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Hen and Rooster

Think you’d like to go organic with your flock?

First, consider the following pros and cons (and then check out the multitude of chicken terms below).

Pros
“Organic production requires a little bit more work, planning, management, time and observation,” says John Foster of Oregon Tilth. But organic chicken production offers significant rewards:

1. Organic production is healthier for our environment. In order to raise organic poultry, you need organic feed, says Foster.

“That means more land put into organic production and sustainable management, reducing the amounts of pesticides and fertilizers used.”

2. Organic chickens integrate well with other organic enterprises. If you already raise organic berries, apples or another crop, an organic chicken flock can allow you to diversify while assisting with weeding, mowing and pest control.

3. Organic retail sales are increasing 20 percent or more each year. There’s money to be made if you’re located near a good market and can build a loyal customer base by educating buyers about your growing methods, says California-based farmer Paul Hain.

Cons
Raising chickens organically also means committing to specialized management techniques, as well as to more time and money. Understanding and accepting the challenges are key.

1. Organic feed. It costs more and is harder to find than conventional. For example, only three organic feed mills operate in Ohio*, notes farmer Denise Anderson.

To Learn More
For more information on organic standards, certification and pasture-raised chicken, check out these sources:

The National Organic Program

www.apppa.org

* 2006 Data

Brown or White?
Since my primary business is a hatchery, I incubate most of the eggs my hens produce.

A few years ago when my wife wanted to sell eggs at the farmer’s market, I purchased White Leghorn pullets and put them in a pastured hoop house. Most people identify brown eggs as “country eggs.”

When we first brought white eggs to the market, one customer mentioned that she could get white eggs at the supermarket. I smiled and said, “Not like these!”

She took a dozen and returned the next week to say they were the best eggs she ever had. She has remained a regular customer.

Some customers simply prefer brown eggs over white eggs, so it is important to determine your market’s preference.

~ Matt John, owner and president of Shady Lane Poultry Farm, Inc., Winchester, Ky.

This article contains excerpts from Popular Farming Series: Chickens, a publication with in-depth information for those who own or would like to own chickens. Buy one online or call (800) PET-BOOK (738-2665).

Recipes

Winter Squash Bread

Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup cooked, mashed butternut or acorn squash
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla or maple extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Preparation
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together squash, eggs, vanilla or maple extract and butter. Add to flour mixture along with nuts and stir just until all ingredients are moistened. Pour into a greased and floured 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let loaf stand for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Recipes

Herbal Vinegar

Create your own Herbal Vinegar from Hobby Farms Any herbs can be used to create this culinary specialty.

Use your own herbs in combination with any of the sundry vinegars available at the market can give a unique boost to salad dressings and marinades.

The most commonly used base vinegars for herbal concoctions are cider and red wine—both good choices for strongly flavored herbs like basil or thyme—or white wine, which is good for herbs with a more subtle taste, such as lemon balm.

Champagne vinegar is also a good choice for delicate flavors. White distilled vinegar is harsher than the others, so it might not give the best results.

The key is to experiment and find combinations you like. For gift-giving, look for decorative jars with tight-fitting, non-metallic stoppers.

It takes about one cup of fresh herb leaves, picked just before the plant flowers, or 1/2 cup of dried leaves to flavor one quart of vinegar.

Use a large, clean, glass jar with a tight-fitting, non-rusting lid. Place herbs in jar and crush slightly with a wooden spoon.

In a pan, warm the vinegar, but do not boil. Pour over herbs and cover tightly. Set the mixture in a dark place and let soak for two to three weeks. Strain through cheesecloth into airtight containers. Insert a large fresh leaf of the herb into the container before closing. Store at room temperature.
– Lynda King

Recipes

Apple Brie Soup

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks
1½ pound tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch chunks
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
8 cups heavy cream
6 small red potatoes, peeled and diced in ½-inch chunks
1 whole branch fresh rosemary
1 pound Brie cheese, softened, rind removed, and cut into chunks
Salt and white pepper to taste
For garnish: 1 tart apple; fresh rosemary sprigs

Preparation
In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat onions, leeks and apples over medium-low to medium heat. Stirring often, stew the mixture in its own juices until the onions are soft. Add the broth, bay leaves and thyme. Increase heat and bring to a gentle boil; cook until onions are completely tender. Remove bay leaves.

