Chicken Flock Additions

We are stocking up on our depleted chicken flock. We now have only four chickens, two of which are poor producing Production Reds.
We aimed to buy hens that would provide a variety of egg colors.

The first addition is pictured to the left, ostensibly the Ameraucana. This breed produces medium-sized "Easter" eggs, light blue-greensish in color. We bought ours from the local feed store.

This chick, like most sold by commercial hatcheries, is more likely a mongrel rather than a true breed. Of course, since we are not breeding chickens that is perfectly fine with us.

We also bought two Buff Orpingtons. These chickens are reputed to docile and are average brown egg layers. This breed tends to become broody. Because they are docile, they are generally at the lower end of the chicken pecking order.

These birds are "dual purpose" and were originally raised for meat birds. Generally speaking, meat chickens do less well free-ranging as our girls live.

Finally for the chicken variety, we bought three silver Wyandottes from a local Spindale, North Carolina, breeder.  These chicks were raised by the grandfather of an employee of Oakland Feed and Seed in Spindale.

They were straight run chicks, meaning we do not know if we bought three hens, three roosters, or any combination thereof.  The good news is my wife said that we may get to keep a rooster if we have one in the three chicks.

The Wyandotte breed is much like the Buff Orpingtons.  They also lay brown eggs, maybe slightly more productive. They are docile chickens.

Lastly, what flock would be complete without some guinea fowl.  We bought six to add to our one guinea.  Guinea fowl are great tick-eaters, as well as other pests.  This is the first purpose.

We also are very happy with our guinea's defense of the chicken flock.  All his other species mates were killed by predators going into the winter.  However, our lone guinea survived and is the rooster of our flock of four free-ranging hens.  He watches for hawks, stands off dogs, and chirps at strangers and for lost hens.  He does a really good job in this capacity.

Guineas are also capable of producing some decent meat.  I haven't tasted guinea but it is said to be a cross between turkey and chicken, or a juicy pheasant flavor.

Vermicomposting: Red Wriggler Composting Worms

I ordered 2,000 Red Wiggler(Eisenia Foetida) composting worms from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm.  These are Pennsylvania worms so they will have to adapt to the western North Carolina heat.  We intend to feed the worms food scraps and horse manure.

Eisenia Foetida is a species of earthworm that lives on decaying material.  Colorado State published an article, Vermicomposting Horse Manure, which discussing setting up windrows.

Here is a blog post about how to rotate the worms and incorporate them into fertilizing gardens with chickens, TheModernHomestead blog, Raising Earthworms to Feed the Flock

Bio-Retention Water Catchment

Here are some images taken from the NC Water Conservation program handbook.  First, the diagram showing contours of the backyard wetland construction:

Next, a selection of drought tolerant wetland plants.

Here are the rain garden shrubs and perennial plants:

Below, some rain garden zone plants:

Here are some shallow water wetland plants:

Finally, some deep water plants.

Here is a picture of my brassicas (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli) growing in the soil cube mixture.  I followed the recipe of the soil cube instructions to make up my mix.

The seedlings are a bit spindly.  I will move my light source closer down toward the seedlings today and observe as to whether that improves their spindliness.

I also need to buy another grow bulb as I only have one installed in my grow tub right now.

Pasture Rotation Paddock Size Calculation

We have three horses.  Combined, they weigh about 3,000 pounds.  Using that figure, we can start to figure out the rotational grazing needs for our homestead.  Our horses eat a combined 80 pounds of dry forage per day.

We currently have about 4.5 acres of pasture.  First we need to figure out the grazable height of forage.  Estimate the height of grazable grass and legumes and clover (excluding seed heads, etc., which are not grazable).  Then, subtract three inches to deduct the non-grazable portion.  The difference is the height of grazable dry matter.

Next, use a "pasture stick" to estimate the quantity of dry matter in the pasture.  This figure gives you a number of grazable dry matter.

This is a total guess, but I estimate that we have about 1200 pounds of dry matter in each acre.  Based on this, it will take the horses about 15 days to eat most of an acre paddock of forage.  Need to get a pasture stick.

A rule of thumb is to graze animals when grass is 6 to 8 inches high. Rest grass when it is grazed down halfway (3 to 4 inches high).  “Graze ½, leave ½.” 

