Running Hen Microfarm

From some of those rare beautiful days…(aka rain, rain, go away)

Ruth — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:30:05 +0000

Our fig tree has been generous this year!

mustard greens are ready for the winter...just add glass

Here are some more photos from October….

The solar dryer at work...

Chickens at work!! Here they are in the corn field tilling the ground and eating bugs (well, OK, they also found some dried corn)

The mobile chicken house is stationed at the gate. The beans are off limits.

A barrow of dried corn...for chickens and us!!

Visitors from afar: (Chicago and Boston)

Ruth — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:47:35 +0000

visiting dignitaries (aka urbanites) come to the farm on Columbus Day weekend (the two on the right...no, not the dog...are engaged!!)

a thing of beauty with flowers

We shucked the corn...aww, shucks!

chickens at work in our new compost area (thank author Harvey Ussery)

practicing to be a....

...hen mother??

work project: install irrigation system...these pipes will go to spigots and soaker hoses for each raised bed

plumbers at work

September ALREADY????

Ruth — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:21:10 +0000

How can it be September already?? Here are some photos from the past few weeks…

Here are our two lovely geese in July...

Crazy but delicious cucumbers!!

Flowers and herbs in the front yard (the big bush against the house is the fig tree...with ripening figs!)

Cosmos (all volunteers from seed that fell last year)

pollinator...a beneficial insect!

morning sun on flowers

flowers of Jerusalem artichokes...invasive but beautiful and you can eat the roots

…We’ve been blessed with a lot of produce this year…much more rain than last year. Today we froze 5 quarts of green beans, and that’s only about half of what we picked this afternoon! Also, 2 days ago I made a pie from raspberries and figs (the fig tree is starting to bear ripe figs)…there have been LOTS of squash, especially a variety called “tromboncini” which we got from the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They are a big green summer squash with long necks like a trombone…resistant to squash borers of which we have quite a few around here on pumpkins and zukes. Also had good luck with “Sugar Baby” watermelon from SESE.

People are starting to request tours of our mini-farm…so far that’s free, but call ahead and plan on buying some eggs or other bit of produce!! : )

This week at the market from Running Hen Farm

Ruth — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:33:11 +0000

This week Running Hen Farm at Morgan’s Grove Market will feature salad mix,baby turnips, mixed berry pastries, cut flowers and more…hope to see you there!

We are market gardeners!!…photos from May and June

Ruth — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:45:48 +0000

Our first day at Morgan's Grove Market, May 7

Our new baby geese, acquired on May 13

Getting bigger!!

Processing strawberries.....

Strawberries for the piano recital...

At the market, June 4...books, produce, strawberry moon pie

New Chicks!

Ruth — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:26:47 +0000

New baby chicks! Here's the setup for the first 3 weeks inside.

On March 28 we got 5 new chicks!! 3 are “Columbian Cross” and 2 are “Americauna,” a version of Aracauna, the ones that lay pastel colored eggs.

They are all female and will be added to our current flock of 7 laying hens. These should start laying in 5 months or so…maybe in August.

Getting bigger...but afraid of their first plate of greens!

They need a heat lamp (this one is red) for the first couple of weeks to keep the temperature at 85-90 degrees.

Spring 2011, and Much Ado!

Ruth — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:32:15 +0000

As usual, there is much happening at Running Hen Microfarm. Here are a few items:

Package of seeds just arrived in mid-February from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange...strange to contemplate the potential of one small package!

Fig branches from fall trimmings stuck in a pot...smaller branch is leafing out!...to the right is a small bay tree (pot below table)

On a warm day in February, took advantage of the weather to redo paths in kitchen garden

A new book of interest…

Ruth — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:45:41 +0000

Hi, we’re still here, it’s a snow day and there’s time to add to the blog…

Actually, I’m doing an experiment to see if we are really affiliates of our own bookstore…

So, here’s a new book by Joel Salatin, a not-so-crazy-farmer (or maybe the only sane one around) from Virginia:

The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer

Solar Panels Have Arrived!!

Ruth — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:57:40 +0000

Mountain View Solar and Wind installed these solar panels for us:

We saw the meter running backwards already! WHOOHOO!!!

August & September photos

Ruth — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:40:31 +0000

A mostly local dinner

Catching up on some pictures from August:

solar-dried herbs

Our 32nd anniversary dinner on the balcony! (this was pre-stink bugs)

This giant cherry tomato plant was a volunteer that threatened to take over the entire kitchen garden!! Below it you can see some small cucumber plants.

Now these are from September:

Here are the new chickens with the Buff Orpingtons investigating the new garbage deposited in the compost pile at left.

The new chickens are Barred Rock, Black Australorp and (I think) Golden Pencilled Wyandotte.