Elizabeth's Secret Garden

  Spring is around the corner so that means…. babies! In this case my family got to experience watching Nigerian Dwarf babies (known as kids) as they pranced and jumped around. They were a sight to behold. We did get to hold them which catapulted a discussion of possible goat names. My personal opinion is that we should stick to having a category for the names we choose. We tend to stick with royal names when it comes to our animals, but I think the goats should be named after spices. Ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, and maybe even dill just seems so very appealing when you think about it. I think the name “Cocoa” would even be a good fit for the goat pictured above. With friends we even tossed around the name “Powder Puff” or “Cocoa Puff.” I think we should take a vote for the final decision. Two Nigerian Dwarf goats had been birthed on the day of our arrival. The recommended time for breeding Nigerian Dwarfs is either in Fall so they kid in Spring or breed them in Spring so they k...

Maybe you’ve heard that raising chickens is only for people out in the country. Well, the goal of my article is to convince you that that is a myth. The laws surrounding raising chickens have succumbed to the winds of change. Plenty of books and articles tackle the topic of raising chickens in urban areas. If you are seriously considering raising chickens in your area check out your local ordinances and laws.  Search ordinances for your city. Here is a link that lists some state laws. http://thecitychicken.com/chickenlaws.html   With that in mind let’s dive into the joys of raising chickens. There are some things you should consider before diving in. I’ll be sharing pictures from a urban farm from last year’s Coup d’ Tour in the Raleigh area to kick start some ideas. Read about the chicken coup featured in this blog entry on Chicken D’ Coop’s website.  http://www.tourdcoop.com/coops/2014/19.html First thing to consider is if you have the space and materials. This coo...

    Whether you are a homesteader, farmer, into animal husbandry, or just want the excitement of raising animals goats are one you should take into consideration. The does provide fresh milk which can be made into cheese, soap, or enjoyed simply as milk. Harvesting your own milk is the way to go considering that it costs 2 – 3 times as much as cow milk! The stars of this blog entry are Nigerian Dwarf goats. Their milk production is about 2 1/2 pounds (little over one quart) per day. They are 1/3 the size of regular dairy goats making them good for families with limited space. My family has our own farm called “SHAPE Eco Farm” https://www.facebook.com/SHAPEInt . We decided to add goats to our happy rabbits and chickens. To get started we went to tour the Brown family’s  “One Fine Acre” Nigerian Goat Farm. They started out with raising goats on one acre and then moved to a property with five acres. What started out as wanting goats to keep the wooded area managed, devel...

  John Monroe is the owner of Architectural Trees Farm. It was during the 9th annual Eastern Triangle Farm Tour that my family was able to get a very informative tour of the unique and ornamental trees that make the farm a one of a kind place. John Monroe is a dedicated tree farmer that has turned a hundred year old tobacco farmstead into a micro-nursery where incredible ornamental trees are able to take root and flourish before being bought by customers. His passion for what he does was evident and made this tour my favorite. The trees are wonderful additions to landscape designs. Every tree had a story and a personality it seemed. Weeping forms of trees allowed the onlooker to feel sorrow and the whimsical trees took my imagination into a story book destination. http://www.archtrees.com/   Hundreds of trees cover 5 acres of the 38 acre property. Read more about John Monroe in “Our State North Carolina” magazine. http://www.ourstate.com/john-monroe/ Covered greenhous...

  Not many people have bragging rights that they have turkeys at backyard pets! During the Eastern Triangle Farm I was able to see that Cypress Hall Farm has earned that right and decided to go free-range. The definition of free range according to the wonderful research resource we call google is: “Livestock and domestic poultry permitted to graze or forage for grain, etc., rather than being confined to a feedlot or a small enclosure.” Free range animals are happier and healthier which means we will be happier and healthier if we consume them. We tend to trade healthful food for quick and snappy meals or fast food. In the long run organic food products are cheaper because we have fewer doctor visits and feel better. Paying a little more now will reap paying less for health in the future. http://www.cypresshallfarms.com/ Chicken tractors are nifty and are what allows pasture raised animals to be successful. They keep the chickens safe from predators and can be moved around to s...

  More and more people are caring about the food they eat. It is becoming more about what was used during the processing of the food than what its appearance is. An apple can be crisp and a golden color, but if it has been laden in pesticides its effect on the body will be detrimental. The Eastern Triangle Farm Tour happens once a year and is an opportunity to see the local farmers in North Carolina who are applying sustainable and organic practices. Turtle Mist Farm was the first farm we toured. Ginger and Bob Sykes are the proud owners of the farm.  After 30 years of being in the corporate world they decided to step out in faith purchasing a farm that could be used to educate those around them about what goes into producing good wholesome food. They raise heritage breeds of animals and gave a market garden that raises unique and unusual breeds. Their animals are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or steroids and the same care is taken with the vegetables by only using ...