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Farm & Garden

Understand Your Hardiness Zone Map & Microclimates

hoop house pictured with growing fields around it can extend crop life beyond the hardiness zone map
Daniel Johnson

The USDA plant hardiness zone map is something that any gardener or horticulturist with meaningful experience shopping for plants is familiar with. (If not, check out the online version here.) Like an imposing arbiter of vegetation dispersal, the color-coded map breaks the U.S. and Puerto Rico into 13 zones based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature—in other words, the lowest temperature each zone experiences in a typical year.

Each zone is further divided into two half-zones, labeled “a” (colder) and “b” (warmer). These zones are used to label the hardiness of plants, determining whether they’re suited for planting in any given region. A variety of raspberry bush, for example, might be rated for success in zones 5 through 9.

Some zones are too warm for certain plants. Apple trees, for example, need a certain number of “chill hours” (below 45 degrees F) during the winter in order to grow properly and produce fruit. But for much of the U.S., cold temperatures are arguably the greater limiting factor than heat. Cold temperatures can quickly damage and kill plants that aren’t suitably cold-tolerant.

But before you assume you can never grow a plant that isn’t rated for survival in your hardiness zone, keep in mind the zone delineations aren’t perfect. The hardiness zone map borders can change over time  and no nationwide map can capture every local temperature nuance.

The Magic of Microclimates

The last point is worth reiterating because it’s good news for those of you with ambitious green thumbs. Just because a general region fits within one hardiness zone map doesn’t mean every acre of land within the region occupies that zone. A “microclimate” is exactly what its name suggests: a small area with a different climate than nearby or surrounding areas.

Let’s explore a large-scale example. Large swaths of the state of Wisconsin are labeled either hardines zone map 4a or zone 4b, with average annual extreme minimum temperatures ranging from -20 to -30 degrees F. But in the southwest portion of Wisconsin, there are many regions labeled zone 5a surrounded by zone 4b territory. Small variations in regional climate can make the boundaries between zones quite messy. Certainly, they’re not linear bands, even though a birds-eye view of the entire U.S. might give this impression.

But microclimates can be smaller—too small to show up on a map. The north side of a hill can be meaningfully different than the south side. Multiple microclimates can exist across a single property, and the key to growing plants outside of your hardiness zone is recognizing and capitalizing on these subtle microclimates.

Your Hardines Zone Map Microclimates

Picture the scene: You live in zone 4b, you’re perusing seed and garden catalogs, and you’re lamenting the number of lovely plants that claim zone 5 as their cold-weather cutoff. That flowering shrub would be beautiful! That apple variety sounds so tasty. And you dare not imagine the taste of those blackberries!

But take heart, just because you live in zone 4b doesn’t mean the entirety of your property diligently obeys the USDA plant hardiness zone map boundaries. The average annual minimum winter temperature for your area might be 20 to 25 degrees below zero. But there could be areas of your property where the temperature never dips below minus 20 degrees, falling squarely in the zone 5a range.

Warmer-than-average microclimates may exist in the following locations:

On Hills & Slopes

Warm air rises, and cold air sinks. The same fact that powers hot-air balloons means the tops of hills and slopes can stay warmer than valleys and low ground in between. Cold air settles in low spots because it can’t sink any further, so if you’re looking for a warmer microclimate, head for the hills.

Near Buildings

While you don’t want to grow plants right up against a building (this is especially true for large trees and shrubs), each side of a house, barn, shed, etc. can produce a different microclimate. For example, prevailing winds in North America tend to blow from the west and northwest, so planting to the east and southeast allows buildings to act as windbreaks, sheltering plants from cold winter winds. (They may receive less rain, too, so bear that in mind when watering.)

South-Facing Slopes

In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is found in the southern sky. This means south-facing slopes receive more direct sunlight than north-facing slopes and tend to stay warmer. However, keep in mind some fruiting trees may benefit from the milder temperature swings found on north-facing slopes, helping protect them from sun scald (cracking of the bark caused by extreme temperature shifts) and also from exiting dormancy too early in the spring.

Urban Heat Islands

Cities are warmer than the countryside. Buildings, concrete, pavement, etc. absorb the heat of the sun and prevent temperatures from dropping as much as in surrounding areas. The heat islands generated by some large cities are labeled in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Chicago, for example, is marked as zone 6a even though the surrounding areas are zone 5b.

If you live in a smaller city, consider the possibility that your local heat island isn’t marked. Your local winter temperatures might actually stay half a zone warmer than the map indicates.

Read more: You can use these 4 items as emergency cloches.

Enhance Your Microclimates

Choosing a naturally favorable microclimate is half the battle and might be all you need to successfully grow a warm-weather plant in a colder zone. But you can also take steps to maximize the benefits of a microclimate and further ensure that your plants escape the harshest winter weather.

The exact steps you take will vary depending on the zone in which you live. For example, mulching plants is an excellent way to lock in soil warmth and protect sensitive roots.

In a relatively warm zone such as 9a (where the average annual extreme minimum temperature ranges from 20 to 25 degrees), mulching might involve covering the ground around a plant with a protective layer of leaves, pine needles, straw, wood chips, shredded bark etc. For trees, mulch should extend as wide as the canopy overhead. So long as you make the layer deep enough (2 to 6 inches, depending on the material) and avoid piling the mulch within an inch or two of plant stems, you’ll be good to go.

But the situation may be different in colder zones. In areas that receive significant snowfall, the snow itself can serve as a surprisingly effective “mulch” for overwintering plants. Where I live in zone 4a, the coldest temperatures tend to occur in January, when there’s a thick blanket of snow across the ground. A foot of snow can insulate the ground quite nicely and help protect plant roots from those frigid 25- to 30-degree-below-zero temperatures.

Of course, not every area of the country consistently receives that volume of snow (or those subzero temperatures), and there are other steps you can take to protect plants from moderate cold weather. If a plant is small enough, you can cover it during nighttime cold snaps with a cloche, a transparent cover (often bell-shaped) made of glass or plastic that essentially serves as a miniature greenhouse. Less formal coverings can also be employed—buckets, garbage cans, boxes, planting pots, etc.

microclimates
Daniel Johnson

For larger plants, try covering them with sheets of cloth or plastic. Use stakes or even wooden scaffolding to construct a protective framework around the plants, making sure you don’t allow plastic to touch the foliage. Make sure the covering stretches all the way to the ground (and is pinned to the ground with stakes, rocks, etc.) or warmth will escape from under the covering. The idea is to build a tent or canopy to catch heat radiating up from the ground, so cinching a cover around the base of a plant isn’t ideal.

microclimates
Daniel Johnson

If you have a large garden (or simply wish to take a less cobbled-together DIY approach), row covers provide similar benefits for beating frost and mitigating the effects of cold weather. The materials are specifically designed to cover plants (either by draping over them or by riding on top of a support frame) and allow water and varying amounts of sunlight to pass through. This means they can be left in place for long periods of time while plants grow happily underneath, protected not only from cold but also wind and pests.

