Last year I posted that I would like to get more involved in our community… and we are getting there. We have been visiting churches to find a good fit, both children are now enrolled in 4-H, and we are making an effort to be better neighbors and friends to those living around us. We also made an effort to purchase from the local farmer’s market & scheduled more active homeschooling get togethers.

This year we have placed our poultry order and seed orders. We wouldn’t be buying any poultry at all, but my son is participating in the poultry project for 4-H (and when ordering I decided to buy some turkeys – couldn’t help myself). The kids and I will be working on a portable “turkey tractor” and trying our hand at Square Foot Gardening. I just received the original book in the mail today!

Large egg at top to the right: Australorps, Ameraucana, Duck, Cuckoo Maran, Buff Orpington

Do you twitter?  I do!  http://twitter.com/thecountrymomma

Now, as I mentioned, we are placing our chick order this week.  You might ask yourself why I waited.  Originally I planned to order direct from a hatchery.  However when we visited our local farm store a couple weeks ago I decided to check on their prices and minimum orders.  Turns out I could order the same breeds and in greater numbers and still save money!  The individual prices are anywhere from a few pennies less to twenty cents or more.  Plus, the bulk order placed by the farm store does not require me to pay shipping – another $8.75 saved.

As I chatted more with the cashier I told her I’d be having to place my order the next week and she mentioned that If I waited just a few days longer they would be having a sale on the orders.  This is great – I can order a few extra chicks, of the breeds I want, have them delivered to my post office and save $10+.   It is true that they may be arriving in May instead of early April, but hey, the days will be warmer and that can help reduce the time in the brooder.

Take time to check your local farm store or feed store.  They can give you a good price and they may even be able to help you out if you are looking to buy from local producers.  Take some time to get to know the folks at the counter.

Since I’m on the topic of poultry orders I’ll go ahead and tell you what we’re buying:

Buff Orpington (I want broody hens)

Dark Brahma & Partridge Cochin (son wants some feather footed girls or his rooster)

Ameraucana & Maran (daughter wants colorful eggs)

Meanwhile, my daughter chose to spend some of her birthday money on 5 ducklings – 2 Rouen and 3 Pekin.  They are filling the gap between winter and the arrival of our chicks.  Doing a great job of it I might add!

Thank you to all the folks who entered our February Freebie drawing.  Rosalinde in NM will be receiving a free copy of the book:  Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits.  Check back for the next freebie announcement!

The Birthday Girl with her Rouen duckling "Water"

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds- www.rareseeds.com

Fedco Co-Op Garden Supplies- www.fedco.com

Both companies have a great following among folks interested in seed saving, heirloom vegetables, and NOT supporting companies like Monsanto which are establishing monopolies on seeds through gene patents. If you are planning to get elbow deep in developing your own sustainable garden plot these are a couple of great places to start!

This year’s garden will consist of a greater variety of vegetables than I’ve planted before.  I’m eager to try a few of the older varieties of corn, carrots and zucchini.  Last year we let some onion go to seed and saved it to start indoors.  We’ll see how well they do.

Next item on the list will be to gather a batch of eggs to incubate!

I have two biscuit recipes, one for a breakfast biscuit and the other for a cheesy, savory supper time biscuit.  I hope you enjoy them!

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Buttermilk Breakfast Biscuits

2 1/2 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/3 c. butter, melted (I use unsalted)
1 c. buttermilk
1 – 1 1/2 T bacon drippings
additional melted butter to brush biscuit tops

Preheat oven to 450.  Grease cookie sheet with bacon drippings.  Sift
together dry ingredients.  Pour in butter & buttermilk, mix to form
sticky dough.  Turn out onto floured surface and knead briefly,
folding the dough onto itself.  Pat out to about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut
with a 3 inch floured cutter (I use a drinking glass).  Place on
cookie sheet, leaving space for the heat to circulate around each
biscuit.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Brush with butter during last minute of
baking. Makes 8 big biscuits.

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Cheesy Biscuits

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1/3 c. shortening
1/2 c. shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425.  Grease cookie sheet.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening until lumps are pea-sized and well distributed.  Stir in cheese then milk.  Turn out onto floured surface and knead briefly,
folding the dough onto itself.  Pat out to about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut
with a 3 inch floured cutter (I use a drinking glass).  Place on
cookie sheet, leaving space for the heat to circulate around each
biscuit.  Bake 13-15 minutes.

When raising hoofed livestock on a relatively small piece of land, you will find that time spent considering care of the ground is as necessary as that spent on preventative health care for the animals.   Proper attention to the grazing load based on soil consistency and forage available must not be overlooked. Pastures may sustain long term to permanent damage from the hooves and grazing habits of livestock if too many animals are allowed access for too great a time.  Maintaining a healthy grazing area for your livestock is important, not only to keep your forage growing at its best but also to minimize parasite infestation, help prevent hoof rot, and to keep your pasture from becoming a mud lot.

Some of the practices we employ at our little homestead include:

• Careful consideration of the size of our herd based on grazing intensity and taking into account temporary increases during kidding.
• Using electric fence – allowing us to easily rotate pasture area.
• Restricting access to pasture during wet periods and times of freeze/thaw when grasses are easily damaged by crushing.  This helps to prevent those mud holes from developing in high traffic areas.
• Housing in the barn when the grass stops growing in the fall until it greens up in the spring.
• Planting clover, timothy & orchard grass  in late winter to help prevent thin areas from developing.

Here are some helpful numbers for those wondering what a maximum sustainable flock or herd size may be (all numbers are for property consisting of good quality forage & grazing through the whole growing season):

• Goats – Standard size – 6 per acre, Dwarf and Pygmy – 10 per acre
• Cattle – Standard size – 1 per 2 acres, Miniatures – 1 to 2 per acre
• Sheep – 4 per acre (though I’ve read accounts of up to 10 Shetlands per acre)

These numbers are a rough guide.  I highly suggest, if you are considering raising a herd or flock you spend a couple of weekends taking a drive around your local countryside.  Watch for healthy looking pastures and get an idea of how many animals are grazing them.  Watch out for those all too common mud lots as well, they can teach you just as much about what not to do.

Enjoy those sheep, goats, or cattle (or even all three), but remember that in addition to being a herdsman you are even more importantly a grass farmer.  Take pride in it!