There's always something going on down at my stable - this time, my farrier is here to trim the donkeys' hooves.
Every six to eight weeks, my farrier, Marc Hill, comes by the stable to check the donkeys' hooves and give them a good trim. Their hooves are constantly growing, and they support the entire weight of a donkey's body, so if left unmaintained, they can split or get too long causing uneven strides and soreness. Marc is an expert in shoeing and trimming equine hooves, and doesn't take long to get all five of my Sicilian donkeys done.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
The donkeys know visitors are in the stable. Here are the girls – Billie on the right and Jude “JJ” Junior on the left watching all the activity from their heavy-duty steel half-size stall gate by American Stalls in Fairfax, Virginia.
Here’s my stable manager, Helen Peparo, watching the donkeys as Marc tends to the girls’ hooves. These donkeys are very well behaved and easy to work with – they are accustomed to these routines because they are groomed and handled every day, but don’t underestimate the strength of a donkey. Donkeys have powerful rear legs, which they use to kick when they feel threatened or nervous.
Marc begins by using a hoof knife to remove any debris and to trim the hoof sole. Donkeys are adapted to dry climates so their hooves have a higher water content and are more elastic than horse hooves. Donkey feet are also thick walled. Donkeys also don’t typically wear shoes.
A farrier’s hoof knife is made of high quality stainless steel and has a sharp blade. It is used to clean up the exfoliating sole, to trim the shedding frog, and to cut the bars.
This is called a nipper. It is used to cut and remove any overgrown hoof wall.
The next step is to clean up any rough edges around the hoof. Marc does this with a filing tool called a rasp. Rasps are made of high carbon steel and chrome.
Truman “TJ” Junior watches from the step in his stall. He is always watching out for his girls.
The finished hoof should look neat and well-rounded, and be free from any diseased tissue. Trimming them should be done often enough, so they don’t overgrow and cause issues with walking.
The girls are all done. Helen walks them back to their stall in tandem. Donkeys bond very closely with the horses in their herd. Both Billie and Jude “JJ” Junior enjoy having full sight of each other during all their grooming treatments.
Now behind the stall gate, Billie looks on with curiosity as the boys are taken out for their hoof trims. Do you know… a donkey is capable of hearing another donkey from up to 60 miles away in the proper conditions? They have a great sense of hearing, in part because of their large ears.
Rufus and Clive are ready to come through their gate – who wants to be first?
Marc talks calmly to Clive to reassure him that this is a quick and painless procedure. Donkeys are generally calm, intelligent, and have a natural inclination to like people. Donkeys show less obvious signs of fear than horses.
Marc begins the process all over again on Clive’s hooves – first, removing any debris.
Marc uses the rasp again and then feels around the edges to make sure he did not miss any uneven spots.
Next up, my handsome Rufus. He seems so relaxed, I think he is starting to fall asleep.
Marc works on the back feet and then the front.
After filing the bottom, Marc also goes around the front using the rasp.
Truman “TJ” Junior stomps his foot on the floor – perhaps he is eager for his turn. Not to worry, “TJ” – you’re next.
After trimming the hooves of all five donkeys, it’s back to their stalls.
I think now they are all wondering what they get for being such good donkeys. Treats are on the way – each donkey gets a fresh piece of carrot.
Tucked away in a bed behind my large vegetable greenhouse, this year's dahlias continue to bloom with gorgeous colors and forms.
Dahlia is a genus of tuberous plants that are members of the Asteraceae family and are related to the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. They grow from small tubers planted in the spring. And from late June through October, these flowers give off a stunning show with blooms ranging from small to giant dinner-plate size. Many of my dahlias are from Swan Island Dahlias in Oregon, from Floret in the State of Washington, and from The Flower Hat, a flower farm based in Bozeman, Montana.
Enjoy these photos.
I’ve been growing this all-dahlia garden for several years. When we first planted it, it was in a bed outside my main greenhouse. We moved it to this location behind my vegetable greenhouse a couple of years ago. This location gets great sun. Dahlias grow more blooms when they get at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. And because this spot is behind this large structure, it is also protected from strong winds.
Big dahlias need a support structure to keep the heavy blooms from bending to the ground. The uprights at the row ends of this garden are antique granite posts from China – originally used as grape supports in a valley that was going to be dammed and flooded to create a reservoir. We secure twine from one end to the other with bamboo stakes every few feet in between.
There are about 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. Pompon dahlias are almost round in shape with tightly quilled petals. This one is a pretty pink and white color.
The genus Dahlia is native to the high plains of Mexico. Some species can be found in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Costa Rica as well as parts of South America where it was introduced.
Dahlias were first recorded by Westerners in 1615, and were then called by their original Mexican name, acoctli. The first garden dahlias reached the United States in the early 1830s. Today, dahlias are grown all over the world.
On this day, my gardener, Brian O’Kelly, gives the dahlias a little extra TLC – checking the supportive stakes and making sure the plants are well-watered. Dahlias grow best when they receive a consistent supply of water – we water these deeply once or twice per week during the season.
This is a single dahlia with just one row of petals surrounding the center disc. They range from a charming single, daisy-like flower to the popular double varieties which can range from the two-inch-pompons to 12-inch dinner plate size.
Flowers come one head per stem. They are divided into a number of groups including single, anemone, collarette, waterlily, decorative, fall, pompon, cactus, semi-cactus, and miscellaneous.
Dahlias can also vary in height, leaf color, form, and shape. This is because dahlias are octoploids, meaning they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two.
Dahlias are believed to have been named in honor of Andreas Dahl, a Swedish scientist, environmentalist, and student of well-known Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus.
This is a cactus dahlia with its beautiful tightly rolled ‘spiny’ petals.
