New Chicks, New Bees, and More!
You may have seen my television show last April when Traci Torres, of My Pet Chicken, came on to explain how to get started raising your own chickens in your backyard. With an aging hen population, it was time for me to acquire a new generation of chicks and Traci was happy to help. Last Friday, she arrived at the farm with 63 new little peepers, of breeds including:
Marans – a French breed that lays dark mahogany-brown eggs
Penedesencas – a Spanish breed that lays very dark brown eggs and are unique and rare
White Empordanesas – a rare white chicken that lays dark brown eggs
Araucanas – have feathers that stick out below their ears and lay blue eggs
Ameraucanas – have muffs and beards and lay eggs in shades of blue and turquoise
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens – white with black polka-dots and feathery heads and lay large white eggs
Dark Cornish – an English breed with short, close-fitting feathers and lay brown eggs
Barnevelder – a Dutch breed with brown feathers and lays deep brown eggs
Blue Orpingtons – an English breed with smoky, slate feathers and lays light brown eggs
We also have three new beehives, which were positioned adjacent to the cutting garden. D.J. Haverkamp, of Bedford Bee Honeybee Service, is helping out with the hives this season. D.J. teaches a class on raising honeybees and Carlos has started to attend. Honeybees are complicated little creatures and there is so much to know. Please enjoy this update from the farm.
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Photos By Martha Stewart @marthastewart and Eliad Laskin @joemartha
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