First Snow

It was a beautiful day on the farm today with 4 inches of wet snow falling over the whole day. Snow slowly adds nitrogen to the soil as it perculates down into the aquifer. We like winter snow!

2009 Slide Show

We hope you'll enjoy this slide show from the 2009 growing season. Thanks to the over 500 volunteers who helped on and off the farm last year. Over the next month or so we will be posting lots of photos in this slideshow format- please let us know what you think so that we can create better edits going forward.

Extended Season Harvest 5

This is our last week of the extended season, and a beautiful week it is shaping up to be! We are so happy to have had the chance to share this extended season with so many of our CSA members and though we are sad to see it end, we are looking forward to taking some time to evaluate our season and plan for the spring! As always, we love your feedback, so if you have not yet filled out your end of season survey, please email Adrienne or Liz to request the link.

Hope you enjoy:

Head Lettuce
Arugula
Kale
Pac Choi
Tatsoi
Turnips
Radishes
Carrots
Winter Squash
Potatoes
Hot Peppers (lots!)
Garlic

Extended Season Harvest 4

Check out the newsletter to find out what we've been up to in the fields this week! Extended season is winding down- next Wednesday, November 18th is our fifth and final pick up- and we are preparing the fields for the winter season. In the meantime, however, the greens patch is gorgeous and we hope you enjoy the bounty!

Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Kale
Collards or Chard
Radishes
Turnips
Beets
Carrots
Winter Squash
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Garlic

Composting, closer to home

Wondering what you'll do with that bucket full of kitchen scraps now that the CSA season and the bucket exchange are winding down for the winter?

Montgomery County's Division of Solid Waste Services offers compost containers at no cost to its residents! Click here to find out more about where you can get your bin, then browse the rest of their site to learn more. They cover everything from composting do's & don'ts to upcoming composting workshops.

Wherever you composting adventure leads, know that we'll be waiting with a clean bucket to exchange for you in the spring!!

What do Farmers give out to Trick or Treaters?

About a hundred pounds of bright pink turnips.

In addition to getting together our regular harvest for extended season CSA, this past week the crew also picked over 200 pounds of surplus turnips from the beds! The jewel-toned Scarlet Queen turnips had reached an impressive size and were just aching to be plucked from the soil and rinsed to reveal their electric pink skin.

These turnips, along with carving pumpkins generously donated by Butler's Orchard, were distributed to two of our partnering group home agencies and Manna Food Bank in time for Halloween!

Extended Season Harvest 3

The sun is back! We are thinking it is wonderful weather for the first week in November.

Harvest list:
Arugula
Kale
Salad Mix
Tatsoi
Turnips
Radishes
Carrots
Winter Squash
Garlic
Hot Peppers
Green Peppers
And maybe a 'sweet' surprise?!

Field Interviews

Ever wonder how some of our younger volunteers see their farm experiences? Tobias, age 6, was kind enough to share his thoughts in an interview:

What did you do at the farm today?

I planted garlic and picked kale and got radishes and beets.

How do you pick kale?

You look for the ones that don't have holes in them. The bigger leaves, the better.

And what about the radishes and beets?

You see the ball and pull it out. If it's too small, ask if it's big enough. If it's ugly [has yellow leaves, or insect or other damage], just put it down on the ground.

Now, how do you plant garlic?

You make the soil loose, and then put down the garlic pieces. Have the pointy side up, and push it down in the ground. Make sure the pointy side stays up. Press it down so far that you can't see it. Then cover up the hole.

And when I got home, I planted garlic, just like you're supposed to [the way I learned at the farm].

Why do you volunteer at Red Wiggler?

It is fun to work pulling stuff out, putting stuff on tractors, picking tomatoes and all sorts of stuff like that.

Thanks, Tobias!

Extended Harvest #2 2009

It's the second week of the extended season harvest. It's a little yucky out if you don't like a little rain, but thank goodness it's fairly warm out. We've got a ton of volunteers helping out today--thanks! Makes everything go faster.

This week's harvest looks like:

Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Head Lettuce
Kale--so beautiful
Carrots
Potatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Garlic
Your choice: Beets or Turnips or Radishes!

Web Site Under Construction

We appear to be experiencing a disruption with our web site www.redwiggler.org today. We hope to resolve this asap.

Contact us by phone at 301-916-2216(Office) or 301-802-2386 (cell)
also our regular email addresses are working fine.