Watering plants before a cold snap is beneficial, too. Moist soil loses heat more slowly than dry soil, helping protect roots. And plants that are in prime condition (i.e., not struggling from lack of water) are more likely to survive cold temperatures than those already dealing with stress.

Windbreaks can also make a difference. Planting rows of windbreak trees is a big commitment that may require years to reap full benefit. But windbreaks on the west and north sides of garden and orchard plantings can block bitter winter winds and provide shelter for cold-sensitive plants.

On a smaller scale, buildings, rock walls and similar obstacles can protect plants so long as they block the prevailing wind.

Read more: Check out these tips for using trees as a farm windbreak.

Plants in Pots

Finding and enhancing microclimates not featured on the USDA hardiness zone map can only go so far in extending the number of cold-sensitive plants you can grow. There’s nothing I can do in zone 4a to grow a lemon tree that thrives in zones 10 and 11.

Or is there? If you’re willing to grow potted plants and move them indoors when cold weather strikes, a whole world of possibilities opens up. And yes, it’s even possible to grow citrus fruit.

Growing potted plants is a skill unto itself, especially if you’re raising dwarf trees in pots. Here are some tips and pitfalls to keep in mind.

  • Potted plants are more susceptible to cold temperatures than plants in the ground because their small pots can’t hold as much heat as the earth. When cold temperatures are in the forecast, you have to be extra careful about bringing potted plants indoors to protect their roots.
  • Some plants, particularly trees, will readily outgrow their pots. As they grow, you have a couple of options. You can replant in a larger pot, providing more room for growing. Or you can trim back the roots and branches, reinvigorating the plant while keeping it in the same pot.
  • When it’s time to bring plants indoors for the winter, don’t make the transition too abrupt. You’ll risk shocking the plants. Instead, prepare before cold weather hits, placing your plants in a shady spot for at least a few days (maybe even a week or two) before bringing them indoors. The same strategy should be employed in reverse when bringing potted plants back outdoors in the spring.
  • Once indoors, place your sun-loving plants in southern windows so they can receive direct sunlight. If you live in a region with short winter days, you may want to invest in some full-spectrum grow lights to compensate and help your plants thrive.

Hoop Houses, Greenhouses, Cold Frames & Hot Boxes

If you want to dive headfirst into creating favorable microclimates from scratch, consider building a hoop house or greenhouse.

  • A hoop house is the simpler option. It’s made of plastic installed over an arched framework and captures sunlight to warm its interior.
  • A greenhouse is similar but more sophisticated. It’s an actual building constructed with the walls and roof transparent to allow sunlight penetration.

Full-fledged greenhouses armed with heating, cooling, ventilation, grow lights and other features are expensive to build but offer amazing possibilities for growing plants outside their natural hardiness zones. Hoop houses can be built at a lower price point but are arguably more effective at extending the growing season in the spring and fall than providing full winter protection, especially if sunlight is your only source of heating. Care must be taken to ensure your hoop house is sturdy enough (and warm enough) to handle winter weather if overwintering plants is your goal.

small greenhouse box being built can be used to extend growing beyond the hardiness zone map
Daniel Johnson

Gardeners growing small plants can also consider cold frames and hot boxes, which are boxy enclosures with transparent tops and—in some cases—transparent sides, making them resemble miniature greenhouses. A cold frame operates by the same principle as a hoop house, capturing sunlight to create a warmer microclimate for plants growing inside. A hot box features another heat source aside from the sun. The heat source can be electric, or you can prepare a layer of fermenting horse manure underneath the gardening soil.

Cold frames and hot boxes are commonly used to extend the growing season in spring and autumn, but they’re also effective for hardening off plants transitioning from warm conditions (such as those found in a greenhouse) to life outdoors. In some climates, and with certain plants, cold frames and hot boxes can even provide suitable protection throughout the winter.

Risks & Rewards

Even when you put everything in your favor, growing plants outside of their preferred hardiness zones can be a risky business. Hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature. A colder-than-average year may come along and damage or kill cold-sensitive plants despite your best efforts.

If you live in zone 4, I can’t recommend landscaping your entire property with plants rated to grow in zone 5 and warmer.

But if your property offers a favorable microclimate and you want to try growing a few warmer-weather plants, by all means, give it a go. A little thought and effort when it comes to planting location and winter preparation can expand your horizons beyond the hardiness zone map and guide you on a fun new adventure. Good luck! 

This article about the USDA Hardiness Zone Map originally appeared in the March/April 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Poultry

7 Chicken Coop Bedding Material Options

A chicken is sitting in bed
chicken bedding

Chicken coop bedding isn’t just a luxury. Sufficient litter provides a secure foundation for chickens’ legs and feet, a soft landing for eggs, a way to gather droppings quickly and the ability to easily clean your birds’ housing. Here are a few of the more widely used bedding materials—plus a few nontraditional ones—and how best to use them.

7 Chicken Bedding Options

Traditional chicken coop bedding materials and nontraditional ones have their pros and cons, but your options are manageable.

1. Straw and Hay

Sun-colored straw, with its sweet, earthy smell and springy texture is what many new chicken keepers reach for to line their coop and nest boxes.

2. Pine Shavings

A popular and prudent choice for litter is pine shavings, found at many feed-supply stores, big-box stores and even pet-supply stores. Pine shavings dry fast, are inexpensive and don’t break down quickly, making them an ideal bedding material. The mild pine scent is inviting, though it does fade over time.

Also Read: How To Use Sand As Coop Bedding?

3. Cedar Shavings

Speaking of a pleasant aroma (and that’s a rare topic indeed where chickens are concerned!), an alternative to pine shavings is cedar shavings. There’s much debate as to the strong aromatic nature of cedar shavings and their effects on chickens’ delicate respiratory systems, and it seems the jury is still out. To play it safe, I recommend avoiding the use of cedar shavings with very young chicks confined to a brooder.

