| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| want2danse |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 5:50:52 PM
Hi, I'm Shelley.
Last year, 3 months before my 50th birthday and newly divorced, I decided to abandon my southern California city life and move to the country. Both my kids are in college now, so it was a good time for me to follow my farmgurl dream. I found a lovely new colonial home (well, that's not very farmgurlish, but remember, I'm new at this) on some acreage and began the country life.
I've learned SO much in one year! I've raised chicks only to lose 7 out of 8 of them in ONE hour to an owl; I've learned how much propane costs!!!; I've learned that you should know how much water your well produces before you plant any lawn; I now know that some weeds are much prettier than others and so I leave them alone longer; I've learned that you cannot keep your neighbors' labradors out of your koi ponds..:) It's all good though. And, oh my goodness, the birds I have seen......so beautiful.
I'm so excited to find this forum. I only found out about Mary Jane's Farm when I moved here to Idaho. I at first bought one of her magazines, then her book. I AM going to attend her farm school one day.........it's my new dream. How could I not when she's only an hour and a half away?
I look forward to learning a lot here, because I know NOTHING and whatever I learn from my neighbors or community, I will be glad to pass on to other farmgirls (or farmgurlz- I can't lose my southern cali identity completely; the BMW still sits in the garage, unused, but at the ready for "special" occasions).
Speaking of knowing nothing, here a couple of questions:
1. Since my chickens are not free-range (because of that nasty owl! ), can I feed them the sweet clover and other grasses that are growing in my garden?
2. What does "living off the grid" mean ? I hear people around here talking about that.
3. Is there a wine grape that I can grow in Idaho? 
XOXO Shelley
If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as well danse. |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Oct 21 2006 : 11:01:57 AM
Hi Shelley, you are so welcome here. All your questions will be answered. We raised chickens for many years and sold eggs. Chicken tractors are great and as you have heard they do not need to be expensive. In fact the farm way of life is scrounging. Make do with what you have and/or can make. Chickens are great and if you have a small flock as we did they practically become family. A small Jack Russell we rescued made major damage to our flock but we all survived. We still have the dog but no chickens. ENJOY!!
Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!
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| want2danse |
Posted - Sep 27 2006 : 12:44:02 PM
Hi Ladies,
Oh my goodness !! There is a LOT to know about feeding chickens! After all of the helpful suggestions I received, I started giving my farmchicks more greens and vegetables, and also the lawn clippings. They LOVE the carrots ! I guess what I had been feeding them was "scratch" which I bought in bags and also some ground up oyster shells. I just saw in MJ's magazine a place close to her farm that sells organic chicken feed. Since, my friend and I will be out that way to see the USC/WSU game next week-end, we will stop in and get some.
I found some interesting recipes in which to use the green tomatoes that I had to rescue from the garden: green tomato soup (with smoked bacon in it) and also green tomato cake.....can you believe it???
Both were very good, actually. The green tomato cake was something like a carrot cake and topped with cinnamon cream cheese icing. If anyone wants the recipes, just let me know.
I noticed that several of you were planting (or planning to plant) some young fruit trees this fall. How do you keep the deer away from them? I have had to enclose my entire vegetable garden and small fruit orchard in 8 foot deer fencing, which is costly and not very pretty either. I can already see that I'd like to plant more fruit trees but the fencing will deter me.
Thanks again for the wonderful welcomes.
Shelley
If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as well danse. |
| flowerchild |
Posted - Sep 24 2006 : 2:15:11 PM
Hi Shelley, and welcome! =) |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 11:45:22 PM
Shelley -- welcome to the forum!!! I admire you for taking hold of your dream and doing it! You live in beautiful country. I finally got to visit Northern Idaho this last summer when we went to Farm Fair. It is beautiful! Sounds like you're having fun getting used to the country. Can't wait to get to know you better!
