by Meredith Chilson Photos by author My mailbox is filling up with invitations to reunions and weddings and picnics. Retirement parties! Graduation celebrations! Memory making days, every one … and I think, “deviled eggs!!” You see, out here where I live, most of these occasions are “bring a dish to pass” affairs. I have lots […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author It has seemed like spring would never arrive. The winter dragged on with snow and ice and zero temperatures. March came in like a lion with blowing snow and went right on out with blowing rain; in fact, April weather was a lot like that in March. Those welcome […]

by Meredith Chilson Photos by author Q: From Keith: “I am temporarily keeping chicks in the house until they get old enough to go outside. What should the temp be under the heat lamp?” And, from Sarah: “Is the heat lamp left on constantly? Can it be turned off for the night? This is for […]

by Meredith Chilson Q. Why do farm fresh eggs sometimes have a speck of blood in them and how do I keep this from happening? – Bonnie A. Bonnie, not too long ago I looked for the answer to this question myself! The short answer is actually right in your question: Specks of blood are […]

by Meredith Chilson I love to hear stories from the elders in my family. I’ve gathered many through the years, along with several notebooks full of handwritten family recipes. It’s important to me to know where my food comes from … and what ingredients are in the food that I serve my family. And I […]

by Meredith Chilson Q: I’m wondering if one can get a hen to go broody and hatch eggs that one might order online. Does anyone know?— Rachel A: This is a great question, Rachel, and one that others might be wondering about on these “thinking about spring” days.The most honest answer to this is, however, […]

by Meredith Chilson Q: What temp do you hatch chicken eggs? A: This is an important question if you are trying to hatch chicken eggs in an incubator for the first time. A couple of degrees one way or the other can make the difference between a complete hatching and no hatch at all. I’ve […]

My Rooster Stew by Meredith Chilson In the spring, I always seem to have some little chicks around. Some of those little chicks turn into “my girls”—the hens that I nurture and keep for eggs. The others—well, I keep them for a while, too. Those are the ones that grow the magnificent tail feathers and […]

by Meredith Chilson I haven’t purchased eggs in about three years, not since my backyard flock of hens started laying. I’m happy to use fresh, flavorful eggs. I wasn’t worried a bit when the salmonella scare hit last year. I know my hens. I know what and where they’ve been eating; I know that the […]

by Meredith Chilson We’re only a few days away from the winter solstice. The nights are long; the days are short. This morning the sun rose at 7:30 and by 4:30 this afternoon it will have faded away behind the hills. My hens spend a lot of time on their roosts. I thought this would […]