Author Archives: Kelli Miller

A peek at the chick brooder

I’ve shown it before but if anyone has any questions – about the brooder or any other aspect of our poultry operation – fire away and I’ll come back and answer 🙂 Next week Tuesday the birds currently on pasture … Continue reading

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Speaking of stocking up

I mentioned in my last post that ’tis the season to stock up for winter. Same goes for the livestock around here. Matt’s been piecemealing a stockpile of hay for the cattle for winter – alfalfa hay for the stocker … Continue reading

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Come 'n get it (+ the "F" word)

Buff says, “You are not going to believe this one!” Have I got a deal for you! This Saturday at the downtown Charles City farmers market they’ll be serving lunch. For TWO BUCKS – yes, you read that right, TWO … Continue reading

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Morning at the chicken pen

The sun is coming up, across the bean field to the east. I walk down the driveway, Ike on leash, and head down the road to the west end of the pasture. “Good morning, Fred.” “Good morning, Fred.” All of … Continue reading

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Favorite things

(with apologies to Julie Andrews) Fat hens on clutches and big roosters crowing, black and white pigtails and girls that do mowing, bumpy red face warts and white splash on wings, these are a few of my favorite things. When … Continue reading

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Endless summer

Even though the county fair has been over and done with for about 6 weeks now and fall is definitely in the air already, our front yard still feels like summer. A trio of barrels are still set up. The … Continue reading

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Fourth and final

chick feeders at the ready I picked up the fourth and final batch of 150 chicks this morning. The most I’ve ever done in a single year was 300. Last fall I had lunch with my friend and mentor, Penny, … Continue reading

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Messin' with me

Remember Shakespeare? He’s growing! The cows, they like to mess with me. When I go out to feed chickens in the morning, the cows are usually grazing right around the pen. As soon as I unhook the electric so I … Continue reading

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Bee haiku

Busy little beePollinating the ditch weedsHope you don’t sting me And a bee poem from a real poet: Against Idleness and MischiefIsaac Watts How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour,And gather honey all the day From every … Continue reading

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Back on duty

So far we haven’t experienced last year’s hawk problems. But a couple of weeks ago, our neighbor warned us that he’d seen a pair of hawks with 2 babies in a nest near our fenceline. So when this batch of … Continue reading

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