It's what's for breakfast

Coop Part Deux

We added to our chicken coop a week or so after building it. As there wasn't a way to access the inside of the pen without dragging it away from the coop, we decided (after several chicken escapes) to create a couple of hatch doors. We also elevated the coop because the Pacific Northwest is rainy, our yard gets mushy, and we want the coop to stay as dry as possible.

The reclaimed lumber came from The ReBuilding Center in North Portland. We also picked up a window as one of the two hatch doors. When I went back the next day to pick up a mate for the window, all of the matching ones were gone. Lesson learned: if you see something you want at The ReBuilding Center, buy it then and there. I brought back some 2x2s and we fashioned a screen door for chicken access door #2.

Basically, we built a box large enough to support the coop and pen. The box was framed for two access doors and we wrapped hardware cloth along the inside. Spring locks were added to the doors for security and the coop and pen were secured to the box.

I may paint the top part of the pen, leaving the reclaimed lumber in its natural state. The chickens seem to be happier in their new pen, as the coop creates a shaded area for them to roll in the dirt.

Old-growth lumber from The

ReBuilding Center.

Coop access door #1.

We built a box.

Coop access door #2.

Pen on box.

Coop & pen. And the ladder I made.

The finished product!

Chickens & Watermelon

How do chickens stay cool on a 98° day? Lots of shade, plenty of water, and a slice or two of cold watermelon.

Coop Du Jour

Where do I begin? Do I start with the tearing up of the lawn in the formal English garden to put in raised beds? Do I tell of the conversations where we dream of a not-so-urban farm? I guess I start with the text message.

July 12, 5:43pm

I received a text from the S.O. asking if we wanted to inherit three chickens that belong to The Kid. The hens were living on a horse ranch south of town, but the owner of the ranch no longer wanted to deal with chickens, so there was a mad dash to home the girls.

My response "Okay." Of course I wanted chickens. I have wanted chickens ever since I gave my hens to my neighbors when I moved to Indiana over two years ago. But I know the daily work and the overall expense that raising chickens entails. I know the early morning chores. I know the odds of breaking even after spending hundreds on a coop, food, and other supplies. I also know the entertainment value of watching chickens do chickeny things, not to mention the joy of collecting the eggs ("hey, we made food!").

"We need a coop with a run." I texted. "But, yeah!"

During dinner, we compiled a list of everything we would need for the chickens. A secure coop with a secure run, waterer, feeder, bedding, food, hardware cloth. I sketched out ideas for the perfect coop, but we had one in mind that we had seen at Coastal Farm and Ranch earlier this year.

We woke up early and drove to Coastal to pick up supplies for the ladies. The coop we wanted was gone. The others were outrageously expensive and cheaply made. All of the locks would need to be replaced and the coops needed to be predator-proofed. Fortunately, the dog houses were right near the coops, and there was one that was just under $100. With a few mods, it could be the perfect hen house for the girls. We grabbed some hardware cloth and a waterer and headed home to start the Extreme Coop Makeover.

When the S.O. went to the local hardware store for hinges, locks, screws, and wood, I swung by the Urban Farm Store for the rest of the supplies: Portland Layer, a metal feeding trough, oyster shell and grit. We finished the coop around 9pm. We were exhausted and the hens were relieved to not have to spend the night in the dog crate.

Enjoy the pics below, but this isn't the end of the story. Remember, I drew what I thought would be the perfect coop for our backyard farm. This coop was a wonderful start, but in order to open and shut the door and reach the food and water, the pen had to be dragged to and fro. Not an easy task should there only be one person around to care for the girls (such as a house/pet sitter) and this coop had to be easy. 

Coming soon: Coop Part Deux.

The girls in the dog kennel, on the ride to the big city.

The Perfect Home for Every Dog,
or chicken.

One plank was removed from each side
panel, to allow airflow through the coop.

Hardware cloth was stapled to the
inside of the side panel.

And voila! One side wall of the coop
is ready.

View of side panel and front of coop.

All the walls are up. Time to put in a floor.

1/2" hardware cloth was attached to the
bottom, using a side plank for support.

The coop came with 3 floor panels.
We used one for the floor under the 

nest box and one for the door.

The roof was attached with hinges along
the front wall, so the inside of the coop
can be easily accessed for eggs
and cleaning.

I later switched the door hinge so it
swings from the top.

Here comes the run. Most of the wood came from
scrap in the basement.

The (almost) finished coop and run.

Zucchini ribbons with white beans and tomatoes

My favorite new show is The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green. Sure, I've only seen one episode, but I watch clips on the website (including the goat cam) and I follow them on Twitter. I just love the idea of The Boys moving to the country and starting a farm, because after all, that's my dream.

Live TV : UstreaI wasn't able to have a garden this year, way too busy. Not sure if I will be able to have one at the house next year anyway, it's very shady, not enough light for growing veggies. Lucky for me, one of my colleagues brought in a care package of giant zucchini and heirloom tomatoes. Ever since I went all gluten-free/all-the-time, I just stopped baking, so zucchini bread wasn't an option for the monster zukenites. I scoured the 'net and found websites for carving zucchini or drying them out to build a shed. I did find one site where shredded zucchini was a substitute for pasta (how gluten-free can you get?), and my soon-to-be gentlewoman farmer, Copeland, sent me a link to her "recipe" for zucchini and lavender soup.

But then I saw the Tweet: "A recipe that will make you happy you have all of that excess zucchini." I was sold on zucchini pasta. Of course, I had to make it my way (read: with ingredients found around the house). Again, no measurements, but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you should expect that from me by now. I shredded two giant zucchini, but only used enough to make myself lunch. I have enough to make a couple of more meals, with variations on toppings. You can adjust your own amounts according to how many you are cooking for, or if this is a main meal or side dish.

