Yes, my mom in law loves her chickens. And I love the eggs! She has helped me have a few before in a previous home we had. But alas the darn chicken hawk got the all. The chicken hawk, who by the way is a protected bird and can not be shot, tore my coop all up to get to my lovely lil chickens. But the rooster got away. Have you read about the rooster? Oh if not then go here to hear that tale!
Well I would like to have a chicken coop full of chicks and eggs again. But this time I am going to do a lil study first. Minnie Rose Lovegreen wrote a lil book that is just right for me. Recipe for Raising Chickens says "The main thing is to keep them happy." I loved learning from Minnie Rose. Simple easy country folk sharing how to go from egg well to egg. All I need to do is learn how to build a coop next. This was honestly a fun read. Why? Well it sounded like Minnie was right beside me. Sitting with her apron on and bonnet on her head. Sharing what she has observed for years. And I loved hearing her tell me when my chicken would be ready to lay eggs, how she cared for her babies, what got her tail feathers up and what calmed them down. She also shares how to do this in the most economical way. Now that I do like with the way my budget is going these days. I really do wish to have some more chickens. They are a great pest control too. Will not allow bugs around...eat them instead. So? Maybe I will start with some guinea fowl. Minnie Rose, thank you for sharing your knowledge and your book with me!
Ok so you know that in my heart I am trying to be a country gal. It is not that as much as I want to have fresh food. See I am a foodie big time. And I love to taste fresh food in its most natural state. So fresh raw veggies and fruits are my favorites. We have tried to do a lil garden here with some decent results. But it would be easier if I had tons more energy or someone to help me with it. Of course a lil farm equipment would not hurt either! Yeah me up on a John Deere tractor is just the image you wanted.
But women make the home and now we are also going back to the basics. Women are growing their own food weather it be in lil side gardens or taking over the whole farm. We are tired of paying high prices for organic food when we can do it ourselves. So do not be surprised when you realize your a Farmer Jane! You can read for yourself how to accomplish that lil feat. Not only do I want to raise my own food but I want to be able to have enough to share too. Okay I am really getting into this whole thought.
Do you have a hard time making enough to pay all the bills and have that really good meal on the table. Well I am having that issue. I am heavy and working on losing weight. But fresh food is expensive. If I can grow my own fresh veggies and fruits then I will have them here to eat. Much better than that bag of chips that are easy and cheap. I want to learn how to look at a way to do a small scale home farm. Yeah add in those chickens and how about a lil cow? My in laws have the livestock of chickens, cows, ducks, goats and sheep. If we pull together I could grow the garden and they could raise the animals. Share the cost and share the crops. Not a bad lil idea. I am going to read more about Farmer Jane and the movement for women to make home gardens and farms thrive.
I can't picture myself growing and harvesting and cooking chickens I grow...but I get it. There is that appeal. My dad always had a garden and yes, the veggies were so much better. And yeah there are farm stands but the prices are just crazy there. I thought farm stands were cheaper, nope not in nj
ReplyDeleteTracy
Hey Kiddo! I love living in the country, but you aren't gonna catch me raising chickens! Hubby thought about it for a while, but decided against it, thank goodness! I wanted some goats at one time, but since we've been out here, and my neighbor has goats, I just enjoy his, and don't have to feed, or take care of them. That way, we can travel like we want to. What's funny is last week when we went to Louisiana for those 5 days, my hubby talked about nothing else except getting back to his garden, and hoping it was getting watered, (he rigged up a make shift irrigation thing with a timer!) Anyway, we think of ourselves as country people, but really we're city people that enjoy the peace of the country.
ReplyDeleteLove ya!
PJ