Eggs are in our headlines
March 3, 2025
Eggs are in our headlines
Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge
Raising Organic Eggs: Who isn’t talking about bird flu and the price of eggs these days? Jack and I are splitting up the salient topics and will share our thoughts today. I came upon this relevant podcast this week How to Get Eggs for Free. Of course you can’t get eggs for free, but this podcast interviews two great egg producers, one of them a permaculturalist. Both hare some valuable resources for those who want to raise their own.
And I would like to remind you that we will have 8-week-old chicks for sale on June 16 – all certified organic, and of the red sex link type that lay copious numbers of eggs. You can purchase them here – https://mhof.net/organic-meat/chicken/ – they are listed at the bottom of that web page.
In other news, when we were inspected by the Baystate Organic Certifiers in November they noted that we were likely in non-compliance with our laying hens because we were feeding them that wonderful kelp that I have been touting for the past 8 months – the 14-ton free gift from Casey Emmett of the Crop Project in Everett. Last week I was notified that we are indeed in non-compliance and that our laying hens are presently not certified by Baystate, nor their eggs. As I will not likely receive such a gift in the future, and to buy the stuff would be $297 for a 5-pound bag, I will run out our supply on these already uncertified hens and not feed it to the youngsters who will come along in late April.
Having said that, please be clear that I have nothing but praise for the kelp which has doubled and tripled the size of our produce (as it turns out, under certification rules it is okay to spread kelp on your soil to feed uncertified kelp to your microbes, but not your chickens). And Jack and I eat a tablespoon each every day, and so do each of our dogs and cats. But if you are an egg subscription customer or have signed up for eggs for the summer CSA, and want to cancel, we will send your money back. Once we slaughter these layers in the fall, we will be able to call our eggs certified organic again. Mind you, the egg quality, in my opinion, will never reach what it is right now when we run out of the kelp – but such are the vicissitudes of life.
Chickens voraciously attack the kelp
If you would like to sign up for the rest of the winter egg share – March thru May, or for eggs along with your summer or fall share, I would do it sooner rather than later, because eggs are dear right now and we will run out. For the winter share and for the egg add-on with your CSA share.
And if you want to take on raising your own chickens, we are available for any questions you might have for how to pull it off. Jack and I love to support food security through homesteading and self-reliance.
Julie
Dealing with Bird Flu
A wonderful explanation of the flu and how to prevent it is at Joel Salatin: The Truth About Mass Killing of Poultry, Avian Flu, and Restoring Sanity to Farming. This is a talk by Joel Salatin, Virginia farmer and author. His basic argument makes two points:
- The flu breaks out at large confinement “factory bird farms” – those with thousands of birds kept indoor in cramped houses their whole lives. Those crowded indoor conditions — providing no space for exercise, no sunlight to kill germs, no fresh air to dispel germ-laden air and cement floors with no sanitation to prevent birds contacting their own excrement – are ideal for pathogens to evolve and spread, causing pandemics. Flocks like ours at Many Hands — which are outdoors with sun, wind, space, and soil aplenty — are not suitable for spreading disease.
- Nature deals with evolving pathogens by letting them kill the hosts, minimizing the chance of their contact with healthier animals and enabling the surviving ones to mate and spread their resistant immune systems to the next generation. The last thing you want to do is kill the survivors as they are the ones carrying the genetics you want available to prevent epidemics. Yet the authorities destroy all the birds on the farm – in some cases a hundred thousand or more — when the flu is found, killing the survivors and eliminating resistant birds, creating egg shortages, and setting the farm up to repeat the tragedy.
Here is another article on the bird flu – USDA’s $1 Billion Plan to Combat Bird Flu Calls for Vaccines and Killing More Birds — Will It Work?
Jack
Expressing Gratitude This Week
Green Cover Seed – an amazing resource with an information packed bi-weekly newsletter.
Carbonomics with Keith Berns – an excellent resource on how biology works in the soil.
Seeds and Seedlings with Speed – article by John Kempf. Make sure to give your seeds every opportunity to get an excellent start.
Secrets of the Plant Sociobiome – Christine Jones. Why we should use multi-species cover crops. These folks are midwestern farmers and I always feel completely at home when I listen to their talks and read their farming education.
Redoubling my efforts to maximize multi-species cover crop usage this year, I ordered some of their 11 species cool season mix.
2025 MHOF CSA
Hakurei turnips – In 2024 we gave out these delicious salad turnips over 4 weeks. These Japanese turnips have the turnip flavor, but it is milder. They can be eaten out of hand, or sliced and added to salad.
