farm life

22 articles

Muscovy Ducklings!

Our March ducklings have officially arrived! Kitty, having sat on her clutch for the last 36 days straight (except for a few breaks to stretch her legs on the warmest days), was finally able to see her ducklings this morning! Knowing the day was near (we actually thought they'd hatch yesterday), we've been keeping a close watch on her behavior…
March 5, 2017

Shown, Unshown – February 2017

Shown Our newest member of the family has officially been named! Though it took us a full two weeks, calling out for suggestions, and so much discussion, we finally settled on the name Arco.  His full, official name is Arcoiris, meaning rainbow.  He's falling in nicely with everyone except Mr. who still isn't quite sure how he feels about having another boy…
February 28, 2017

Defective

We purchased a defective incubator and I am so heartbroken about it. Two days ago I shared my excitement around the two incubation processes happening on the farm and how the conversations around these processes with Ember have evolved. Two nights ago our incubator started losing temp rapidly. We googled what could be happening and reread the manual and finally…
February 15, 2017

On Eating and Incubating Eggs with a Three-Year-Old

I've spent a lot of time thinking about Ember's ability to mentally process the fact that some eggs are for eating and some eggs are for hatching and what that really means for all eggs. At three, she's developmentally at a point in which she questions everything, which is both invigorating and exhausting. She challenges me to think about my…
February 13, 2017

Loss & Hope – A Duck’s Tale

Two days ago, while doing the morning chores, it was discovered that we'd lost a duck to a predator. Feathers everywhere under The Grandmother Tree, a limp body in the acequia, scared siblings, and a missing momma. We were in a rush to leave the property with a sick toddler in tow, a day of juggling said, sick toddler and mandatory work…
January 20, 2017

Muscovy Duck Cuddles

Who knew that Muscovy Ducks would become some of my very favorite critters on the farm?! Don't get me wrong, I have a deep affinity for the chickens and goats and turkeys and barn kitties and dogs, too!  But the ducks just have me feeling all warm and fuzzy these days :-) From their quiet nature (no squawking from these…
January 10, 2017