For directions to Red Wiggler search for adress on google or mapquest
23400 Ridge Rd
Germantown MD
20876

Thanks,
Woody Woodroof
Executive Director

1st week of the Extended CSA Season

We've harvested some beautiful vegetables for the Extended CSA program which begins today (and continues thru to the week before Thanksgiving).
Generally CSA members can expect lots of green peppers and hot peppers, eggplant, lots of cooking greens, turnips (with tops), winter squash, garlic and perhaps a few other surprises.

In other news- we have started planting garlic for next season. Our cover crops of rye, clover, forage radishes, hairy vetch, oats, and winter peas have germinated and will help fix nitrogen for next years crops while keeping the soil protected from wind and weather this winter.

We are grateful to the over 120 CSA member households for your business and your enthusiasm. For those of you in our winter extended CSA program we hope you enjoy your veges!

This harvest was SO beautiful that we just had to share the snapshot!

And the veggies for today's pick up include:
Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Pac Choi
Kale
Radishes
Turnips
Beets
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Winter Squash

Harvest #18 B The last of the 2009 Regular Season

Hello Folks!

This is THE last of the 2009 Regular Season Harvest and Pick up. We want to extend a HUGE thank you to all our CSA members for all their support and patronage this season. Thank you and enjoy your food!

** Please note for all you right at 2 o'clock Wednesday pick up people, we've got a huge tour bus of people having a late lunch and talk with us, so most likely we'll have you pick up your shares in the bottom of the barn. Once there out, we'll transition back upstairs. Thanks in advance for your patience!


This week:
Garlic
Winter Squash
Potatoes
Carrots
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Pac Choi (Bok Choy)
Kale or Collards or Chard
Beets or Turnips or Radishes
Arugula
Lettuce Mix

Enjoy!!!

Tour Red Wiggler's 800 Sq. Ft. Solar Home Saturday October 3rd from 11am-5pm

The Red Wiggler Solar House - a 21st-century farmhouse powered by the sun - was fully installed at the end July as a year-round staff residence. Originally one of 20 entries in the 2005 US Solar Decathlon, the 800-square-foot house is a fully solar-powered prototype designed and built by University of Maryland students for competition on Washington DC's National Mall; and was generously donated to the farm by the University of Maryland.

The house is grid-tied to the local electric utility, but has been completely self-sufficient - generating enough electricity during peak-demand summer months to power the house (air-conditioning, general electricity, cooking and laundry) and produce extra power that can go back into the grid. The house also has a solar hot-water system.

Join us Oct. 3rd for a free tour of the house and learn more about its eco-friendly features: radiant heating, natural ventilation, recycled and recyclable materials, FSC-certified woods, Energy Star appliances and more.

Useful Links

• Download a free guide or find out where you can pick up a tour booklet for free.
• Get Directions to the Red Wiggler Solar House

Week #17 Harvest

Hi All. It's the second to last week of Regular CSA pick up this week and THE last week for all the Alternative Week A's (Asparagus & Arugula Groups). We'll have a re-commitment form available for all those looking to reserve their spots for next year! Also, coming your way will be an online end-of-season survey. Nonetheless, coming your way this week:

Garlic, how we love thee!
Winter Squash-give a try to a new variety
Salad Mix
Pac Choi -yum!
Radishes
Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Green Tomatoes
Kale OR Collards OR Chard OR Turnips
Grab box: Red Tomatoes, Basil (grabbed some before the frost), sweetpotato greens (an african treat).

16-B Harvest

Coming at you a little late this week, but...

Garlic
Winter Squash
Braising Mix
Arugula
Kale or Collards
Radishes (tender little easter egg variety)
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Red & Heirloom Tomates
Green Tomatoes

Harvest #15-A

Thanks to all for making our Annual Supper and Silent Auction such a great success. We had a great time and hope you did too!

For CSA shares this week, this is what we've got:
Arugula--greens are back!
Swiss Chard
Hot Peppers
Sweet Pepper
Garlic
Summer Squash
Winter Squash-Yes!
Carrots
Red Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Green Tomatoes


I FORGOT THE BEST PART, we got our certificate in the mail today--we're CERTIFIED ORGANIC!!

Thank you and answers to FAQs

Our Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction was a huge success yesterday evening. Thanks to everyone who made it possible and thanks to all who participated.
Our staff took Sunday off to recover and starting tomorrow we will begin the work of contacting those on line auction people who won items. Please be patient while we work through the paper work. We should have folks notified by Wednesday afternoon.