In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, combine cream, potatoes and a whole rosemary branch. Heat to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and simmer on medium-low heat until potatoes are completely cooked. Remove the rosemary branch.

Combine ingredients of both pots. Working in batches, puree mixture in blender, adding cheese bit by bit. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

To serve, heat through over low heat (do not boil). Garnish individual servings with very thin slices of tart apple and sprigs of fresh rosemary. Makes 3 to 4 quarts.

Recipes

Recipe: Root Vegetable Casserole

Post author By Dani Yokhna
Post date February 18, 2009
No Comments on Recipe: Root Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients

1 to 11⁄2 lbs. parsnips, rutabagas or turnips, peeled and chopped into 1⁄2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
3⁄4 cup carrots, coarsely grated or thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup onion, chopped
2 T. butter
1⁄8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
1⁄3 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs
1⁄2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Preparation

Place chopped root vegetables, carrot, onion and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook vegetables at a gentle boil until tender. (Cooking time will vary depending on which vegetable you use. Start checking for tenderness after 12 minutes.) Drain. Add butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed just until smooth (do not overbeat or mixture will become gluey; small lumps will remain). Add crumbs and eggs and beat to combine.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 1-quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 375-degree F oven for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer, until cheese begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Homesteading

Sun Up to Sun Down

By Lisa Kivirist

Hobby farming requires a range of muscles, most of the physical variety.

Arm muscles feel tender after unloading a truckload of straw bales into the barn.

An active day planting the spring garden after we sat indoors most of the winter prompts us to nurture our bodies with a rekindling soak in a hot bath. The more we work these muscles, the stronger they grow and the better we can handle our farm duties.

Jump to Lisa’s 5 Tips for Time Management >>

Lisa Kivirist breaks tasks down to help prioritize--like when she touched up their farm and B and B sign

Seasoned Time-management Tips
The best advice hails from those who are literally in the field.

Here’s some advice from experienced women farmers around the country:

Zoë Bradbury
Groundswell Farm, Oregon

I’m passionate about promoting a next generation of young farmers. Through my writing, I strive to share real-life experiences from my own farm to shed light on the challenges and rewards that face all of us who have made the decision to coax a living from the soil.

As a young farmer in my first season, the to-do lists are endless and time is always in short supply.

What I’ve learned is that the key to pulling it off lies in designing good systems on the farm—from irrigation to harvest to recordkeeping.

Even my choice to use a team of draft horses on my farm for tillage and cultivation boasts some amazing efficiencies; for instance, when they’re not at work, the horses graze my farm roads, which keeps them fed and saves me the chore of mowing every few weeks.”
~ Zoë

Kristi Smith
Hawthorne Creek Farm, Wisconsin

My husband and I are weekend hobby farmers, living dual lives as we reside and work in the Chicago area during the week and drive two hours to our Wisconsin farm just about every weekend.

To make our transitions between the two places easier, we have written checklists for both leaving the city and leaving the farm.

We don’t receive any mail at the farm address; all our farm bills are sent to our primary home.

I do my garden food preservation when I’m at the farm and have evolved to dehydrating most of our harvest, as it is both easy to do and the result is light and efficient for us to take back home to the city.

Our farm neighbors help us tremendously by keeping an eye on the place during the week.

Most importantly, I’ve learned to let go of my expectations that the garden and farm need to look perfect. When you’re organic gardening from 120 miles away, you learn to be tolerant of weeds.”
~ Kristi

Denise O’Brien
Rolling Acres Farm, Iowa

I always prioritize two things, even during the busiest time of the farming season: taking care of my body and being actively involved in agriculture issues, especially as they relate to women.

I exercise five mornings of the week, getting to the gym at 6 a.m., before farm chores kick in.

I’m 58 now, and between yoga class and swimming, I hope to keep up my flexibility and endurance so I can keep working on the farm for years to come. I barter with a local massage therapist: her services for our chickens.

On the advocacy side, I founded the Women, Food & Agriculture Network to provide a voice and network for women farmers.

These organizational efforts, granted, take time, but have brought me into contact with other inspiring women and situations that continually reaffirm my passion for growing healthy, sustainable food.”
~ Denise

Online Resources

Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Women, Food & Agriculture Network

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But there’s another vital farming muscle that still produces force and motion and needs attention and exercise, although it isn’t made up of tissue and cells: time management, the skills that enable us to effectively and efficiently manage farm life on a daily basis.