Handmade purses and bath delights at www.rusticcottagecreations.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 9:54:00 PM
I use lay mash (in a pan) and then throw out a few handfuls of scratch feed too, for my girls...scratch is more grainy (usually cracked corn, wheat and a couple other things) and lay mash, crumble or pellets has more protein and is more nutritious. They do love scratch though. I don't use pellets because my chickens (banties) are so small they don't like to eat that...but I get crumble when I can. I think it is just right. Mash is very powdery but they love it. Usually any feed store will have all of these..but like someone said..walmart has it in a pinch. We keep a chicken bucket under the kitchen sink and the hens get all the plate scrapings, scraps and peelings. I figure they are just as important as any compost heap!! I do compost too, but for regular amounts they can handle it goes to the hens.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| MamaHumbird |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 9:23:53 PM
Shelley, welcome to this wonderful group of people. I had never heard of "living off the grid", I guess you learn something new everyday. From the replies you got it sounds to me like it is another way of saying "self sufficient" which is my goal. As far as the chickens go I can offer a few suggestions. I live in the country and the farther north you go, the closer you get to the city (Kansas City). The Wal-Mart 15 miles north of me does not sell chicken scratch. The Wal-Mart 15 miles south of me does and it is cheaper that any feed store around. However they don't sell the laying pellets(which I mix with scratch), so I do go to the feed store for that. When I do any canning, or cutting up any fruits or vegetables for that matter, I give all of the peelings and left overs to the chickens. They love it. Their favorite seems to be watermelon rinds. Anything that I get out of my garden that we can't eat fast enough goes to our chickens, ie. leafy veggies, tops cut off tomatoes, ect. I also had a problem with my chickens disappearing so we have a nice set up (made up of any left overs laying around our farm). They have a nice little area inside the barn and an opening that goes outside and lets them roam outside. The key is covering the outside area with chicken wire or some other kind of fence material. It works great, they don't get out and nothing else gets in, yet they have a nice big area to roam in. Look forward to hearing more about your new "adventure"!
Holly |
| Libbie |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 8:55:46 PM
We made out chicken tractors out of repurposed wood and tin roofing - new chicken wire - I tried to work with "used" chicken wire, and WOW - WHAT A MESS!!! There's a great book called, if you can believe it, "Chicken Tractor," by Andy Lee that has some really good ideas...
I even have a big one (12'x12') that I keep two lambs in and they mow the grass/weeds in our orchard - I think portable goat houses/pens would work really well, too! Fun stuff!....
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
| BarefootGoatGirl |
Posted - Sep 18 2006 : 11:03:21 AM
Shelley,
Welcome! Congratualtions on the new way of life! I was just telling hubby last night that I wanted to take a mommy vacation and attend MJ's school...wouldn't that be a wonderful experience!
BTW, a chicken tractor doesn't need to be expensive, I have two friends who have made them out of scrounged materials. It may sound tacky to some, but trash to treasure is a great way to go! I pick up free limber (up to 4 ft in lenth) from the trash at a local pallet making facility. So far my boys have claimed most of it for their latest fort, but I plan to keep the next few hauls and make some portable goat houses.
Best of luck! Let us know how it all goes! Trina
'
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. Proverbs 27:23 |
| sewgirlie |
Posted - Sep 17 2006 : 4:42:49 PM
Hi again Shelley!
Chicken scratch is the grain that you feed the chickens aside from greens, etc. They literally will scratch the ground to eat it. It is like a powder almost. Sometimes you can get it for laying hens or baby chicks. Just make sure you get the right one for the age of the chickens.
It's funny that Luzy told you about the people carrying chainsaws in their cars/trucks for fallen trees. Just last weekend my husband and I were going to Connecticut from Long Island, which is usually a little over an hour from here. It was during a bit of a wind and rain storm. Well, it took us over 3 hours to go ONE-WAY because the wind had knocked some trees down on the highways. My husband could not believe that no one had just gotten out and chainsawed them and taken them off the road. He is a landscaper and was surprised at how helpless people can be. If we had been near the trees at the time, he would have chopped those suckers in half, heaved them off the road and we would have been on our way! It was 4 hours on the way home too, for the same reason. Long day for no reason. It was funny later on though when we thought about how people have lost touch with that kind of common sense. Enjoy your week! Sheryl-lyn/Shelley |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Sep 16 2006 : 12:11:25 PM
I have picked my tomatoes green before and then let them sit in a sunny window until they ripen. They taste good that way! I sometimes do that to avoid some pests who are very attracted to red tomatoes on the vine.
Oh, and welcome to the forum! :)
Peace |
| Luzy |
Posted - Sep 16 2006 : 10:44:16 AM
Hi Shelley and welcome too!! I have an 86 yr old friend that lives on a farm near Priest River and he says the weather can be pretty severe and crazy. When visiting him one time, I commented on seeing alot of vehicles with chainsaws. Being a city girl at the time I thought alot of people were just cutting firewood. WRONG!! He told me that they carry them cause you never know when a snow storm will hit and trees could come down and block the roads!! If ya don't have a saw ya won't make it back home. Atleast that's how it is on his highway. I thought that was really interesting! Anyhoo...again, welcome! I admire you for making the move to the country.
