground. This is a perfect size for four growing chicks. Since this is only temporary housing, we don't need to worry about nesting boxes - by the time they are ready for that, they will be in with the big girls. However, there is room for a nest box and it would be perfect for two to three hens.

It's not done yet as we still have to get a few more coats of paint on it, add vents, attach the door and ladder. Then comes the pen construction. We've going with the "row house look" as it will be placed right next to the main coop. Stay tuned for that project.

If you would like the actual dimension of this Salt Box coop, let me know in the comments and I'll send you the details!

Chicken Little Grows Up...Fast

2011-04-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am still amazed at how fast chicks grow! Our new chicks - Marigold, Petunia, Violet and Rose - are just about three weeks old. See how much they've grown since joining the Second Street Chicken Ranch on April 2nd.

Here are our fuzz-balls on April 3rd

And a few days later on April 8th - notice the wing feathers and tiny tail feathers.

On April 15th - starting to get chest feathers

And on April 20th, starting to get the "uglies" - but they still have baby faces!

Make Your Own Seed Tape From TP

2011-04-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love a neat, tidy and evenly spaced row of vegetables in your garden? Maybe, if I'm lucky, I can get a straight row, but the evenly spaced thing is another story. Really, have you seen the size of carrot and lettuce seeds? Once they leave the confines of that white envelope, it's any one's guess as to where they go in the row.

And, I admit it - I am a terrible "thinner." I should embrace the micro-greens/veggie trend; you know, where you eat the tiny little thinnings - this would make it easier for me to yank them out.

I have discovered a simple and quick solution to both of these problems - make your own seed tape using toilet paper! Really, think about it - it's biodegradable. I discovered this nifty idea at Garden Girl TV blog .

Making your own seed tape is easy:

1. Tear off 4 or 8 feet of TP (depending on how long your raised beds are). Each TP square is 4 inches, so for a 4 foot row you need 12 squares.

2. Cut the strip in half, so you now have two 4 foot lengths

3. Make a simple paste of flour and water (about a teaspoon or so of each). This will hold your seeds in place and seal the "tape" when you are done.

4. Using a small paint brush or toothpick, dab a little paste at the required spacing for the veggie you are planting.

5. Apply the seeds on the spot of paste.

6. If needed, add a couple extra dabs of paste on the tape and fold over to seal.

7. Plant your tape! The TP and paste are biodegradable and your seeds will be evenly spaced. No thinning required!

I made a couple of seed tapes for carrots and lettuce is next. Then I just need to get them in the ground!

Indoor Farming

2011-04-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it is April 6th, and in north Idaho we are still waiting for spring. Oh yeah, the usual signs are all around -- tulips are pushing up, grass greening up - but the temperature certainly is not up. As eager as I am to get out there and do something in the yard, Mother Nature has kept me inside.

What's a urban farm girl to do? Move the outside inside! Family-room turned Farm-room. We are lucky to have a very large, south-facing window in our family/dining room and this local has been where I have been starting seeds for the last few years. I started basil and tomatoes in early March and have been transplanting the starts to individual pots over the last week.

Currently I have more than 50 tomato plants. When the temperature is consistently above freezing at night, these will all be moved out to the covered beds outside; but for now, they are living in the warmth of the farm-room!

And, what's a farm-room without livestock? Not much, so last Saturday the 2nd Street Chicken Ranch added four new chicks to our flock. After losing another girl in March, we decide we needed to restock the coop. Our new chicks are Rhode Island Reds and Production Reds (a RIR and New Hampshire Red cross). Of course these peeps are way to small to mix and mingle with the big girls, so they are living on the other side of the farm-room in their very own luxury condo. They'll be hanging out in the house for another week or so then be relocated to the garage.

It was a tough decision between going with 4 month old pullets and having eggs at the end of May; or fuzzy chicks to hand raise and get eggs in September. Since we still have two big girls, we went with chicks.

Between hail storms I have managed to plant arugula, lettuce and radishes in one covered bed (they are popping up like mad) and onions and shallots in another bed (uncovered). Still have lots to do...understatement with 50+ tomatoes staring back at me!

Hope you have all wintered well! Let me know what your 2011 garden plans are and how your livestock is doing!!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a Happy New Year

and a very successful year of gardening and chicken farming!

Happy New Year from the Coeur d'Alene Coop

Christmas Greetings

2010-12-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

May you find Peace and Joy this Holiday Season and all throughout the coming year.

Got Green Tomatoes? This Recipe Takes the Cake

2010-10-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm still plucking pinkish-orange tomatoes out from under their plastic cocoon, but I also know the abundance of greenies hanging out there are just not going to make it. I found this unusual recipe for Green Tomato Cake on the Food Network website. It's from Paula Deen, so it's loaded with butter, y'all!

You can see the diced green tomatoes in the batter

I did a little recipe adjustments; substituting a 1/2 cup of canola oil for one stick of butter, and I did not make the brown butter icing, but opted for turbinado sugar sprinkled on top. The cake has a wonderful, moist pound cake texture and you'd never know green tomatoes are present from taste (although you can see pieces of green).

Yum! We could hardly wait to give it a try - it was delish!

I'm always happy when I bake a success, it doesn't always work out this way (just ask my friends about the cheesecake and the chainsaw). However, this is one that I would make again and actually serve. A sweet way to use up those those last few emerald gems of summer.

Watch Out for Jack Frost

2010-10-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's amazing, it's October 15th and our garden is still going strong. We've been laying plastic sheeting over the tomatoes for the last two nights, but so far we haven't had any frost.

I think that is about to change this weekend. If you still have an abundance of green tomatoes like we do, you might want to cover those tonight. Just about anything lightweight will work - sheets, plastic garbage bags, 5 gallon buckets (great over pots).

If they make it through the frost, the next step is to pull those tomatoes and hang them in the garage (or basement) so the remaining green toms ripen. Or you can pick the greenies, wrap them in newspaper and pack in a cardboard box. They will ripen anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. I've done it both ways and have had luck with each method.

I'm not giving up on the garden yet, but it is probably time to say goodbye to the tomatoes and cucumbers. The arugula, spinach and lettuces, chard and carrots are just loving the cool temps and I'm loving the fact that I am still harvesting in mid-October.

But do keep an eye out for old Jack Frost, I hear he is in the neighborhood!

Preventing Chicken Cooties

2010-10-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

If you have outdoor pets, horses or livestock, you know that these animals need to be wormed on occasion.

Well City Chickers, your back yard flock is no different. In fact urban coops could have a higher incidence of internal parasites due to space constraints. Good sanitation practices go a long way in keeping your flock healthy, but you can't always guard against the bugs your hens ingest. Yep, your happy hens can get worms from eating worms...and slugs and bugs and all those other juicy creepy-crawlers they find so delicious.

Even if you run a tidy coop your flock can benefit from regular worming, since birds confined in a small space will inevitably come into contact with droppings (they often show questionable taste in what they peck at).

Roundworms are the most common internal parasite and are easy to treat. I called a few local farm stores looking for chicken wormer but no one had anything nor had they even heard of such a thing (I won't be getting advice from these places anytime soon). I called my vet who, thankfully, did know about internal parasites in fowl and he prescribed Panacure (Fenbendazole). A few cc's by mouth, with a follow up in 10 days is all that is needed; about once a year. Pretty simple.

And, it actually was. It took two of us - one holding the hen firmly and one prying the beak open and administering the chalky liquid down the gullet. We don't plan on eating any of the eggs produced in the next month - but this little preventive measure is well worth it for healthy hen in the long run.

Has anyone else wormed their flocks?

An Easy Recipe for Your Roma Tomato Harvest

2010-09-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

Mama Mia, we have tomatoes! Somehow in spite of our disastrous attempt at starting tomato plants from seeds and the less than favorable weather conditions of the 2010 garden season, we managed to have success with our tomatoes this year.

