It has been two weeks since I’ve moved to the farm. Everyday is different, but there is a general routine that we follow.
6.30-6.45am: Wake up to all of the roosters crowing. And crowing and crowing.
7am: Head out to do the morning animal chores.
Check on and feed and water the chicks.
chicks in the brooder
Give fresh hay to the cows.
Golden, who is expecting a calf this summer.
Morning egg collection.
Feed and water our three chicken flocks.
Peep in the greenhouse.
7.45-8am: Breakfast! For me, hot oatmeal and tea.
9.30am-1pm: Morning work. Two days a week are harvest days. We could be building the new hoophouse, sowing in the greenhouse, prepping new beds, etc.
1pm-2pm: Lunchtime! Usually something with an egg on top.
2pm-5.30pm: Afternoon work. Sometimes similar to what we did in the morning. More sowing, transplanting seedlings outside, working on smaller building projects. Afternoon egg collection.
After we finish work, I might go for a run, ride my bike into town, or do some yoga.
We alternate cooking dinner each night and drink lots of hot tea as the sun goes down. At night, I’ll usually knit and listen to npr or podcasts. Everyday is different, mostly fun, and full of good work. This week, there was sun almost everyday! Spring is definitely in the air.
brand new lambs from next door
love the photos and the updates!
sounds really fun! miss you em!
sounds like so much fun!!! i’m jealous. don’t get too sad when the chicks go off the the butchers!
actually, i get to kill them!! come visit!
Please post more entries like this! I love reading about your day to day experiences on the farm. It sounds like you’re really finding your groove.
I am saddened by your putting an exclamation points on the sentence, ‘I get to kill them!!” Those chicks are living beings who are losing their life and the pain they suffer in doing so.
Look on YouTube for chicken training videos. You will be amazed at what chickens are able to do. They also have feelings. They are social animals just like humans, so they have emotions. They also make friends. I had one chicken who ran to the living room window every morning as soon as my partner let her out of the coop. She pecked on the window until I came out of the house and we did tricks together. She was so excited to see me every morning.
I think there are times when humans have to kill animals, but I do not see how anyone can do this with glee. Sadness would be more respectful of the sacrifice the chicken is being forced to make for human sustenance.
Hi there. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I do believe that chickens are delightful, very social creatures and I see that every morning when I go feed the layers and broilers. I assure you that when we do our butchering, the atmosphere is not gleeful, but instead quiet and respectful; we kill them as swiftly as possible. However, broilers are another crop to harvest, like berries or kale, and should not be viewed as pets. It has been very educational for me, as a lifelong vegetarian, to learn about growing meat and managing animals and soil fertility in a sustainable way.