Farm Update

It has been awhile since I updated what is going on here at the farm.

Things here are going well. The critters are all happy and healthy and the tomatoes are FINALLY ripening in the garden.

Our bourbon red turkeys are happily free ranging.  When they take their afternoon nap, the tom keeps a watchful eye out for predators.  They stick together and it is all for one and one for all. You always see them together.

 Here is what the field looks like. It is full of grazing sunflowers and many other plants.  It is really pretty and it is feeding our soil.

The chickens in the back are also totally free ranging.  They sleep in the chicken tractor and then run around the rest of the day.

Here is the alpha black jersey giant rooster.  He is a big boy and is still sweet.  The other rooster decided to take on the smallest turkey hen.  He huffed and puffed - out his feathers, and got in her face.  She puffed out her feathers, and just kind of looked at him, Like " What is your problem, son?" Then he really went into overdrive and puffed his feathers even more and started to chest bump her.  Within seconds the big toms came over and stood on either side of her, the other turkeys lined up behind them.  The rooster took a look at them and took off running.  The turkeys chased him around the chicken tractor and he kept running until he got out to the pig pen.  Now he takes his little harem out by the pig pen every morning and does what he can to avoid the turkeys.

This is the big feeder in the tractor.  We fill it up only occasionally as it stays full a long time.

The water supply is collected off the roof as it runs into the gutter and then down into the water barrel.  The tube then has the little nipple waterers for the chickens.  The kids like it as they have not needed to fill it up as we have had regular rain.

Our pullets are starting to lay.  They are still trying to figure out where to lay.  The nesting boxes have not been the most popular choice. They even lay them on the edge of the feeder.  Talented birds.  Not sure how they did that.

The chickens do most of their drinking from the pond.  The rooster supervises and protects them as they drink.

We have currently got all the roosters isolated.  They were bothering the hens and the result of that is that the hens lay less and the roosters are slow to gain weight.

Paul repurposed the rest of the old awning as a rooster shelter.  He put it on skids so it was easy to move.  on the inside there are some roosting poles and a hanging feeder.  We have an electric fence around them to keep them contained.

Here is what the back of the barn looks like.  There is a mobile hoop coop back there and a fence that gets moved to keep all the chickens contained.  The old hens still reside in the run-in coop.  They will be moving on to the freezer in a couple weeks.  They have stopped earning their keep.

The white broad breasted turkeys are now free ranging as well.  They are growing fast.  They stay close to the outbuildings and don't go near as far as the bourbon reds, but I am happy to see them eating bugs and grass.

I forgot to get a pig picture on here, but they are doing well.

The garden is coming along well.  Here you see the kale, some eggplants and ground cherries.

I really like my herb spiral.  The herbs are doing well.  They have established and are growing.  Almost all the herbs in here are perennials except for the cilantro, parsley, and dill, which are really good at self seeding.

Here are the sweet potato beds. and the boxes in the back have our white potatoes.  They seem to be doing OK, but the proof will be in the digging.

The tomatoes look fabulous and haven't started dying back at all.  They must not realize that it is September!!!  I didn't pick my first ripe tomato until the last week in August.  It is September now and the tomatoes are coming on like it is July.  We haven't had any problem with wilt or other disease for which  we are grateful.

Our cabbages have done terrible!  The bugs have destroyed them.  Such a bummer.  We have gobs of eggplants and basil.  We have been enjoying our pesto! Pesto and tomato are such a wonderful combination. Got to go and make a batch of Nanna's chili sauce.  Enjoy the rest of the summer!