The initial ripening was a good two weeks later than last year and we still have a large number of greenies on the vine, but we have been enjoying mouth watering cherry-toms and early girls for several weeks now.

Here's a peek at our 2010 Tomato Stars:
Sun Gold Cherry: A consistent star in our book. These are the sweetest, most prolific golden gems you'll ever pop in your mouth!
Black Cherry: Dark purplish-red to reddish brown-green fruit with a sweet, meaty flavor. Extremely prolific vine.
Juliet: A Roma type cherry with loads and loads of fruit. This one ripened first and is still pumping out the goods.

These three mixed together with a little olive oil...summer heaven on a salad plate!

We also have several varieties of Roma tomatoes coming on. The Saucy's are loaded and ready to pick, the Roma's (those that I managed to save from the failed seed starts) are almost ready as are the San Marzano's. We grow mostly Roma types because Hal loves to cook with "homegrown" tomatoes all winter and these are the best for cooking.

Here is a super simple recipe for enjoying the bounty.

Grilled Roma Tomatoes

Wash and slice Roma's in half from stem end. In a large bowl toss tomato halves with olive oil to coat; 1/2 cup (or more) chopped basil, generous sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. I've also substituted fresh rosemary and cilantro for the basil - yum!

Place tomatos cut side down on a hot grill and grill for about 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn over and grill another minute or so. You want the tomatoes to maintain their shape (not be cooked till mushy). Remove from grill, back into the bowl you used to toss them in. The cooking time is pretty short so don't wander back to the garden (experience speaking here!!).

Let cool in bowl 10 - 15 minutes, then spoon into good quality freezer bags, about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Squeeze out air, lay flat in freezer.

That's it! Depending on your family or serving size you can use the entire frozen block or break off what you need. We don't skin the tomatoes before grilling, so there are some skins, but these aren't a problem for us. The tomatoes are great added to soups, stews and pasta. Really easy, really delicious!

How do you preserve your summer bounty of tomatoes?

Sadness in the Coop

2010-09-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Harriet as a pullet

We lost another girl over the weekend. Harriet the Australorpe died in her sleep sometime Sunday night.

We noticed a change in her earlier in the summer but thought it was due to molting. Unlike Buttercup, who died suddenly and appeared to be in good health, Harriet had been showing signs of failing. Her comb and waddle were very pale (always a bad sign) and she would often "retire" early to the roost.

Once again I did a thorough inspection of each bird looking for mites or lice, checking body weight and overall appearance and thriftiness. The coop and pen has been cleaned out. I've been searching online trying to figure out what could have caused her down turn.

"Sometimes chickens just die, and it's best to have a funeral and move on," was a quote I read in one forum. We thought "Harriet the Aussie" was a pretty spectacular girl. She was by far the biggest in our flock with her striking black-green feathers. Rest in peace girl.

Harriet Photo Credit Shawn Gust CdA Press

Loose as a Goose

2010-09-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Gooseneck Loosestrife

Last summer while visiting friends in Portland I was introduced to "lysimachia clethroides," better know as Gooseneck Loosestrife. The introduction came via a huge bucketful of white flowers that truly resembled a gaggle of geese. I was smitten. Who wouldn't want to see this dazzling display swaying in the summer breeze in their backyard?

Luckily my friend had a few plants to spare and I happily trucked them back to Coeur d'Alene. I wasn't very timely in getting the transplants in the ground - in fact I'm pretty sure it was late September before I managed to dig them in. Knowing my penchant for digging things up (not always by accident), I placed a large marker in the spot and anticipated my own flock of geese in the spring!

Whenever I find a new plant I eventually get around to a little research. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Gooseneck Loosestrife was listed as an invasive species! But, oh what a beautiful species. Nothing like the miserable Lemon Balm that I am constantly pulling out! If you are going to have something march across the garden you may as well like it and it better be beautiful.

Even with the plant marker I managed to rip out a shoot during one of the marathon weeding sessions this spring. But I guess invasive species are hard to knock down, and I am delighted to say that my GNLS is a healthy flock of two with some goslings shooting up alongside. Hal swears we'll wake up one morning surrounded by white goosenecks.

Burgundy Gooseneck Loosestrife

Last weekend at the Manito Garden's fall plant sale I purchased two more Loosestrife plants, Lysimachia atropurpurea 'Beaujolais,' or Loosestrife-Burgundy Gooseneck. It's a bird of a different feather with mounding silver foliage, deep purple stalks and is not invasive -- or so they say. It is also a beauty and at this point, very welcome in the garden.

We'll see what next spring brings; but in the meantime, don't turn me in to the EPA!

Time for a Change

2010-09-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Coeur d'Alene Coop has a new look! A few months ago I discovered Bloggers new Design Template and have been playing with new themes, colors and layouts since.

It was a bold move, but I finally hit the "apply to Blog" button. Viola! A new look for The CdA Coop. I like it and hope you do too!

The Shoulder Season

2010-09-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

I love fall. There, I've said it. It's not that I don't like the other seasons, after all, I am a gardener and each season brings its own joy. In northern Idaho we do have four seasons: cold, colder, wet and hot, but they don't fall into neat little time frames. And this year, the "hot" season seemed to pass us by completely.

No matter, my favorite time of year is upon us. I love the summer/fall "shoulder season," when you can still manage a sunburn without getting heatstroke from working in the garden. The cooler days have perked up everything, including me. The deep purple lobelia and red geraniums which had faded and languished in the front yard have rebounded and against the background of golden yellow black eyed Susan's, are just stunning.

It's also the perfect weather for planting. Warm sunny days and cooler nights are great for cool weather crops and the last hurrah for fresh fall produce. A few weeks ago I replanted a couple rows of sugar snap peas and they're already four to five inches tall. I optimistic that we'll be eating fresh peas before the first frost (Oct. 15+/-). This past weekend I replanted spinach, arugula, radishes and ruby red and tom thumb lettuce.

The spring planting of spinach and arugula was dismal - it was too cold then too hot, too fast, and everything bolted. But, the lettuce crop has been a total success -- we're still munching on it. It's just now starting to taste a little bitter - but no worries, my girls in the coop will love it just the same! Yes, the "other" compost pile I feed produces eggs.

Fall also means a time to evaluate what needs to be dug, divided and/or ditched. Like the mass of irises under the walnut tree; not a good location and they have suffered. So out they went. Clearing those has given me a new spot for spring bulbs and a permanent place to plant a couple of hostas that have been living in pots.

And there's the other bonus to fall gardening...the promise (anticipation and optimism) that comes with planting bulbs. Along with the usual array of daffodils and tulips, I'm venturing to alliums of the edible kind. Garlic! This will be a first and I hope that I can find a good source locally. Does anyone have a local source or a good online source for garlic? Let me know - our planting window is coming up!

Serenity Now

2010-08-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly two weeks since we introduced Midge and Madge, a pair of Buff Orpingtons, to our Second Street Chicken Ranch flock and relative peace has finally settled in. This newly acquired, "peaceful, easy feeling," hasn't come without a price. We've had bloodshed, a lot of feathers flying and in the end, a flock reduction.

Yes, we have sent Henny and Penny packing. Our Barred Rock Bullies have gone to "the farm."

Fortunately for them this farm is not "THE farm" (you know, the one with the ax) and I am happy to say that they now live with about 20 other hens and one beautiful Rhode Island Red rooster. Flock integration is a bit different when there are many hens and lots of room to roam, but my girls still lived up to their reputation.

Penny, who had become quite the aggressor, immediately picked a fight with a Banty hen (yeah, she's a true bully, picking on someone smaller!). But that feisty little hen quickly gave it right back to her. When the Banty straddled Penny, Mr. Roo had to step in and end the battle.