However, many chicken keepers have used cedar shavings with success in their coops with adult flocks, so long as the birds have other areas to inhabit besides the coop. If you opt for cedar shavings, they’re easy to find at pet-supply stores but are a little more expensive than pine; they do really smell great and work as a natural insect-repellent.

4. Sand

Sand, when used as coop bedding, is an excellent and very clean choice for those who have the time to devote to it. While expensive initially, compared to the alternatives listed here, sand as bedding in the coop need only be replaced once or twice a year if diligently cleaned and contained.

Sand dries very quickly and can be turned over with a rake to employ the deep-litter method (discussed below) or scooped with a cat litter scooper when used in small coops. Sand is the flooring material of choice for outdoor runs that are exposed to the elements frequently: It doesn’t break down, it dries fast and it doubles as a great material for dust baths. Your chickens will love it, as mine do. Be sure to use builder’s sand (found at home-improvement stores), as sandbox sand is too fine and tends to clump.

5. Grass Clippings

If you have enough, grass clippings are one viable coop bedding option, but they have a few disadvantages. Clippings tend to retain moisture and break down quickly. They also dry, shrink and smell. If you opt for grass clippings in the coop, be sure they come from a yard that hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or other chemicals. Chickens will pick at anything and everything in their coop–bedding is no exception, especially if there are bugs in it!

6. Shredded Leaves

This is an option if the leaves are finely shredded so they dry quickly. Whole leaves take a long time to break down and are susceptible to harboring moisture, sticking together and matting. Wet leaves make a slippery surface that could lead to splayed legs or bumblefoot, especially in younger, growing birds.

7. Recycled Paper

A host of reclaimed and recycled manmade materials, such as shredded newspaper or shredded office paper, are options. While they are free, use them with caution. Ink can be toxic to chickens, and office paper is heavily processed and treated. Glossy paper—the kind found in magazines and fliers—also contains a large amount of ink and can create a matted and/or slippery surface.

What Are the Best Bedding Options to Use?

In my opinion, pine or cedar shavings are the best bedding materials for nest boxes. They dry quickly, offer substantial padding for eggs, and smell fresh and woodsy. If you’re wary of using cedar shavings in the coop, the nest box is a great place to try it out. Chickens are rarely in a nest box long enough for any aromatic oils to disturb their respiratory systems (unless brooding, of course).

Also Read: Choose The Right Bedding For Your Coop and Run

Mix in some crushed, dried herbs, such as mint, rosemary or lavender to keep certain pests at bay. This is a common practice to naturally fight pests, and most chickens don’t suffer any adverse effects from aromatic oils of the herbs.

For the Coop

For the chicken coop, it seems pine and cedar shavings would win again. (Again, this is my article and my opinion!) For all the reasons mentioned previously, shavings are the ideal material to line the coop. Using the deep-litter method ensures that even the bedding doesn’t go to waste and doesn’t require a significant investment in litter to have a healthy option for your flock.

For the Run

For an outdoor run, sand is the winner. Again, it dries fast, doesn’t break down, can be easily turned over to use the deep-litter method, and your flock will love to dust-bathe in it. I’ve never replaced the sand in my run; I’ve only added to it, as the dust-bathing chickens toss it out!

What is the Deep Litter Method?

The deep-litter method of coop cleaning involves a little preparation, timely attendance and some calculated laziness. The idea behind the deep-litter method is simple: Begin with several inches of bedding material, and build the bedding, lasagna-style. Add a few more inches of material about once per month, give or take, depending on the size of your coop, the number of birds you keep and how much time they spend in their coop.

Also Read: Bedding: 11 Options for Your Chicken Coop & Run

Include a bit of food-grade diatomaceous earth with each layer. Keep a rake handy to turn the bedding over periodically—generally, about once a week. If you begin to see flies, pests or an excess of manure, add more bedding and turn it more often.

The deep-litter method requires no more bedding material than any other method, but it does accumulate over time and tends to trickle out as the birds come and go. Use a plywood board or something similar at the coop door to contain the bedding.

The idea behind the deep-litter method is to allow the older bedding and chicken waste to break down, slowly decomposing (and essentially composting) in the coop while providing a bit of natural warmth. It’s also a fabulous method designed to save the chicken keeper’s time, energy and back. The deep-litter method of coop maintenance requires a full coop cleaning about once a year, and even that may be more frequent than is needed. Use your eyes, nose and good judgment to determine when you need to replace the bedding and start again. A clean, cared-for coop should never emit odor.

How to Save Money by Using a Dropping Board

Chickens make the majority of their waste during the night when roosting, so the best way to be frugal about the bedding you purchase and use in your coops is to install and employ a dropping board or tray placed under the roosts. The boards will catch all the nighttime waste, sparing your bedding of large amounts of waste trafficked across the coop and will remain dry and (mostly) clean.

Dropping boards also make transfer of pure waste to composts easy and efficient. A board can effectively be used in addition to the deep-litter method, and with both methods combined, might save additional costs in bedding than if you were simply employing one.

Unless your birds are kept in wire-bottom hutches (something I don’t recommend), all coops need bedding. Remember, lining the coop with comfortable, quality litter isn’t spoiling your birds; by providing them a soft foundation and keeping it clean, you are ensuring the health of your flock, their comfort and clean eggs. Your birds (and their uncracked eggs) will thank you!

This article about chicken coop bedding was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Crops & Gardening

Ollas: Reduce Watering with These Garden Vessels

ollas
steveilott/Flickr

Ollas are garden waterers that provide a sub-soil, slow-release irrigation solution that’s easy and cheap to install and can save both time and water.

In the thick of warm and dry spells, it can be challenging to not only keep the garden watered but to keep it watered deeply enough to encourage adequate root penetration. This is especially true for gardeners growing irrigation-dependent non-native plants, which is most of us. Often, surface watering on dry soil will evaporate before ever penetrating the lower soil layers.

There are a number of things that can help keep plants sufficiently hydrated during especially arid warm spells. Mulch, for example, can help keep the soil cooler, as well as hold in soil moisture. Beyond a simple top-dressing of organic matter, ollas, which are buried unglazed and covered clay vessels filled with water can be a perfect solution.

