Chicken notes

My friend has chickens - two breeds right now: Rhode Island Reds and Delawares, as well as the Bourbon Red turkeys. The links have nice information about the breeds but don't mention the sounds. Did you know the Rhode Island Reds cluck/chirp and almost sound like they're purring? While the Delawares squawk and are much louder! They're also twice as big.

The turkeys - they make a bit of noise but to me it was no problem. And they gobble back at you, which is kinda fun =)

I think they breed for white 'dark meat' on some birds - I've seen birds I know were pastured, and the 'dark meat' was as pale as the breasts. For those of us who like dark meat - on the Delawares and the Bourbon Reds, it's a nice red color. See? I don't know about the Rhode Island Reds, though.

small acreage

85% of the world’s farms are small farms, smaller than 5 hectares

from Casaubon's Book (blog)

5 hectares is 12.35 acres. I've heard that called micro-farming before, like it's a rare thing. But at the same time, it's amazing how much potential there is in a small acreage. Please read the article the quote is from. Good information, and great for getting one thinking.

September Market

The vendors are changing. One is leaving, his fields ready for winter. At least one, possibly two more (that I know of!) are coming. I'm very much looking forward to the second - she has a spinner's flock, with colored wools, breed for wool & meat. Today's finds - several acorn squash, in a rainbow; two pie pumpkins, butternut squash, bitty tomatoes and fresh basil, a loaf of bread.

Also, I can try the pickles I made. Yay!

Ideas: Eating Local

I'm trying to get as much local food as I can this year. To help, I've created my own list of local farms and farmers markets, within a 30-mile driving radius. That makes about a 2-hour drive, round trip - about the most I really want to do. The hundred-mile radius put me into 'full day trip' ranges - especially when I allowed for traffic!

The nearest farmers markets - there are 3 - are all about the same distance away, in different directions. I went to one the weekend of May 30th and another this past weekend. There was a wide variety there - jewelry, goat milk soap, herb plants, breads & canned goods, hand-blown glass, paintings and hand-painted items, fresh seafood, and pastured meats, in addition to the expected veggies. One is also next to a wonderful yarn shop, and I came home with food plus wool rovings to spin (Icelandic, Swalesdale, and Superfine Merino)and a bone crochet hook for my mother. I'll visit the last one this weekend.

If you'd like to do something like this for your area, here are some sites I found helpful:

100 Mile Diet: Local Eating for Global Change

Local Harvest: Farmers Markets, CSAs, Family Farms. Ordering online is available (fleeces, yarns, soap, baskets, honey, more!)

Pick Your Own.org: Where to find Pick-Your-Own Fruit & Veggie Farms

Slow Food USA: Supporting Good, Clean, and Fair Food. Also supports heritage foods and livestock breeds.


Also, try searching on your state or town's name (or the names of towns near you) with "farmer market" and see what you find. I used Google maps to estimate travel times and distances to the markets.