Running Hen Microfarm » chickens

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

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.

Still catching up…photos from May

Ruth — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:02:16 +0000

Light bulb keeps off the chill

Morning - greens, water, food!

A lovely green salad with orach (magenta color)

May 19 - messy porch with bigger birds!...time to move out...

This artichoke plant survived the winter next to the south side of the house with a cover of dirt and straw. It came back strong and produced 5 heads! More were started from seed this year and transplanted…they’re growing great!

Even more busy spring! April photos…

Ruth — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:12:56 +0000

April 16 - One day old: 5 chicks and 2 ducks!

Getting bigger....

New 45x45 grain bed with oats and buckwheat, mulched with straw

April 29: at 2 weeks old, birds moved to a corner of the screened porch

Charlie watching the birds (or their food??)

Raised beds in the main garden...the 3 big chickens are in the orchard in the background

April 29: Greens and onions survived the winter...and now they are flourishing!

A couple of brown furry friends...gives Charlie something to chase

Snow AGAIN… with fowls

Ruth — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:11:39 +0000

OK, this will be the last of the snow pictures this winter!! Any more will have to wait until next winter!!!

This is the super snow-blowing machine that we finally had to hire after 3 other trucks got stuck trying to plow.

This is the view out the front door on Wednesday the 10th…after shoveling the front walk and cleaning the car, it snowed over 10 more inches! And then started to blow around!! We decided to stay home…ha.

The path to the chicken and duck house

Can we stay inside today?

Food! Food! There are no bugs!

Where's our pond? Where's the food?

Welcome to Running Hen Microfarm!

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:06:57 +0000

We are located outside of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a small college town on the upper Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle of the state. Our mini-farm is a work in progress, begun in 2006 when we moved in to our newly built passive solar cottage with geothermal heat pump.

The farm is named after our chickens, who really do run to meet us (when they are hungry)!