Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

I have an almond tree in the pathetic excuse I have for a backyard here in NJ.

Does it fruit?

 

[Shadrach]

Four hours today. Warm amd sunny.
Fret finally got the decent dust bath she's been after.

I lifted her off her nest again despite it being obvious from the pile of broody poop she had been off her nest earlier in the day. She ate well and headed off on to the allotments with Henry. She was off the nest for around 25 minutes. Checking her over on the roost bar it looks like her spurs have had a spurt of growth in the last few months.

Even with Henry's help; we're having a language problem regarding the difference between planting and weeding, I got more stuff in the ground.
The Basil has given up and mostly died, too cold when I planted it may be part of the problem, but the chives, lemongrass and corriander are doing well and I think some beetroot are breaking ground. Could have done with a couple more of the rescued spinach plants. The two in the picture looked doubtfull for a few days then thrived.

 

[no fly zone]

Does it fruit?

Yes and no. It would bear almonds, but the army of squirrels raid the tree before they fully mature and leave the ground littered with shells.

 

[Molpet]

Yes and no. It would bear almonds, but the army of squirrels raid the tree before they fully mature and leave the ground littered with shells.

https://realtree.com/timber-2-table-articles/19-good-ways-to-cook-a-squirrel

 

[RoyalChick]

I think I recall you saying last year the peaches were good from your trees.

Delicious!

 

[Perris]

The last one I went to was a bit short on farmers, a bit short on raw produce. I did buy a very good jar of quince chutney there.

so true! They are a bit of a misnomer these days; 'market for all sorts of things made by local people in their kitchens' would be a more accurate title for the ones near me

 

[Molpet]

so true! They are a bit of a misnomer these days; 'market for all sorts of things made by local people in their kitchens' would be a more accurate title for the ones near me

The one they had in the closest town was advertised as a "French Market". only a few veggies and eggs. ... mostly what they call "cottage" goods made in home kitchen.

 

[RoyalChick]

The one they had in the closest town was advertised as a "French Market". only a few veggies and eggs. ... mostly what they call "cottage" goods made in home kitchen.

Interesting.
Here the farmers markets (there are 3 within a fifteen minute drive of me) have a mix of actual farmers (meat, fruit and veg) and the kinds of home kitchen goods you describe.
Once the season gets going we also get a lot of farm stands - basically tables by the side of the road with mainly fruit and veg but often honey as well.
I think many of those carry eggs but I haven’t paid attention to buying eggs as my chickens supply what I need.

 

[MrsNorthie]

There used to be greengrocers. You know, shops that only sold fruit and veg.

It loved going to the green grocers while we were in Whitby. It was so nice to be able to walk to the green grocer, butcher or fishmonger and the bakery every day or every other day and get just what you need at really great prices. We flash freeze a lot of what we grow in vacuum sealed bags, it retains more of its natural raw form. I think a lot of what you buy pre-frozen is blanched first, so basically cooked. :-(

 

[MrsNorthie]

I have had people surprised that they could actually grow garlic, or fruit, or seasonings. One neighbor thought almonds were an exotic and needed lots of water. She told me my almond tree would die because it was a tropical.

Although it was a revelation to me a few years ago when I learned of a pistachio grove a few miles north of where I was living. Desert zone 4, I believe.

We grow a variety of fresh herbs that we dry and use throughout the year. We are going to plant garlic this fall. We intended to plant for this year, but with all the other chicken and turkey projects going, we just ran out of time.