And here is another cactus dahlia in bright salmon pink and yellow.
Dahlias produce an abundance of wonderful flowers throughout early summer and again in late summer until the first frost.
Here’s Moises staking some of the shorter dahlias and removing pesky weeds surrounding the plants – maintenance in the garden is so important. We also use organic mulch, made here at the farm, around the plants to prevent weeds and conserve moisture.
From the side, many dahlia petals grow all around the flower head giving it a very full appearance.
This single dahlia is bright red with a bold yellow center.
Dahlias come in white, shades of pink, red, yellow, orange, shades of purple, and various combinations of these colors – every color but true blue.
The majority of dahlia species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars, but they are brightly colored to attract pollinating insects.
This large bloom is a beautiful creamy white with a hint of yellow in the center. Experiment with the blooms – dahlias look great arranged in different colors or as a bunch of the same variety. Harvesting flowers is good for the plants and encourages them to continue flowering month after month.
When cutting, to prevent wilting, cut only in the early morning or late afternoon. And only cut them after they open to mature size – dahlias will not open after cutting.
And look, there are still more buds just waiting to open.
I hope you have dahlias growing in your garden. Let me know in the comments section. With good sunlight, proper watering, and a little bit of luck, we’ll have gorgeous, colorful dahlias growing all the way until Halloween.
My Silkie chickens, a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy, satin-like plumage, are growing fast and loving their new coop and outdoor enclosure here at the farm.
Earlier this summer, I incubated and hatched a large group of Silkie eggs from Stonebrook Silkies in Massachusetts. They are first kept in my stable feed room where they can be closely monitored. Once the chicks are big enough, they're moved to another coop nearby where they can have access to the outdoors. And then finally, they're transferred to a large pen where they can run, forage and graze. This breed is very calm and friendly - everyone at the farm loves to stop by and visit with them.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
In June, I purchased more than two dozen eggs from Stonebrook Silkies in Massachusetts. Chicken can ship through the US postal service under certain guidelines. All our eggs arrived safely and quickly.
Once they arrive, Helen “candles” each one, meaning she holds each egg against a light, turning it slowly, to observe the embryo inside. Fertilized, growing embryos can be identified by a visible network of blood vessels within the first week after being laid.
The eggs are placed into holders that fit in the incubator where they are safe from other birds and closely monitored until they hatch. Chicken eggs take 21-days. While the eggs incubate, they are automatically turned once a day, 45-degrees each way, back and forth during this period.
My incubating and hatching equipment is from GQF Manufacturing, Inc. in Savannah, Georgia – a company that specializes in game bird and poultry supplies. There are several crucial conditions needed for proper embryo development in all birds. These factors include: proper temperature, controlled humidity, and sufficient air circulation.
By the end of July, the Silkie chicks are hatched, alert, and healthy.
Chicks remain in my stable for a few weeks until they are big enough to go to the “nursery” coop.
This “nursery” coop just outside the stable is larger and has access to an outdoor space. It was made from a coop I acquired, refurbished, and repurposed from a commercial shoot.
And now the birds are in a more permanent yard where they join some older Silkies. Silkies were originally bred in China. They are best known for their characteristically fluffy plumage said to feel silk- or satin-like to the touch. Underneath all that feathering, they also have black skin and bones and five toes instead of the typical four on each foot.
There are eight Silkie color varieties accepted by the American Poultry Association. They include black, blue, buff, gray, partridge, splash, and white.
Silkies also have black eyes, dark beaks, combs, and wattles.
This breed grows a bit slower than other chicken breeds. The combs of Silkie chickens are very dark maroon red. Both male and female chickens have combs, but they’re larger in males. Baby chicks hatch with tiny combs that get larger as they mature.
Silkies are also adaptable and playful. And, they are naturally more calm than most other breeds.
Here at the farm, there is always plenty of food and lots of fresh water for all my birds – everything is replenished or changed whenever needed.
They also have different types of feeders, where they can easily access their food indoors and out. As with all my birds, they also feast on fresh greens and other scraps from my kitchen.
Because the Silkie’s feathers lack functioning barbicels, similar to down on other birds, they are unable to fly, but they can stretch and flap their wings.
This also means that the feathering is not waterproofed, so they should never get too wet. If they do, they must be dried or they will likely get ill.
Here are some of the youngest Silkies at the waterer. Whenever we move babies, we always re-introduce them to the food and water container, so they always know where to find them.
Here, one can see this Silkie’s grayish-blue beak, which is short and quite broad at the base.
Some characteristics between males and females – female Silkies will keep their bodies more horizontally positioned, while males will stand more upright, keeping their chests forward and their necks elongated. Males will also hold their tail more upright, where females will keep it horizontal or slightly dipped toward the ground.
Their bodies should be broad and stout, the back is short, and the breast is full.
The head on a Silkie should be crested, looking somewhat like a pompom. The head on this white Silkie is a good example.
Silkies weigh anywhere from 1.1 pounds for a female Bantam variety, up to four pounds for a large breed Silkie.
In general, chickens are quite vocal. They make around 30 different calls to communicate with each other, expressing everything from “I am hungry” to “there’s a predator nearby.” While these birds are a bit quieter than others, they still peep and communicate within their flock.
It is believed that the Silkie was first mentioned by Marco Polo around 1290 to 1300 during his journey across Europe and the Far East. Although he did not see the bird, it was reported to him by a fellow traveler, and he wrote about it in his journal, describing it as “a furry chicken.” The Silkie chicken made its way westward either by the Silk Road or by the maritime routes, most likely both. Experts accepted the Silkie into the British Poultry Standard of Perfection in 1865 and the American Poultry Association standard in 1874. These beautiful birds make a great addition to my animal family here at Cantitoe Corners.
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