Puppy Gets a Bath

Puppy got a bath today!

Guinea Hens

The guinea hens are currently making the aviary in the small barn their home before they are released to free range around the farm. They are pretty funny looking, cause a racket whenever they hear or see something strange (i.e. Megan, a squirrel, Mama the barn cat), but they are pretty fun to watch. They have been in the aviary for almost 3 weeks, according to "Gardening with Guineas", adults (these guys are 6 months old) should be kept "hostage" for 6 weeks so they know where "home" is and don't fly away somewhere else.

So far they like dandelions, apples, meal worms, and stripping the branches of any needles or leaves that I put in for cover. There is one female and the other three are male, which I know by the sounds they make, but have no idea looking at the picture who is who. Because they are pretty wild birds, they lay in odd places, so chances are we won't be hatching or finding guinea eggs any time soon (especially with only one female), unless we get really lucky and can find her nest.

For now, they're having a fine time looking out the window (the other "wall" that you can't see is all chicken wire so it's plenty ventilated), hopping on the ladders, and making a ruckus.

Gone Fishin'

Two of the fish caught so far. Nothing like a good trout for dinner!

New Addition!

There's been a very exciting addition to the BC Farms family...NEBCR's Larkspur! He is a red and white border collie and so far has enjoyed life on the farm! He will be renamed to fit the theme of the Scottish names soon. He loves to play and chase his new siblings and to follow Ian around the farm.

Ian picked him up from his foster family on Sunday after going to a beekeeping course in Cornell. So it looks like we have a new disc dog and maybe some of our own honey coming soon! (Depending on bee package availability).

Ian's mother came over and helped with farm chores and planted some flowers. It will be very exciting to see all the new plants growing on the farm. It has made such a transformation already in less than a year.

Disc dog season has begun, and BC Farms paws and humans will be at an event on Saturday!

Updates!

Spring has been very busy so far!

The new piece of heavy machinery is....a backhoe! It has been used several times so far and has helped a lot with completely taking down the broken barn and some dead trees and their stumps. What will go in the barn's place is yet to be determined, but a vegetable garden will be going nearby.

There are also more animal additions to the farm! 5 baby chicks, over a month old! We aren't sure what they are, or what sex they are, but they sure are cute and busy! I think we have 3 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 2 Buttercups or Easter Eggers. Will post pics of them soon!

We also bought our first guinea hens! They are unfortunately as obnoxious as everyone has said, but they are still kind of cool. The guineas are about 6 months old, and have been held "captive" in the upstairs aviary to give them a sort of homing instinct to come back to the poultry area. They will probably be let go in a couple of weeks to start free ranging and getting rid of ticks!!