The Event goes on "Rain or Shine"

The 2009 Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is Tonight! (9/12/09)
We have sold all our available seats!
The Event goes on
"rain or shine"
directions

A "Barn-Cleaning" good time!

Back for another installment, Sebastian chronicled another slightly unusual day here at the farm!
~~~

We (my brother, mother and I) came to the farm and the growers were barn-cleaning. They were preparing for the Annual Harvest Supper. They started with the chairs.

We cleaned the tables, though. The tablecloths were first. We hung those up to dry.

We cleaned the tables, moved them outside, then we swept the barn.

Next we were supposed to find a container to store dried collard stems in, but all we found was a snake skin! Then I harvested collard seeds from the pods, and seeds that fell on the floor had to be swept up.

Then we had lunch, and were finished for the day.

No CSA Harvests this week

This is just a reminder for our CSA customers that we do not harvest this week for you. Harvests resume next week after our Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is past.

A Day at the Farm

On Tuesday, one of our awesome CSA member/volunteers, Sebastian, came out to volunteer at the farm, as he often does with his mom and brother. He has been generous enough to share his day with us through his words and photographs, and we are very excited to have him as a guest blogger.

Thanks, Sebastian!

~~~~~
It was a cool morning, and it was somewhat loud with the crickets chirping, as we (my mother, my brother, and I) went out to pick swiss chard. It's not as easy as you might think. The leaves can't have holes, and they should be somewhat big. But all in all, it was fun.

I took a little rest and looked up. I saw a bunch (at least 15) of big birds flying around in a circle. It was so cool! And then we moved on to the golden beans. I tried one of them - it was very good. The thing is, a few of them were blackish, so I didn't pick those, just in case you're scrunching up your face right now.

Then we moved on to the tomatoes. We started off with the bigger ones (the heirlooms, I think). We picked a few of those, then my mom and I went to the red cherry tomatoes while my brother went to pick okra. Then we went to the yellow cherry tomatoes. Those break so easily! There were scars everywhere from where the tomatoes healed themselves up. Next we went to the orange cherry tomatoes (my mom likes those the best). I think they were just as easy as the red ones, except there were fewer of them. That was the end of the tomato picking for us that day.

Next we had lunch. We had to wash our hands first, then we ate in the barn. My mom had packed lunch for us. We pulled a bunch of tables together and sat there and talked with the growers. All in all it was pretty fun.

And finally - THE CARROTS. We had to loosen them with the pitchfork first, then pull them out. It was pretty hard, and slow. But, eventually, we did them all. I had to carry this heavy basket with Andrea. I couldn't do it all the way. Adrienne had to help. Then one of the growers had to rinse the carrots. First we took the tops off and laid the carrots down on one of the tables outside the barn. And then he rinsed them, spraying them off with a hose.

Then we left, our day was done.

Harvest #14-B

Harvest this week includes the following goodies:

Beans
Garlic
Sweet Peppers
HOT PEPPERS
Summer Squash
Heirloom Tomatoes
Red Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Carrots?!! Yay Carrots!


Remember next week is the Annual Supper and Silent Auction, so for CSA=NO PICK UP NEXT WEEK!

However, there are still a few spots for those who'd like to attend and if you can't make it and would like support us and score some great items: http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=redwiggler

Harvest #13 A and a word of thanks to our Service Learning volunteers

This week has been a busy one with two large youth groups here helping with tomato, bean and potato harvests. A special thanks to all our Service Learning volunteers- the help provided throughout the summer months has served many purposes. Volunteers surly help get the work done and they also create a vibrant workplace for our team of growers here on the farm. So thanks to all the hundreds of volunteers who have helped to make Red Wiggler Farm programs so successful this year!

In this weeks harvest:
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Beans
Garlic
Peppers
Summer Squash
Eggplant
- the pick your own (PYO) still has beautiful basil in the peak of its flavor!- if you are not sure how to harvest it- just ask a staff member for help.

On Line Auction Open For Bidding

Our online auction is underway now with many items with no bids yet. If you are interested in a 2010 Red Wiggler CSA Share or looking to shop for a gift certificate to a local restaurant or hand made jewelry the auction has over 100 (and counting) items for you to choose from.
The Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is being held on Saturday, September 12, at 4pm
more details on the event
download an Invitation and RSVP card

Note to CSA customers- this weeks harvest list will be here later on this morning

Harvest #12-B

The tomatoes runneth over!! Get 'em while there hot!!


