January tales from our little farm
Back in July, we found out that we cannot legally sell elderberry syrup with our cottage food license. Well, we could, but it would entail jumping through a lot of complicated and expensive FDA hoops or risk being shut down. We decided elderberry syrup can wait for another year.
So, we began working on a recipe for elderberry tea. It took a lot of trial and error, but we recently put together a recipe we love, and we hope you do, too! We are also continuing to sell our elderberry preserves.
Our high tunnel project was a bit of a bear. We read directions that said thing like, “simply place the (12 foot tall, 30 foot wide) bow on top of the (3 foot tall) posts.” At some point during the months long high tunnel project, we began calling it “two old farts and a tractor.” And these two old farts finally got it done. It’s now planted with late winter/early spring seeds and seedlings- peas, carrots, kale, radishes and lettuces. Produce is coming soon!
One or two of our newest pullets (young hens) have started laying, and when they all are, we’ll have pullet eggs available again. For the first couple of months young hens begin laying eggs, they are smaller, but also richer and tastier than they will be later on. They are a bit of a delicacy. We’re expecting these mid to late February. Which should be about the time our geese will start laying. Keep an eye out for both of these on our “shop” page. Goose eggs are a special treat, as they only lay for a few months of the year.
before 
during the build 
after
And finally, a duck parade to bring in February. Armpit, the duck laying down in front, is our blue-egg-laying duck. She is a Blue Runner, and she lays one blue egg just about every day. If you’ve had our duck eggs, and seen a blue one in the mix, she’s the duck who contributed that. The rest of the ducks lay white eggs, so she’s kind of special. The kids named her Armpit because, as a duckling, she would shove her head into the armpit of the person holding her.