Next up, Henny the Horrible. She decided to start right at the top of the pecking order and took after said Roo. With claws and beak she went for Roo, who I believe found it somewhat amusing. He quickly tired of her squawking and flapping and had her pinned down in about five seconds flat. What a shock this was to her -- and even a bigger one when he then proceeded to have his way with her! If a hen can look astonished - she clearly was. Finally, someone put her in her place.

Meanwhile back at the Ranch, Midge and Madge are now venturing out of the coop and sitting on the outside roosts. They are slowly mixing in with Helen, Flame and Harriet. We occasionally hear a dust up, but at night everyone is roosting inside, snuggled up in a nice neat row. Ahhh, serenity...

Upstairs Downstairs

2010-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

The Second Street Chicken Ranch now has two flocks; not the desired outcome of flock integration. Albeit a temporary situation, the new girls, Midge and Madge, have retreated to the serenity of the Penthouse coop while the "Street Level Girls," are literally camping out in the pen below.

This separation pretty much happened on its own (and out of necessity to stay alive). The new girls refuse to leave the safety of the coop and my girls had little interest in going in. The first few days this worked, but that too was only a temporary situation.

Come evening, "Henny the Horrible" and a few of her thugs would strut up the ladder and take back the coop. I was holding out hope that things would resolve peacefully when I discovered Henny and Flame on the roost right next to Midge and Madge (and no blood shed). Well now, things are looking up!

Little did I know that the real perpetrator was lurking below and just happened to be the lowest in our flock's pecking order. Let me introduce "Penny the Punisher." She's got an ax to grind and wants to see heads roll. It's all about someone else being on the bottom rung now!

Whereas the Henny and Helen would "attack" if the new girls were in their sight, Penny went looking for them...right up the ladder and into the coop. Relentless,with an iron-beaked grip on Madge's waddle, time and time again. Bloody hell.

I tried to stay out of it. I really did. But I just couldn't let the new girls suffer the punishment Penny was doling out. The summer "screen door" was put on the coop - creating a peaceful environment for the new girls and two flocks were formed.

Now Henny is ticked because she has to sleep outside and Penny is still attempting to attack through the wire mesh door.

But I did say this was a temporary situation. After some soul searching I have decided that Henny and Penny are ready to find a new home. That might be in someone else's flock (a large, free ranging flock would probably be best) or it might be in a crock pot. If you want a pair of good laying Barred Rocks, let me know - they are yours for the taking -- just make sure your current flock knows a few kickboxing moves.

The Coup de Coop

2010-08-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

Let me just say up front, flock integration is not for the light hearted. Anyone watch the Bad Girls Club on the Oxygen channel? Yeah, completely trashy, bad-girl drama (makes treadmill time at the gym fly by!). Yup, that's what we have going on at the Second Street Chicken Ranch -- just substitute "chixs" for girls.

The two Blondie's arrived yesterday afternoon and my plan was to slip them into the coop after dark, once my girls had retired for the evening. Well, it had been a long day and I was tired, so after a little meet and greet between cage wires, I decided to do a more formal introduction.

I carefully placed the larger Buff Orpington on the roost outside...she stayed put and looked around curiously. So far so good. The second Blondie, the smaller of the two, was a bit more excited and she flapped her way down into the pen. Talk about being blindsided; in a flash Henny the Dominatrix, pulled a beak full of feathers from the little Orpie. Ouch! Next she did her best wrestling move off the ropes to flattened the new girl and pin her down. Yikes! Big Blondie stood stock still on the roost - can you blame her?

Helen decided to tag team with Henny, and in a dust up, Big Blondie got tossed off the roost. She too lost a clump of feathers immediately. The rest of the flock was in a complete panic trying to stay clear of the mayhem. Oy!

I tossed in some lettuce and thankfully things settled down for a few moments. It didn't last and at one point the new girls were cornered; Helen on one side and Henny on the other. It was brutal. I did my best not to intervene but I finally grabbed the new girls an pitched them into the coop. Much to my dismay, they jumped back down and into the "ring." I really don't see how anyone could witness a cockfight; hen pecking is brutal enough.

Well after a few more rounds of getting the s%#@ kicked out of her, the little Orpington got smart and retreated to the coop. "What the hell," is what I could imagine big O saying...move over sister, I'm right behind you! They stood in the doorway together, blocking the entrance. As I went in the house, I turned to see Henny midway up the ladder. This should be good...but the Blondes held their ground and Henny backed off.

This morning I half expected to find two pecked to death Orpingtons in the coop. What I did find were two blondes still in the doorway. My girls had been shut out and shut down. Shut up!

Tonight the Blondes (who will have names soon) were still holding the fort - a coup of the coop, if you will. Hey, they got it made - the food is in the coop along with water and cozy nest boxes. Maybe blondes aren't so dumb! And, even under such unwelcoming circumstances, they left me a beautiful cream colored egg.

My girls, on the other hand, are grumpy and probably hungry (I set out another waterer). They need to get it together.

It's dark now and my plan was to go out and put one or two of my "good" girls on the roost in the coop. But to my surprise, Henny was already on the roost inside the coop, along with Flame. I put Harriett on the roost inside and left Helen and Penny on the outside roost. The Orpingtons were still roosted in the doorway. This might work out after all...

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

2010-08-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, the title of this post is not what you are thinking...although if things don't turn out as expected, it could be very soon.

The Second Street Chicken Ranch is taking full advantage of the City of Coeur d'Alene's recently amended chicken laws by adopting two new girls to our flock. Tonight we will be adding a pair of blond bombshells (aka Buff Orpingtons), and bring our flock to seven.

My colleague and fellow city chicker, Ben Fairfield, has decided to disperse his flock of Orpingtons for a new and younger flock of Rhode Island Reds. Since his girls are just over a year old and have plenty of laying potential left (and to otherwise stay their pending execution), we are making room in the coop.

So, tonight, under the cloak of darkness (really!), we are slipping the new girls into the coop. Tomorrow morning when everyone wakes up - Hello - new roomies! I've done a bit of researching and I keep reading that adding new hens in the dark is one of the best ways to integrate a flock -- that, and copious treats to keep them busy.

Should be an interesting evening - I just hope they don't keep us up all night with their cackling and feathered pillow fights...

The Slow Season

2010-08-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

This has been quite the slow growing summer. Thanks to a very mild winter that lasted until the end of June, the garden has been just sluggish (in more ways than one) this year.

The tomatoes look good with lots of green fruit; but this time last year we had been picking tomatoes for at least two weeks. The squash and cucumbers are just now starting to blossom. If we are fortunate enough to have a somewhat "normal" September, the Second Street Chicken Ranch should have an abundance of tomatoes.

We have had excellent success with our lettuce and sugar snap peas. The Tom Thumb variety of butter head lettuce is my favorite this year. These "single serving" heads are about the size of your fist with a delicate, creamy flavor. I wasn't sure if the snap peas were going to make it through the very cold and very wet spring; and was certain that the seeds had rotted in the ground. But, they pulled through and even though it took a while for them to get going, they have been fantastic! Large, meaty peas that are sugar sweet! These are even sweeter when a bag of 15 or so, sell for $4 a pound in the grocery store.

Here's a pano-view of our raised beds -- it's the first full year of using this form of bed. Hal says I'd have more room if I took them out and used this entire area for garden, much like I did in previous years. But, I think I'll give the raised beds another year. I am limited in my space due to the giant maple (Max) and walnut (Wally) trees in the backyard. This corner is the only sunny spot I have.

Speaking of Max, a few years ago I placed a single Hen-n-Chick plant in one of his crooks. Look what I have now...a hen, pullets and chicks! These things will grow anywhere. My super creative friend, Julene, recently posted a bit on hens and chicks on her blog, Present By Design . You can also find a link to her website in my Groovy Links section.