Hybrid Tomatoes (Red, Orange & Pink)
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Summer Squash--okay, so they runneth over too!
Potatoes
Garlic
Purple Beans!

Blue Ribbon Garlic at County Fair

We have been growing garlic as an integral part of the Red Wiggler program for the past 14 years. This year we won First Place for our garlic at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. We planted 300 pounds of garlic last fall and have yielded over 1500 pounds of garlic! We will be supplying our CSA and our Farm to Group Home participants and our local Food Bank- MANNA throughout the harvest season. And...

This year we are selling bulk garlic to those who want 5 pounds or more.
We sell "Table Garlic" for $10 per pound (about 12 bulbs per pound)
And we sell our biggest garlic as "Seed Garlic" for $15 per pound ( 8 bulbs per pound)
Plus shipping and handling unless you schedule to pick up at the farm.
Please email woody@redwiggler.org for specifics.

related Montgomery County Gazette Garlic Article from July 29 2009

Harvest #11-A

Harvest Week #11 A

So sorry we didn't get last week's up, things were mighty hectic around here with people coming and going all over the place, but we're back. So....

Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Beans--Purple or Green
Eggplant
Potatoes--still working on the German Butterballs
Red Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic
Summer Squash--Zucchinis or patty pans or yellow crook necks

Aren't you glad I didn't say beets? They'll be back again soon enough!
Enjoy!!

Thoughts from the Summer "Intern Grower"

As mentioned on our July 10th blog, the Red Wiggler Farm has enjoyed the opportunity to have a "Intern Grower" through the Summer Youth Job Program (in partnership with Montgomery County). Here is our intern, Stephen, working at Red Wiggler:
Here is Stephen working with some of the other growers at Red Wiggler:
As part of Stephen's internship at the Farm, he wanted to write a brief written and photographic journal of his experiences here this summer. Here's what Stephen has to say about his time here at Red Wiggler Farm so far, and some of the pictures he's been taking!
Week 1 (July 17th):
My first day of work I was nervous. Now I have friends. I pick out weeds and kill bugs. I like it at the farm. It’s fun to be outside. I harvest crops. This is a picture of the squash crop that I took:
Week 2 (July 24th):
I harvest lots of garlic and go home smelling strong. I rolled out hay to put around plants to keep weeds and bugs off. This is a picture of the garlic harvest that I took:
Week 3 (July 31st):
I put hay around the plant so weeds won’t grow. I dug potatoes from the ground. Here is a picture of tomatoes that I took:

...So be sure to stay tuned to read about the second half of Stephen's summer internship - here at Red Wiggler Farm - in a couple of weeks!

You're My Little Potato

This week we had a phenomenal potato harvest. We pulled up the 3 beds of potatoes that we'd planted under landscape fabric earlier this year, and ended up with a grand total of 700 pounds of German Butterballs. We planted 10 1/2 beds of potatoes this year and we have 5 1/2 beds to go. We were lucky to have some excellent volunteers by our side in the process: Maryanna, Ben, and Nile were a huge help. Check out this little guy to the left--he thought he might grow wings and fly!

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Employee Giving Luncheon

Pictured: Jean Hochron, Jerry Dillon, Woody Woodroof, Amy Kleine and Jack Dillon
We are pleased to announce that on July 21st Red Wiggler was presented with a $10,000 unsolicited contribution as a special "Employee Giving Grant" via Amy Kleine and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation! Amy Kleine awarded our group last week during their Annual Employee Giving Luncheon.

About a month ago I was walking into the office from the fields and I got an unexpected call from Amy Kleine who is a program officer at the Weinberg Foundation. She informed me that she had chosen Red Wiggler to receive her 2009 Employee Giving Grant. I was speechless. We were unaware that such a program existed and this contribution came at just the right time. While many of our regular donors continue to make contributions to our Annual Fund it is true that the economy is effecting our donors and Annual Fund gifts are down. This gift bridges the gap! And for us this recognition is a tremendous shot in the arm at this time. Our team here at Red Wiggler is so grateful to Amy Kleine and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Trustees for this special gift. This gift will go a long way as we work to "create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community."
Click here to see the notes for Amys' award speach

We're back!! Harvest Week #9

We're back in CSA action and continuing to bring ya the good stuff!