Operating on a simple principle of osmosis, unglazed clay vessels will slowly diffuse water into the surrounding unsaturated soil. Whether these vessels be simple flower pots, traditional ollas, or even the terra-cotta plant nanny doesn’t matter too much. What counts is that they deliver a constant supply of water to the root zone, thus reducing surface evaporation and the likelihood of acute water stress for the plants nearby. Larger buried olla vessels may only need to be filled once a week, for example, which means that the plants surrounding the olla are taken care of for the entire time there is water in the reservoir.

Mary Kathryn Dunston, owner of Dripping Springs Ollas, says that ollas can save up to 70 percent in water use, compared to watering aboveground. Also, because ollas water below ground level, the weed seeds aren’t watered, and the root base of the plants around the olla grows larger, producing a healthier plant.

“The garden olla is an ancient clay pot irrigation system that has proven itself worthy for thousands of years,” she says. For gardeners in colder climates, some ollas are strong enough to be left in the ground year-round,” she says. “If you have too much rain, the water will go back into a near empty olla after a deluge and decrease up to 80 percent the splitting of succulent foods, such as melons and tomatoes.”

A 2.9-gallon olla can water out up to a 4-foot circle, depending on soil, mulch and how many plants are around the olla.

“Ollas save time—as they need filling one or two times a week—they save money on water, and there is less worry. Even in the driest months, you know your plants are getting adequate water,” she says.

Installing underground clay vessel irrigation couldn’t be simpler. Dig an area about two or three times as large as the vessel and completely cover the edges and sides soil. Be sure not to bury it too deep, though—the vessels require an opening available above the soil where you can fill them with water.

After burying, plant your most water-demanding crops around the vessel, and they will benefit from having a cool and constant supply of below-ground moisture.

This article about watering with garden ollas was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Poultry

Why Do Roosters Crow? Common Reasons for Boy Talk

close up of rooster crowing
Ana Hotaling

Why do roosters crow? It’s a question many have asked along with wondering what time of day roosters crow.  In fact, not only will a rooster crow all day long, but he has distinct crows for different purposes.

Here’s a quick summary of how roosters talk, in case you were wondering why your own boy (or your neighbor’s) sings his song all day long.

Read more: You need to learn your state’s right-to-farm law. Here’s how.

Welcome, New Day!

Rooster crowing tends to start an hour prior to dawn and continue until the sun has fully risen above the horizon. As sunrise changes times throughout the seasons due to the earth’s proximity to the sun, so do the hours at which a rooster crows.

Research has shown that morning crows are induced not only by external stimuli—the sun’s rays coming up past the horizon—but also by the bird’s own internal circadian clock.

In other words, the rooster has evolved to instinctively crow as the sun rises. Why they do so is uncertain. Perhaps they feel they must alert everyone within hearing range that daybreak is about to occur.

Whatever the reason, it’s instinctual and not a learned response.

This Land Is My Land

Just as chickens have a complex social hierarchy or pecking order, they also stake out territorial claims. Any newcomer to their coop, to their pen, to their yard better be aware that they are entering that rooster’s territory.

A rooster will therefore belt out a territorial crow should he see any kind of movement anywhere he considers his property.

This includes:

  • wild birds, rabbits, chipmunks and other native fauna
  • anyone mowing a lawn anywhere within the bird’s sight or hearing range
  • kids playing nearby
  • package couriers and meter reader
  • even you, walking in your own yard

If anyone in your vicinity owns a rooster, be prepared for an exchange of territorial claims to fill the air every day, all day.

Read more: But what if your rooster doesn’t crow? Here are 4 possible reasons for a quiet cockerel.

Chow Time

A rooster not only defends his land. He also cares for his hens. Part of that responsibility includes informing the girls whenever he comes across a tasty tidbit to eat.

This could be a fresh bunch of dandelion greens, some juicy grubs or even kitchen scraps tossed out to the flock as a treat.

A rooster’s chow-time crow is not as shrill as a territorial crow nor as long as a morning crow. But it definitely communicates its message clearly to the hens, who come running at the sound of their rooster’s call.

black and white rooster standing in enclosed outdoor run with two hens behind him
Ana Hotaling

Shooting the Breeze

When you have more than one rooster, either in the same flock or in different, separated flocks, the boys get to talking. I’ve lost count of how often I’ve worked in the runs and heard the roosters hold some sort of conversation with each other.

Again, the vocalizations differ completely from the morning, territorial and chow-time crows. In this case, it seems as though the roosters are actually conversing and exchanging information with each other.

Whether this may be “I’ll stand watch over this human while you keep the girls on the other side of the run” or “Hey, you guys in the other runs, be ready because the human is messing around in the coop and she’ll be heading your way next” I’ll never know.

I have heard our roosters strike up a conversation without me in their midst. For all I know, they might be discussing the hens, talking about the weather, or complaining about how stupid the ducks are.

Danger!

There’s no mistaking the high-pitched shriek a rooster lets out when he perceives a threat to his flock. Even my kids have learned to tell that crow apart from our roosters’ other calls.

We usually end up running to the windows to check whether we need to grab a shotgun, baseball bat or other form of flock defense.

Fortunately, our roosters usually have everything under control. The girls have taken cover and the boys are puffed up, hopping up and down and from side to side, shrieking at whatever might be putting the flock at risk.

Often, it’s the carrion-eating turkey vultures which circle overhead throughout the spring and summer. Currently, it’s the sandhill cranes that pause in our yard as they migrate south. Every now and then, it’s a green heron or Canada goose.

They’ve pretty much determined that our family of fat groundhogs and our resident doe are not a threat. The few times a hawk has landed on one of our coop roofs, the cacophony continued long after I’d run outside, arms waving, to chase the bird of prey away.

Farewell, Daytime!

Yes, a rooster does indeed crow as the sun sets. This vocalization is not a strident call but more of a low, throaty warble. It’s almost as though roosters are sad to see the day end.

Whenever I hear that deep, melodic trill, I can rest assured that our hens understand it’s time to call it a day and head into the coop. The boys remain outside, warbling their farewell to the sun, before heading in themselves.

It’s almost plaintive and sorrowful in nature, almost as if they’ve forgotten that, in just a few hours, they’ll be loudly greeting the dawn once again.

This article about why do roosters crow was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Poultry

25 Facts About Chickens You May Not Know

A buff Orpington chick seaches for bugs in the grass. Adobe Stock/The Bohemian Lens

Facts about chickens can be fun to learn and informative, too. From personality assessments and exceptional egg facts to famous chicken breeds, here are twenty-five facts about chickens that you may not know.

Breeds That Failed

One of the most interesting facts about chickens is that several breeds that are popular today failed before they became popular.

