If you are pressed for time, an easy way to preserve extra berries is to freeze them.
Lay the berries in one layer on a sheet and place in the freezer for a few hours. Berries will now store without mushing together.
We love to add frozen berries to our morning smoothies.
Here is a simple recipe to work from:
1 banana
1/2 OJ
1/2 yoghurt
splash of milk
up to 1/2 c frozen berries
Blend at high speed until desired consistency. You may want to add ice if you like it cold!
The White Queen - our silver-laced Wyandotte pullet
One of our new chickens, The White Queen, has started laying (4.5 mo old SLW). It began a few days prior with a submissive squat, followed by frantic searching for ‘The Safe Place’. Mostly this involved poking about the yard after having leaped out of the run in a weak spot.
I knew what she was up to – so I locked her in the coop. Sure enough, she produced a beautiful egg, perfect in every way – except for its size. It was tiny!
I do not remember the first eggs of our first hens being particularly small, but they were 1) different breeds, 2) fall-born, and 3) older, and therefore larger, when they began laying at 6 months.
Eggs layed on the same day; compare Greta's egg (Ameraucana) with that of the White Queen 'pullet egg'
The eggs of our White Queen changed quickly in shape from her first very pointy egg (not shown) to the more oval ones she produces now, but they have not grown appreciably larger in the past month.
Because I patched the weak spot in the run to limit her laying options, she is now more comfortable laying in the coop’s nest boxes, but if the Big Chickens are around she would rather look for a spot outside the run – the Bigs still terrify her 😦
I have since learned that pullets (young hens) produce smaller eggs that grow in size, presumably as they do – becoming larger after their first winter moult. I am curious for our other pullet to start laying!
Pullet eggs on left, assorted eggs of our older hens on right
A few weeks ago I dug the remaining garlic. Today, I finally trimmed down the bulbs for storage. I have already started using them, but I am hoping the remaining 80+ bulbs will take me through the year. Some years I run out well before summer. Other years I have had surplus that overlaps into the new year.
Sometimes I have planted grocery-store garlic, …actually, I have always planted grocery-store garlic. But last year I intended to purchase top quality varieties. However, I waited too long. By the time I bought garlic (late October), all the local growers were sold out. Yep. SOLD OUT.
I managed to find some garlic at the West Seattle nursery. I bought whatever they had, some of which was on my list, some not. Hardneck varieties produce beautiful garlic scapes, which I covet for replacing the garlic in pesto. Softneck varieties lack the scape, but are known for their longer storage times.
Ultimately I planted a combination of White Rose (softneck), Spanish Roja (hardneck), and a few rows from clumps of volunteers from 2010. The (hopefully cured) bulbs will go in the bedroom closet – the closest conditions I have to a dry place 60-70F.
Although it is very very easy to purchase garlic at the grocery store, I love to grow my own. In addition to the satisfaction of producing this versatile and fascinating vegetable, I hate to run out when I am making dinner. Having my own stash ensures this never happens (until at least spring!).
Every day the past few weeks, I would consider Roo.
‘Could this possibly be a hen?’
So pretty, with the bright red feathers. Huge feet. Long amber feathers grew on his neck (called hackles, see diagram below), and the feathers at the back of his saddle began to curl downward instead of lying flat like they do on a hen.
Yesterday morning, about 10 am, Roo started to crow. He crowed about 12 times at about 40 second intervals. It wasn’t terribly obnoxious and it was kind of sweet to watch him declare himself. But he is still very young.
The breeder took him back that afternoon (for a nominal fee). While we were there we again toured his yard where he raises Rhode Island Reds, Black Ameraucanas, Lavender Orphingtons, and, of course, Copper Black Marans. Each in their own pen, we paused at the Marans. The hens were dull; mostly black with some brown cape feathers. We definitely did not have a hen.
The rooster, however, was magnificent. Fully 30″ tall, his bright orange cape cascading over his shoulders. Pendulous 3″ red wattles, long, curly sickles for tail feathers; red, copper, and black. He was so amazing I forgot to take a photo. At that size, I am sure his singing voice would be impressive. That would have been a lot of chicken to have in our wee yard. Better luck next time.
Sustainable Scientist 
