What a Difference a Couple of Weeks Makes

We're finally watching the woods green up and it's starting to green up inside, as well. We've started well over 700 plants and that's only the plants we start inside. There is another thirty or forty varieties that will be planted outside when it is reliably warmer. Still, it's amazing to see the changes that just a few weeks make.

CHICKENS

Twelve new Cornish Cross chicks

Just a couple of weeks further along, they grow so fast.

The Cornish Cross chicks started out small and cute in February but look how much they’ve grown! They’ve gone from downy little yellow chicks to white feathered youngsters. They’re a feisty bunch and they will avoid me like the plague, even while they are glad that I bring them food and water. They have only until 4/25 but until that day, they will have plenty to eat and room to flap. They’re nearly out of room now, as you can see. As soon as I am assured that the weather will not snap back, they will go outside into the grow out pen.

The nesting boxes and Blackie doing her duty.

Our main flock of birds has increased their egg laying. There are a couple of reasons for this, too - the days are longer and the Boss Rooster is doing his job. When we got the two new roosters, I wondered who would be the Cock of the Walk. Well, it's Julius, the big black Jersey Giant. He has claimed all of the hens and counts Henrietta the Turkey among his flock. Now that we have a dominant rooster, I'm sure that Blackie, at the very least, will go broody and if she does - I'm giving her Lucky Lucy the Leghorn's eggs to hatch. Here's hoping for home raised chicks!

SEEDLINGS

Tis the season to start seedlings!

A couple of weeks and we're transplanting daily now.

Everything that I have planted has come up except some that I planted just last week. The photo doesn't do justice to the sheer number of green goodness growing under the grow lights and in our big south facing window. We have so much growing that I'm super excited! We ordered our compost and it will be delivered on 3/20 and then we'll be full time planting the outside market garden, herb garden and flower beds.

Propagating Rosemary from cuttings.

Well, another success for this spring is the propagation of Rosemary. It started out with those little jars of sprigs and now there are nine fully rooted seedlings under the grow lights! I'm hoping to have enough to share with the farm friends and family. Look at how pretty everything is under the grow lights.

In anticipation for the summer at the Fenton Farmer's Market, we have purchased a few necessary items. We've got a produce scale now, so no longer will you be able to get a 'mess-o-green beans' - it will be a full pound of beans and so on! We've also got new business cards and a snazy new setup for our market square. So much to look forward to!

Visits are always welcome so come see what we do and how we do it! Just let me know when you are intending to visit. We're also going to have a booth at the Lindbergh High School Flea Market Sunday May 3, 2020 from 8am to 3pm. Don't forget: Become a member of our CSA and receive a weekly market basket of good things to eat and free enrollment in our series of homesteading arts, crafts, gardening and other homesteading activities and events held at Windy Thistle Farm. Enrollment ends 3/31/2020. Email me at heartwynd@aol.com for more information or just hit the contact us button at the top of the page.

Let me know what you think of our plans in our comment section!