Below are a few recent images from the flower garden. I'm glad to see the bees back in action.

Vote for CdA Community Roots

2010-07-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

I need your help. The CdA Community Roots Local Food Share program has the potential to win a $10,000 community grant through Capella University's Public Service Challenge. My friend, Laura Sankovich is a volunteer with Community Roots and is a faculty member with Capella University. She has submitted the Community Roots video as her Public Service Challenge entry.

Community Roots is a Coeur d'Alene volunteer-based program that collects excess produce from local farmers, markets and community gardens to distribute to local food banks and other assistance facilities. A $10,000 grant would go a long way in helping this program.

So, all I need you do to is vote for Laura's video here! The top 3 videos will all receive a $10,000 grant. Take a minute and vote for the video and help this great community service!

Chicken Unlimited

2010-07-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

The Coeur d'Alene City Council voted Monday night to amend its chicken laws from three hens to an unlimited number of hens (no roosters and no other types of fowl). This of course makes the Second Street Chicken Ranch very happy since we were breaking the law under the former ordinance!

I would like to again thank Mike Kennedy and the City Council members for taking the time to review the issue and for revising the ordinance. I would also like to thank the community of CdA Urban Chicken Ranchers for speaking out and educating our City Council on this issue.

Outdoor Idaho Features Eating Local

2010-07-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this Idaho Public TV program on Eating Local! Click here to see the video promo on Facebook:

http://bit.ly/9IVGXk

"Do you know where your food comes from? "Eating Local," our new OUTDOOR IDAHO show, explains why it matters. Airs Thursday, followed immediately by our DIALOGUE show, on the same topic, where you can call in with questions and comments."

This airs Thursday and Sunday - check local listings for times!

Chick Limits May Rise!

2010-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

It appears that CdA City Chickers may end up with a full hen house if yesterday's meeting of the City of Coeur d'Alene's General Services Committee is any indication. According to a story in today's CdA Press ( http://bit.ly/95GVdI ), the Committee is going to recommend to the City Council to reinstate the unlimited rule regarding the number of chickens one can own within city limits. Eggscellent.

The City Council will decide next Tuesday, July 20th, 6 pm in the Community Room of the CdA Library. Let's do our best to fill the room in support of this. Who knows - maybe spontaneous chicken dancing will break out!

This really is good news for those of us who are currently over the "three chick limit." I know my girls will rest easier now that two of them may be getting a stay of execution. I am a little disappointed that Mike Kennedy didn't visit our coop - I really wanted to ask him which Council Member was going to come over and do the "dirty work" if the limit remained in place.

As long as we chicken owners are responsible, keep our birds healthy and sanitary, there should be no issues. And we appear to be doing just that as Ron Edinger stated that there were no complaints on file about chickens within the city limits.

I am planning to be at the City Council meeting next week - hope to see you there as well - since birds of a feather... well, you get the idea.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Stew Pot

2010-06-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Motivation. Everyone needs a little every now and then - even chickens. We've recently experienced a significant drop in egg production; like to zero eggs per day. When you are feeding 5 hens and you are getting, maybe two eggs per week, you begin to think "chicken dinner" vs fresh eggs.

I tried my usual form of motivation -- a daily rant outside the coop with threats of "Coq Au Vin and chicken pot-pie" if someone didn't get busy. The pleading and cajoling didn't help either. And, worse yet, I had to buy a dozen eggs from the grocery store - something I hadn't done in over a year!

I was at a loss as to why this was happening and what our girls needed to get back to work. No one was ill. Had they run their egg-laying course already? We started the difficult discussions of "what's next" (which are good to have regardless). Would we keep non-producing hens through the winter or would we send them to the big chicken coop in the sky?

I turned to Backyard Chicken's Forum and asked if anyone else had experienced this phenomenon. I got well-wishers and a few with similar problems, but no solid leads. Thankfully a general web search return better results, and we narrowed it down to two possible causes - old age and/or molting.

Then it hit me like a feathered pillow...our girls are molting. I did see a small amount of feathers in the coop, but attributed those to pecking order dust-ups. They were in "day-long" molt.

Thinking it over, I realized we made a mistake last year by not letting our girls molt in their second fall season; and that, combined with turning the artificial daylight off in March, sent the girls into a spring molt. You can't stop mother nature.

Last week we got 4 eggs total (Penny the hen-pecked Barred Rock was the only girl still laying). On Sunday I found 4 eggs in the nest - yes, 4 in one day! Yesterday there were 3 beautiful eggs awaiting. Seven eggs in two days! Needless to say we are grateful for their good work -- and hope they keep it up.

On a serious note, if your hens will be two next spring, it's probably best to let them molt this fall. As for the age factor, hens reach peak productivity at about 35 weeks (greater than 90% productivity) when they are pumping out 9 eggs in 10 days. This peak lasts for about 10 weeks and slowly declines over time. However, most hens will remain productive layers through age 3 - good news for our girls.

Looks like we can put the stew pot back in the cupboard -- at least for the time being.

Ruffled Feathers Followup

2010-06-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

It appears that Urban Chicken Farmers in Coeur d'Alene may have a feathered friend in City Councilman, Mike Kennedy.

While I was unable to attend the City Council's General Services committee meeting on Monday, I was contacted by Mr. Kennedy to share my thoughts on the three chicken limit. I believe 6 to 8 hens is a fair limit; but I have read that others in our community have been raising up to 25 birds, for many years, with no complaints from anyone. I suspect that the City Council will amend this ruling and we will see a limit somewhere between 6 and 12 allowed.

They will be revisiting this at the July 12th General Services meeting.

Kennedy made some valid points in an email he sent to those who attended the meeting on Monday with a reminder to be careful what you crow about (my words, not his). Below is his email along with his contact information - should you want to join in the dust up.

One final note, The Second Street Chicken Ranch did invite Mr. Kennedy to visit our coop and we are waiting to hear what works for his schedule.

"Hello, all!

This afternoon the General Services committee asked staff (Deputy City Attorney Warren Wilson, in particular) to review the issue of the limits on the numbers of chickens in the city limits and bring the matter back to us at our July 12th General Services Committee meeting.

The information presented by residents today was very helpful, particularly the FAQ “Myths and Facts” that Chris White handed out. Thanks to those of you who were there to help educate us.

Bottom line is that no one intended (certainly I didn’t) to alarm or upset any existing practices that have been working well. In the absence of any comments from any residents at all during the long redrafting process – including two televised hearings and a few newspaper stories about the animal ordinance – I assumed that things were pretty accepted. In fact I made the motion to change the staff recommendation from zero permissible domestic chickens to three, because I had known and read about sustainable urban farming but I knew nothing about the limits or average number in a city setting.

So please forgive me (us) for perhaps not getting this quite right to your interests on the front end. I’m looking forward to getting a better resolution the second time around and if you all can help me with good facts and local information that will go a long way.

I’m also interested in touring a site in the city limits if someone is willing to have me there to see things on site – the more unique the better.

One last note – in the category of “be careful what we wish for” – there is a likelihood that raising the profile of this issue will bring out detractors and also people who will want to challenge whether these are commercial operations in residentially zoned areas within the city and thus should be disallowed all together. While I may not necessarily agree with that argument, please know that it’s likely that additional questions will be raised relative to those and other issues (i.e. what to do about roosters, other fowl that someone may want to domesticate, etc). The more clear, calm, and fact-based any and all discussions on this matter both with the council and in the media the better. I’ve already gotten a few calls and emails from opponents of any chickens today.

In closing, rest assured that I am a supporter of sustainable urban farming and want to find the best outcome to this situation. I’ll work with you as best I can and look forward to doing so.

Thanks for your feedback, call me or email me if you have any questions or thoughts.

