A quick look back at recent blog entries reveals that I haven't written anything about chickens in about 2 months. So, perhaps I ought to make clear that my goats don't lay eggs -- you know, just in case you were thinking something along the lines of "I know they're a goat farm, but they always have eggs at the farmers' market."

Yes, clearly I have a favorite farm species.

So, here's a little chicken update for you. It's been so extremely hot that we are having to haul water out to the flock twice a day (there's no water source in the field the chickens are in right now, so water is delivered via 5-gallon buckets), and the hens are spending a lot of time beneath the shade of their wagon.

Despite the heat, though, this may just be their favorite time of the year. Folks have been bestowing upon us their overripe zucchini, their marled watermelon, their mushy tomatoes, and the chickens are loving every bit of it! We were invited to pick peaches at a friend's house last week, and decided while we were there to fill a separate bucket with the bruised and mashed fruit that had fallen to the ground beneath the trees. That's what the girls are throwing to the hens in the above video.

If you are a backyard gardener and have some produce that's not fit for the table that you'd like to share, please feel free to drop it by the farm or our farmers' market booth. The Brood Farm hens would be quite grateful!