Now for those of you, like myself, who escaped cubicle jobs for the dream life in the country, the words “time management” sound a little too reminiscent of corporate careers and day planners gone by.

Didn’t we triumphantly trade working for someone else for independence on the farm?
Can’t we call our own shots, do what we want to do when we want to do it and bask in the sunshine of self-employment on the farm?

Yes and no. Most resoundingly, we hobby farmers should relish our autonomy.

Yet, like a well-trained muscle, time management is an ongoing skill that needs to be nurtured, trained and developed.

Why is this important? The to-do list never ends for those on hobby farms.

Between garden work, animal chores and outbuilding maintenance—added to a lengthy list of other family and life responsibilities, farm life can easily spiral out of control and feel more like a burden than a blessing.

Without time management, we grow stressed, overwhelmed and lose touch with the everyday joys of farm life.

Understanding yourself, your needs and your work style enable you to best manage every day to get the job done, work toward long-term goals and, most importantly, enjoy the ride.

The ironic side of time management is we often get too wrapped up in daily responsibilities to have any time to think about improving this skill.

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Take advantage of the current, slower winter months to read and contemplate these five tips for better time management, thinking of ways to incorporate them into your daily farm life:

1) Know Thyself
The first step in effective time management is understanding your work style: how you perform most effectively and in what situations. Take advantage of the autonomy farming allows and plan your daily schedule around when and how you work best.
Natural biorhythms play a leading role in understanding yourself. Are you a morning person or night owl? When does your energy level hit a high peak and what time of day do you perhaps crave a caffeine fix?
Plan your day as best you can around these natural tendencies and you can work more efficiently.
I’m a definite morning lark, and by 5 a.m. you’ll find me typing on the computer.
Why am I pecking on a keyboard versus plucking weeds during my peak time? As do many of us, my family and I run a diversified farm business, generating our income from a variety of sources, such as running a bed and breakfast and freelance writing on farm-related issues, like this article.
I focus my best creative time on writing, taking advantage of the quiet, early morning hours before my family wakes up. I don’t need to be in full creative flow when I’m weeding the garden or watering greenhouse plants; I do those chores later in the day.
Another important aspect of knowing yourself is identifying where your interests lie.
This may sound obvious, but too often we get caught up in routines and spend time doing things that no longer bring enjoyment or fill vital needs.
For Example:
We raised a small flock of free-range chickens for years. While we loved the fresh eggs for B&B dishes, last year we realized the time and expense we put into the chickens no longer added up.
Because our family likes to travel in the winter, we were burdened with coordinating schedules for our friends to stop by to check on the chickens.
Plus, tensions with our neighbor started escalating because their roving dog would occasionally attack the flock.
Add to this situation the ease with which I could purchase eggs and support a local friend’s fledging farm business and we decided to give our flock away, eliminating the time commitment, not to mention the stress.

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2) Partner With the Seasons
Mother Nature gifts hobby farmers with the ultimate time-management tool: four seasons.
Align with the natural ebb and flow of the seasonal calendar and take advantage of inherent busy peaks and restful valleys.
Summer may bring a chaotic climax of craziness—from garden harvesting to a range of outdoor social gatherings—but the summer balances with the slower, reflective winter season.
During the busy summer peak, focus on the essentials that need to get done and “back burner” other projects that are less urgent.
Are there ways you can simplify summer produce processing, putting off some things until winter?
For Example:
I’ll quickly tray-freeze clean, whole tomatoes, placing them in freezer bags after they are frozen hard.
During the winter when it’s nice to have something slowly cooking and warming the house, I defrost the tomatoes in the refrigerator, peel off the skins (skins peel off frozen tomatoes much easier), add seasonings and simmer in a crockpot or on the woodstove until it thickens into sauce.
A seasonal time-management approach proves to be the antidote for perpetual procrastinators.
I confess, before moving to our farm a dozen years ago, I tended to be the queen of last-minute deadlines. Now that I understand the farming workload, I know summer hours need to be dedicated to garden and outdoor work.
I won’t have time to write an article in June or create that photo collage for my dad’s July birthday, so I’m motivated to wisely use my wintertime and work ahead.
Winter gifts me with time to do my annual clean out and reorganization of the home office, attic and outbuildings.
Additionally, daily weather forecasts help plan weekly schedules. Go online and check the long-range weekly weather prognosis. This will help you generate a wise work plan.

