Urban Farm

If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be planting starts for a garden in February and raising chickens for eggs I would have told you that you were crazy.  I still think it is a little crazy, but that is my life now.  I, a full fledged city girl, married a city farm boy.  He thinks he is a country boy, but come on!  He was raised in a suburb of Boise.  Anyway, we had 5 chickens and due to giving some away and the appetite of a few dogs, we have no chickens left.  We put up a fence around the coop and we are starting from scratch. 

We picked up 4 chickens after work today.  The kids came and helped.  They are pretty cute. 

We set up a Rubbermaid tub with food, water, and a heat lamp in the nursery.  The nursery is currently empty and will be empty while the chickens grow.  They should be able to go outside in May.  That will be perfect timing for Baby Jenkins. 

Oh yeah...and we got a duck too.  It won't fly and it will also give us eggs.  I couldn't resist.  Look how CUTE she is!

We got three varieties of chickens.  We will get green, brown, and duck eggs.  I guess the Duck eggs are good for baking, or at least that is what the lady at the store told us. 

 Here is the whole production.  We put a child door handle cover on the door so that no one (Bruce) will disturb them.

 And here is our set up for our starts.  Alan built a shelf in the laundry room and hung a light.  We started onions, marigolds, and vincas.  They are all doing very well.  We will start another batch of plants on Saturday. 

The cat eats on top of the washing machine so the dogs won't eat her food.  Bad dogs!

  So I guess I am married to an urban farmer.  I try to be supportive, but I also have to level him out at times.  Today he was wearing cowboy boots.  Silly Alan. 

Family Field Trip #1

We started a tradition last year.  We set goals for the year and each month we worked, as a family, to achieve our goals.  Last year we had 3 goals: plant and harvest a garden, make our beds daily, and play outside more.  We did pretty well.

This year we chose 4 goals: take a family field trip every month, beautify the yard, take treats to people bi-monthly, and keep a family journal.  

We took our first family field trip last month.  We went to Birds of Prey and the The Boise Fry Company for lunch. 

Birds of Prey is basically a conservation/education facility where they keep bird that prey on other animals, like this owl.

 

 We went on a family day so they had activities for the kids.  This center had a craft where you built your own bird out of recycled materials. 

 This center we dressed up like a bird.

 I could only get Alan to wear the glasses.

 Bruce thought it was pretty fun.

 Here is the Karina bird!

And last of all, the Candice bird.

Karina played a game put on by Idaho Power to teach kids about the importance of conserving energy. 

 Bruce and Alan watched. 

 And of course, we looked at all different kinds of birds.  I really liked this one.  It's face is mesmerizing.

 They had a few peregrine falcons of leashes.  Bruce want to pet one. 

 Then we took a walk on the nature trail.  It was cold and windy, but the view was amazing. 

We had a very nice time.  I think this goal will be a lot of fun.  Field trip 2 coming very soon...