Porch Pullets

I transplanted some kale plants from the community garden to my garden. I had heard that kale gets sweeter after the frost and I wanted to taste the difference.
I still have lots to learn about kale, especially how to cook and enjoy it.  I haven't really been able to enjoy it.  Seems too bitter for my taste buds, so I need to try different methods to make it more appetizing for me.  Plus learn how to cook it.
There were 14 rows of kale at the community garden this summer and not many people took advantage of those prolific, free, vegetables. We could of paved the streets with it as we tons of it.

Anyhow, I brought 5 robust plants home and dug them into my garden.

Here they stayed and thrived for an entire week.......

The hens ignored them.

Until yesterday......

They stripped them clean 5 minutes before I went out to harvest some leaves for lunch.

Oh well......On to the next project.

Part of getting ready for winter is moving my chicken tractor Winnebago to the near side of the chicken coop away from the path of the snowplowers.
The advantage of doing this is that it is now in the sun for most of the day.
The Winnebago also mates up to the back end of the chicken coop so the hens can come out on the worst of days and have protection, sun, and a place where they can have lots of hay and scratch to peck around for.

Soon I will have to roll up my final 100 feet of poultry netting before the ground hardens.
But right now I like that it is up and I can pen the hens quickly when I see the coyotes too close to the farm.

I also had an additional nest box put up higher than the floor models so my new pullets have a choice of where they put their eggs.    My resident engineer brought his drill and had my old milk crate in place in 60 seconds.

As soon as he exited, the flock came in to check out his work and have a snack.

In just 5 minutes, the new pullets left a massive gift in the floor nest boxes.

I always love finding eggs.

Having been egg-less since September 7th, this is a thrill.

Today was kefir day and the flock just loves the magical drink.
I always make extra and I think this healthy drink has helped my moulting hens get their feathers back much sooner.

 Then it started raining.

  And the entire flock ran for the porch.

They preened themselves and ate window bugs and made funny little noises.

Here they stayed all afternoon while the rain came down in buckets.

This side porch seems even larger now that I have removed all the hanging plants, fall flowers and other objects of summer.

The hens appreciate that, I am sure.

Where do your flock friends hang out during wet weather?

Winter Barn Wednesday

This barn sits on a hill overlooking the mighty Connecticut River Valley and is witness to the growing and harvesting of hundreds of acres of corn, hay, pumpkins, fiddleheads and other diverse crops.
For over 200 years this barn has seen many changes and been well used.
It now has a small herd of Dexter cattle that take shelter in it on rainy, bitter cold days.

From a mile away the barn still looks large. I estimate that it is over 300 feet long.
It was once a very active dairy barn in its day.

Click on the photos to enlarge and enjoy them.

 

Such a majestic old barn, built by settlers and pioneers to this valley 2 centuries ago.

The hand hewn beams and siding were cut from the woodlot that once surrounded it.

The land of this farm has suffered the land acquisition by railroad, highway and tax lots.

But the biggest loss will be this barn when the rain rotted beams start to collapse on each other.

Note the big wet spot on the side of this barn.

 

The roof on this side still looks good.

But age and lack of repair are starting to take its toll.

 I drove up the highway on the front side of the barn to get a closer look at the water damage.

 

As I got closer, it got worse. I saw where the beams are already buckling over the windows.

 With no place to pull over I did some drive by clicking.

 

Front looks good.

I plan on going back in better weather and somehow walking over to the front and the "other side" of the barn, where the cows are.

It is a narrow road with no where to pull over, so I will have to find a willing volunteer to drive by and drop me off.

Well worth it to document this classic barn before it falls to the ground.
~