Regards,

Mike Kennedy
PS – please feel free to forward this to anyone you may feel is interested in the information. You can reach me at: mkennedy@cdaid.org, mike@idahokennedys.com, or I’m on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/idahokennedys and you can reach me and educate me (and other citizens who pay attention to city matters) there, too."

Chicken Limits

2010-06-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

The city of Coeur d'Alene recently overhauled its animal ordinances and included a pretty big change to its chicken laws. Previously one could keep an unlimited number of fowl within city limits - as long as there was no rooster in residence; however the new law limits that number to three.  The Second Street Chicken Ranch is currently two over limit.

If you have chickens or are thinking of raising chickens, I would ask that you attend the open meeting on this topic today, Monday, June 21, noon, at the CdA Library. City Councilman, Mike Kennedy will listen to concerned citizens about this new law. It sounds like they may consider raising the number - since it was an arbitrary number they selected.  Some are rallying that the number be raised to a dozen, but I would be very happy with 6 to 8.  But, unless we speak out, we will be limited to just three.

Here is an article from this morning's CdA Press http://bit.ly/aPvhLX .

Cock-a-doodle-who??

2010-05-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, just as I was waking up I heard a very strange sound coming from the backyard. It sounded like a rooster crowing. But wait - we don't have a rooster! I thought, no - must be the ravens cawing and I'm just not awake yet. But then there it was again - a sort of cackling, crowing, cockadoodling. What the heck?

Hal was up and clearly heard it as well. "Who is that," is asked, already having my suspicions. "It's one of the barred rocks," he said.

Aha! I knew it! Henny has been a very bossy dominatrix lately and her antics have included mounting the other hens. I wasn't exactly certain of what was going on and just thought this was "pecking-order" behavior. Well it is and it isn't.

This very unusual behavior has now been confirmed by My Pet Chicken -- check out this link that describes this unusual, but not really uncommon behavior: http://bit.ly/bfXZwF.

So, next time you hear a rooster crowing in your house of hens - you'll know what's going on. We certainly know who wears the pants in our hen house!

Hatch Day Happenings

2010-05-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

What a happy Hatch Day we celebrated last week! As you can see in the photo - the girls really enjoyed their polenta cake with cottage cheese "frosting." Like any group of two-year-olds, they were soon covered in it and standing in it to boot!

And as any good mother hen would do, I made sure that they didn't eat it all at once -- good to save some for later.

Our guests had a equally good time, if 12 bottles of wine amongst 10 people is any indication. You'll notice I'm not posting any of those photos!

I did receive a fabulous Hatch Day gift from my good friends Sandy and Jack - check out our newest addition to the flock. She's a heavy metal chick and sure looks great in the garden!

Speaking of the garden, we had our first salad of the season this week - baby arugula, mesclun, radishes and chives. I tossed a packet of arugula and mesclun in a raised bed just before we left for vacation in April -- I'm so glad I did! The rest of the cool crops are coming along - the kale, beets, chard, spinach and pak choi are still tiny sprouts; and the potatoes in barrels are popping up too! My tomato starts are so tiny that I am going to buy plants from the farmer's market. I'll be starting those tomatoes in February next year!

Here are a few photos of my raised beds and a couple of "before and after" images from the garage project last summer. Let me know how your garden is doing!

The old shed and the new garage! Hot tub gone - chicken coop in its place!

Former and current garden space.

Hatch Day Cometh!

2010-05-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Preparations are well underway for the annual Hatch Day celebration at the Second Street Chicken Ranch!

Tomorrow we're celebrating "Happy 2nd Hatch Day" for our girls - Henny, Penny, Harriett, Flame and Helen, who will officially turn two on Saturday.

It's a garden party, so I've been on my knees all week weeding the perennial garden - or shall I say reclaiming the perennial garden. It's amazing how fast clover and grass can invade a garden; and the only (non-chemical) way to eliminate it is to dig, pull, dig, pull dig, pull. Ugh. I'm 3/4 through (and wishing I had a smaller flower garden!) but it's looking super with a fresh layer of bark mulch. The cone flowers have been reseeding like weeds so the butterflies should have a delightful venue later this summer.

The celebration highlight will be the gourmet polenta cake topped with an "icing" of cottage cheese and cracked corn sprinkles! Yes, that is for the girls -- guest will be enjoying chicken wings and champagne!

We will have a moment of silence for our dearly departed Buttercup - A #1 Top Producer - who keeled over just two weeks after her 1st hatchday. I'm fairly certain our little Buttercup laid herself to death; but her memory lives on of the beautiful, huge brown eggs she produced for us everyday of her very good, but short life.

No doubt we will have some fun and interesting photos to share. If it is anything like last year, it will be a clucking good time! Stay tuned...

The Season Begins...

2010-05-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was opening day for the Kootenai County Farmer's Market (http://www.kootenaicountyfarmersmarket.com/) - a day of much joy for me and many around the county. The weather was fair; that is to say, we made it around and back to the truck before the rain started!

I picked up a few tomato plants - a Sungold Cherry, a Black Pearl Cherry and a Juliet - which have been great producers in years past; and a new variety (at least to me) an orange fruited Golden Jubilee.  As I was paying for my plants the vendor stated "ahh, someone else who is going to torture plants!"  I assured him they would be spending their evenings in the gararge for at least another week!

Since I'm also starting tomatoes from seeds, I need to temper myself when it comes to purchasing plants this year. But, as I look at my tiny little starts, I'm wondering if they will ever be ready to transplant! This is the first year I've attempted to start tomatoes from seeds. So far, so good, but I think next year I better start in early March!

I did find a fabulous source of heirloom seeds this year -- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (http://www.rareseeds.com/). They have a wonderful seed catalog with tons of non-GMO seed choices. If you like looking at seed catalogs, this is one for you. I ordered several types of seed and their shipping is just $3 - no matter how many seed packets you order! That's the best deal I've found on shipping for seeds (unlike the nearly $10 Burpee wants to charge!).

The tomato and peppers are looking good and I just put in spinach and lettuce. I'll keep you posted on how grows!

Chicks of a Different Feather

2010-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last month we spent two wonderfully warm and sunny weeks in Mexico along the Pacific coast about 60 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. We love exploring Mexico off the beaten path - you really see and learn so much more.  One of the best places to experience "real" Mexico is at town market. These are usually held once a week around the town square. No matter how small the town, they ALL have town squares or zocolos!   We were delighted to learn that a small community nearby had a weekly market. So off we went!

Their markets are very much like our farmer's markets - a place to buy and sell produce, meats and livestock, eat yummy food and talk with neighbors. The market at La Penita had a fair amount of crafts and "tourist" trinkets given it was in a beach town -- but there were still plenty of locals stocking up on everything from tube socks to tools.

As we made our way down the long row of tarp covered stalls we came upon this sight -- something I haven't seen in probably 40 years!   Dyed Chicks!

I was stunned! Of course I wanted one - if for no other reason than to rescue the poor thing from the heat! Some may remember that at one time, chicks of a different color were available in the US. Woolworth's and Kresges Five and Dimes (okay, I've dated myself!), used to sell colored chicks around Easter.

In addition to these, the vendor had crates of "natural chicks," bunnies, duckling and puppies!

Later while walking back through the market I saw a woman holding a clear plastic bag with a blue chick in it - it's tiny head sticking out of the top. I'm pretty sure that blue biddy didn't make it back to the casa!

Around the corner we found this restaurant - roughly translated to "Chicken Little's." I wondered if the colored pollito's were on the menu!!

Chix Tax in Vancouver?

2010-05-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

The city of Vancouver has an interesting proposal for that city's urban chicken farmers as outlined in this article from the Vancouver Sun bit.ly/alyKEB.

Operation Chicken brings up some very valid points to consider when one is thinking of raising chickens (or currently has chickens).