--
May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am. |
| want2danse |
Posted - Sep 16 2006 : 10:35:38 AM
Hi Sheryl-lyn (Shelley), Karin, Jenny, Libbie, Sunshine and Debbie,and Talitha,
Thank you for the wonderful welcome, and for the information about the chickens...wow. Everyone is so kind here.
I'm so glad to hear that I can feed the grasses and such to the chickens because heaven knows, I have enough grasses and "weeds". And the organic lettuce that I was buying from Costco to supplement their grains was getting a bit expensive. And so I have yet another question: what exactly is "scratch"?
I had seen some examples of chicken tractors on-line when I was originally researching them. What a great idea. They seemed very expensive though, so I didn't pursue that line of thought very long.
Well, yesterday morning I learned that you can't trust the weathermen here. They said that it would go down to 38 degrees but when I woke up, it was 20 degrees ! So much for my tomatoes and basil, not to mention the fall colour MUMs that I just planted! So here I am on-line researching things to do with green tomatoes. So, so, soooo much to learn.
Again, thanks for the welcome. I look forward to getting to know all of you better in the future.
XOXO Shelley
If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as well danse. |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Sep 16 2006 : 05:41:49 AM
Shelley,
So very glad you found us...and you go farmgirl!! I was smiling at your "found" knowledge...funny how one learns these things! Anyway, there are so many here who know so much and they are so kind and friendly and very helpful!! So get comfy and jump in!! As I can tell from your post..you are good at that!  I look forward to getting to know you better as I see you 'round!
Hugz,
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| blueroses |
Posted - Sep 15 2006 : 09:30:26 AM
Hi Shelley,
I emailed you yesterday, but haven't checked my emails yet. Welcome. I'm just down the road from you, in Rathdrum. You'll really like it on the forum. I'll let you know when we have a get together. I have a couple of friends that get together every month or so to do crafts, take field trips (Farm Fair, antiquing, whatever).
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
| sunshine |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 9:09:40 PM
As a child I grew up in californis with septic tanks (3 of them attached that way and that house still is that way) We did have normal electriciy and stuff so we where sort of half on the grid. I hope you have better luck and no owls. We ahd some barn owls in california they where beautiful till some peopel killed them. We thought they were so pretty we didn't care idf they got a few of our ducks and chickens.
Welcome to the group
sunshine
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
my web store www.sunshines.etsy.com my other web store http://vintagethreads.etsy.com/
my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/ my google page http://sunshine.harbaugh.googlepages.com/home |
| Libbie |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 7:54:28 PM
Hi, Shelley - we use "chicken tractors" here at my place - I LOVE them! They pretty much do the weeding for us around the orchard and any other weedy places we have. The chickens seem to like them well enough - we just use them during the summer, then in the winter back to the coop they go! Welcome!!!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 6:49:54 PM
Oh my gosh yes...feed your chickens all the grasses and all you can !! They will love you for it and the eggs will have rich orangey yolks...yum!! Just don't put in so much at once that it has time to get wilty and gross.
Off grid usually means not attached to electric power lines or city water and all that goes with that. I would love to be off grid..my husband..not so much..so we arn't.
I am originally from Calif too....but not the city...I grew up on the central coast and we did live 5 or 6 miles outside of town before moving here to this tiny town I love.
I sure welcome you to the group! It will be fun to hear of your adventures!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| Mumof3 |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 6:48:37 PM
Welcome Shelley! I was just reading about chicken tractors online. They are bottomless cages that are moveable. Your chickens stay safe, but still have access to the grasses and bugs that they love! It may be something to help you with that owl problem!!
Here's a link: http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~nfantasi/ChickenTractorproj.htm
Glad you found us!
Karin |
| sewgirlie |
Posted - Sep 14 2006 : 6:19:50 PM
Hi Shelley! Welcome to the forum. My name is Sheryl-lyn, but my husband calls me Shelley too!! Sounds like you are making great changes in your life. The leap you have made makes me a little jealous for that kind of courage. My chickens free range sometimes, but I feed them a grain most of the time. Plus they eat veggies, etc from the garden when I have some that the worms have started. I don't see any reason not to feed them the grasses. Maybe someone else will suggest otherwise. Getting off the grid...ahh I can hear the silence already! For me, it means getting back to nature; windmill for electric, solar panels for heated water, less dependence on outside sources for everything. Grow your own food, livestock. Make your own quilts, etc. It means whatever is important to you as far as getting away from the stressors of this modern life. Sounds like you are already making the switch. You will love this site. Talk to you soon! XXOO Sheryl-lyn |
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