Spring- Oh Spring, Where Are You?
As I sit here in my home with the wood stove roaring, the fireplace on, and dressed in flannel pajamas and my sweatshirt and I am still cold, I dream of warmer days ahead. I am planning my garden while looking at nothing but snow. How can I possibly dream of large, full tomato plants while looking at the gloomy, cloudy sky of January?
Another activity that I love to do in the winter to prep for spring here on the farm is searching for chickens. We always like to add to our flock in the spring. This year I am wanting more layers as I can usually sell eggs quite often in the summer. I have always liked Old English chickens, and I have several, but being bantam chickens, it makes the eggs harder to sell. I know I will buy a few of those, because they are cute.
To get good egg producers, I recommend Australorp, Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, Marans, Barred Rocks, Amerucanas,or Sussex. Those are our top picks for laying hens. My husband loves the Barred Rocks, but Marans are possibly my favorites out of that list. Leghorns will easily lay 280-320 eggs a year, so they are usually a popular breed among most farmers wanting chickens just for egg production.
Another reason to look forward to spring is the longer days, I can't tell you how many evenings I have been ready to go to sleep at 8 p.m. or earlier due to the dark, gloomy days. Sunshine seems to evade us in January most days and that truly messes with my internal clock, mood, etc. I feel like we are not as productive without the sunshine. Do you notice that where you are? Are you fortunate to live where the sun shines most of the month?
Getting away from the cold is yet, another spring favorite for me. I don't mind cold, but artic cold for almost 2 weeks now is just about to set my temper aflare. With temps below zero and even colder wind chills daily, it just seems that it will never end. Our farm has lost three chickens due to the cold. Even with heat lamps and other provisions in place, it is just too cold!
Well, I am going to warm my fingers by the woodstove now. Take care, bundle up and stay warm and know spring is coming- I think.
Hope you are staying warm. Remember the days are getting longer now. The cold has been brutal so far this year but I know (around here anyway), the weather is supposed to go back to normal next week and maybe even a bit warmer than that. Hopefully, you'll get those temps as well.
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