Other than our Easter Sunday fun, we had a few other things that went on over the weekend that involved the garden and gardening friends!
The kids have been in serious need of some new toys for the backyard. They seem to have outgrown the standard pail and shovel for the sandbox, so we decided on a croquet set and a badmiton set! Here they are helping daddy set it up. At this point they had no idea how the game worked, so I told them they have to stand there and hold the net while daddy & I play, LOL!
Thought you might get a kick out of hubby's standard lawnmowing outfit. He's converted his Middle Eastern headwrap for U.S. use to keep the pollen away!
The azaleas are finally in full bloom in our yard
A local fellow blogger hosted a seed swap party for a gardening group I'm a member of on Saturday evening at her farm, it was a great location and everyone had a great time.
Below, the kids checking out her mobile coop/chicken tractor. This thing is the bomb...
She has a gravity fed watering system that ensures a steady supply of fresh water, portable electric fencing that is run by solar, all is easy to move about. I believe she moves them on a weekly schedule, so it's all very efficient!
Definitely a hit with all the kids in attendance, and the grownups too - who doesn't love chickens?!
Her girls are very curious and happy, and will run right up to make sure they are the center of attention :)
The kids are always excited about getting some of "Miss Gina's eggs" - I'm excited because soon she will be selling them at their new farm stand and will be even easier to keep a stash of local, happy eggs in the fridge.
There were more... but we ate 'em!
Her property is right on Back Bay, which is part of a very large watershed and ecosystem here, and wherever you have water, a bridge and rocks you have... boys! Like a magnet. The same went for all the husbands, too!
Below is her new farm stand. They are just finishing the construction, permitting and all that and will be opening for business in June. They are working so hard in fact, her hubby was working throughout the entire party but did manage to say hello to everyone - with the farms starting to have berries available already, I know they are anxious to finish. They are a botanical farm and I expect to see lots of flowers there as well as her fresh eggs, and I bet produce, too! I wish them all the best, such a fun adventure and I admit I'm jealous as can be :)
If you want to check out Gina's blog, go to Back Bay Botanicals, they are working hard to create something very special out there and intend to have a bed & breakfast someday,too - and she has some great posts on the coop! Above is the photo of the group that evening, our lovely host Gina is the one wearing - you guessed it - the John Deere cap of course! Thanks for having us all over!
I'll leave you with, what else? Chicken video! Is there any better way to spend a Saturday evening? I think not!
Great post and a great inspiration as well. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful farm! Love the chicken video. I wish we could keep chickens but there is a bylaw here that says we can't. I looked into it. Bah!
ReplyDeleteYour husband should sell stylish pollen scarfs for all those gardeners with allergies.
Holy moly what a coop!!!! I need one of those. That is the coolest coop around.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely farm! I am always so proud of young farm families that work so hard to bring us good food. I wish them all the best - and thank YOU for introducing them!
ReplyDeleteHope your friend at that farm is big and strong and has lots of support and help. Such an undertaking! But as Susan says, three cheers for anyone who does what she's trying to do! That chicken house of hers is downright enviable. Great set-up.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe how green everything is by you. Looks wonderful. It's cold here again today with a wind blowing and we think it's gonna snow. (I hope not, but it sure feels like it!)
chicken coop and chicken poop-fun,fun fun. The REAL life. Mrs. pea is right,its cold and damp in MN. My middle son wants to drag me to a auction tomorrow I love" Storage Wars"but its my $$. It seems to much like gambling
ReplyDeleteONG, you're welcome!
ReplyDelete***
Sparkless, us too - but the only thing keeping us from doing "stealthy chickens" is that the military might call on us to move, you never know!
***
Jane, it is a cool coop :)
***
Susan, I too love when people "just do it"! They don't have children at this time so I think the time is right for them to be out trying to get it right, timing is so hard for these things.
***
Mama Pea, they certainly are hard workers! They are at a great location for such a venture as they are right close to places that tourists head to, and they are on a main road that takes you past lots of farms and produce stands, so they are hard to miss. Plus, I love how they have the chicken setup right near the farm stand and road so passerby and patrons can really get up close and see it all! SNOW??? Enough for you already!
***
Judy, I would love to do an auction, sadly we don't have any around here. I remember my mom and dad going to those in MN years ago.
I FORGOT TO TELL YOU TO TRY LOOKING AT SOME MOMMY BLOGS. MY DAUGHTER DID-SHE IS KNOW IN LINE TO WIN A STEP 2 SWING SET AND OTHER THINGS. SHE HAS GOTTEN SO MANY FREE ITEMS PLUS SHE WON THE $50.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO WALMART FROM MOMMY BLOG-I can get the correct site if wanted. you have to follow/twitter and maybe a lot of stuff you don't have time for but I thought I would mention it for the boys
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great party. I'll have to check out her coop since mine still needs constructed- if it ever stops raining long enough!
ReplyDeleteJudy
Cool post, awesome chicken house!! Great little chickens too!
ReplyDeletewhat an incredible weekend. I know what you mean about chickens and water. They are magnets around here too!
ReplyDeleteThat is one heck of a mobile chicken coup! It's amazing what some people can up with. Sometimes seeing these things make me feel a bit inadequate. I should have taken shop class in high school. haha.
ReplyDeleteLove the hubby's pollen mask. I need one of those. Sounds like a wonderful weekend was had, and I love the kids holding the net.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat chicken tractor-how clever!
ReplyDeleteGreat property they have-looks like they're working hard. I will NOT be showing this post to hubby--he'd love the rocks and water too!
:)
Judy (2), I have to be honest and say I'm SICK of mommy blogs and kid paraphenilia LOL!! I was so into that for a few years but it got old once they weren't in diapers anymore :)
ReplyDelete***
Judy, you better get moving on that coop, the girls will be ready to move in before you know it!
***
Patty, glad you're back! Hope you see some spring weather soon.
***
Jody, I know, I'm so jealous of anyone that is really living the farm life!
***
Thomas, inadequate? HA! I'm in daily awe of your bread as I try to learn...
***
Ruth, the kids didn't go for that net holding thing LOL!
***
Sue, their waterway leads right out to the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge if you were to drop a canoe in, as long as you make peace with the water moccasins, it's gorgeous out there!
Water moccasins? I would die a thousand deaths if I saw one. I've never been a "delicate" woman, but I cannot abide a snake. I always tell hubby-you want me out--show me a snake!
ReplyDeleteSue, I also hate snakes! Unfortunately, we have LOTS of moccasins here, and have even had them in the yard, along with copperheads. I teach the kids that ALL snakes are poisonous since they are so young. The last copperhead we know of here, hubby saw UNDER THE KIDS' SLIDE! Hate 'em... it doesn't jive too well with our love of kayaking and canoeing in the waters here, last time we saw 10 moccasins and I had the kids in the canoe, I was a wreck! Can't wait until all I have to worry about are the big muskies in the northern waters LOL
ReplyDeleteBig muskies (and other big fish) can indeed be dangerous to one's health.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, a friend was lying face down on a dock on an inland lake up here. She was half asleep trailing her hand back and forth in the cool water and a big northern grabbed on to it! She shot up into the air screaming and jumping around on the dock with the very large fish still clamped onto her hand! No serious damage done but her skin was scratched up quite a bit. I've been a little leary of sitting with my feet dangling in the water ever since hearing that tale!
OMG I am rolling with laughter Mama Pea! Only because I can't wait to tell hubby that one! When I say things like that he always rolls his eyes at me. I heard a story as a kid about an old owner at Sawbill Lodge whose wife lost her arm below the elbow from a muskie, I don't know if it's true, but when I told him he just laughs at me :)
ReplyDelete