#1 When the White Leghorn first came to America in the mid-1800s, the breed did not gain popularity and soon faced extinction. It wasn’t until the breed was imported the second time in the 1950s that the breed gained popularity.

Today Leghorns are one of the most popular breeds for backyard flocks and factory farms.

#2 The Plymouth Rock first appeared in the show ring in 1849, before disappearing for twenty years. In 1869 they were bred again, where they became increasingly popular. Plymouth Rocks were the most commonly kept chickens until the start of WWII. After the war, Plymouth Rocks’ popularity took a dive with the development of broiler hybrids.

These days, Plymouth Rocks are one of the most commonly kept chicken breeds in backyard flocks for eggs and pets.

Famous Chicken Breeds

#3 Rhode Island Red chickens are the most popular chicken breed in the world. Not only is this breed the most famous, but it is also the most popular breed kept at petting zoos due to its friendly and confident disposition.

#4 Black Australorps are so popular in their native country that the breed has actually been named the “national chicken” of Australia.

#5 It’s hard to have fun facts about chickens and not include the two breeds that are named State Birds. Delaware announced their state bird as the Blue Hen of Delaware in 1939.  Fifteen years later, in 1954, Rhode Island became the second state when they announced the Rhode Island Red as their state bird.

Full of Personality

Some of the most interesting facts about chickens are none other than facts about different breeds’ personalities. Whether quirky or intelligent, these breeds have delightful temperaments for both the novice and veteran chicken-keeper.

#6 Delaware hens are known for their fun and quirky personality, but better watch out! These hens are notorious for becoming grumpy when they don’t get their own way.

#7 Pet chickens are increasing in popularity as more backyard flock owners are realizing that their flocks are just as affectionate as a dog. When selecting a breed for a pet, look for gentle breeds such as Silkies, Orpingtons, Golden Comets, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and Speckled Sussex.

#8 Speckled Sussex hens are highly intelligent and can even be trained to do tricks on command. With their fun, people-loving personalities and never-ending energy, these delightful hens make wonderful, interactive family pets.

Australorp Trivia

The Black Australorp is one of the most popular breeds kept in backyard flocks. Check out these facts about chickens to learn more about this breed.

#9 While many chickens are outstanding egg layers, a Black Australorp hen set a record when she laid three hundred and sixty-four eggs in three hundred and sixty-five days.

Australorp chicken hen that is free-ranging. Adobe Stock/ Guy Sagi

#10 Black Australorps were created in Australia from the Black Orpington. Australian breeders crossed the Orpingtons with Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, and Langshans to create a chicken with higher egg production. The new breed was originally named the “Australian Black Orpington,” but later was changed to Black Australorp. With the “orp” added for the original breed.

Instant Success

While some breeds failed immediately after being developed, others had immediate success.

#11 Orpingtons gained immediate popularity when they first appeared at a show at the Crystal Palace Poultry Show in England. The breed went on to win the grand prize cup at their first showing!

#12 Golden Comet chickens became popular after being developed in the 1950s. With their high egg production, large brown eggs, and friendly personalities, it’s easy to see how the Comet has continued to be popular.

All Chickens Big and Small

Chickens come in many different sizes, with the average breed weighing in between five and eight pounds. But these three facts about chickens feature the smallest, largest, and tallest chicken breeds.

#13 Seramas are the world’s smallest chicken breed. Hens of this tiny breed can weigh as little as half a pound, while the roosters weigh in at about one pound. On average, Serama chickens stand about six to ten inches tall.

#14 Jersey Giants are the world’s largest chicken breed, with hens weighing about ten pounds and roosters averaging thirteen to fifteen pounds. When castrated (also known as capons), roosters tip the scales at eighteen to twenty pounds.

#15 One of the most interesting facts about chickens is the world’s tallest chicken breed, the Malay. Malay chickens stand an average of three feet tall. (About six inches taller than the average picnic table.)

Extraordinary Egg Layers

A lot of facts about chickens include their extraordinary egg-laying abilities. Here are a few fun egg-laying breed facts.

#16 Golden Buff chicks (a sex link hybrid bred from Rhode Island Red roosters and White Leghorn hens) hatch from white eggs but will grow up to lay brown eggs.

#17 Marans lay the darkest brown eggs of all the brown egg layers.

#18 Penedesenca hens lay black eggs in the beginning of the laying season that slowly fade to chocolate throughout the season.

Ancient Breeds

Looking for some interesting facts about chickens that have stood the test of time, these three breeds have done just that and are still popular today.

#19 Nicknamed the “Pilgrim Chicken,” the Dominque was the first breed developed in America.

#20 The Java is an old American  breed and played a role in creating many breeds, including the Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, and Jersey Giant.

#21 With records dating back to 55 B.C., Old English Game Fowl are the oldest living breed. Not only is this ancient breed still popular, but it also comes in more color varieties than any other chicken.

Unique Physical Characteristics

#22 Naked Necks (often referred to as Turkens, due to their naked neck resembling their turkey cousins) have only forty to fifty percent of the feathers other chicken breeds have.

#23 Did you know that while most chickens have four toes, some breeds actually have five toes? That’s right! Dorkings, Faverolles, Houdans, Silkies, and Sultans all have five toes.

#24 Sebright roosters lack the long hackles, saddles, and sickle feathers common in most breeds. Instead these roosters look almost identical to the females.

#25 Wyandotte and other rose-combed breeds do not always sport a rose comb. The reason for this is roosters do not consistently carry the gene for rose combs, resulting in offspring sporting single combs.

A Truly One-of-a-Kind Chicken Bonus Fact

No facts about chickens list would be complete without mentioning this exceptional breed.

#26 Sumatras have several characteristics that make them unique compared to all other chicken breeds. From their black crow-like appearance to their extraordinary flying abilities (they have been known to fly across rivers and can fly as far as five miles), these chickens are truly one of a kind.

Facts about chickens are so much fun to learn about. Every day, chicken enthusiasts are learning more about these extraordinary barnyard birds. With their fun personalities, exceptional eggs, and unique physical characteristics, chickens truly are a marvel.

This article about facts about chickens was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Farm & Garden

Buying Land: 5 Tips to Make a Wise Choice

Adobe Stock/Francesco Scatena

When buying land for farming, hunting or otherwise, we’ve got the top five things from one of Minnesota’s top real estate agents, Adam Benedict, with RE/Max Advantage Plus, to consider to help you make a wise choice.

