How to Drive a Tractor

5/18 Day Seven

Hours: 6.5

Today Kat and I moved the larger chicken enclosure and the two chicken tractors within. We moved the electric fencing then pushed the chicken tractors, basically chicken coops on wheels, to their new new site by the blackberries. I collected twenty-seven eggs this morning. I took pictures of all the different aspects of seed propagation. I hope to post some of the pictures in the very near future. For the rest of the day I covered two more rows with black plastic, spread lime and on a field, weed, and I had my very first tractor lesson. Kat demonstrated how to drive a tractor and allowed me to drive the tractor. I was a bit nervous at first since I don't know how to drive a standard car and sometimes question if I can even drive automatic. But, driving the tractor was much easier then I imagined.

Flower Day

5/17 Day Six

Hours: 6.5

I arrived at the farm at 8:30 and began my morning routine with chicken duty and green house temperatures. I collected twenty eggs that were laid sometime between seven o'clock last night and nine this morning. Just as I was finishing chicken duty I saw that one of the hens, who's notorious for escaping was running around in the grassy field just outside of her enclosure. I failed to out smart her by luring her to the fence with food. I ran around after her for a bit attempting to catch her but yet again the hen was undefeated. Later in the day she wondered back into the enclosure on her own. Based on biodynamics and the moon planting calender today was a good day to work with flowers. Knowing that today was a flower day many of the days activities involved flowers. Kat and I planted Dahlia bulbs that had been stored in the basement during the winter in plastic tubs filled with peat moss. We transplanted flower seedlings into trays of seventy-two, and Snapdragons into the ground in a hoop house. Two new bee hives arrived at the farm over the weekend. The beehives are a new design that some farmers in the county were asked to test. Rather then looking like a drawer the new hives look like a cradle. The new hives also have a glass window in the back so that you can look inside the hive and see the bees at work. Special attention was spent today making sure all the plants received enough water because it was so hot and dry. I spent some time today looking at the farm records for the past few years to see the kind of planning and organization that goes into running a small farm. In the afternoon we transported bags of fertilizer from the barn to a field planted with a cover crop. Kat and I worked on designing the new chicken tractor we are going to build later this week.

Weekly Reflection

This week on senior project I learnt how to take care of chickens, monitor green house temperatures, spread black plastic, set up drip tape, seed into trays, transplant, put up pea fencing, planting based on the moon cycle, and about beekeeping. I really enjoyed all the work that I was doing. I especially enjoy taking care of the chickens and collecting eggs. I haven’t had any surprises yet on senior project. The work I have been doing is what I was expecting. I have been doing activities everyday to achieve my three goals: to understand the organization and planning of a small farm, to learn how to propagate seeds, and to understand how a chicken tractor can benefit a small farm and to learn how to take care of chickens. The morning chicken duty is an activity that will help me fulfill my goal of understanding chicken tractors and how to take care of chickens. Recording the green house and hoop house temperatures and reviewing the yearly farm plans are activities to that I have done to reach my goal of understand the organization and planning of a small farm. I am working on my goal to learn how to propagate seeds every day by helping with seeding, soil-mixing, transplanting, and watering. I believe I am on track to achieving my goals and already have a greater understanding of chickens, organization and planning, and seed propagation.

What Kind of Vegetable Would You Be?

5/14 Day Five

Hours: 6

I arrived at the farm at 8:30 and started my morning routine of chicken duty and recording the max/min temperatures in the hoop house and green house. I collected twenty-four eggs from the three coops. Brewster gave me the evil eye but let me go about my job the first time I entered his enclosure. But, when I tried to get in a second time to refill the feed bucket he kept trying to attack me. For the rest of the day Kat and I work laying down remay on baby root crops in the field, transplanted flowers, seeded cucumbers, put hay in the hoop house aisles, and repaired a cold box. After leaving the farm I researched different kinds of chicken tractor designs. On Monday Kat and I plan to sketch designs for a new chicken tractor that we can build.