This week:
Beets
Beans
Peppers
Eggplant
Potatoes
Hot Peppers
Red Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes

Yeah for veggies!

FARM TOUR IS HERE!

It's the moment we've all been waiting for (Drum roll please!) It's the Montgomery County Farm Tour! Red Wiggler will be hosting an amazing open house for you, your friends, and all the friends of the farm. We hope that you will join us for freshly picked produce, local honey, wagon rides, baby bluebird spotting, farm art, bluegrass in the barn, and tours of our very own solar powered home. If you haven't been out to the farm before, this is a great way to get to know the place. We're located at 23400 Ridge Rd, Germantown, MD, close to a slew of other farms who are also participating in the farm tour. There's something for everyone, so come join us!
When: Saturday July 25th 10am-4pm
see our web site for more

No CSA this Week--It's the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour

Howdy,

Just in case you didn't get the message, there is NO CSA this week, we're prepping for the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour. Red Wiggler will be open Saturday, July 25th from 10am-4pm offering farm based fun, fresh veggies and local honey for sale. Hope you can make it out for a visit!

Here's the official link for the event:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/agstmpl.asp?url=/content/DED/AgServices/agfarmtour.asp

Harvest #8--NO Pick up next week!

Hi All,

Next week is the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour and Red Wiggler will be closed for CSA pick up and open on Saturday, July 25th as a stop on the Farm Tour 10am-4pm.
This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter
For this week's harvest:
Beets
Turnips
Garlic
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Red Tomatoes

and the ever lovely PYO and wildflowers! (Basil is available)

Head Lettuce Heading Out

Dear Friends,

The time has come. Our lovely friend the head lettuce, is passing on to better things (like your salad bowl) and won't be back until the fall. We've really enjoyed the time we've got to spend with the head lettuce, and hope you've enjoyed the four glorious weeks it made it into your CSA Share.
We've loved all of our head lettuces, and choosing a favorite is a little bit like choosing a favorite child---impossible. So that's why we thought we'd let you choose. Please tell us who your favorite head lettuce was and we'll keep that in mind as we plan for the fall and next spring. (We promise we won't tell them!)

Your choices are:

Malawi Red Oakleaf ------------ Garrison Red Oakleaf









Simpson Elite -----------------Sylvesta Green Butterhead









New Red Fire Red Leaf
Write us a comment or let us know at pick up who the winner was for you! Thanks!

Internship Photo Journal Week One

Hello Folks,
This summer we're welcoming several interns to the farm. One of them, Stephen, will be posting a photo journal on the blog, sharing some of what he has been up to on the job. This week we laid straw for the winter squash and pumpkins to grow over. The straw helps control insects and weeds, and lets the long winter squash and pumpkin vines spread out comfortably. Here's what Stephen captured on camera of the task, and what he had to say about it.

Hi I am Stephen this is my photo of hay on July 10. I had fun.

Harvest #7-A

Sorry for the delay, it's been busy around here...but isn't it always?

What we've got for ya:
This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter

Head Lettuce (the last of it)
Turnips
Radishes
Kohlrabi
Spring Onions
Chard OR Kale
Summer Squash, which includes Zucchinis
Cucumbers
Garlic--the first of many!!!

Happy Eating! Yum!

Request for Share Pick up Switch

Our CSA member, Michele, is going to be out of town for two Saturday pick ups: August 8th and August 22nd. She is normally an alternate Saturday B share. She would like to switch for any day other than those, Saturdays and Wednesdays are both OK. Please email her directly if you would like to switch with her. She can be reached at michelenutrition@aol.com

Thanks!

Return of our slithering friend

Guess which favorite buddy of ours left us a little present on the roof of the milk barn! Just our old pal, the black rat snake of previous post's fame. Do you see her shed skin flapping in the breeze by the old flower pot? She must have crawled up in the roof there where it's nice and warm to shed. And who can blame her? I certainly can't think of a better place to keep my skin!

Harvest #6-B

We're already into the 6th week of the CSA season. It's amazing for me to think that we're a 1/3 of the way into it.

This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter

This week the fields are offering:
Lettuce Mix
Head Lettuce--love it while it's here!
Chard/Kale
Beets and their Greens
Turnips and their Greens
Radishes
Kohlrabi
Spring Onions
Garlic Scapes--this may be the last of them!
Summer Squash
Cucumbers

Don't miss out!