We need to establish five paddocks and rotate the horses through them.  

Goat Kidding Preparations

There is a lot of work to do to prepare for goat kidding.

First, you need a kidding stall.  We intend to use one of our two horse stalls.  By the beginning of April, we need to have it set up.  Probably, we will use a 12' fence gate to close it.

Second, we need a kidding kit.  We are using the FIAS Farms kit materials.  We already have most of the stuff on hand.  But we need to organize everything into a tote.

Third, we need to begin administering some herbs to prepare our goat. We are natural so we do not intend to vaccinate, or chemically treat our doe Edna. However, we will give her some of the herbal supplements she needs to reduce her delivery risks.

FIAS Farms created a spreadsheet to calculate some of the critical dates.  I charted them on my calendar.

Jerusalem Artichoke, or Sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus).

This plant is in the Asteraceae or Compositae family.  It grows to seven feet tall in rich and damp thickets.

The tubers are edible.   The tuber develops a pleasant sweetness during the winter, especially if subjected to frosts, and is then reasonably acceptable raw Otherwise it is generally best cooked, and can be used in all the ways that potatoes are used. The tubers are rich in inulin, a starch which the body cannot digest, so Jerusalem artichokes provide a bulk of food without many calorie. Some people are not very tolerant of inulin, it tends to ferment in their guts and can cause quite severe wind. The tubers are fairly large, up to 10cm long and 6cm in diameter. The tubers bruise easily and lose moisture rapidly so are best left in the ground and harvested as required. The inulin from the roots can be converted into fructose, a sweet substance that is safe for diabetics to use. The roasted tubers are a coffee substitute.

A very easily grown plant, it grows best in a loose circumneutral loam but succeeds in most soils and conditions in a sunny position. Plants are more productive when grown in a rich soil. Heavy soils produce the highest yields, but the tubers are easily damaged at harvest-time so lighter well-drained sandy loams are more suitable. Dislikes shade. Likes some lime in the soil. Jerusalem artichoke is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation of 31 to 282cm, an average annual temperature of 6.3 to 26.6°C and a pH in the range of 4.5 to 8.2. 

Jerusalem artichokes were cultivated as a food plant by the N. American Indians and they are today often grown in temperate areas for their edible tubers. There are some named varieties. 

The plant is a suitable crop in any soil and climate where corn (Zea mays) will grow. It survives in poor soil and in areas as cold as Alaska. It also tolerates hot to sub-zero temperatures. 

The first frost kills the stems and leaves, but the tubers can withstand freezing for months. 

The plants are particularly suited to dry regions and poor soils where they will out-yield potatoes. Tuber production occurs in response to decreasing day-length in late summer. Yields range from 1 - 2kg per square metre. The tubers are very cold-tolerant and can be safely left in the ground in the winter to be harvested as required. They can be attacked by slugs, however, and in sites prone to slug damage it is probably best to harvest the tubers in late autumn and store them over the winter. It is almost impossible to find all the tubers at harvest time, any left in the soil will grow away vigorously in the spring. 

Plants are sensitive to day-length hours, requiring longer periods of light from seedling to maturation of plant, and shorter periods for tuber formation. They do not grow where day-lengths vary little. The plant is good weed eradicator, it makes so dense a shade that few other plants can compete. 

The young growth is extremely attractive to slugs, plants can be totally destroyed by them. 

Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. Grows well with corn]. Plants can be invasive.
                                    

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn. 

Harvest the tubers in late autumn or the winter and either replant the tubers immediately or store them in a cool but frost-free place and plant them out in early spring. 

Jerusalem artichoke is propagated by tubers, which should be planted as early as possible in the spring when the soil can be satisfactorily worked. Late planting usually reduces tuber yields and size seriously. 

Whole tubers or pieces about 50 g (2 oz.) should be planted like potatoes and covered to a depth of 10 cm. Pieces larger than 50 g do not increase the yield, though those smaller will decrease it. Deeper planting may delay emergence, weaken the sprouts, and cause the tubers to develop deeper, making harvest more difficult. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Plants for a Future

NC State University, Horticulture Information Leaflets, Growing Jerusalem Artichokes, Jonathan R. Schultheis, Extension Horticultural Specialist (1999)