We now have blue bird houses back in stock! If you missed out on getting yours the last time, stop on by the district office, located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd and ask for your FREE blue bird house. The boys, Jerry and Jeremy, make them out of old fence boards. It is a great way to do some recycling and provide shelter for our feathered friends all at one time. Be quick as they usually go fast! If you pick one up now and hang it up, it will be all ready for the birds to move in come spring.
We also have free wood chips if you are still in need of those. They are behind the workshop on Marion Ridge and you can just help yourself. If you need an exceptionally large amount, please check in at the office first.
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Wow, it is raining!
I am sitting here at my desk in the water district office. It is very dark outside and it is pouring down rain. And just for fun, Mother Nature is throwing in a little bit of hail as well. Such a lovely day. In my book anyway. I just love the rain. Rain gives a whole different feel to the day. On a dark, rainy morning, it suddenly seems acceptable to stay in your jammies and just curl up on the couch with a hot cup of tea, your favorite soft bathrobe and the remote control. My pugs are fully aware of this and have spent the morning curled up on the couch with their favorite blanket, sound asleep, even though they just got done sleeping all night. No matter, a dark, dreary morning will to that to man and beast.
Unfortunately, it has decided to rain on a Tuesday which is a work day, so we here at the water district have stoically risen from our nice warm beds, gulped down our tea or coffee and reluctantly got ready for work. We then valiantly braved the elements to get to the office, leaving behind the comfort of our couches, the warmth of our soft bathrobes and hot beverages. We sit here in our office chairs and try to stay focused on our tasks at hand. We diligently plug away at our work while outside, Mother Nature continues her show. The good news is that our desks sit right under windows, which I am extremely grateful for. Being able to see outside all day long is such a wonderful thing. I simply cannot imagine sitting in a cubical not being able to see outside all day long. So even though I am not all snugly at home, I am able to watch this glorious display while I work.
Many days I get to witness the antics of the squirrels, birds, bees and butterflies that frequent the small garden that my window looks out on. It is so refreshing to turn my tired eyes from the computer to watch a couple of squirrels chasing each other around the garden and up and down the pine tree. There is nothing more relaxing than being in or looking out onto a garden. So on this wet, wild weathered morning, I have the privilege of at least being able to see all that glorious rain coming down.
Unfortunately, it has decided to rain on a Tuesday which is a work day, so we here at the water district have stoically risen from our nice warm beds, gulped down our tea or coffee and reluctantly got ready for work. We then valiantly braved the elements to get to the office, leaving behind the comfort of our couches, the warmth of our soft bathrobes and hot beverages. We sit here in our office chairs and try to stay focused on our tasks at hand. We diligently plug away at our work while outside, Mother Nature continues her show. The good news is that our desks sit right under windows, which I am extremely grateful for. Being able to see outside all day long is such a wonderful thing. I simply cannot imagine sitting in a cubical not being able to see outside all day long. So even though I am not all snugly at home, I am able to watch this glorious display while I work.
Many days I get to witness the antics of the squirrels, birds, bees and butterflies that frequent the small garden that my window looks out on. It is so refreshing to turn my tired eyes from the computer to watch a couple of squirrels chasing each other around the garden and up and down the pine tree. There is nothing more relaxing than being in or looking out onto a garden. So on this wet, wild weathered morning, I have the privilege of at least being able to see all that glorious rain coming down.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Chickens and Salmonella
We have all heard of the recent egg recall due to a salmonella outbreak. Personally I haven't followed this story very closely because I do not buy eggs from the store. I have my own flock of backyard chickens and have since 2001. I cannot bear to think of how these factory farms keep their chickens cooped up 4 to a cage, de-beak them and never let them out into the sunshine. The spend their whole, miserable lives in a cage and their feet never touch the earth. To me, this is just not acceptable. Now with this latest news of salmonella, it makes you wonder if eggs are even safe to eat.
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
Friday, July 30, 2010
It's Frugal Friday!
I know I have been remiss in my Frugal Friday postings, however, water business before pleasure and I have been keeping busy at the office. So today offered the opportunity to catch up on my blog posts and I am going to take advantage of it.
I know many people think that frugal gardening involves having a lot of junk sitting around in your yard under the auspice of art. But that just isn't the case. I think that frugal gardening is all about re-purposing and recyling things and giving them a new and useful life. And no, I am not talking about toilet planters!
Here's an idea I thought was lovely. Turn an old bird bath or better yet, a two or three tiered fountain, into a planter. Since a bird bath generally isn't very deep, you could set a small planter in the middle of the bird bath and plant some annuals. Then in the bird bath, add soil and plant something like moss, that will provide an carpet of green. If you use a plant in the pot that trails or vines, you will create a lovely, antique, drippy look which goes perfectly in a bird bath.
Use the same method for planting in an old fountain. Check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift shops and yard sales for fountains that are still beautiful to look at, but perhaps have developed a leak or the owners are just tired of them. I saw one on Craigslist for $10. It had no pump and had 2 tiers. Perfect for planting. These make wonderful, classic additions to a garden. And by using them as a planter instead of a fountain, you will eliminate the need for running electricity and possibly water out to the fountain. This will enable you to locate it any where you like.
If you are lucky enough to find a fountain with two or more tiers, you can make a combination planter and bird bath. Having these types of creative features in your garden also helps provide habitat for wildlife. The birds will appreciate the water to bath in and drink and the cool carpet of moss makes a nice place to stop and rest for a minute.
If you have any ideas on re-purposing an item, feel free to let me know. If you have pictures, feel free to send them in and I will post them here on the blog. Let's see how creative we can get!
I know many people think that frugal gardening involves having a lot of junk sitting around in your yard under the auspice of art. But that just isn't the case. I think that frugal gardening is all about re-purposing and recyling things and giving them a new and useful life. And no, I am not talking about toilet planters!
Here's an idea I thought was lovely. Turn an old bird bath or better yet, a two or three tiered fountain, into a planter. Since a bird bath generally isn't very deep, you could set a small planter in the middle of the bird bath and plant some annuals. Then in the bird bath, add soil and plant something like moss, that will provide an carpet of green. If you use a plant in the pot that trails or vines, you will create a lovely, antique, drippy look which goes perfectly in a bird bath.
Use the same method for planting in an old fountain. Check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift shops and yard sales for fountains that are still beautiful to look at, but perhaps have developed a leak or the owners are just tired of them. I saw one on Craigslist for $10. It had no pump and had 2 tiers. Perfect for planting. These make wonderful, classic additions to a garden. And by using them as a planter instead of a fountain, you will eliminate the need for running electricity and possibly water out to the fountain. This will enable you to locate it any where you like.
If you are lucky enough to find a fountain with two or more tiers, you can make a combination planter and bird bath. Having these types of creative features in your garden also helps provide habitat for wildlife. The birds will appreciate the water to bath in and drink and the cool carpet of moss makes a nice place to stop and rest for a minute.
If you have any ideas on re-purposing an item, feel free to let me know. If you have pictures, feel free to send them in and I will post them here on the blog. Let's see how creative we can get!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Breaking News!
The bluebird houses are back!! We recently had a run on our bird houses and ran out. I know several of you were disappointed when you stopped in and we didn't have any. We are happy to announce that we have a fresh supply so if you didn't get one, please feel free to stop in and pick one up.
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