Like any other living thing, they need daily attention and it is our responsibility to see that they are fed, kept clean and don't become a nuisance to the neighborhood. Our animal shelters are filled with best intentions. I'm certain chickens will start showing up at our local shelter as the "fun factor" wears off.

What do you think about Operation Chicken? Would you be willing to pay a tax to have chickens? Have you thought about what you will do with your hens when they stop laying? Are you committed for the length of their natural lives (8+ years)?

The Story Behind the Story

2010-05-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Being in the communications field I know that what you say to a reporter and what comes out in print can very different. However, our recent front page article was a fine exception, due in part, to providing the reporter with more information than was asked AND sending it via email. Yes, I did some of the reporter's work here, but really who know my flock better?

Below are the two questions I was asked, followed by my own questions and answers. Not everything I sent went to print, so below you'll find a few chicken raising tips and a pretty good summary of our first two years of raising chickens.

Coming later this week -- a full garden report of spring crops, seed starts and potatoes; a fabulous source for heirloom seeds and updated "ranch" photos!

eMail Interview for the CdA Press/ Maureen Dolan:

MD: It seems like more and more people are raising their own chickens. Do you see that happening?

CG: Yes, I think it’s all part of the sustainable living movement. For some this is a trend and for others it is a way of life. We’re somewhere in the middle I guess! I love to garden and have had a veggie garden in place since we moved here in 2003. I loved the idea of fresh eggs and having chickens in yard so in 2008 we decided to start a small backyard flock. I can’t claim any real “savings” on eggs, but there really is nothing like fresh eggs! Here’s my take on the chicken popularity: I recall going to the Kootenai Co. Fair the year we started our flock and noticing there were not many egg entries – like 5 or 6. Last year the entries easily doubled from the previous year, and I suspect this year you will see even more egg entries. By the way our girls won a blue ribbon in the Large category and a red ribbon in the extra-large class last year! More and more people are eating local; look at the popularity of our Farmer’s Market, and want to know what goes in to their food and where it comes from.

MD: Can you tell me a little bit about when you started, why and how it's been?

CG: After doing a bit of research on breeds, winter hardiness and egg production (all easily found on the web); we purchased six one-day old chicks from D & B Farm Store. We kept them in a plastic tub with a heat lamp in the family room for about 3 weeks and then moved them into the coop. They grow fast – really fast – but they don’t start laying eggs until they are about 20 weeks old. Our first eggs came in early October and they laid consistently through the winter. That was the first of our two back-to-back killer winters, but our hens did great. With a heat lamp and their custom made down jackets (feathers) keeping them warm, they came through both winters with no problems. Our hens will be two in May and they are still strong layers. We saw a little tapering off this winter (they need 16 hours of daylight to lay, which we supplement with disco lights), but now that we are seeing more daylight hours, the production is back up. We now have 5 hens and get anywhere from 2 to 3 eggs per day. It takes about 24 hours for an egg to form.

These were my questions (and answers) to help round out the story:

Are they pets? Yeah, they are – they are the only pet that can make you breakfast! They have names, Helen is the Rhode Island Red; Henrietta (Henny)and Penelope (Penny) are Barred Rocks; Flame is the Black Sex-Link and Harriett is an Australorpe (Australian breed). They will keep laying into old age, but the number of eggs produced will drop. And, they can live for 8 – 9 years. Usually by age 3 it is costing you more in feed then you are getting in eggs; so many are, well, sent to the farm…if you know what I mean. It is part of the life cycle and they are chickens after all.

Do I feel bad eating chicken? Not at all. I have a BS in Agriculture from the University of Idaho – urban farm-girl. Would I eat my chickens? No, they would be very tough and scrawny; they are bred for egg production, not meat.

What are they like? A joy. They are clowns. Really. I’ve handled them since chicks so they come running when I come out, all eager to see what goodies I might have for them. They were raised on polenta and still love it, that, and cottage cheese. They do have individual personalities. Helen is the “mother hen” – she keeps a watch on the coop and “supervises” when someone else is laying. Poor Penny is at the bottom of the “pecking order” and has a few bare spots on her rump to prove it. All the clichés you hear are true – “madder than a wet hen” – they hate water; dumb cluck and bird brain, yeah, they’re not too smart; and my favorite “like a bunch of old biddies” referring to a gathering of women who are talking non-stop. I let them out to graze in the yard only in the fall and early spring – when the garden is dormant. They can clear a patch of lettuce in no time flat – I learned this the hard way. They are easy keepers – fresh water, feed and a secure coop is all they really need.

What question do you get asked a lot? People always seem to ask me if we have to have a rooster to get eggs. No, you don’t need a rooster to get eggs, but you do need a rooster to get chicks! By the way, roosters are not allowed in city limits.

Do my neighbors care? No, it hasn’t been a problem at all. They are quiet; I keep them clean and share eggs. I am planning to add a few more chicks to keep the egg production going and I’d love to get a goat for milk…but I think the city of CdA would have other thoughts about that – not to mention my husband.

Egg-stra, Egg-stra, Chicken Ranch Makes Front Page News!

2010-04-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Chicken Ranch made the front page of our local newspaper a few weeks ago! I was contacted by a local reporter via FaceBook who wanted to know what it was like to raise chickens in an urban setting and if I had noticed more people doing the same.

I know of at least three other backyard flocks within a 10 block radius of our urban "ranch" and I suspect that there are many more.

It's been a while since I've blogged, but all is well here on the ranch! Our building projects of last spring and summer are long completed and I am knee deep in gardening again. More updates on the ranch and the garden to come soon. For now, enjoy this fine article from the Coeur d'Alene Press! http://bit.ly/cdapress_chix

All Trussed Up

2009-05-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

In spite of the rain, the new garage at the Chicken Ranch is taking shape. The foundation and floor was poured a week or so ago; but we had a few days of rain delay. The framing is going quite quickly -- walls late last week, trusses today. The roof sheeting will go down tomorrow and by week's end we should have a finished roof!

This progress is especially pleasing to me in regard to gardening season. I just might be able to get tomatoes in the ground without losing any time. The contractor says the garage may be complete by June 1st. Last year on June 1st I was still planting tomatoes! Our last average day of frost is Friday -- and Mother Nature is taking that to the wire this year...there is a freeze warning for tomorrow night! So I'll be hauling in the Fuschia and Petunia hanging baskets, and the couple of tomato plants that I couldn't resist at Farmer's Market last Saturday.

I really had to temper myself since I'm not sure where the tomatoes are going. I bought four plants - two cherry types for pots; a Sugar Sweetie and a Honey Bunch grape. Both are early and claim to do well in pots. Let me know if you have any experience with these -- they are both new to me.

The other two are a Juliet (a cherry roma type) and a Heinz (sauce/paste). We love the roma types - perfect for grilling and freezing. I've had great success with Juliet in past years; but the Heinz is a new variety for me. I put the cherry's in pots over the weekend (and I'll be hauling those in the house tomorrow too!); and am waiting to plant the others. I still want a couple Orange Blossoms, and an Early Girl or two, but I need to see what develops for garden space!

Finally, we are celebrating a Happy Hatchday this Friday for our Girls. They will be 1 year old. We're having a little party -- champagne of course and a few appetizers (chicken wings and deviled eggs); plus Chicken Kitchen is whipping up a special Hatchday Cake for the Girls --creamy Italian polenta with a cottage cheese icing and cracked corn sprinkles on top -- they are going to love it!

Progress!

2009-04-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week at the Chicken Ranch! The construction project is moving right along -- in fact we heard a rumor today that the garage project just might be completed by May 31st. Hey, that's still time to get the tomatoes and peas planted in a raised bed!

This past week they've demo'ed the old shed, dug out the foundation (and we found some very cool old bottles - one from the Coeur d'Alene Bottling Company), poured a foundation; and today, packed gravel in prep for pouring the garage floor. With all this activity, I am happy to say that the tulips have survived! The few that I missed in my mad cutting spree last week are just beginning to bloom; and I still have a couple bunches left in the bucket for fresh flowers this weekend.

