It’s that time of year!  Time to order chickens!  We will be replacing our layer flock this year.  We really prefer the “Buff Orpington” breed for several reasons.  They are relatively quiet, they are very even tempered and they are good with children.  If you are thinking of starting a layer flock here are a few tips on ordering.  At Blue Seal Feeds in Windham, where I get my birds, there is a minimum order of six birds.  If you are a family of four and you just want eggs for personal use this number is perfect!  At the height of their production in the first year we were getting up to 5 eggs per day!  Now it’s more like 1-3 per day and they are three years old.  If your family is larger or you want to sell eggs then you can certainly increase your flock size.  The breeds available are numerous; Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, New Hampshire Red, Golden Comets, White Leghorns, Buff Orpingtons, the list goes on.  Prices are a

I know!  I know!  We're in the middle of a snow storm but really, a snow storm is just about the best time to curl up by the wood stove and start planning that springtime garden!  My wife and I are just about ready to put in our seed order.  We like to do our garden on a budget and starting from seed is the best way to accomplish that.  A good plan is a must.  In the picture the plan for one of our three large gardens is on top of the seed catalogs.  A plan helps you properly space plants and get a general vision for how the garden will look.  We will be doing a variety of vegetables and flowers this year.  Here are some of the things we hope to grow!  The "favorites" are things we've grown successfully before and still have leftover seed for.  The "new items" are things we will be trying out for the first time this spring!

Favorites:

Provider bush bean
Brandy