There are many factors to consider when buying land that will vary depending on your intention for the land, but here are some blanket items to investigate that you’ll want to consider regardless of what your land use.

1. Think of the long term. What do you intend to use the land for? Do you want to grow gardens or raise livestock? Is it land strictly for hunting? Regardless, you’ll likely want to have a water percolation test conducted, also known as, “perc test.” This will test the soil to measures how quickly the water will drain into the ground.

Why this matters: It’ll determine the type and size of septic system you can install. It’ll determine where you can build structures on the land. It’ll also help you determine what parts of the land are suitable for growing food or raising livestock. Even if you don’t intend to ever develop the land, it’s still worth knowing what your options are for resale value.

Soil testing is also key when planning to grow food or raise livestock. Soil testing will reveal any contamination or lack of nutrients in the soil.

2. Zoning regulations. You’ll want to know what the regulations are on the land in case you decide to build.

Why this matters: This determines what type of buildings you can build on the land. If you were hoping to run a small business from your farm, for example, you’ll need to know if that’s legally allowed. The zoning regulations and laws will impact the development of your land in general and it is imperative to know your limitations.

3. Easements. Look into easements on the land. Make sure there is direct access to road frontage to put a driveway, for example. Even if you don’t have any long-term intentions of adding a house or any structures, look into it for resale purposes down the road.

Why this matters: An easement on the property could drastically decrease the value of your land if it limits the use of the land.

It’s also important to understand utility easements. This allows companies to dig, remove and install things on your property so it’s important to check with the county before you buy.

4. Understand the topography of the land. Let’s say you are buying land to hunt on. Depending on the type of game you are hunting, each animal will have different needs. Understanding the animal’s habitat will help you determine if the land is a good fit or not.

Why this matters: If you’re looking for land for deer hunting, deer live in forests with natural vegetation and tree coverage. If you’re hunting ducks, make sure that the land has water access since ducks live near ponds, rivers, and marshes.

In addition to the topography mattering for animals, it’ll also impact your ability to build any structures on the land. It will directly impact site planning, the cost to build, it’ll help reveal possible construction challenges that may be an obstacle, and it’ll show floodplains, wetlands and so on.

5. Survey the land. Know the exact parameters of the land before you buy.

Why this matters: This will help you avoid legal issues down the line if you have the exact parameters of the land before you purchase it.

There is much more advice to offer on the topic of buying land, but these five tips will help you get the process started. For more information on the subject, you can follow Adam Benedict.

This article about buying land was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Farm & Garden

Fresh-Cut Christmas Trees: 3 Uses for Your Spent Trees

female cardinal sitting on a spent fresh-cut christmas tree branch
Kevin Fogle

Fresh-cut Christmas trees present a dilemma at the end of each season: What to do with your Christmas tree. Owners of plastic artificial trees can pack their trees away for the next holiday season, but what about the millions who bought cut pine, spruce or fir trees? The following are some green ideas to keep cut trees out of the landfill and help make Christmas trees a renewable crop by giving old trees a second life.

1. Christmas Tree Mulching

For many folks with fresh-cut Christmas trees, the simplest option is grinding your old Christmas tree into mulch. Many cities and towns have mulching programs that collect trees via curbside pickup on announced days or offer centralized drop-off sites. Mulch is then used for city beautification projects or on facilities such as playgrounds. Some cities even offer their mulch for sale, so that individual homeowners can take advantage of this green product. If your municipality doesn’t offer a mulching program, ask around for the popular neighbor who owns a wood chipper and make your own.

2. Christmas Trees as Wildlife Habitat

A fresh-cut Christmas tree can make a useful habitat for a range of animal life, including birds, small mammals and freshwater fish. The easiest method is placing your spent fresh-cut Christmas tree in your backyard and staking it upright, so that birds and mammals can take shelter from winter weather and predators. If having your old tree in the yard for a few months doesn’t sound appealing, some dedicated regional programs exist where trees are collected for use in larger wildlife preserves. Freshwater fish can also take advantage of your old fresh cut Christmas tree if you place it in a large pond or lake for use as nesting habitat—but be sure to get permission from the public jurisdiction or landowner before doing this.

3. Branches in the Garden

The branches from your fresh-cut Christmas tree can be put to use in the garden, protecting cold-sensitive overwintering perennials. Just cut the limbs off your Christmas tree with loppers or a saw and then lay several branches gently over your perennials to help insulate them from the coldest weather of the year. The remaining tree trunk can be then be set aside for mulching.

As an important final note, double and triple-check your tree for any remaining light strands or ornaments, as these plastic and metal items should not end up in a farm pond or ground up in a mulch pile.

This article about uses for spent fresh-cut Christmas trees was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Chicken Keeping: Coop Advice From 100 Years Ago

pocket money poultry

Chicken keeping is popular today just as it was over 100 years ago. While times have changed, much of the advice hasn’t. If you plan to build new digs for your chickens and you want sound advice, check out some old-time materials written when most folks in the country kept chickens in their backyards or on small farms. Much of the advice still proves worthy today—even though it’s more than 100 years old.

Chicken Keeping – Coop Interior

In 1901, Myra Norys wrote Pocket Money Poultry, a guide for women who raised chickens to sell the eggs. She seemed amused by how much of the poultry information during her time described what was supposed to be a “woman’s poultry-house.”

“The idea underlying it was that a woman’s long skirts unfitted her to enter a building where there was necessarily more or less filth, and the building described was to be made so that she should not need to enter it,” Norys wrote. “It was small enough to be cleaned from the outside through a drop door, the floor being raised, not to necessitate too much backbreaking work. Possibly, this might do for very small work with a very few fowls, but the poultry mistress who did not enter the houses could hardly have sufficient grasp of her business to insure success.”

Norys had her own ideas of what made a poultry house more suited to a “female” chicken keeper during that time: “Perhaps the best way to adapt a poultry house to a woman’s needs is to make certain of absolute simplicity and convenience in its inside fittings,” she wrote. “The necessities are roosts and their platforms, nest boxes, drinking vessels and feed troughs, grit and shell containers, and dust baths. Whatever is on the floor soon comes to be a nuisance, for it is disturbed and fouled by the birds, besides being in the way. Nest boxes are better at a little height than if placed upon the floor.”

That’s sound advice for any chicken keeper, male or female. Norys continues to explore the coop interior, noting that feed troughs should not be subject to overturning, roosting or befoulment of any sort. She even described a way to build a feed trough.

