Eating Crow

....Or in my case maybe Duck L'Orange.

I know I said it was my first and last bunch of ducks AND I wanted to build a chicken flock slowly....but I can explain.....really, I can.

It began with Capin' Jack, Holly, a guy named Harold, and a neighbor who really didn't like the sound of a rooster, no matter what time of day it may be.

My last chicken tale left us waiting to see if one of four chicks began to crow.
(That would make our small flock at around 34 chickens 6 ducks...scratch that we gave away two male ducks.....34 chickens 4 ducks.)

At that same time my friend Holly, came home after a weekend away to a crate full of chicks. Her husband, had mentioned....mentioned to Harold, the local animal control officer-who also raises poultry and other exotic birds, that he was thinking about raising chickens. Two days later, bam...they were at his feet. Holly who is already busier than one legged jack rabbit in a pen full of hungry dogs, was a little less excited to see the cute little bundles of fluff. Holly unloaded two white chicks on me.
(36 chickens 4 ducks)

Capn' Jack emerged from Easter's bounty. A great looking rooster but mean as...well as a rooster. Angelo's name could no longer be mentioned in our house without tears starting to well up in my daughter's eyes. So Plan B was put into effect, we made a call to the MSPCA. This began our wonderful relationship with the barnstaff at Nevins Farm in Methuen. We dropped off Cap'n Jack, however, 5 Olde English Silver Duck Wing bantam hens miraculously found there way to our house.
(36-1+5=40 Chickens 4 ducks)

Holly's gift to us produced one rooster and one hen. The hen was given back to Holly seeing as out of her ten remaining chicks she ended up with 9 roosters.
(39 Chickens 4 ducks)

Wild Mike as our new rooster became known, was great. No running out of the pen as soon as you let them out. So wouldn't it figure our neighbor would choose then to tell me she did not like the sound of a rooster. She told me I needed to get rid of the rooster or she would complain. Any flock owner knows a good rooster is worth his weight in gold besides I tried my best to explain to her the "blood line" of Wild Mike coming from the same person she would be complaining to...but the irony was lost.

Eventually Harold came a knocking. He did a state census of chickens and ducks, and was about to leave when...he spotted my Olde English Bantams and offered to send over his rooster to mate with my hens and we would split chicks.... I smiled (maybe a little too gleefully) in my neighbor's direction. We picked up Napoleon a week later....
(40 Chickens 4 ducks)

Shortly after a Red Tailed Hawk flew down into the pen and carried off one off the bantam hens....Ummm. They now all reside in a large cage that we move in and out of the coop.
(39 Chickens 4 ducks)

Easter of '08 brought four Speckled Sussex chicks which made their elementary school tour and survived...
(44 Chickens 4 ducks)

Duck Day... Duck Day is about ducks so first came the Mascovy Ducks. I was going to Nevin Farm for just one female but came home with two and one male, Rembrandt. All the time spying a bantam rooster "Rumplestilskin" that I would just have to come back for....
(Chickens 44 Ducks 7)

And Duck Day requires ducklings for all the little kids to hold, I ordered 10 online. Two died within two days of their arrival.
(Chickens 44 Ducks 15)

Sadly, Wild Mike was killed by a fox defending his flock this past June.
(Chickens 43 Ducks 15)

It was time to go get Rumpelstiltskin, he had been adopted, so I took home Elvis instead. Elvis, likes to hear himself sing or...crow and is named appropriately. Before leaving Nevin Farm I was taken to the holding area to view the newest arrivals. This must be what it's like at Christy's Auction House for VIP's before a major event. There in a caged in area was a pair of the most beautiful Auracuna Roosters. I'll be back for that one, I said. Gosh, that Barnstaff knows me too well. And that's what I did. Two weeks later I returned for "Joey" the rooster that replaced Wild Mike. "Joey" is tame and beautiful, what a score!
(Chickens 44 Ducks 15)

Holly had spent months finding good homes for all but one of her 8 roosters. She called me just days before I picked up "Joey" to tell me that all but one of her hens were killed by an animal and her rooster "Crazy Mike" seemed very lonely. I offered her 4 of mine.
(Chickens 40 Ducks 15)

The day before I dropped off the hens she told me "Crazy Mike" had been killed by an animal. I told her of "Joey's" brother "Frankie" sitting down at the MSPCA. One week later Holly had a new flock...she also brought home "Baggy" a small Cochin Bantam and has since purchased a number of chicks.

It's good to know I won't be the only one on the MSPCA's speed dial.

Big Beatiful Blossoms

It has been a busy few months, summer has come early. As did the Amish snap peas...almost a month early. The chives blossomed quickly and were gone and our garlic scapes have all been cut and most of the garlic tied up to dry.

Presently, last years tomato plot is filled with patti pan squash. Several different varieties hide beneath those beautiful yellow flowers. Speaking of which those edible flowers seem to be in high demand this year. I saw them at a farmer's market in NYC last weekend...the man selling them said the chef's really go for them.

Most of the people I talk to either deep fry them or stuff them. Once stuffed they can be frozen. Last year, I had a women you ordered 2-3 dozen from me every week, she would stuff them and put them away fro Christmas dinner.

Those of you out there looking to harvest your own...for stuffing-the male flower is best. It is on a long stem usually to the side of the plant. Leave one or two male flowers per plant for pollination.

If you are looking to deep fry...either flower will do. Some people prefer to have the vegetable still on the flower for a little added texture. As for texture....I have tried several different flowers and have always come back to either the zucchini or the patti pan due to texture.

Recipe for Squash Blossoms in "Recipes"

Zucchini Flower Frittata

This recipe requires that you “flip” the frittata over in the pan. If this is beyond your skill level– as is the case with me — you can substitute this step by slipping the pan under the broiler for the same amount of time.

