One of my yearling does has given birth to a male baby goat (buckling). He’s now 2 weeks old and very energetic. He has the attention of 2 mothers because one mother lost her kid to a predator just a month ago. He’s having a great time climbing rocks, running around and jumping on the does (the instincts kick in pretty early). I still don’t have a name for him so I’m just calling him “little guy” for right now.
Eggs
The chickens are back to full egg production and they are getting most of their food by foraging. This means even yellower eggs than usual. I did a little research to find out the differences between pasture-raised eggs and commercial eggs and…
Besides flavor, pasture-raised eggs seem to be better for you. Several studies suggest that they’re higher in omega-3s and vitamins A, B12, and E and lower in fat and cholesterol. The difference, according to Jo Robinson, author of Pasture Perfect (Vashon Island Press, 2004; $15) and founder of eatwild.com, is in the chickens’ feed. “Fresh grass is a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids. Eggs from chickens raised on good pasture have an intense yellow-gold color, most pronounced in the spring and early summer, when the grass is at its peak.” The shells, though, can be any color. Whether brown, white, or blue, they simply indicate the breed of chicken, not what it ate.In the supermarket, you’ll see “cage-free”and “organic” eggs, but these labels don’t specify feed and don’t necessarily mean that the birds spend time outside. “Pasture-raised” isn’t a government-approved definition, but it’s generally accepted to mean that the chicken got most of its nutrition from foraging, with some grain to supplement. Although these eggs aren’t widely available in stores, you can often find them at farmers’ markets.
Recent photos including some from hiking the nearby National Forest
In other news:
- Horses are in other pastures this month
- I have decided that olive oil is truly a wonder food. 2 tablespoons/day. Has been attributed to aid in everything from better skin to belly fat removal. Just good stuff.
- I have found a goat proof plant – potatoes. Goats won’t touch the leaves (strawberries and broccolli however were not safe). I imagine deer will not eat these either and I know at least some varieites of potatoe even have poisonous leaves. Despite having a few potatoes dug up and eaten by chickens when first planted, they are now thriving.
- I planted my potatoes in a traditional row arrangement. For the redneck approach see below:
- Other recent plantings include: pumpkins, spinach and carrots.
- “wild” rhubarb and asparagus has already sprouted in my front yard
- Chickens will respond to water from a garden house to remove them from the garden
That’s all from here…have a fine day!