“A feed trough … may consist of a single board, with a furring of lath about the edge,” she wrote. “This may be hinged to the side of the building, about 8 inches from the floor. Eight inches above it may be stapled a wire frame, a little wider than the board, and made like one leaf of a wire gridiron without the handle. When the hens are feeding, the board is at right angles to the wall, the wire frame dropped at an angle over it. After the fowls have finished, both trough and frame are raised and hooked to the wall. Such a trough needs very little cleaning, for the average hen does this part of the work very well!”

These wall shelves, as she described, did need a little support below, which she advised be furnished by attached legs or including a small box underneath them.

pocket money poultry illustrations

Chicken Coop Roosts

For sleeping, Norys suggested a simple modified ladder roost: “I do not mean the old style of ladder roost, one portion of which is higher than the other, but something like a ladder laid horizontally. On this, the hens can roost compactly, yet without crowding, especially if the ‘rounds,’ which are flat, are a little wider than the sides of the ladder, rising above the sides and seeming to divide them into spaces.”

If the roosting platform, when in position, is set to slightly slope toward the front, it can be cleaned much easier. The roosting frame and its platform, as described by Norys, has another advantage: It can be moved out of the way during the day.

For the nest boxes, she relied on a series of boxes placed on a level against the side of the house, with sufficient space to allow the hens to enter at the back. A single drop-door at the front gives the chicken keeper easy access to the eggs.

Norys recommended that nothing be kept on the floor except the dust-bath box, which should be moderately large and deep—“so that the hens can really wallow in it”—and kept in a sunny location.

“With these fittings, it takes but little time to care for the houses, a large proportion of the vexations of poultry keeping are avoided, cleanliness is insured, and all the work made comparatively easy,” she wrote.

light brahmas historic chicken illustration

Where to Put a Chicken Coop

In 1913, Clifford Perkins wrote How to Raise Profitable Poultry and addressed coop positioning, windows, floors and fencing.

When positioning your chicken coop, Perkins suggested that it face either south or east, preferably south, to permit a maximum amount of sunshine to enter the coop during the greater part of the day.

“The windows of the coops should be placed as high in the front of the building as possible,” he wrote. “This will permit the sunshine to reach the farthest back in the coop, especially during the winter months. Care should be taken not to put too many windows in a coop, or it will be cold, particularly at night.”

Perkins explained that glass radiates heat at night as rapidly as it collects it in the daytime. With the windows properly placed, about 1 square foot of glass surface can be allowed for every 16 square feet of floor area.

Chicken Coop Floors & Fencing

“Floors may be put into the coops if desired, but they add considerably to the cost,” he wrote, noting that you could instead just keep them covered with sand or straw at all times. “Concrete floors are sanitary and usually rat-proof but are very cold in winter and in this respect may interfere with a good egg yield. A good dry dirt floor will generally give the most satisfactory results, all things being considered.”

Perkins noted that fences should be of 2-inch mesh wire for grown fowls. For little chicks, 1-inch mesh is necessary, at least the first 2 feet up. Today, we have hardware cloth with smaller holes that is even more protective.

Fanny Field wrote in The Excelsior Poultry Book in 1891 that chicken keepers don’t need fancy coops if they let hens free-range.

“When the poultry house is so situated that the fowls can have the run of the barnyard and cattle sheds, the poultry shed will not be necessary. I know that much has been written against allowing fowls to run in barn yards and scratch in manure piles, but all the same, hens take to such places as naturally as ducks take to water … I have never yet seen any sickness that resulted from allowing fowls to run in well-drained, well-littered barn yards and cattle sheds.”

This article about chicken keeping 100 years ago was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Chicken Farming: A Century of Backyard Chicken Keeping

black and white photo of chicken farmer with eggs at the chicken coop
Shutterstock

Chicken farming received a pop culture boost when actress Jennifer Garner said in an interview that she received baby chickens and remarked on how tiny and cute they are. She is raising them as a folly to have a few beautiful colored eggs around the house, but as a child, it was a different scenario.

“My mom said we would have 100 chicks arrive in the mail at a time,” Garner said in the interview. While her mom raised chickens for the necessity of feeding her family from their eggs and meat, Garner now enjoys them primarily as pets. “Just to think (that) in one generation, for me, it’s ‘I live in L.A. and aren’t I cute and I am organic,’ and for my mom, it was just food.”

Garner’s chickens have names; her mother’s chickens did not. And that is only in one generation. If we go back over 100 years, a 1918 government poster declared: “Uncle Sam Expects You To Keep Hens and Raise Chickens.” Let’s take a look at some other ways the hobby of keeping chickens has changed in the past century.

1918-1930: Chicken Farming

In Art and Science in Breeding: Creating Better Chickens, author Margaret Derry says that with the invention and modification of the incubator, there were 250 hatcheries by 1918. Nine years later, there were more than 10,000. Today, poultry hatcheries are a multibillion-dollar industry. Because of competition and the ability to provide chickens almost year-round, chicks were inexpensive. Hatcheries also vied to have the finest birds.

black and white photo of woman feeding chickens on a chicken farm
Shutterstock

Around this time, it took the birds 16 weeks to reach a frying weight of 2 pounds. Today, a Cornish cross can reach 4 pounds in just six to eight weeks. In 1922, vitamin D was discovered, which aided in keeping the birds healthy throughout the winter.

Until the mid-1920s, raising chickens was thought to be the work of a farmer’s wife. Agricultural experts in the Midwest told farmers to focus on corn, cattle, hogs and wheat. They didn’t believe that chickens—that were being fed for free via food scraps and free-ranging and providing free labor, turning the soil, fertilizing—could be a major revenue earner.

The Delmarva Peninsula—east of Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast, shared by Delaware, Maryland and Virginia—at this time was a truck farming region. Truck farming is the practice of growing one or more vegetable crops on a large scale. This was a feast or famine operation and varied year to year, based on the weather and market. Farmers in this area were looking for a steadier source of income, and meat chickens were the answer.

Up until this time, chicken meat was a byproduct of the egg production. Old birds became dinner. Farmers started focusing on single-purpose chickens, either layers or meat birds, as their production was more efficient than the average production of dual-purpose breeds. Delmarva Peninsula became the birthplace of the broiler we know today.

