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Jeanine Gurley wrote:The best eggs I have eaten came from chickens who live in the woods scratching around under the leaf litter, twigs and tree limbs. Plus the birds seem to enjoy the cover of the trees. After seeing those chickens I totally changed the way I am keeping mine.
I am now waiting for my first eggs out of this bunch so I hope they will be as good. I may have to go digging around under trees to find them though.
Also it seems that blueberries and mulberries like to grow at the edges of the trees rather than out in the open.
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Jeanine Gurley wrote:The lady who had the chickens with the wonderful eggs allowed hers to free range completely. The chickens spent most of thier time in the cover of the trees coming out occasionally to the open areas.
The problem with this is finding the eggs and catching the chickens.
I have temporary metal stakes with black plastic 4 foot netting that I can move around easily. I open different areas, like garden beds, open grass areas, an old coop area and divert the chickens to these areas on a rotating basis.
They still have a main coop to come back to at night where I feed them kitchen scraps and a few whole grains. This ensures that when I go out there they will come to me (more like stampede) when I go out there. If I let them into a garden patch I am cleaning up they are actually right IN my hands as I am pulling weeds or digging around. I'm not sure what they are eating but they go after it with a vengeance.
As I mentioned before this is my first year trying this but the chickens seem to really like it. They completely cleaned out a 'buggy' area under some pecans and hydrangea bushes, then cleaned up under the blackberries and around the horseradish.
My area is much smaller than yours, only 1 1/4 acre, of that they only have access to about half an acre which is divided into 7 sections. They are rotated around and all paths lead back to the main coop. We do have the threat of predators so I want to be able to lock them up securly at night. And, like clockwork, when dark hits they are all back at the coop and I just shut the door.
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Jeanine Gurley wrote:Twenty five chickens and two geese.
We also had 5 adult turkeys and twenty-some baby turkeys until a few weeks ago. I have pretty much quit eating meat so it seemed senseless to have all of those birds to take care of with only one meat eater in the house.
I will probably eat some meat here and there but an occasional chicken ( a couple times a year) is plenty for me. We have enough diversity in this flock that I should be able to allow them to breed and not have to worry about bringing in birds from the outside for some time to come.
John Polk wrote:Wild leeks (ramps) do best in a wooded area.
I have been told they do best in deciduous woods. I guess they soak up the spring sun before the trees leave out, but get good shade for the warmer months.
Brandon Griffin wrote:
John Polk wrote:Wild leeks (ramps) do best in a wooded area.
I have been told they do best in deciduous woods. I guess they soak up the spring sun before the trees leave out, but get good shade for the warmer months.
That's the first I've ever heard of leeks. I guess they're used mostly as a seasoning? Are they pretty good?
My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Cris Bessette wrote:
Brandon Griffin wrote:
John Polk wrote:Wild leeks (ramps) do best in a wooded area.
I have been told they do best in deciduous woods. I guess they soak up the spring sun before the trees leave out, but get good shade for the warmer months.
That's the first I've ever heard of leeks. I guess they're used mostly as a seasoning? Are they pretty good?
ramps grow wild where I live, actually every year there is a ramp festival here. I love them, they grow in damp coves here in the mountains.
They have a strong garlic-like flavor. I'll eat a pile of 'em fried in bacon grease. Then later, I'll melt people's faces with my breath.
Cj Verde wrote:Lots of edibles to grow but we need your location.
Cj Verde wrote:
Also, you might want to look into silvopasture.
My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Cj Verde wrote:Also consider food for you vs food for your animals.
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My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Jeanine Gurley wrote:At the bottom of my posts there is a link to my projects.
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Jeanine Gurley wrote:
And Cris? Ramps? I think I have a place I could grow Ramps and I do love them with a passion. Do you want to sell some?
1. my projects
1. my projects
The choices we make dictate the life we lead...
1. my projects
Jeanine Gurley wrote:
I am not any good at raising pigs but if I were I would put pigs in there. They will stir the place up, loosen up the soil, fertilize it, run off the snakes and just generally get it cleaned up for you.
After that I would move them out and if you have underbrush or scrub I would put in some goats. They will clear out everything up to about 4 or 5 feet so you can see a clean ‘forest’ floor.
In this way you get the clean up crew to do the work and you will have a better picture of what trees and shrubs you want to keep and which ones, if any, that you want to remove.
My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Brenda
Bloom where you are planted.
http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/
Paul Cereghino- Stewardship Institute
Maritime Temperate Coniferous Rainforest - Mild Wet Winter, Dry Summer
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