20 zucchini flowers
4 eggs
1 bunch of lemon balm
4 tbsp. of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
1 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp. of cream

Remove the leaves of lemon balm from the small branches, clean and slice them thinly. In a bowl break the eggs, add the cream, a pinch of salt and stir vigorously with a fork. Add the grated cheese, the lemon verbana and the whole zucchini flowers. Stir. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, pour in the mixture, cover and cook 4-5 minutes on low flame. Then flip it and cook for another 3-4 minutes .

Source:http://www.virtualitalia.com

Spaghettini in saffron sauce

500 gr. Vermicelli
1 onion
1/4 lb of zucchini flowers
3 fresh sausages
stock
extra virgin olive oil
saffron
1 egg
parsley, salt and pepper
grated sheep's milk cheese
tomato puree

Gently fry the chopped onion, zucchini flowers and parsley in the oil; add the saffron dissolved in the stock with salt and pepper; simmer for 15 minutes. Cook the sausages in a little water, add the puree and some stock if necessary, cook the Vermicelli "al dente" (rare done), mix well with the sieved sauce, plenty of cheese and the egg yolk over a high flame. Decorate with the sausages and their sauce on top.

Serves 4

Fusilli with Zucchini Flowers

20 zucchini flowers washed and cut lengthwise into strips
1 small onion cut into slices
olive oil
red pepper flakes or powder
salt
one small zucchino cut into cubes
1 lb of Fusilli

Saute' the onion slices, add the zucchini and cook gently for 5 minutes. Finally, add the zucchini flowers and salt. Cook the pasta, drain it and add the vegetables, some grated pecorino cheese and some olive oil and red pepper. Serve with additional pecorino cheese.

Serves 4

Soup with Zucchini Flowers

1 lb. zucchini flowers
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small celery stalk,diced
salt
1 small onion
diced pepper
1 qt. chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced

Chop the zucchini flowers finely. Leave 4 to garnish the soup adding them to the cooking broth during the last 5 minutes. Saute onion, garlic, and celery with the oil and continue to cook until nearly tender. Add broth, already hot, then add the zucchini flowers. Continue cooking at a simmer for 30 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4.

May I have another….?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 7:29 am Edit This

When you own a dog people don’t call you and ask, “Hi, so and so told me you have a dog I need to get rid of my 10 dogs, would you like them?” Nor do they say, “hey I hear you have a ferrett, would you like a python to keep it company?”

I’m not sure what it is about owning farm animals that makes people believe that you always want more. They are usually right.

Our most recent call came from a women looking to get rid of her chickens. Great we thought, we’re looking to slowly build our flock. She thought, thought she had 15 Rockland Reds and Araucanas. Plus our 9 we thought that was very workable.

We got a call later that night…my husband already in bed…she (Laura) had 15 Araucanas and 6 Rockland Reds and she wanted to know if she could bring them over that night. She gathered them up in preperation for delivery and they seemed uncomfortable in their travel cases. Boy my husband was in for a surprise! So in the still of night with flashlights and four small children, we unloaded 21 new chickens into their new home.

As it turned out our daughters went to school together and will share the same teacher next year. Sometimes it’s a good thing to open your henhouse to people you think are perfect strangers.

Down Time

It’s mid-July (my wedding anniversary to be exact) and everything that is going to be planted has been planted. The daylilies are all beginning to bloom and the hostas are looking full and beautiful tucked away in their shady corners.

The snap peas and shell peas (what the ducks didn’t eat) are being harvested and the summer squash is on it’s way…a little late. I tasted my first mini white cucumber of the season and can’t wait for more!

The peppers, ahhh the peppers, I wonder if I will ever be able to grow peppers. Nothing much going on there. I met up with another farmer at the Rowley farmers market this past Sunday, she has the same problem with tomatoes. I guess there are just some things people can’t grow…

Kind of like the climbing french beans ~ they must not have liked my American soil. Not one grew!

But it is the Heirloom tomatoes we all long for and those will take their sweet ole time…but we’ll wait

Stuffed & Fried Squash Flowers

10squash flowers
2 medium potatoes
2 zucchini
1 egg
2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano
1 tbsp. extra-vergine olive oil
marjoram
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Boil, drain and peel the potatoes. Pass them through a sieve and put the pure' in a bowl. Scald the zucchini and pass them through a sieve or mash with a fork. Add them to the potatoes, along with the egg, grated Parmesan and oil. Season with marjoram, salt and pepper. A chopped clove of garlic can be added to the filling, if desired. Mix thoroughly and stuff the flowers. Fry the flowers in boiling oil, then drain them, put them in a baking dish and bake in a 400° F. oven for 10 minutes before serving.

alice's deep fried zucchinin flowers

My mother would often whip-up a batch of fried zucchini flowers for my sisters and I to munch on as a summer treat. Buy Tempura batter or make a batter with one egg, some flour and milk or water and garlic powder. Refrigerate the batter for one hour before using it. Dip the flowers in the batter and then into hot oil. As they become crispy, remove them with a slotted spoon onto a large plate covered with a paper towel. When they have all been cooked, put them on to the serving dish and keep in the oven at 175 until it is time to serve.

Duck Day '08

Now I know we must be quackers…

Our second annual Duck Day began our season this year May 10th and it was just ducky! The weathermen were amazingly wrong and the clouds gave way (shocking!). There first trickle of children were followed by waves of kids. All there to pat and hold the ducks, chicks, and ducklings.

Parents enjoyed coffee, cranberry/orange scones and cinnamon rolls. While fathers looked for daylilies and hostas for Mother’s Day. Our farm fresh eggs were hard to keep on the shelves.
Kids also signed up for “Farmer’s Helper” Program, I guess they just can’t get enough of those chicks and ducks!