Last year’s garden and backyard farming was overall quite a success story for us but we learned some valuable lessons and while we did a lot of things right, there are a few things we’ll be doing differently this year.
I didn’t use my little green house much last year, except to store garden tools and also to temporarily put a few seedlings in that I’d started in the house…
…but they quickly wilted because it was just too hot in there for them!
They were much happier when I moved them out and put them on the antique cart I was using as a flower potting station.
So this year I’m going to try to find ways to make the little greenhouse more plant friendly, whether that be with shade cloth or fans or both.
We’ve been raising Muscovy ducks for a few years now and every year they give us beautiful little ducklings. Some we sell and some we raise up for butchering (their meat is deeelicious!). We’ve also been raising chicken, quail and pheasant, quite successfully.
The brooder is always full in the spring and summer…
This year, however, I think we’re going to do away with the quail and ducks entirely and focus on just raising chickens. The cost of feed, like everything else, has skyrocketed and we don’t have the room or ability to free range much more than just our flock of chickens.
The duck pen is going to become an enclosed garden space, so that’s a good trade off.
It’s well fertilized! š
We’ll be ordering our meat birds soon (the white ones below) because those are definitely worth raising and a cost effective way to fill the freezer.
If you’ve never raised your own food, I highly encourage trying it. It’s incredibly rewarding and I know it sounds cliche, but it tastes so much better!
Empty Nest Homesteading 
Awe those baby chicks are so cute. Your yard/garden is just amazing.
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Thank you! I hope it’s even better this year.
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It’s rewarding until it comes time to pluck a chicken. That’s hard work.
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That’s why we bought a handy dandy chicken plucker machine lol.
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Oh, I didn’t know there was such a thing. The last time I plucked a chicken was over 50 years ago.
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It’s an absolute lifesaver! I can honestly say I’ve never plucked a chicken and hope to never have to. š
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You’re lucky. The best chicken is a chicken you didn’t have to pluck.
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Nice post! I have been really enjoying your blog. Did you know that if you ferment your poultry feed you can save a lot of money? Here is a video about it if you’re interested: https://youtu.be/7Ga-pzxbrt8
It works for chickens, ducks, quail, and probably other things too!
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Oh my goodness, I remember reading about this months ago and then forgot all about it. Thanks so much for the reminder! I can’t wait to try it now… š
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You are welcome! I hope it works out well for you!
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Looks very fun! š
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