This month we sold out of all chicks, pullets, all but one 8-week-old and older rabbit kit and most garden produce. We have added dairy produce to our available produce, see below. 

Produce:

Heirloom tomatoes, wild coral mushrooms, blackberries, goat dairy products (see below) and other garden goodies in limited amounts.

Our current breeds and availability:

(All chicks will be available again starting in March.)

Chickens

• French Black Copper Maran, eggs available in two weeks.
• White Laced Buff Polish, we are back ordered. Once the orders are filled we will be hatching for our own stock until mid-winter.
• Ameraucana, eggs unavailable—we are hatching for our own stock currently.
• Easter and Olive Eggers, eggs now available.

Waterfowl

• Jumbo Pekin Duck, we expect eggs next month.
• American Buff Geese, eggs will be available in Spring.
• Australian Spotted Bantam Ducks, flock of 11 ducks for sale. See below for details.

Nubian Goats

This is our first year with goats. We may or may not have any available in the spring. And it will likely only be bucks we will be willing to part with. 

Rabbits

• Flemish Giants, one purebred breeding pending kindle, another doe up for breeding this week, still deciding on buck choice.
• Silver Fox, one cross with FG pending kindle.
• Californian, one doe with 3-week-old kit.
• Two rabbits ready for new homes, see below for details.

Available poultry:

Our flock of 11 Australian Spotted Bantam Ducks is up for sale. 2, 2-year old hens who brooded their own ducklings this spring. One 6-month-old hen. There are at least a couple more more hens, the rest are drakes. Reply for pricing. Two already sold this week.

They only lay eggs seasonally, from late February through July. Though I allowed them all to go broody and hatch their own ducklings which stopped the laying cycle. All the hens shared a nest and took turns looking fierce and hissing at passerby. They very well could have laid longer into the summer.

Our hatches of ASD had the highest fertility and hatch rate of all other species of fowl here. But, they are too much trouble to pluck for eating and overwintering them is hard considering the minimal production in when reminding ourselves to think of the homestead as a business. As I tell the kids, this is a farm——NOT a petting zoo!

Available Adult Rabbits:

Annabelle, a rex who is about 2 years old. She came as part of a buyout from another local rabbitry. She is small and very friendly, though shy with new people.

Available Juvenile Rabbits:

FG x Cali crossed buck, pure white and friendly.

Rabbitry Update . . .

Mocha, our 2-year-old sandy Flemish Giant Doe was bred with Peter, our 1.5-year-old sandy Flemish Giant buck on 8/12/18, their kits due date is 9/9

Mocha is new here, she was purchased last month and was given a couple of weeks to settle in prior to breeding. The breeding on 8/12 was both apprehensive and awkward. There were multiple mounts, but her tail was tucked for many of the encounters we viewed. In addition, she had never been bred as she was formally kept as a pet. Maybe they should have met for coffee, then had an evening date . . . Anyhow, moving on. 

Cocoa, our year-old Silver Fox Doe was bred with Peter, our 1.5-year-old sandy Flemish Giant buck on 8/14/18, their kits due date is 9/11

Immediate breeding. Peter turned to a bunny stone and rolled off. 

Coffee, our 1.5-year-old black Flemish Giant Doe had her last doe kit weaned at 12-weeks. She will be bred again on 8/28 after well a deserved break. Kits due date is 9/31

Chai, our 6-month-old Californian Doe has a 3-week-old kit that is yet to be sexed. Kit shown below in the gentile hands of my sweet daughter, Sierra.

This was an unplanned kindling. She was purchased as a breeder doe to grow out to be larger than our Cali buck, Michelle Michaels. Unfortunately she was brought to us pregnant and was bred too early. All but one kit was stillborn. Her weight will be behind as all her energy is going to milk production, and she could be permanently stunted. She cannot be re-bred for 6 weeks now, and only if she is of weight—heavier than the buck. The only buck Cali here is a massive 1.5-year-old, it will be a while before she equals, let alone exceeds his weight. We have two smaller Cali does which are quickly catching up to her size, even though they are two months younger. 

From the Dairy . . .

We bought three registered purebred Nubians this month, Skunky, Apple and Candy. They are a year old and this is Apple and Candy’s first freshening. Both are currently in milk and it has been a learning experience! I learned to milk them on the tailgate of our truck on the night we picked them up. My teen daughter googled it, my husband distracted them with food, my teen son looked on with comical commentary. Read our article on what NOT to do to get the full scoop!

Milk:

We have raw goat’s milk available, or it can be heat treated by request. This is a great alternative for folks who are lactose intolerant. ALL dairy customers must sign a waiver upon their first pick up. We have a farm food sovereignty ordinance here in Bucksport, but must keep meticulous records and have safeguards.

Cheese:

Chevre goat cheese is available, it’s a soft spreading type cheese and can be used on crackers or as a replacement for cream cheese with very similar flavor and texture. Seasoned or plain. Day-of fresh or aged in a round mold. It can also be packed in olive oil with roasted tomatoes. Over the next few months I will be experimenting with different cheese varieties. By spring I hope to master harder, aged cheeses. I was thrilled to learn ALL types of cheeses can be made from goat milk with proper technique, patience, attention to detail and ingredients.

Barnyard Notes . . .

We no longer breed turkeys, Guinea fowl, or Australian Spotted Bantam ducks—nor do we plan to in the future. They are too loud and cause me great anxiety on days I’m working close to them. They are louder than the damn roosters! We’ve decided to downsize the types of poultry here and focus on improving select chicken and waterfowl breeds.