EatSeasonally.com

Chickens: Livestock or Pets?

2010-03-09

I have been pondering this question for days now. Are chickens, like Sunflower (pictured here), livestock or pets? Until recently, I had not given it much thought. But when suddenly, I had to give my four hens away, I realized just how attached I was too them. This got me to thinking... most governing bodies consider chickens livestock, but I have a hunch that most chicken keepers, with small flocks, think of them as pets.

When I first acquired the girls, as one day old chicks, I did not really think of them as pets. But as they grew, and we became more acquainted, I realized that they each had their own unique personality. For example, Sweet Pea was the first to climb into my hand when I feed them. Rosie would occasionally peck me when I went to pick her up. And Sunflower was the loner in the group.

Since my birds were all the same breed they looked almost identical. And if I had had a large flock I am sure they would have been impossible to tell apart. No one else in the family could tell one from the other. But I spent enough time with them to know that both Rosie (pictured above) and Sweet Pea had dark heads, while Sweet Pea was the only one with no white in her tail feathers. And only Daisy had a feather on her neck with a black streak in it. The differences were subtle, like telling identical twins apart.

I first realized that I was becoming attached to these birds last fall. I was racing the clock to get some plants moved before bad weather set in. Since I was in the garden and could watch them, the girls were out of their run. Every time I stuck a shovel in the ground, they came running, jumped in the hole and started pecking around. They had figured out, that when I dug up soil, I also uncovered worms, grubs, and other delicious treats. I should have confined them, but just like when my kids were toddlers, helping me in the garden, the thrill of being with them was more important than quickly finishing my task.

All this goes to say, these four birds quickly became pets to me. I was just as attached to them as I am to our two cats. Maybe more so, after all my cats never help with the weeding. While the cats do catch the occasional mouse, they don't eat slugs or other garden pests. Not to mention, chicken droppings make wonderful fertilizer, while the stuff left in the cat box has to go to the landfill. Since I had only hens, they made less noise than a dog, and never a sound after dark. And the best part of all, they gave me eggs for breakfast.

I can see how a large flock would be considered livestock, but I think it is different when you only keep a few birds. And why have we elevated cats and dogs above other domesticated animals? So I am wondering, how do others feel about these issues? How many of you, have become attached to an animal that is considered "livestock"? Please share your stories and opinions in the comment section below.

Death, Decay, Dinner

2010-03-04

Our maple tree is dead.

The maple who's flaming red leaves,
against the blue autumn sky,
looked so beautiful from the kitchen window.

The maple over who's roots,
I've patiently cultivated a moss garden.

The maple who's canopy
my son played in.

The maple who's branches
my daughter adorned with trinkets.

We loved that tree.
We'll miss that tree.

But from decay comes new life.

I don't want just any life.
I want fungi, Shiitake mushroom fungi.

So I order spawn.
I drill holes in stump and felled logs.
I insert spawn,
cover with wax,
stack logs.

I wait.
For six to nine months, I wait...

First Flower of 2010

2010-02-19

It was 56 and sunny today.

After three snow events that resulted in seven snow days from school, this was a welcome change. So I headed out to prune my fruit trees. On the way I noticed this hellebore blooming.

Oatmeal Walnut Burgers

2010-02-02

My husband loves Garden Burgers. I like the convenience of taking a few patties from the freezer and tossing them on the grill for a quick supper. But I they always seem too processed to me, and who knows how far they traveled to get to my table. So I have been experimenting with all types of burger recipes looking for one we all liked and would hold up to freezing and grilling without falling apart. This recipe, adapted from "The New Laurel’s Kitchen" makes the cut.

Garden Planning

2010-01-29

I just received my first seed order for 2010 from Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds, currently my favorite seed source. In addition to seeds I ordered this handy garden planner. It charts planting and harvesting for the most popular vegetables according to first and last frost dates. The chart consists of two sliding parts so you can adjust the planting schedule based on your frost free dates.

This year I had decided to be really organized about my planting, maximizing my garden space with succession planting and interplanting. To accomplish this I created a scaled drawing of my garden beds and a chart indicating when to start seeds and when the crops would be finished based on past experience. Then I saw this chart. Since it was only $2.75 I decided to get one, just to see how it compared to what I had done.

I wish I had had this planner years ago. While my charts are a little more fine tuned to my particular growing conditions, and the fact that I use covers and cold frames, Clyde's planner is very handy, especially for anyone new to gardening. You can get one here.

Roasted Sunchokes and Carrots

2010-01-21

This summer, I grew Sunchokes for the first time. It was amazing to watch one small tuber rapidly grow to a huge clump of sunflowers that towered over the garden shed. The best part, was knowing that this winter I could eat the fleshy tubers. So I have been experimenting. I sauteed them with mushrooms, made a soup, and last night I roasted them. They were great roasted.

The best place to store sunchokes is in the ground, so have just been digging them as needed.