Hi everyone. I hope you’re all having a nice winter and that all is going well. Here on the farm, planning is just wrapping up and the seeds and new equipment are already being delivered. It won’t be long now before it’s once again time to start putting plants in the ground. Or at least it seems that way based on how fast the winter is passing. And for those concerned, I did get some time off in the form of a trip, with family, to Disney World over Christmas, as well as a few days of actual relaxation here and there in January.

Moving on, there will be a few noticeable changes at the farm this year.

The biggest one is the addition of egg-laying chickens. The coop and pen are almost ready, and the chickens, Rhode Island Red Hybrids, should be here around the middle of April. The chickens will already be mostly grown when I get them, so it shouldn’t be too long after their arrival that eggs will be available. The plan is to keep them penned for safety (there are lots of predators here), but otherwise cage-free. After getting them, they will be put on a diet of Organic, non-GMO feed and whatever tasty plant scraps I may have for them. The hatchery I’ll be working with provides the chickens with all of their vaccinations, so the chickens and eggs will also be antibiotic-free. If you’re looking forward to fresh eggs, be sure to watch for an update or check back in towards the beginning of May. And before I am inundated with what I expect will be the most frequently asked question, as of now the eggs will NOT be available for advance order.

Beyond the chickens, I am still working on making some new varieties of preserves. I’m not going to post the list of types yet, so you’ll just have to sit in suspense of whether your preferred type will be made.

Additionally, with the help of Pat Kerns at Kerns Nursery, I’ll be making some changes to the cut flower selection for this season. And yes, I will be growing both Gladiolus and Sunflowers again.

Most of the rest of the changes are ones that you won’t really see or notice, but they should go a ways to helping me keep the farm and all its varied aspects manageable.

Be sure to check out the 2018 Crop List.