Bay Area BYCers!

[KMilani]

Flies!!!! Anyone have any good methods for getting rid of flies. I keep the coop fairly well managed but i still have tons of flies (and not yellow jackets too).
I hung some of those sticky fly tape rolls and they worked but not very well. I am no using this fly attractant in a hanging container. It smells awful but appears to be catching lots of flies.

Anyone have Any ideas??
Thanks

 

[shanshan51]

Flies!!!! Anyone have any good methods for getting rid of flies. I keep the coop fairly well managed but i still have tons of flies (and not yellow jackets too).
I hung some of those sticky fly tape rolls and they worked but not very well. I am no using this fly attractant in a hanging container. It smells awful but appears to be catching lots of flies.

Anyone have Any ideas??
Thanks

Anxiously awaiting answers as well

 

[chiqita]

We JUST started useing black solider flies. They have cut the flies down so far, but not 100% gotten rid of them. But its a vast improvement. We got fly parasites earlier in the year, and I think they didn't take, because they did absolutely NOTHING. There is info about them here on BYC. We have some expensive thing to put them in, but DH says now that he has seen it the bucket plans would work just as well.

 

[fowlman01]

Dan Famini who is putting on the poultry class at SRJC called, so it looks as if I will be doing one class there. I don't have the date yet.

Walt

 

[Hangtown Farms]

what days are the show and where at? I am way up the hill but hopefully it will be on the weekend as well.
Thanks Jason

 

[clio]

Dan Famini who is putting on the poultry class at SRJC called, so it looks as if I will be doing one class there. I don't have the date yet.

Walt

Hi Walt and Everyone ...

Here's part of the email update that Dr. Dan sent us ... at least we'll be able to come to the luncheon and see Walt do the judging.

*******

..... Do be dressed appropriately for a bit of chicken handling as part of our first class will include chicken handling, basic anatomy and examination.


Item 2) Chicken Enterprise Project

The SRJC Shone Farm is a living, teaching farm/classroom. The opportunity exists for up to 6 of you to gain greater experience with the on campus flock(s).

This is the PERFET opportunity for those of you who are thinking you might want to take on a mid (or small) size layer flock of your own or at your workplace.

This experience will allow you to get a sincere idea of the realities of managing a Farmer’s Market size flock, with many benefits. You will get to learn and try it out before the major financial input and constant time commitments of having your own flock.

The eggs are already marketed through the SRJC CSA program and there is a local restaurant that purchases another 2 cases (30 dozen) per week. Two thirds of the profits from the enterprise are divided among the enterprise students.

Each student is expected to take 2 care shifts per week of the birds as well as meet once every 2-3 weeks for coop-cleaning/egg-mobile-moving/management-decision-making as a group. The care shifts occur either in early morning or late afternoon. Each shift usually takes 45 to 60 minutes once you are at the Farm.

If you suspect you are interested in this unique chance to try flock management plan on staying a little bit after class to learn more and/or sign up.


Item 3) Class conflict with National Heirloom Expo

A couple of you have emailed me about the conflict with the National Heirloom Expo on September 11th-13th in general and with Walt Leonard’s talk on judging poultry specifically.

Walt Leonard is a Judge with the American Poultry Association and an all-around good guy. He spoke to our class the last time it was offered (Fall 2010). While I have not yet confirmed with him, I anticipate he will be a guest speaker for our class again this semester.

However, chickens used for competitive showing have different traits than egg or meat production. Also the way in which you must care for a show bird is VERY different than a utility bird. The topic was considered less valuable by the majority of the Fall 2010 class since it did not apply to most operations.

The class structure is such that you can miss one class with no grade impact, so those of you who want to attend can feel free to do so.
I have changed our topic that day to be about the economics of layer and broiler operations, including how to estimate the cost of any size operation. Since competitive show birds are never profitable (especially when you factor in your time) this should allow you to follow your interests either way on that day.


-Dan Famini

 

[clio]

Hi everyone!

