Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

We are from Chatfield MN and we raise Bourbon Red Heritage turkeys.

Welcome to the group!

 

[duluthralphie]

We are from Chatfield MN and we raise Bourbon Red Heritage turkeys.

Welcome to the thread..

What is the drink of choice for Bourbon Red turkey farmers?


How did everyone fair with the deluge last night? I went hunting for my Momma turkey and her chicks this morning, I found her out in the open area in some tall weeds, Stupid bird did not go the 50 feet back to the woodshed where she hatched them.

I checked on the cluck sitting on the scrap trailer, she is still there but nice and clean and soaked.

 

[KlopKlop]

So I am sure you have all heard me gripe about how bad my garden is here in my first year at the new farm. Well I have been trying to decide what to do with this area since it grows weeds and not much else and I am excited because now that I have been letting my Rainbow broilers free range most of the garden I have come up with an idea. I am going to implement a sort of rotational garden/cover crop/Chicken forage system next year and see how it goes. One half of the garden will get amended heavily this year with horse manure, grass and leaf clippings, compost, etc so it will be ready for my garden next year. The other half will get planted with cover crop (im thinking clover and buckwheat, maybe field peas too) and then I will raise a portion next years meat birds on that area, allowing them to range the area in the day, staying in huts at night.
That way they cover crop and chicken manure will help amend the soil, plus the chooks will have a nice lush diet to enjoy. The following year, I will flop flop the ends.

I have been doing my best to keep the weeds cut back to prevent re-seeding this year plus I plan to roundup the whole thing after im done harvesting then burning it and turning it all under with my 2 bottom plow. I have a ridiculous amount of thistle, hemp/king weed, creeping Charlie, and some kind of thick grass that almost crawls like the creeping Charlie.

What do you guys think?

 

[duluthralphie]

I like the idea.

Weeds area pain in the where, BUT their seeds are great for chickens to eat.

I rotate pens for my birds to encourage growth in them. But I only lock the birds up for short periods during the year,

Which makes me think, I should go to Runnings today and see what cattle or hog panels are going for.. It is a yucky day, so going to Runnings is the responsible thing to do..


I think I can be most productive going to Runnings today...

Well, I guess I am going to Runnings today....


There I had a conversation with myself, before going to Runnings, so my DW can in no way accuse me of impulse shopping at Runnings, I clearly thought it through..

 

[KlopKlop]

My chickens seem to have no interest in thistle seeds/fluff so I have been trying to gather and burn anything that makes a pod.

To clarify, the area where I have my garden (if 1/8 acre still qualifies as a garden) was covered in head high weeds when we moved in. I chopped them and plowed this spring. It's been an uphill battle since day 1

 

[duluthralphie]

My chickens seem to have no interest in thistle seeds/fluff so I have been trying to gather and burn anything that makes a pod.

To clarify, the area where I have my garden (if 1/8 acre still qualifies as a garden) was covered in head high weeds when we moved in. I chopped them and plowed this spring. It's been an uphill battle since day 1

I can understand this, If I was willing to embarrass my self completely I would post a picture of my sweet corn rows. My Brother in law was here yesterday from Dodge Center. He said I had a nice crop of ragweed going. The ragweed is as high as the corn...

 

[KlopKlop]

I can understand this, If I was willing to embarrass my self completely I would post a picture of my sweet corn rows. My Brother in law was here yesterday from Dodge Center. He said I had a nice crop of ragweed going.  The ragweed is as high as the corn...

Mine was too until I ran the widow maker down between the rows. I slipped once and that cost me several feet of one row of corn haha

 

[duluthralphie]

Mine is clean between the rows, the ragweed is in the rows. I even went out and weed wacked the ragweed. BUT it is too late for the corn it is pathetic.

 

[Cyrus83]

My garden is a complete lost cause this year.

 

[KlopKlop]

Ralphie dodge center is where my DW works