Moving to the porch project -- it has been totally removed; as has the front walk and most of the sidewalk around the house (due to the City's requirement to replace the cracked sidewalks on the property -- this was more than we bargained for, since we are required to pay for this; but it's worth it in the long run). The new footings have been poured for the porch and the new walkway and side walks might be in tomorrow.

On to the gardening side of things...I have been waiting for thie "eternal winter" to end. Geez-louise, it has been a cold week! Our family room is looking more and more like a greenhouse with the basil starts, the hydrangeas, two flats of impatients, a couple of coral bells and coleus! I'm looking forward to this weekend's warmer temps so I can get the hydrangeas and coral bells in the ground!

And, I'm on yet another count down...this one is for our Coeur d'Alene Farmer's Market which opens on Saturday, May 9th. We always go on opening day - it's a rite of spring - and it's always cold and rainy. No matter, we'll pick up our favorite tomato plants from our favorite grower (something else to add to the indoor greenhouse for a few weeks), a loaf of wonderful bread for dinner and enjoy a fresh baked cinnamon roll....hmmm, I can hardly wait!

The Mighty Claw

2009-04-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

The giant claw suddenly appeared over the roof and one mighty bite left a huge, gaping hole in the roof. Wahoo - we're on our way to a new garage!

I did get the chives and the clematis moved and I agonized over what to do with the tulips and the alliums, but then, I came to my senses with the help of a glass of wine. "Look," I said to myself, "you bought these bulbs at Costco in a giant bag -- so just go to Costco this fall and buy more!" Problem solved. So early Wednesday morning, with scissors in hand and a 5 gallon bucket, I proceeded to cut 75, on-the-verge-of-blooming, tulips. I currently have 20 beautiful pink tulips in bloom in the house. The rest are waiting to be given as friendship bouquets. "Nature" will take its course with the bulbs during construction and afterwards I will dig any survivors and relocate.

The Girls have been pretty freaked out by the giant claw just a few feet away, but not enough to stop laying -- we've been getting five eggs a day. Thankfully, the claw has finished its job in the back yard and has moved on the the front yard to tear up the sidewalk and rip the front porch off! Things should be a little calmer, until the framing starts.

It's a mess, but it is temporary and the outcome will be a new garage with an indoor potting area (yippee!) and raised beds that will hopefully out-produce the former plot. In the meantime, I'm going to concentrate on sprucing up the flower gardens and I just bought three hydrangeas from Albertsons (of all places -- $6.99 each -- they are beautiful) to put on the north side yard.

Even with all this disarray, I find tranquilty in seeing my hostas peeking out of the earth, the bleeding hearts leaping out of the ground and mowing the lawn for the first time in 2009 (even if it is to "make-tidy" a place for building supplies).

It's Starting!

2009-04-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

The project is about to begin -- about two weeks earlier than expected, but hopefully that means it will be done two weeks sooner.

Of course, this has led to a frenzy around the Chicken Ranch. The first order of business was to get the girls (our six beautiful hens) moved to a new, but temporary, location in the yard. As you may recall, the "ranch" is a whopping .16 acres - so our options are limited! With this accomplished last night, I am about to take on the task of up-rooting about 75 tulip and daffodils which are on the verge of blooming. I'm not sure what my success rate will be at this state of growth, but I'm going to give it a try. I guess another option is to leave them, let them be trampled and dig them out in the fall. One issue in doing that is that most are exactly planted where the new, double "garden door" to the garage will be located. Ugh!

I also will be moving my chives (no big deal here - these plants have been in just about every local in the yard and most came from our previous home!); and I have to decide if I want to save the lavender or just put some new plants in later. Oh, and this all has to be done by Thursday (which is tomorrow!).

I have plants in the front yard that also need to be healed in somewhere -- Alliums -- which, like the tulips, are about to bloom and really look great this year! If anyone has suggestions/tips or has ever replanted bulbs as they are blooming -- please let me know!

I'm sure I'll have some dramatic images to share tomorrow as the shed comes down (and we're totally exposed to the alley); the hot tub takes a hike and the garden becomes a giant tractor pit!

The Project

2009-04-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Midtown Chicken Ranch is undertaking two major construction projects this summer! After nearly 5 years of no remodeling/construction we are once again tearing things up - in the back yard, front yard and in the house. The fun starts May 1st.

After several years of hard-selling from Hal, I finally agreed to a proper 2-car garage to replace the 1930's shop/shed in the backyard. The only reason I held out so long is that my veggie garden is located right next to the garage. The upside (besides a real garage), is that instead of a veggie "patch," I will be converting the entire end of the yard into raised beds. I think I will end up with three or four 4x8 beds - which is much more growing space than I currently have. The downside is they may not get planted this year. Naturally that isn't stopping me from gardening; I'm planning to give container gardening a go -- I have to do something with the 75 basil starts I have in the family room!

Here's a picture of the garden last spring with the shop/shed on the left side.

This garage project also will require an up-roosting of The Girls (our 6 beautiful hens). We're giving up the hot tub and moving the coop/pen to the concrete pad in which the tub sat on. At this point we are undecided about leaving the concrete and putting down a rubber stall mat and shavings; or tearing out the concrete and putting the girls back on dirt. Either way their pen will be expanded to give them a little more room run (and will be another project!).

But, that's just half of the project -- we're also tearing off our small front porch and rebuilding a new porch to run the length of the house with a deck above. A small bedroom upstairs will end up with a French door that opens to the new deck. This has been my "pet" project; and I've been holding off on doing any real gardening in our front yard until now. I'm in the planning stages for flower and veggies in front. The house faces west and we have lots of great sun in the afternoon! I'll have my hands full this summer, that is for certain.

Finally, if we're not completely broke, we are adding hardwood floors in the kitchen and a tile floor in the downstairs bath; plus a new bath vanity. I know we'll at least get the bathroom done since we already have the new vanity sitting in storage!

And then we're going to tackle the side yard patio....

Blogging Basics for Everyone

2009-04-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

I have a day job and it has nothing to do with gardening or raising chickens -- darn it! I am the director of marketing for CENTURY 21 Beutler & Associates in Coeur d'Alene. I spend most of my day working on the company's websites, assisting agents with their real estate marketing challenges (many these days!) and keeping up with technology. I've been reading marketing and real estate blogs for about a year now; and while I created my own personal blog last fall, I just started blogging about my favorite past-times a few weeks ago.

One marketing blog that I follow is Web Ink Now, written by David Meerman Scott. David is an author of several books on marketing strategies using blogs and online media. His blog is packed with great information that anyone can benefit from. Scott's post this week titled Me 2.0 and blogging your brand highlighted the new book by David Schwabel and included a link to Schwebel's free e-book called Blogging Your Brand.

I highly recommend you download Schwebel's e-book. It has great tips for blogging beginners through experts; and you are certain to pick up helpful tips to get your blog noticed and out there - not to mention get it spiffed up. I've completed all the "beginner" steps and am now moving to the intermediate catagory. You should also check out Scott's blog for great information and other free e-books -- definitely worth the read. I hope you find this a helpful as I did!

Okay, not much blogging on chickens and gardening today, but that was too good not to share! Let me know what you think and let the David's know too!

The Iron Chef of Chicken Kitchen

2009-04-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Iron Chef of Chicken Kitchen in Action. Whoa girl -- don't fall in!

Bucolic Bliss?

2009-04-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

I've got a secret to share -- chickens and gardening aren't simpatico. Oh sure, everyone loves the dream of a perfect bucolic setting...a well kept veggie patch with happy hens pecking about, eating all those nasty cabbage worms and mosquitoes. How tranquil. Well, maybe.