The question is what kind of vegetable or fruit best matches your personality? For instance. I like to think of a carrot as an introverted and kind person, a tomatoes as a spoiled diva that people love regardlessly, and a potatoes as a tough hard worker who enjoys sitting back and relaxing with a beer and a football game.

A Sight to See

5/13 Day Four

Hours: 6

I arrived at the farm at8:30 and began my morning routine which consists of chicken duty and recording the max/min temperature in the green house and hoop house. For the rest of the day I worked with Kat and Tyler laying out more black plastic, transplanting tomatoes and blueberries, putting up pea fencing, and observing the bees.

The chickens were posing for me to take their pictures this afternoon. But, in reality they were just following me around hoping I would feed them.

The chicken with the long tail feathers in the middle of the picture

is Brewster the villainous rooster.

Confrontation with Brewster The Rooster

5/12 Day Three

Hours: 6.5

I get to the farm at 9:00 and start chicken duty alone. I go to the chicken enclosure that holds twenty very friendly orange hens first. I refill their food and water, clean out the poop, and collect fourteen eggs. After finishing the first enclosure I feel a little more confident that I knew what I am doing. I prepare myself for the second enclosure where I know I will have to face Brewster the rooster. I arm myself with chicken feed and a rake. Before stepping over the electric fence I throw a handful of food in the opposite direction from where I will be working. Once Brewster falls for the distraction I go in. I quickly clean the chicken arc and collect seven eggs. I am mindful of Brewsters actions. Each time Brewster stops eating and starts coming towards me I throw more feed. I leave the enclosure to get a bucket of feed to leave in the arc. When I get back Brewster is waiting for me. I throw feed into the corner but Brewster isn't fooled this time. His eyes remain fixed on me. Brewster the rooster is giving me the death stare. I walk over to another side of the fence hoping to circumnavigate the evil chicken. Brewster follows me. I decide to reclaim my authority and conjure up the meanest look I can give. Brewster and I stand on opposite sides of the fence staring each other down. I attempt to enter the chicken enclosure but before I can get a leg over Brewster comes at me. Kat having witnessed the battle offers to ward off Brewster with a rake while I run in and refill the feed bucket. Brewster is out to get me. I am sure of it. Hopefully, we can find a way to work together so that I can complete chicken duty without entering into mortal combat. I have been scheming up ways to deal with Brewster. One idea that I have is to wear a rooster costume and gain control as the larger more dominant male. Does anyone have a rooster costume I could borrow?

Activities:

- Cover two rows with drip tape and black

- Put up fencing for peas to grow on

- Seed squash

- Shovel compost on blueberry row

- Transplant tomatoes in the hoop house

Chickens, Bees, and Drip Tape

10/11

Hours: 6.25

I arrived at the farm at 10:00. Kat guided me through the chicken chores that I will take over and begin my mornings with for the rest of senior project. The chicken chores include cleaning the three chicken coops, refilling the food and water, and collecting eggs. I am really falling in love with the chickens. There is just something about chickens that makes me laugh. Perhaps it's the way they bob their heads or the sounds they make. After working with the chickens we did some field work and set up drip tape and black plastic on two rows that Kat will plant later in the season. The drip tape will eventually water the plants and the black plastic keeps the soil warm, holds in the moisture, and prevents weeds from growing. We then transplanted several trays of flower seedling in the greenhouse before stopping for lunch. At lunch Kat explained biodynamic agriculture and planting by phases of the moon. After lunch we transplanted Kale and Collards into the field and set up a reemay row cover. 2400 bees we putting into two bee hives at the end of the field last night. Kat and I went down check out house the bees were adjusting. I am not scared of bees but there is something instinctually unnerving about being surrounded by hundreds bees and hearing buzzing from all directions and distances. I consciously knew I was fine but my subconscious must have been freaking out because my skin tingled and I became super alert. I asked Kat a lot of questions about the bees and learnt about beekeeping. Just before leaving for the day we shoveled sheep manure onto a row that will soon be planted with blueberry bushes.