honeybrookorganic.com Blog

Plants are growing and the meat birds have arrived

Administrator — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:40:17 +0000

Our vegetable plants are coming along great and we have moved some of our tomato plants out into the greenhouse.

Lettuce plants getting bigger

Our layer chickens are enjoying the emerging pasture and the return of the summer bugs. They are following us around as we tend to the fields hoping we stir up something delicious for them.

Layer Chickens watching Sheree

Some of our meat birds arrived today and are now under heat lamps for the next couple of weeks. After they gain some weight and fill out their feathers we will start ranging them outside. They are very frail at a couple of days old and the temperature must be maintained at 90 – 92 degrees.

Meat birds under the heat lamps

Honeybrook Farm

Pigs are tanning

Administrator — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:06:06 +0000

The pigs are starting to get a good base tan and can now stay outside all day. Their skin is like a humans and they will get a nasty sunburn so you have to let them out for limited exposure until they get a good base tan.
Our bee hives are humming with activity which is a good thing. It has been a long hard winter for them and fortunately I saved some frames of honey from last year to supply the hives that are low on food. This should tie them over for the next couple of weeks and than they can go foraging for themselves.
We have started potting up our tomato plants to 3 1/2″ pots and will start putting them outside during the day in our greenhouses. We have also sown some basil, parsley, savoury and tarragon. Space under the grow lights is at a premium now but with the warmer weather and the opening up of the greenhouses, we are in great shape for the season.
Honeybrook Farm

More Seed Planting

Administrator — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:00:35 +0000

We did another seed planting yesterday which included Broccoli (early), Brussel Sprouts, Mesclun mild, Mesclun Spicy, Lettuce Royal oak leaf and some herbs including Sage, Oregano, Thyme and Marjoram.
Our field drip tape has arrived along with a new product we are going to try this year. It is a biodegradable black mulch which is made from corn starch. It degrades in about three months after contact with the soil and is organic certified. This should help us heat the soil and control weeds for our vegetables but still give us an opportunity to seed our legume fertilizer and get it established before winter. We will be using 4000 feet of this product so hopefully it will be a success or Sheree is going to be awfully tired again this year pulling weeds.
Honeybrook Farm

Planting more veggies

Administrator — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:38:43 +0000

Seeds Sprouting

We have planted seed for our lettuce, pak choy, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens and have chitted some of our potatoes.
The pigs now know where home is so we are letting them out a few hours a day to get acclimatized. Their little legs don’t do well in the deep snow so they are using the chicken paths to explore but I don’t think the chickens are willing to share their roadways without a toll being paid.
Honeybrook Farm

Honeybrook Farm 2009 growing season has begun

Administrator — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:51:33 +0000

We have planted our seed tomatoes March 10 under our grow lights and they are already starting to sprout. Our bunching onions, peppers and cucumbers were started March 17 and should soon be peeking out of the soil. We will be very busy in the next few weeks getting all of our plants started and then hopefully (weather permitting) we will be able to get our greenhouses set up.
We have sent our one goat, Elsie, away to be bred and she should be back in about a month. Our other goat, Phyllis is heartbroken and is moping around like she lost her best friend (or sparring partner?)
The pigs arrived yesterday and are getting used to their new surroundings but managed to escape from the barn today with a little help from the chickens I think. The board I put up should have held the piglets but I didn’t figure on 40 nosey chickens roosting on it.
Honeybrook Farm