Rain predicted tomorrow? Hang the laundry out today.
Rather than weed during uncomfortably hot and humid days, work in the kitchen or other indoor projects during sweltering heat. Get outside when the mercury lowers to a more comfortable zone and you can weave in a garden work schedule that’s easier on your body.

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3) Prioritize
Accept the fact that there’s only so much that you can get done in a given day and prioritize, focusing on those key essential items.
Need a motivational boost on a project that simply must get done? Break it down into small chunks.
The paint on our wooden farm sign kept peeling off and looked awful, but I kept getting caught up in other farm projects and couldn’t block out a sunny afternoon to paint the sign.
Finally, one day all I did was take a close look at the sign and realized just the orange and white paint was peeling; the blue sections looked fine.
The next day I located and organized my supplies: paint, brushes and sandpaper.
The third day I quickly sanded and painted only the orange and white sections.
The whole process took less than an hour when I broke it down, leaving me with not only a tidy sign that presents a nice impression for B&B guests, but also the satisfying high that comes with completing a project.

Try multitasking when doing farm chores, using those chunks of time when you go through mindless routines to creatively think about new ideas.
My best ideas come to me when I have my fingers in the soil. When I’m going out to weed or harvest, I’ll give myself a problem or project to ponder—such as thinking of new ways to use our bountiful spinach crop in B&B breakfasts or a topic idea for my weekly blog post.
I quickly learned to wear a fanny pack with a small notebook and a pen whenever I’m in my creative idea zone in the garden so I can capture and write down these new inspirations.

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4) Pick Low-hanging Fruit
Feel free to take the easy way out, looking for those low-hanging fruits that provide the same juicy flavor without your needing to dangle on a high ladder.
What this means is don’t feel obligated to take the traditional, long road if there’s an easier way that produces similar results in less time. This might mean breaking with your own expectations of how to do things.
For Example:
Throw a potluck party rather than feeling the need to personally feed everyone at an event on your farm.
The result is the same—a fun, social gathering—but you’ve reduced your workload considerably.
Embrace the idea that farm life is wrought with imperfection—let go of your inner Martha Stewart and focus on the easy tasks that make a big difference.
During the busy summer months, I never have the time to thoroughly weed the garden so I concentrate on quickly pulling out the biggest weeds, those that will soon go to seed and cause the most long-term frustration and additional work.

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5) Keep Connected
Despite the ever-present, ongoing list of farm chores, remember to take time to stay in touch with others.
Don’t become a farm hermit; prioritize relationships and friendships and keep connected.
Sometimes the easiest way to connect with other farm friends is by teaming up and sharing tasks and workloads. Summon fellow gardening girlfriends in your area for a day of jam-making. Everyone brings their own canning jars and lids, produce bounty and other ingredients. You provide the kitchen facility.
Conversation blossoms while the canning efficiently gets done and, as an added perk, everyone can trade the fruits of their labors for a more diverse assortment of jam than canning solo.
Take time also to stay up-to-date with the rural community beyond your acreage or county lines.
As hobby farmers continue to grow in number and rural areas experience a renaissance of renewed vitality, we each need to stay informed on state and federal policies that affect our lives and livelihoods.
Don’t shy away from complex federal issues like the Farm Bill, rationalizing that these issues don’t matter to small hobby farmers.
The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC) represents farming and rural-based organizations nationwide, making sure the voice of the small farmer is heard. The SAC website provides synthesized overviews of key issues.
“The most important thing individual hobby farmers can do is express their opinions directly to their congressional representatives either through a letter, e-mail, phone call or visit,” explains Aimee Wittemen, grassroots coordinator for SAC. “If we each individually take the time to express ourselves and advocate for strong rural communities and healthy food systems, we can collectively preserve and enhance our countryside.”

Just like biceps and triceps, time management requires on-going training and observation. Think of time management as a journey, a process and a tool that can help enhance your good life on the farm.

About the Author: Lisa Kivirist is the co-author of ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance and is a W.K. Kellogg Food and Society Policy Fellow. You can find her writing as the sun rises and weeding as the sun sets on her Wisconsin farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity.

