A new year, and new farm priorities!

Lots of catching up to do, I kind of dropped the blog thing when I started putting more on my farm Facebook page. However, I finally have a real computer set up with internet access where I can write properly again, so I'd like to get caught up on some information that has been requested of me.

First off, I'd like to update with grown chicken pictures from my breeding program, and make a detailed post about each of the breeds that I currently have here. My goal is one breed each day...haha... we'll see.

Next, I'd like to post pics and information regarding recipe redaction, and period ingredients, as discussed in the class that I taught at Atlantian University this fall. Mistress Blythe asked me to teach it again, so I'd like to have a few links that I can hand out with explanations and sources, and let students refer back to the blog for further information and to ask follow up questions.

Related to that, I'll get caught up with my chicken history. I'd like to do another display of period chickens at Ruby Joust this year. Last year's display was pretty darned popular, with people straggling in from all over site to say "wow, is that a REAL chicken?" I'd like to expand this year's display to include more medieval agriculture. No cows, or pigs, maybe a goat or sheep, though, and definitely some grain samples.

Which leads me to the next thing, fiber.
Yes, this is now a fiber farm, too. I went to buy an Old English Southdown Babydoll sheep, and also ended up with a Rambouillet ram, and 4 alpacas that I rescued from a struggling farm. Holy crash-course in camelid-care, Batman! Fortunately, I have a nearby friend who does the whole alpaca-thing and she rushed out to help me figure out what I needed to do with the skinny creatures I brought home. If she has a blog, I'll get it linked in, she's truly a kind soul, incredibly artistic, and she was diplomatic enough not to tell me I was insane for just randomly deciding to keep alpacas. Instead, she has been an invaluable mentor and the person I can call or message at any hour to say "my furry creature is doing "x" ..is that normal?!" 

So, I've stepped up what was an occasional hobby, and now do fibery things daily to help pay for the flock. I'll be posting about that sort of thing as well.

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to end this post with the sad note that our beloved Mr.Fluffy Pants has passed away. We have experienced some very bitter cold weather this past week, but he was already showing signs of slowing down. Most notably, his most recent molt did not go well, and he didn't regrow glossy feathers, or good colors, despite being a good weight and free ranging with tidbits of treat food. He was obviously slowing down. None of the other roosters dared to pick on him, but only the youngest and greenest got chased at all in recent months, and he hadn't pecked my husband or kids in a very long time. He had an incredibly engaging personality, often the first chicken that guests would see, because he was such a busybody, and loved to be held and loved on. He was my buddy, and the yard is too quiet without him. He will be missed.