Chicken Update!

Ok folks. The verdict is in.
We may be slightly biased, but we did a taste comparison.
We bought a chicken from a local grocery store (one of the nice ones, too) and BBQ'd it alongside our own plump bird (which, by the way, didn't even compare in size. Ours was huge!) and the jury came back. Especially when it came to the breast meat, there was no comparison. Ours won hands down. It was juicer, bigger, had more flavor...you get the drift. Just thinking about it makes me want more. Good thing we know how to make a killer chicken soup with the leftovers!

Chickens to Chicken

So as Katie pointed out this morning, why is it when chickens are alive, we call them chickens, plural, but when we buy it from the store, no matter the quantity, we call it chicken? Good question Katie, and one I don't have an answer for.
All this chicken talk can only mean one thing. You guessed it - chicken processing day was today!
Marc and Liz woke up bright and early (5am) to bundle up and head out to the chicken barn and chase some chickens around. Actually, they are quite sleepy still at that time, so there was very little chasing. No one lost any fingers or got clawed, which is always a plus. Once they were snug in their cages once again, they fired up the truck, and Mark, Liz and Elijah (getting his first business trip out of the way early) hummed out of the driveway and headed up island.
Once the chickens were dropped off, they had the morning and afternoon to kill (sorry, bad pun there) and their first stop was following their tummies to a bakery Marc used to work for for some baked goods and a warm beverage. Unfortunately, the key they had only started the truck, it didn't unlock it. So while they waited patiently, Katie packed the kids up and drove them a set of keys that would do both. It was tedium, but as Josh pointed out - "hey, you said you needed to kill some time, right?"
The rest of the afternoon was spent here and there, and before long it was time to go get the 'chicken'. Nicely boxed, they packed up the truck again, and headed back home to sort, weigh, and package.
It was a relief the trip was so painless. We had a great turnout, according to our mentors, with only one casualty. (It happened the night before, too. Go figure.)
So there you have it! Chicken success! Place your order now! :)

Things are looking sunny...

Well the weather can't seem to make up it's mind what it's doing out there (yesterday was positively beautiful, then it started snowing in the evening) but the blueberry bushes know what's up as they are slowly starting to bud and leaf! Marc, who has become a blueberry expert these last few months, showed us all recently which parts of the branch were going to be blueberries and which parts were leaves. It's very exciting inspecting a plant and seeing all those blueberry buds!
Our raking and pruning endeavors are close to finished, and then it's onto the next step. Our backs won't complain when the raking is finished!
We are a mere week and a half away from selling our first batch of home-grown chickens. We sold out in no time flat, so if you were hoping to buy a nice plump Meadowbrook farm chicken this first batch, you'll have to give us a call and pre-order for the next time 'round! The next order will be due mid-May. We also upped the amount we are selling, due to popular demand! 70 chickens just isn't enough for you hungry people. 150 is where we're going next...how quickly can we sell them??
The house seems to be doing quite well, as we change and improve things here and there. Liz recently made up a 'household chores' list, and we've all agreed to try and check off anything we can for that given day. The kids also seem to be settling in a lot better these days. There are less tantrums, and more co-operation. Don't get me wrong, there are still numerous 'time outs' in a day, but they are learning. When asked what he get's for whining and crying the other day, Jeremiah promptly answered "I get a tiiiime out." Half the time when one of the twins gets a time out, the other sits on the stair too, which we find somewhat amusing. Hey, brothers have to stick together, right? The main point is, the adults are trying our best to stick together as a team, and dish out the discipline as best we can when we're the only one around. The kids took a while to grow accustomed to not just two adults watching their every move, but 6 now, and they are starting to realize it's harder to get away with something! Consistency and love are what is keeping us all sane.
Stay tuned for more Meadowbrook Farmily news :)

Chickens!
Their journey to their new home went off without a hitch. Some of them were even still half asleep when we got home! This photo certainly doesn't look like there is almost 70 chickens in it, but there is. The space they're in is nice and large, and they are all cuddled up under the heater for the night. I look forward to watching them grow!

The haunting of the Noro!

Well, as we have learned, living in a big house has it's ups, and it's downs. This past week, we have learned what 'communal' living can really be all about.
You got it, we all got sick.
As some of you may have learned, the Noro-virus is spreading through Victoria like some kind of bathroom nightmare, and the Farmily was no exception. It's fast, but it's brutal, and living in one big house only means there was more people to spread it to. Thankfully, the littlest ones didn't seem affected, and Jeremiah and Hannah only had it for a small amount of time. Us adults however...well let's just say it's a good thing we all have our own washrooms. And one to spare.
On a better note, we pick up our chickens this evening! Soon the chicken barn will be a feathery, poopy, smelly place to be, but as for now it is pristine and all ready for the noisy arrival of some odd 70 chickens.
Photos to follow!

Chickens and Raking!

Now that we're all getting a good feel for our 'farm' legs, things have kicked it up into high gear around here as February trucks right along. The boys are still doing a great job pruning, with the wonderful and amazing help of our mentors Bryan and Lynn, and Liz along with Katie and several others have begun the task of raking up the snipped branches and all the fallen leaves. We had a business meeting to make sure we're all on the same page as to what needs to be done, and we all agree, being a farmer means work! It's a very satisfying kind of work, however, one that at the end of the day you can sit in the hot tub and feel truly accomplished for the day.
We spent the morning on Saturday prepping the large barn area where we will be housing our chickens. They are due to arrive towards the end of February, and we are excited! The area now has the layer of wood shavings needed, the watering canisters are in place, and Josh will be hanging the food canisters before the weekend. Add in our heat lamp, and voila! Chicken paradise! Well, at least until it's time to....well you know. Heh.
Stay tuned! Liz will certainly be hovering around with her camera in the next few weeks and she will be sure to post more photos. Chickens and raking and pruning oh my!

Settling In.

Well it's been over a week of the Godbeers, McIlveens, and Uptons all living under one roof, and no one is deceased yet!
Life is settling into a nice routine around here. The boys are gone most of the day, with the exception of the tired looking ghost Marc who is working at a bakery doing his usual night shifts, and the girls are dividing their time around the house between kids, housework, farm work, and more kids. Did I mention kids?
Today Liz wandered around the property with Elijah in tow and took some photos for everyone's enjoyment. Here you go!

Cliff tossing down bales of hay to Marc in the cow barn.

Our bare looking blueberry bushes! Not for long though!

The view across the lake towards the rental house and large chicken barn.

Marc peeking through the window into the cow barn.

The view I enjoy on my way to feed the cows every day!

The cow barn and part of the cow field.

Sully being a nutter and waiting for me to kick the stick he so carefully selected.

Our cows, T-Bone and Rib-Eye. Heh.

Not kidding, the view from our kitchen. Amazing.

Many more photos will be taken, no worries. There are none from inside here as of yet, since we are still in the process of 'beautifying' it!