It’s been a quiet day on the farm today. Ron had another engagement elsewhere today, so he couldn’t come over. Which is probably ok, because Sue is feeling a bit dragged out. Going, going, going can kinda wear you out. I’m hoping it’s the weather instability affecting her and that she’s not coming down with some crud that’s been going around. Anyway, nothing new to report on the RCW. It was just a normal day of normal chores and normal errands for greens and feed. HOWEVER, something completely unanticipated – and therefore not normal: Sue received notice today that she was accepted to attend a week long seminar in April, for Veterans who are going into farming! It’s called “Armed to Farm”. Continue reading
armed to farm
09 Friday Mar 2018
Posted in Fun Stuff
Ok, ok. I know its odd to have Disneyland show up here. I mean, really. What in the world could Disneyland have to do with Permaculture or Wing and a Prayer? Well, let me tell you. When I first started thinking about what type of special report I could come up with, linked to Disneyland – I wasn’t exactly sure. At Big Thunder Ranch, they used to have chickens and the Presidentially pardoned Turkeys, some other farm animals in a petting zoo type situation, but it closed down in 2016 to make room for the Star Wars themed Land currently under construction. So, what was left that was kind of farmy? 
Hey everyone! Here I am on the road again. Took mom out shopping and we’re at the Ramona Library using their wifi for a bit to get a little information out there to you. Let me tell you – their wifi works better than ours at home! So nice to have this available 🙂 and for free! Anyway, I found out that all the fun stuff happens when I’m on the road. Roma laid a huge egg today – it’s twice the size of the large chicken eggs! This is her first one of the year! We’ll see how many we end up with. Geese lay about 35/year; more than every other week, but not quite one a week. I think last year we ended up with only 3 all together. So that was a fun happening this morning. 
Today is Groundhog day…do you care? Did you even remember? I didn’t, until I got home and started poking around on the internet. Supposedly, we’ll be having 6 more weeks of winter. Which, for us, means 6 more weeks of opportunities for winter rain. Which would be a good thing. Then, in my poking around, I come to discover that the groundhog is only about 40% accurate. Poop. I bet my hedgehog could predict just as well. That got me to wondering, what else do we rely on that is only 40% accurate? 
Wednesday night and most of Thursday, we had some fierce winter winds. They were blowing like crazy! On the littles’ side of the coop, the wind was just barreling through the small chicken door – heedless of the wind shield Sue put up for just this reason. So, Sue went and picked up some straw bales from Gem’s, our local feed store, and arranged a wind break for them. You can see Imen there, inspecting for bugs today. This is really the first day they’ve been out with the bales, because it was so bitterly cold and windy yesterday – they all
hung around inside. Today it was warm and calm enough to have the door open for a few minutes when the sun was shining right inside. They love to hang out in the door way and sun themselves. Anyway~ Sue also added three bales on the other side for the biggies as well. Just so their food pallet would have a little protection as well. The biggies were out a bit more yesterday than the littles, but they are all still quite interested in the new hairy lumps that have been added to their run. I was out there watching them this afternoon, and I goy the distinct feeling they think that the additions are for a Christmas Barn Dance. I saw them making all kinds of little preparations….
Well, started off normally enough. We did the morning chores and then put in some doors on the top brooder, so that we can more easily get in and out. Sue made them right quick out of scrap wood and put some chicken wire over them. They work great! It is so much easier to get in and out of there to do food and water and stuff. Then we took about 1/2 of the littles and put them in the brooder below. There were 30 in the top brooder and they are getting just too big! They are much more comfortable now and have room to grow and scratch around without getting in each others’ way. Next, we took care of the feed and straw in the back of Sue’s truck. Those chickens are going through some food lately! Alfalfa and straw go over to the Goat Boys for later. Filled up the dog water and watered the flower garden and the herb garden right quick. Then we enjoyed a breakfast of eggs and toast. 
Today, as it was a day off for me, we took a trip up to Tucson and visited an amazing nursery called Civano Nursery. It’s on the easternmost side of Tucson in a relatively newly developed area. It was an amazing nursery. Sue and I agreed that we like it much more than Anderson’s back home. I know~! Sacrilege! But it’s true. We were even able to get some of our Christmas shopping completed! We went to purchase some large trees or bushes with the great gift given to us last week. Sue did some research and we found this nursery on-line that has a wonderful section of native plants that are perfect for our hedge row/wind break. Read on for what info on what we purchased. 
Wing and a Prayer 