Last summer I happily watched my young flock "free-range" about the yard chomping on the lawn and dashing in and out between the lettuces and peas. They seemed so happy and it made me feel so good to see them in the yard. Ahh, this is what it's all about - gardens, chickens, sunshine!

One day I noticed that my rainbow chard was under attack by some type of bug which happened to be taking pretty big bites from the leafy stems -- what could it be? Hmm, you guessed it (especially if you already have chickens). It was not an infestation of beetles, but the flock of voracious Velociraptor's that I was raising in my backyard. I finally caught them - all six, lined up along the row -- feasting. Hello! They are chickens - they love greens - and reds and yellows! They quickly determined what they did and didn't like; most things ended up in the "liked" column.

Thankfully this all came about at the end of the gardening season and things were winding down (as were all my hostas -- an especially tasty treat). During the winter, they came out on occasion and flapped about, but of course there was no plant life uncovered by snow. All was safe until just last week when spring finally arrived in northern Idaho.

Which brings me to my current dilemma: chicken in/garden in; chicken out/garden out. My options are simple -- fence off the garden, go chicken tractor, or leave them in the coop. All three are valid options. The fourth - forget the garden - is not.

The girls so love to "fly the coop" and march about the yard. When they see me coming they press against the wire like convicts waiting to be released from prison -- "oh freedom, an egg for sweet freedom!" I'm a cruel warden these days.

I know there is a happy middle here - I just need to decide which option works best. Until then, I'm keeping my tender hosta sprouts safe from the likes of my domestic Jurassic Park felons!

Hens and Housekeeping

2009-03-31T15:57:00.001-07:00

Mother Hen. Every flock has one (animal or human) -- ours happens to be Helen, a Rhode Island Red; who also happens to be a homebody and an extraordinary housekeeper. She was named in memory of my mother - but not for any of those reasons. As a chick Helen was the bossiest - and it just seemed right that she should bear my mother's "given name."

Helen out grew her bossiness when she was no longer the largest of our girls (there's that pecking order!); and became quite the henhouse keeper. While the other girls are out enjoying a romp in the yard, Helen stays nearby the coop - running in and out of the pen and coop making certain everything remains in order.

She's nearly obsessed with what goes on in that coop. The other girls can just forget about any privacy while laying an egg. She's right there with you sister! Checking your progress and happily chiming in with you as you announce your success.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the coop's egg door to find two hens jammed in the 10 inch by 10 inch nest box. Buttercup neatly tucked in on the inside, and Helen, squeezed in, on the outside. A few minutes later I retrieved two fresh eggs. Now that's teamwork!

Helen likes things tidy and I often find a single egg in the middle of the coop floor. I suspect that she has rolled this egg out of the nest and away from the others for a reason that only makes sense to a bird brain. Lately it's been the egg of one of the Barred Rocks. Perhaps this is her way of getting back at the pecking order.

I guess we all have our idiosyncrasies, but she's a good reliable layer and an excellent housekeeper. My Mom would approve.

Sweet Basil Starts

2009-03-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

In just six short weeks our "last day of frost," May 15 will arrive. I usually don't attempt to put much in the ground before this date with the exception of cool crops; and even then you're taking a chance and will be lucky if anything germinates.

The best way to get a jump on the season is to start seeds indoors. This may sound like a lot of work, but it really couldn't be easier. You don't need fancy lights and trays and soil -- in fact my best success has been a sunny windowsill, recycled "lettuce" boxes and standard potting soil. It's a great way to get a jump on the season and save a couple of bucks by starting your own plants.

I've been starting basil indoors for three years now and have had great sucess. The seedlings are easily transplanted to pots or directly in the garden, and we enjoy fresh basil all summer and pesto all winter.

Here's what you need: plastic lettuce containers and lids (or plastic wrap); potting soil or seed starting mix; and peat pots., You can put the soil directly to the container and not use peat pots. I've done both and found the peat pots work better for transplanting; either way works.

I use seed start mix, but again, my first year I used regular potting soil and everything came up just fine. However, I don't recommend using garden soil.

Just put the soil in the container (or peat pot); dampen the soil (a spray bottle works best for this), poke a small indentation in the soil and drop in a few seeds! Gently cover the hole, spray once more and pop on the container's lid. No lid? Cover with plastic wrap.

After a day or so, I poke a few air holes in the lids and keep the soil moist (condensation will help too). Once the seedlings are up and going, you can take the lid off. Do keep them moist, but don't over water.

You can start taking them outside during the day, after May 15th, to start hardening them off, but don't forget them! Last year I lost a whole batch because I left them outside overnight. It just happened to be the day we got our baby chicks. In all the excitment of the new arrivals I completely forgot my starts and they all froze! Basil is very, very tender.

This year I have 50 peat pots of basil started -- it certainly is less expensive than buying plants at the big box or farmers market. Speaking of FM, you might just see me this year...with basil plants and fresh eggs for sale!

Chicken Kitchen

2009-03-26T17:19:00.001-07:00

Our chickens are spoiled. Not that it comes as any surprise -- we happily find another chair to sit in when occupied by one of the cats. But the "girls" really have it good. Everyday they get an extra special treat, prepared especially for them from Chicken Kitchen.

What may seem like lowly fare to some is quite divine dining to a chicken. Take cabbage for instance. By and large people don't eat cabbage unless it is drenched in mayo ala cole slaw; or it happens to be St. Patrick's Day (and then it's really only decoration on the plate). But to a chicken, well it just doesn't get any better -- unless it comes mixed with cracked corn.

The girls happily consume whatever leftovers they are presented with: rice, beans, spaghetti, fruits, veggies - whatever. I've been know to ask friends after a dinner out if they are going to take their "leftovers" home, because the girls would love those refried beans!

It really is "girls gone wild" when they see me coming to the coop with a big plate of rice and left over brussel sprouts. A spirited soccer match usually erupts as someone takes off with a prime sprout.

We are pretty careful about what goes in their beaks -- no meats, no onions, no garlic (who wants onion/garlic flavored eggs?) since we are eating their by-products. And we have debated the feeding of leftover scrambled eggs (which they devoured in 37 seconds). Regardless, I can tell you that they have very well developed palate and a taste for the gourmet!

It's About Time...

2009-03-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Coeur d'Alene Coop! I'll be sharing my experiences at "urban" chicken farming and gardening on our expansive .16 acre lot in Midtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

We've been "chicken farmers" for about 10 months now; getting our girls last May at one day old. We have six beautiful hens - Buttercup (Golden Sex-Link), Flame (Black Sex-Link), Harriett (Australorp), Helen (Rhode Island Red), Henrietta aka Henny (Barred Rock) and Penelope aka Penny (Barred Rock).

Below is a picture of the girls at about 3-4 days old. Their "brooder" consisted of a plastic tub and heat lamp. This worked well for about 3 weeks and then they were ready to move into their new coop.

I chose these breeds specifically for brown eggs, their cold-hardiness and egg production during colder months. So far they have all exceeded my expectations and survived the second snowiest winter in decades!

Our first eggs arrived in early October and before winter set in we were getting 5-6 eggs per day. During the winter months we averaged between 3-4 eggs per day. Now that spring and longer days are approaching, we are back to about 5 per day.

The girls came through the snow and bitter cold very well. We insulated the coop and covered it with a tarp and added a heat lamp for warmth. We also added "disco" rope lights to help simulate daylight. Not sure how effective it was, but I did catch the girls doing the hustle on one snowy night.

If you use a heat lamp, do choose an infrared light. It's not bright -- and that's important as we found out when the girls were crowing at 3 am!

Yes, they do "crow" or cackle when they lay...and it can be quite loud, especially at 3 am.

And finally, the most asked question I get: Don't you need a rooster to get eggs? No, you only need a rooster if you want baby chicks. Eggs happen regardless!