1930-1949: Backyard Bonanza

Chicken nutrition came to the forefront as chicken farming became more specialized. More farms kept larger flocks of chickens, which could not source enough food on their own. Feed companies’ filled the void. In 1933, it took 6 1⁄2 pounds of feed to produce 1 pound of broiler meat. In 1943, it took 4.

Today, because of breeding and better feed formulas, it takes less than 2 pounds to produce 1 pound of meat. This was a big step forward for the progress of chicken keeping.

Before the 1930s, people eating chicken would often butcher and prepare their own birds. For the elite, starting in 1902, chickens were “New York dressed,” a process where the birds are rough plucked and blood drawn, costing between 15 and 23 cents per pound. Many ducks and chickens are still sold this way in Asian markets.

According to the May 1943 issue of Popular Mechanics, Americans grew 18 million victory gardens—12 million in cities and 6 million on farms. Many of them included chickens.

When World War II ended in 1945, the government promotion of victory gardens stopped. The majority of Americans didn’t plant a garden in the spring of 1946, and the demise of backyard chicken-keeping and homesteading began.

1950-1969: A Falling Out

kentucky fried chicken restaurant with large chicken sign
Kevin Trotman/Flickr

Following the war, the modern era began, and societal changes had far-reaching effects. Supermarkets replaced corner butcher shops, and many people traded the farm life for suburbia. The sprawl of the suburbs pushed the farmlands farther away from the cities, separating the farm from the table.

We became a mobile society with cars inhabiting every driveway. People could travel more easily with the aid of the interstate highway system. Those who hung onto farm life in the suburbs soon realized that it was easier to purchase cellophane-wrapped chicken than to raise their own.

So many eggs were being produced that egg prices fell. Growers continued to raise more birds, which made the egg prices drop even further. Only companies with large flocks could compete. Companies started to mix antibiotics and growth hormones into the feed. Supermarket refrigeration systems allowed meat to be transported hundreds or thousands of miles. People grew accustomed to cheap eggs and meat, and backyard chickens continued to fall out of vogue.

Starting in the late ’60s, Frank Perdue used the rise of television commercials to turn chicken into a brand name. His homespun commercials made him a celebrity and made Perdue Farms the third-largest poultry distributor in the country by the 1980s, according to Bulls, Bears, Boom, and Bust: A Historical Encyclopedia of American Business Concepts.

At the same time, Don Tyson began to make his father’s small 1935-founded Arkansas poultry company into a worldwide business. In 2007, Tyson was listed by Forbes as one of the 1,000 richest people in the world. Today, Tyson Foods Inc. is the largest chicken company in the United States, according to Watt Global Media.

kids feeding free range chickens on chicken farm
Bruce Szalwinski/Flickr

1970-1989: Chicken Farming & Fast Food

By the early 1980s, consumers favored cut-up and processed chickens to the traditional whole bird. Chicken tenders and other ready-to-eat frozen foods were invented. Rotisserie chicken, another convenience item, became a big hit.

1990-2000: Paltry Poultry

Unfortunately, the ’90s were a low point in the poultry industry. The progress of chicken keeping reverted. Because of breeding and diet, many chickens experienced metabolic disorders and heart attacks, both associated with rapid growth.

With American consumers becoming more aware of the treatment of their food, they began to look for ways to take production back into their own hands.

In 1990, Martha Stewart launched Martha Stewart Living. In a few years, it grew to a monthly publication, highlighting homesteading tips such as raising chickens. In December 1994, HGTV launched and highlighted themes such as landscaping and gardening.

Although the term “organic farming” was coined in 1940 and the practice can be traced back to the 1800s, the organic movement began in this decade in response to industrial agriculture’s shift toward nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides.

2000-2025: Chicken Farming Returns to Favor

backyard chickens grazing by electric net fence
Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

Although news organizations, such the Washington Post and New York Times, have published articles stating that raising backyard chickens is a growing trend, there are few studies to provide statistics on these flocks.

The Poultry Science Association recently published a survey from about 1,500 chicken owners nationwide. Most respondents owned fewer than 10 chickens and had kept chickens for less than five years. Major reasons for keeping chickens were as food for home use, gardening partners, pets or a combination of these. Not surprisingly, rural respondents had larger flocks.

Owners believed eggs and meat from their chickens were more nutritious, safer to consume and tasted better than store-bought products. They were also concerned about the health and welfare of their chickens, which didn’t seem to be the case on commercial farms.

Thankfully, chicken farming has never been fully removed from America’s consciousness. They’ve been a constant source of companionship as well as wholesome food. Today, some chickens in their McMansions have heated perches, swings, treats and beechwood nesting box curls so they can rest comfortably. Many hobbyists allow them to free-range, and some only feed organic. Many even have names. Feather Locklear and Hen Stefani, I’m talking to you! As chicken keepers, it is our responsibility to keep the progress moving forward for the next 100 years.

This story about chicken farming history was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Food

A Mulled Wine Recipe to Warm the New Year

mulled white wine warm
Sunny Forest/Adobe Stock

Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is most popularly known to be a warm German beverage. But it is known by many other names around the world. The basic recipe is versatile and it can vary slightly from the recipe that’s shared here. Mulled wine is as traditional in Germany as the Christmas tree. Fun Fact: The Christmas tree originated in Germany in the 16th century.  

It’s simple to make and doesn’t take long to heat up. 

Ingredients 

  • White wine, 750ml bottle  
  • 1 orange, juiced and zested  
  • 1 cinnamon stick (One stick is necessary for the drink, but grab more sticks if you’ll be using them as garnish.) 
  • 4 tbsp. mulling spices, wrapped in cheesecloth or confined to a tea ball (Mulling spices are traditionally cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. They can also include anise, cardamon, ginger and peppercorns as well as dried citrus peel.)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup 
  • 1/4 cup brandy 

Read more: Grow your own cinnamon for flavor & health benefits!

Directions 

Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir well to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Add the lid and heat on the low setting for 30 to 60 minutes. Let it heat until it’s hot, but not boiling, and then switch to the warm setting. For a variation, you can substitute the white wine for a red wine. 

Mulled wine looks beautiful served in a clear wine glass. It’s sure to impress guests. It also smells wonderful, so it doubles as a room scent. No need for a simmer pot when you’re serving mulled wine! For a personal touch, it’s nice to buy a wine that’s made at a local winery.

Mulled wine garnishes vary from taste to taste. You can garnish it with thinly sliced oranges, thinly sliced apples and/or with fresh cranberries or raisins.  

This story about mulled wine was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.