Pastured Poultry and a little field work

This morning the whole group discussed the births of our twin lambs with Josh Pincus before getting down to our topic of the morning, pastured poultry.  We discussed different ways to care for bird while giving them a pasture living.  Protection from the elements as well as predators are important, as well as designing a "chicken tractor" that is easy to move and to care for throughout the 12 weeks.  We will be raising "Kosher Kings" and the chicks ought to be arriving around June 1.  Before that time, we need to build two tractors to keep them safe and pastured.

First, we went outside to look at the version used at the Visiting Schools Program.

Looking over the model

Small sized with half roof

Emily can almost stand up inside

Wheels to move on?

So then we get to work making our slightly larger version.

We lay out the frame

Theo and Nora cut wood

Caitlin and Kiyoshi add braces

Brian fastens a corner

Sophia and Justin attach this side

Rebekah helps Betsy line it up

Lots of people on a small job

Emma sits down to rest!

We'll finish it up in the next week and begin working on a different design.



In the afternoon, we planted our first round of tomatoes as well as some radicchio in the greenhouse.

Some onion plants looking a little yellow

Tyson expounding on greenhouse technique

Boots on the ground

Stephen coaching Betsy in planting tomato seeds

After the planting was complete,  half of the group went to prune raspberries while our half returned to the hedgerow between North and South Waslaske fields.   Here's a little video of a well-coordinated "heave-ho"