What the Fields are Offering for Week 5-A

Welcome to Week 5-A of the CSA! We're welcoming groups Arugula and Asparagus into the barn this week. We've been happy to offer you lots of lovely greens thus far, but it's starting to get warm, which means you will see them begin to trail off. In this week's share though, they are strongly represented!

This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter.

In your harvest basket you'll find:

Lettuce Mix
Bunched Greens
Head Lettuce
Kohlrabi or Radishes
Turnips
Baby Beets/Beet Greens
Garlic Scapes
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Spring Onions

And don't miss the new wildflowers, the dill, or the cilantro in the pick your own!

Harvest #4-B

Click here for this weeks Worms Voice Newsletter
(and we've posted pdf's of the back issues with each harvest post too)

It's starting to feel like Harvest Day = Rain Day. Ugh. It gets a little hard to motivate the crew to head out into the fields and slog through the mud and spend the next 4 hours getting wet. But never fear, the job is done and it was a big one. Coming your way this week....

Lettuce Mix
Arugula
Braising Mix
Kale or Collards or Chard
Easter Egg Radishes
Baby Beets and their Greens
Turnips and their Greens
Spring Onions
Garlic Scapes
Summer Squash or Zucchini *It's here!
Head Lettuce or Kohlrabi
Snow Peas are a PYO item--I know it's weedy

Reminder* If it says OR then it's only one of those items, not all of them. Choices!

Cluck Cluck!

As you may have seen on our facebook page, we're thinking about getting chickens here on the farm. Well, really, we're planning on getting chickens, but right now we're in that lovely stage where we're dreaming big about what our chicken operation could look like. There are a lot of possibilities, and we're pretty excited about the benefits of raising chickens: beautiful animals on the farm, nutritious eggs to eat, highly efficient pest control, and an excellent, free, and natural source of fertilizer. We haven't decided yet on what exact breeds we'll be raising, or even if we'll get chickens this year (keep your fingers crossed), but we're moving forward with our plans for a coop, and the planning is pretty fun!
Here's where we are thus far:
We have an old wooden trailer on the property, the kind you'd hitch to the back of a tractor for hayrides and such. Currently it's just hanging out, and so our plan is to convert it into a chicken coop on wheels. You may be familiar with the Egg Mobiles or Chicken Tractors used by Joel Salatin at Polyface farm. Our setup will be somewhat similar, though our rotation of grazing animals will be significantly less complex since we're only raising chickens! The idea though is that you can move the coop about the farm, allowing the chickens new grass to run in every couple of days. This keeps the grass healthy, distributes fertilizer (waste) evenly, and spreads out your pest managers across the farm.
We're constrained by the size of the trailer as to how many chickens we host on our property, but fortunately the trailer is pretty spacious, so we'll be able to have about 40 chickens. The birds need 2 to 3 square feet per chicken indoors, and the trailer's about 144 sq ft.

We initially considered only raising hens on the farm since we know that roosters are noisy by nature and can be rather aggressive. We want the growers to be able to interact with the chickens comfortably, so having a potentially aggressive bird on the premises didn't seem like the best idea. However, after we paid a visit to Poplar Springs, a local animal sanctuary that calls itself home to many a happy chicken, we learned that roosters are an important piece in the life of a healthy flock. Roosters, it turns out, are great watch dogs. They're far more likely to be keeping an eye on the sky and the perimeter of the run and thus looking out for predators. And their natural noisiness, though perhaps irritating to the neighbors, acts as a highly audible distress signal to their human caretakers. When the rooster starts squawking in the afternoon, you know it's time to run to the chicken coop!
We currently stockpiling building supplies for the coop, and are hoping to have a chicken coop raising day to get the structure on the ground. We're doing this on a very tight budget, so if you have any building supplies that you'd like to get off your hands, or if you feeling like donating to the "chickie bank," we'd greatly appreciate your support! We're trying to do as much as we can with re-purposed materials, but we're still going to need to purchase some basics, such as 2x4s, 1/2 inch hardware cloth, and pvc roofing. We have plans though to save on bedding costs, by cutting and drying our own grass on the farm to use as straw in the coop. We'll see how that goes.

The photos here are from our lovely trip to Poplar Springs, where you can see they keep some very lucky poultry. We'll keep you in the loop as our chicken plans take flight!