Poultry Discussion

Why poultry discussion? Well we are chicken farmers and all too often when we talk with family and friends we start with talking about chickens then end up talking about anything from food and food safety, climate change, wildlife, birds, our farm. We started this blog to communicate what we are finding out about the world around us and how we try to farm in a sustainable way so that our farm is here not only for ourselves and our neighbours but for the future too.

Thursday, 1 November 2007

River Sacramento

This is the River Sacramento, which forms a major part of the water systems that ultimately supply water to most of the population of California. I have been studying this river system as part of my Nuffield Study on water supply security.

Sacramento Capital

I have been spending time visiting officials and policy makers in Sacramento discussing water issues. The central political building is the Capital and in the park that surrounds it there is an arboretum with palms, redwoods, native oaks to name just a few. A very beautiful space.

Tuesday, 30 October 2007

Amtrak travel

I have had great fun travelling on Amtrak trains whilst I have been in California. Very convenient and double decker trains too so great to see the farming that is going on so studying whilst I am travelling much more so than if I was driving.

California Beaches

I had a great trip on Sunday around the farming of North California, Napa Valley - wine, Marin country - dairy farming, beef as well as passing almond groves and fields with peppers being harvested. I ended up on Dillon Beach, a small secluded beach with a small community living nearby. I had to paddle in the Pacific before I went home!

Sunday, 28 October 2007

More rainbow vegetables

Rainbow vegetables

I went to the Farmer's Market in Davis, California yesterday. A truly vibrant place to be in more ways than one. The market was full of local foods, fruit, vegetables, but I had to ask if the stall holders minded me taking a photograph because the carrots and potatoes were amazing colours too. There was a scarecrow competition, information on slow food, school project information and almost a carnival atmosphere. Temperatures in the mid 70s fahrenheit help i'm sure.

Saturday, 27 October 2007

Travel Companion

Whilst walking on the University Campus I was joined by a travel companion who had the most distinctive call - almost sounding like a jay - but blue! Stayed with me for a while along the way!

Hill Farm, Castle Frome, Herefordshire

Hill Farm is about 300 acres in size - an acre is about the area of a football pitch. This year we are growing feed wheat; winter beans, spring beans and oats. We also have 50 acres of woodland.

The wheat was planted in the autumn and will be harvested in August. We will feed the wheat to our chickens and sell some of the straw to other farmers who will probably use it for bedding for their livestock. We will bale some up for ourselves and chop the rest and incorporate (put it back) into the soil to improve soil structure. Beans were planted in the spring along with spring oats.

The woodland areas are traditional mixed woodland with conifers and areas of deciduous trees. There is a myriad of wildlife on the farm - mammals, birds, insects ... we will tell their story in this blog. They live in the woodland, fields, lakes, and streams. We hope that you will enjoy the story of our farm.