I had another question about the Heirloom Expo. Is it worth buying tix in advance or will just paying at the door be fine? I'm definitely going to try for at least one day at the expo

I think if you buy the HE tickets in advance ONLINE, you will be paying a surcharge, i.e. the price of the tickets as well as a charge for buying/paying online. You can call the Seed Bank in Petaluma to see if you can buy directly from them. Here's their latest email about the HE and tickets; if you volunteer for a shift, you can get in for free, park for free and get a free lunch too !

**********

For your convenience, we've started to sell one-day and three-day passes to the event at The Seed Bank, 199 Petaluma Blvd. North, in downtown Petaluma. Summertime store hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. (Closed Saturdays.)
Tickets are $10 for one day and $25 for a three-day pass (youth 17 years old and younger are admitted for free).
The 2nd Annual National Heirloom Exposition will run Sept. 11-13, 2012, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Northern California's bucolic Santa Rosa. For more information, read below.

Meet the Keynote Speakers
for this year's National Heirloom Expo

One of the many great things about the National Heirloom Exposition (coming Sept. 11-13, 2012, to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, Calif.) is that your price of admission ($10) lets you see world-renowned speakers for free, and we have some great speakers this year--including several keynote speakers that we know you won't want to miss.
At the top of the list are:
Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food, who made international headlines in 1986 when he founded Slow Food in Barolo, Italy—his protest against the opening of the first McDonald’s at the foot of the Spanish Steps in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome. The Slow Food movement has grown to include over 100,000 members in 100 countries and continues to utilize a holistic approach in its fight for a better food and agricultural system.
Ronnie Cummins, executive director of the Organic Consumers Association and co-author of Genetically-Engineered Foods: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers. Cummins spent the 1990s leading food-scare efforts of national and international scope, including Rifkin’s “Beyond Beef” campaign, the “Pure Food” campaign (which later became the OCA), and the “Global Days of Action Against Genetic Engineering.”
Percy Schmeiser, a long-time farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan, Canada, who endured a protracted legal battle with agrichemical giant Monsanto—enjoyed a notable victory—and has subsequently become an international spokesperson for the GMO-free movement and independent farmers’ rights.
Andrew Kimbrell, one of the country's leading environmental attorneys, and author of several articles and books on the environment, technology, society, and food issues. He has been involved in public interest legal activity in numerous areas of technology, human health and the environment.
Deborah Koons Garcia, director of the 2005 documentary The Future of Food, which was instrumental in getting Measure H passed in California’s Mendocino County, banning the planting of genetically engineered crops.
Jeffrey Smith, founder of The Institute for Responsible Technology and one of America’s leading experts on the subject of genetically modified foods (GMOs) and the dangers they pose to human health and the environment, and whose many books on the subject are international bestsellers.
Keynote speakers and over four dozen other presenters will give talks at various times and on different days throughout the 3-day Expo. To gain access to all talks, a $25 3-day pass to the event is recommended. Find out more about the Expo's presenters here

Volunteer at this year's
National Heirloom Exposition in Sonoma County



Volunteers receive free admission
lunch and parking

Sign-up now to volunteer at the biggest heirloom exposition ever. It's the second year for this exciting event touted as the world's largest pure food fair.
The 2nd Annual National Heirloom Exposition will be held at the Sonoma County Fair Grounds in Northern California's bucolic Santa Rosa, Sept. 11-13, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Volunteers are needed to help with all manner of jobs--from set-up to ticket taking--between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. (Please commit to a 4-hour or an 8-hour shift.)
Volunteers enjoy free admission, parking and lunch for their generosity.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please call The Seed Bank at 707-773-1336 or email us.
Thank you!

 

[shanshan51]

I have a couple birds that need to go from Vacaville to Concord ASAP to The Omelet Ranch. Anyone able to transport?

 

[Savuti]

Thank you clio! That was very informative.

Hope everyone is doing alright with the weather and that it has cooled down a bit in the hot areas.

 

[deedletree]

I've been searching for a while for a couple of nice OEGB to replace the pet/showmanship birds my daughter lost to illness and egg binding. Are any OEGB breeders planning to attend the Heirloom Expo? I've got a plan in place to get some from SoCal, but it might be easier on everyone if I get them from this show.