more about birds, and what we did today

Over the weekend there were six new additions to the farm; six khaki campbell ducks. For now they are being kept in their house, so that they acclimatize and realize that it is their safe place. Eventually though they'll be free range.

And there's a reason for all these types of feathered creatures; Devin explained it to me today. Each kind of bird can assist the farmer in a different way: chickens scratch the ground, ducks eat slugs but do not bother the plants, and I believe guineas eat pests too. (The turkeys, however, are for eating.) Devin says keeping fowl and vegetable cultivation are an excellent pair.

Today we picked carrots for the shares, watered the fall beets, mulched the peppers, and took down the greenhouse tomato vines. Then, we went for a farm tour...

We went to Spoutwood Farm, about twenty minutes away. Devin is friends with the head farmer there, Brett, and he showed us around his spot of good ground. He and Devin discussed their respective farms; what has worked, what hasn't, what plans they have, what they'd like to tweak. It's great to hear their enthusiasm; it is their livelihood and their passion.

the birds

There are quite a few winged things running (and flying) about at Side by Side Farm. 

Chickens, mainly. I believe Devin gave me an estimate of 50 or 60 total.

There are two communities of hens and roosters. One is nomadic; they get move about to different locations in the fields so that they can pick and prepare the ground. Back in the beginning of June, Devin and I did just that.

Then there is group that lives in what is affectionally called Guantanamo (above). They are let out to roam free during the day. The clan consists of full size chickens and bantams.

Right now there are lots of new little peeps. My favorites are the grey ones.

Then there are the rather elusive guinea hens. I'm not sure of their numbers; maybe a dozen or so.

The turkeys are a new addition. When I started my internship they lived in a little hutch inside the house. They were tiny, white, fluffy, somewhat adorable and chicken-like looking. Now they have come into their true turkey form: they are ugly.

And there are many kinds of wild birds too: blue birds, orioles, indigo buntings (which use the stars to migrate at night). I've seen a hawk or two and Devin tells me that crows sit in the dead mulberry tree and keep an eye on the chickens, guarding them from hawks.


In other bird-like news, I've started to tweet.