Quack Quack!

hatching ducklings and a curious hen

I have small flock of ducks of various breeds, including Buff, Welsh Harlequin, Ancona, Rouen, Khaki Campbell, Black Cayuga, Blue Swedish and Black Swedish.  I raise them for their eggs, which I sell, and for their sheer fun of watching ducks go about their business. 

This hen managed to build her nest in the walkway to the barn, so we were all forced to sidestep her as we went about our day.  Here she is hatching seven adorable ducklings with one curious onlooker monitoring the progress.

Farm Camp Update

Thumbelina aka the Pixie Goat

The first week of farm camp was last week and we all had a blast!  The "campers" were full of energy and enthusiasm.  They never tired of the farm work and getting to know all the animals and how to care for them.  They also  learned how to "skirt" a fleece, wash the wool, card and felt some very stylish pouches to take with them.  I dyed the wool using natural plant dyes, including Black Walnut leaves, nettles, mint  and wild chamomile.  We made drums from rawhide and willow from the ranch.  Thanks to my friend, Gary, owner of A Healthy Palate, the kids made Paleo pancakes (a big hit).  And finally, after a week of anticipation, one of the nesting ducks hatched her ducklings on Friday.  All seven ducklings are doing well.  (Pictures to follow).  We still have a few openings left for July camp (July 16th-20th).   Happy Hens Farm Summer Camp Flyer
Happy Hens Farm Summer Camp Registration

Spring arrivals

Ewe with new lamb

I'm in the thick of lambing and kidding these days.  Every day there's at least four new arrivals.  Today we had 6 goat kids and 2 lambs born.  The barn swallows and finches have returned and are busily preparing their nests.  The turkeys are setting on eggs and the farm is filled with the sound of chickens clucking away laying eggs.  There never seems to be a smooth transition from Winter to Spring.  One day we are shivering and cold and wondering when Winter will end and the next we are caught up in the rush of activity brought with Spring.

Happy Hens Farm Camp Summer 2012

We have scheduled two weeks of farm camp for this Summer:  June 18th-22nd and July 16th-20th.  The camp will be led by Waldorf teachers and will include lots of farm-focused activities, including animal care, gardening, cooking and baking with food from the farm, and arts and crafts.  Camp hours are 9 am to 3:30 pm and the price is $275.  For ages first grade and up.  As of May 28th, we still have spaces available in both camps.   Please download (PDFs) for more info:  Happy Hens Farm Camp flyer    Happy Hens Farm Camp registration form

Live Oak School Farm Visit

The 3rd grade class from Live Oak School came for a return visit to the farm this week.  Spring has sprung on the ranch and there was lots to do and see.  Claire, my Milking Shorthorn cow,  patiently let us milk her in front of the kids while her calf, Lily, slept nearby.  Manny and Missy, our bottle baby lambs, mingled with the crowd, happily bounding about with us.  The goat kids received lots of attention (and petting) and the younger chickens gladly let the children hold them, often snoozing off in their arms.  Taylor, one of the farm interns, explained the construction of our Native American earth lodge while the kids listened attentively.  And of course our resident herding dog/ranch boss,  Jack, was there to greet each carload of kids as they arrived.  He ran and romped with the kids and eagerly enjoyed snack time with them.

Not only were the kids undaunted by the mud, they actually embraced it.  As I looked on watching a group of kids  gleefully jumping into the muddy banks of the creekbed, one parent said to me:  "It's primal."  Yay!

Welcome Spring!

I was greeted this morning with the sight of Claire, one of my older Milking Shorthorns, standing on the highest hill on my ranch with a small silhouette beside her.   We were all very happy to meet Claire as she came down the hillside with a pretty, little white heifer calf by her side.  Lily, as I named her, spent the day with her mom, happily nursing and sleeping nearby as Claire grazed the pastures.

On rendering lard

I've taken to rendering lard of late.  Mostly I've been making lard from the kidney fat (aka leaf lard) of pastured pork from Highland Hills Farm.  Soon I will be experimenting with the kidney fat from lamb.  I've was leafing through the pages of a James Beard cookbook from the 1970s when I was in high school.  The book is entitled 100 of the World's Greatest Recipes and many of the recipes call for lard, suet or marrow bones.  I remember at some point cooking with fat a la James Beard falling out of favor and now, thankfully, there seems to be a culinary embrace for fat once again.  Real lard isn't as unhealthy for us as we have all been lead to believe.  And kidney fat lard is the most prized for baking (and makes the best oven-roasted potatoes). 

Rendering lard isn't difficult:  it's just a bit of a time-consuming two-day process.  But in the end, there is that satisfying moment of having participated in some time-honored, ancestral process that goes beyond mere food.  (Plus lots of good, creamy-white lard.)

And yes, I've taken to selling the lard — wrapped up in small 4 oz packages.  It's available both at the Berkeley Farmers Markets and at the farm store.