Zucchini ribbons with white beans and tomatoes
Monster zucchini
Olive oilGarlic
Dried (or fresh) Italian herbs
Several whole tomatoes, choppedCanned white beans, rinsed and drained
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, as needed

Wash, then peel the zucchini into long strips until you reach the core with seeds. At the Beekman farm, they feed the leftovers to the pigs. My chickens back in Oregon would have gone nuts over the cores. These are going in the composter*.
Add olive oil to a large, heated pan, then add dried herbs and garlic. Stir in zucchini strips, and keep stirring until almost cooked (more translucent than raw), then add the chopped tomatoes and white beans. Cook a few more minutes and you're done. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and more herbs. I didn't add salt, as the parmesan is salty enough for me.
You can see how the sky's the limit with how you garnish the strips, adding tomato sauce or even pesto. I wish I had some fresh basil—how yum would that be with the heirloom tomatoes? Super yum. I just ate a heaping helping for lunch and don't have that post-pasta coma feeling. I'm going to be a little sad when monster zucchinis are no longer available!

ORIGINAL RECIPES:
What to do with a Giant Zucchini from Pixel remix: the Ann-alog
Zucchini Ribbons by Angela Rae Berg, from Beekman1802.com
More zucchini fun, via http://bigzucchini.com/

* Yes, I have a composter without a garden. What else does one do with kitchen scraps?

Homemade

Ginger Snap Pear Tartin

There are pears galore in my backyard. Still picking them daily and letting them ripe off the tree, collecting untarnished fruit from the ground before the chickens dig in. Like apples, pears are members of the rose family and are a great source of Vitamin C (maybe this is why they are in season at the beginning of Fall—cold and flu season!) They are also full of fiber, which can lower cholesterol, protect against some cancers, and support good colon health. I've been enjoying pears with slices of cheese and in salads, but I've really wanted to make a quick and easy dessert with these fabulous Fall fruit.

Last Sunday I made a lovely gluten-y pear tartin for a friend. I drizzled it with a concoction of sliced almonds, sugar, butter, and sweetened condensed milk that was positively decadent. I'm now inspired to try this g-f version, rehashing my fav crust (from the Thanksgiving g-f cheesecake recipe):

Crushed gluten-free ginger snaps, pecans, butter, mix well and press into tart pan. Peel and slice pears, drizzle with lemon juice, cinnamon, dash of sweetener of choice (sugar/maple syrup/honey), arrange on crust in pan. Bake at 325-350° for...long enough to not burn the crust or pears. Melt butter and sugar in saucepan, stir in sweetened condensed milk. Add nuts (let's add pecans to match the crust), keep stirring, then drizzle on baked tart.

Okay, that's a rough draft. Sounds yum, right? Will work on the final version with guesstimated measurements and get back to you.

What's your favorite way to enjoy pears?

White Bean Summer Salad

The inspiration for this summer salad came from the veggies from my backyard garden. My garden has been slow to grow, I'm not sure if it's due to the position in the yard or the late date of my planting. Always looking for something quick and easy to cook after a long work day, I harvested some of the fruits of my labor and came up with this simple, yummy salad.

White Bean Summer Salad
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
1 english long cucumber, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
tomatoes (I used 2 small yellow Taxi tomatoes from the garden and one medium red from the store), chopped into small pieces
handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced

Add all ingredients into a large bowl, mix gently. Season with vinegar (I used balsamic, but red wine would work just fine), extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

I told you it was easy! Hoping more cucumbers appear, was looking forward to canning pickles this year.

Chick & Clinic Update

Here is a picture of the chicks on the day they arrived, L to R: Munkey, Penguin, and Buttercup.

And here are the chicks today (L to R, Penguin (hidden), Buttercup, Itchy (my roommate's chicken), and Munkey. These birds are growing fast!

Penguin the White Cochin is still the smallest of the bunch. Her feathers are coming in and she looks like she's wearing aprés ski boots.

The clinic space is coming along, as well. This past week, after a couple of trips to Ikea and hours of assembling the purchases, everything started to fall into place. Holistica Healthcare should be up and running in a week or so.

Chickens, part deux: Name that chick!

From the top: Penguin, the White Cochin, back and front views; Munkey, the Ameraucana; the yet-to-be-named Buff Orpington.

These are the latest portraits of the chicks. I plan to photograph them every few days because soon they will be full grown and out of that adorable "puppy" stage! I still don't have a name for the Buff Orpington (the yellow chick), so I will hold a contest and...may the best name win!

My Buff Orpington: she is larger than the other birds, so I suspect a few days older. She also is attempting to fly and has a really strong personality. From the Urban Farm Store website, here is a bit about more the Orpington:

Cute, puffy and (sometimes) even cuddly. This breed dates to the late 1800’s in England. The Orpington is becoming the most popular backyard chicken in the States. They are reliable layers of brown eggs. Because of their plumage, they are very cold tolerant. While they tolerate confinement well but will benefit from exercise.

So, comment away! I'm excited to see what names you all come up with!

Chickens!

Meet Chipmunk, Munkey for short. She's an Ameraucana and a new addition to my household! Today I drove a friend to The Urban Farm Store so she could pick up some chicks and I walked out with a chicken raising "starter kit" and three chicks! There's Munkey, Penguin (she looks like the baby penguin from Happy Feet) the Brahma, and the Buff Orpington that I'm calling Buffy, until I think of a better name.

The chicks will live indoors for a few months and then move outdoors to their soon-to-be-built coop. I will keep posting updates and photos of the chicks, and of the progress of the coop construction. If all goes well, they will start laying in about five months!