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This article first appeared in the January/February 2009 Hobby Farm Home. Read more articles like this; subscribe now to Hobby Farm Home>>

News

From the Forum – Stories of Thanks

Post author By Dani Yokhna
Post date February 18, 2009
No Comments on From the Forum – Stories of Thanks

Tell your story of thanks!

What things do you have to be grateful for this year? As 2008 draws to a close, tell us what’s on your list of thankful events.

See what a group of visitors to the Hobby Farms message board has been saying. Click here to continue >>

The list ranges from a goat that was saved (read the whole story), to grandparents, family and more…

Visit our other Community pages

News

Nominate a Farmer You Know for 2008 Steward of the Land Award

Post author By Dani Yokhna
Post date February 18, 2009
No Comments on Nominate a Farmer You Know for 2008 Steward of the Land Award

It’s time to send in your nomination for the 2008 Steward of the Land Award; the winning farmer will receive $10,000.

You know these farmers.

They’re like Sandy and Rossie Fisher, who received the 2007 Stewards of the Land award for their lifelong commitment to farmland protection and environmental stewardship.

The Fisher’s operate Brookview Farm in Manakin-Sabot, Va., where they raise and sell grass-fed beef and organic eggs. Their farm’s composting operation turns municipal yard waste into organic compost for use on their farm and for other customers.

Now — it’s your turn to nominate a farmer you know. Nominations are due soon!

Established in 1997, American Farmland Trust’s Steward of the Land Award recognizes the American farmer or farm family who best demonstrates leadership in protecting farmland and caring for the environment. The award also honors the memory of Peggy McGrath Rockefeller, an avid farmer and conservationist who helped found AFT. AFT, a national nonprofit organization and advocate for farm and ranch land conservation, sponsors the program.

Visit the AFT website for more information about the Fishers and the award program.

Sandy and Rossie Fisher received the 2007 $10,000 Steward of the Land Award from American Farmland Trust

Photo courtesy of AFT
Sandy and Rossie Fisher are beef producers from Manakin-Sabot, Va.

Send Your Nomination Today

Here’s how:

Online:
Nomination forms can be completed online.

Mail:
Print, complete and hand mailed your paper nomination form to:
Steward of the Land Award-American Farmland Trust, 1200 18th St., NW, Ste. 800, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Call for Information:
For an application or if you have questions, call 202-378-1255.

Deadline? 5 p.m. EST, December 3, 2007.

News

Wind Energy Grants

More than $100,000 in grants to support small wind energy projects in Illinois were announced recently. Is assistance available in your state?

The Illinois grants go to support projects that:

Reduce the energy costs for rural home owners and businesses,
Allow the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to evaluate the effectiveness of these turbines as a viable source of renewable energy for rural locations in Illinois.
Have turbines with a capacity of 100 kilowatts (kW) or less.
Powers electric generators that individuals use to help lower electric bills for homes, farms and small businesses.

The Illinois DCEO will evaluate these grant projects and determine what measures are necessary and appropriately structure larger, future incentive offerings.

Two project examples:

Heavenly Winds, LLC, in northweatern Illinois, is using it’s grant to bring energy to the owners home and small business, which is a renewable energy dealership specializing in solar photovoltaic installations and small wind systems.
Another grantee is using his grant to promote sustainability in his already super-efficient Zero-Energy Home, which uses a climate-specific design with passive heating and cooling, opimizing energy so that the home produces as much energy as it consumes.

A total of seven grants were awarded.

Grants in Your State
Does your state offer assistance with financing renewable energy projects? Contact your state’s department of energy or visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Other Grant News
Grants for value-added projects available

Recipes

Raspberry-lemon Muffins

If you can’t get fresh raspberries, you can use frozen. Just be sure to drain them well and pat with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Ingredients

11⁄2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 tsp.cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup butter, melted
1⁄2 cup milk
11⁄4 cups raspberries
1 tsp. lemon zest, grated

Topping

1⁄2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. lemon zest, grated
4 T. butter, melted

Glaze

1⁄2 cup powdered sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice, strained to remove pulp and seeds

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin cups (spray with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners).
Sift together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Place egg, melted butter and milk in the well. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just combined; do not overmix. Quickly stir in raspberries and lemon zest. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups.

To make the topping, combine the coconut, sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir to combine. Sprinkle mixture evenly over each muffin.

Bake muffins approximately 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned and firm.

Let muffins cool slightly, remove from tins and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle over slightly warm muffins. Makes 12 muffins.