Hakurei turnips are recognized for their high vitamin C content, and contain B vitamins, including thiamine and riboflavin, which are essential for energy metabolism and nervous system health. In terms of minerals, Hakurei turnips are rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron, making them beneficial for maintaining bone health and supporting hemoglobin production. Their mineral composition supports various physiological functions, such as muscle contraction and nerve conduction. Notably, they are low in calories, which makes them suitable for weight management. Beyond their essential vitamins and minerals, turnips also contain significant levels of antioxidants, including flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Furthermore, the presence of dietary fiber in turnips promotes digestive health and may contribute to lower cholesterol levels. Fiber-rich foods are essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota, which is critical for overall health.
Garlic scapes – are really a by-product of garlic cultivation. Around the first of June the garlic plants sprout a stalk with a seed head, and we harvest this from the center of the plant right around the summer solstice. Removing the seed stalk redirects more energy to bulb formation, which is completed around July 21. Shareholder receive garlic scapes usually only once, or maybe twice in the third to fourth week of June.
The nutritional composition of garlic scapes reveals that they are sources of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids, which play crucial roles in preventing oxidative stress and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular conditions.
Additionally, garlic scapes contain a significant concentration of allicin, a sulfur-containing compound known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which further enhances their health benefits. Further supporting the health benefits of garlic scapes, studies involving animal models have indicated that the inclusion of garlic scapes in the diet may positively influence lipid profiles, suggesting a potential role in managing cholesterol levels. The array of phytochemicals found in garlic scapes, including those that exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, reinforces their potential as functional foods capable of enhancing health and longevity.
Download the 2025 CSA Order Form
Farm Zoom Interviews: Why are you a CSA member?
Listen to what Bob Aroian has to say about the CSA.
We are taking shares right now. Here is the form:
Volunteering at MHOF
For now, we are only working Mondays and Fridays, but by April we will be working M, T, W, F, with a 2 ½ hour stint on Saturdays for those who can’t come during the week. Now is a good time to sign up for a season at the farm. Presently we are pruning apple trees, fixing bird houses and cutting, splitting and stacking firewood.
This Week’s Recipe from Jennifer: Soft-Boiled Eggs with Spiced Spring Greens
Spring is Kapha season, marked by dampness, heaviness, and sluggish digestion. This meal counteracts those qualities by incorporating pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes, which help remove excess mucus and stagnation. The warmth from the spices enhances circulation and metabolism, while the greens and asparagus provide a natural diuretic effect, helping to reduce water retention. Eggs offer high-quality protein, which stabilizes energy and supports muscle renewal after winter’s heavier foods. The lime juice provides a touch of sourness to awaken digestion, while the avocado prevents excessive dryness, ensuring a balanced, nourishing meal.
Get the Recipe at Jen Zen Living
Now Available at the Farm
We have much available at the farm right now.
Frozen Foods including lard, chicken, apple and pear sauce and more, fresh eggs, shelf stable items including juices and dried peaches, tinctures, and personal care soaps and salves.
Gut Health
I am still hanging with butyrate this week because I understand that keeping those colonocytes in the intestine happy is paramount to inflammation reduction in the entire body. Today I will discuss lacto-fermented sauerkraut.
One of the notable benefits of lacto-fermented sauerkraut is its potential to increase the population of beneficial gut bacteria. LAB in sauerkraut can survive the gastrointestinal tract and affect gut microbiota composition, promoting beneficial microorganisms involved in butyrate production. Butyrate, a vital SCFA, is associated with numerous health-promoting effects, including anti-inflammatory properties and the improvement of gut barrier function.
Moreover, the fermentation process may enhance the bioavailability of certain compounds in cabbage, facilitating their fermentation by gut bacteria and aiding butyrate production. For instance, ferulic and other phenolic acids in cabbage are altered during fermentation, potentially increasing butyrate synthesis by gut microbiota. Specific LAB strains, such as *Lactobacillus plantarum*, have demonstrated the capability to produce butyrate by fermenting non-digestible carbohydrates found in vegetables. In addition to fermentation, LAB has been shown to enhance the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of the foods they produce. Fermented products like sauerkraut can modulate the levels of antioxidant compounds, which may work synergistically with the SCFAs produced in the gut to promote overall gut and metabolic health.
We make our own lacto-fermented sauerkraut and eat at least a tablespoon of it two times per day. To make sauerkraut, shred cabbage and add 1 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt to each lb. of processed cabbage. Macerate the cabbage with the salt until it starts to really cause the cabbage juices to flow. Pack the cabbage into mason jars, and add enough of the cabbage water to keep the cabbage covered in salt water. Screw on a plastic ball lid and put the cabbage jars into a pan for three days where they will burp out juice. Remove the young sauerkraut into the refrigerator or a root cellar, and enjoy the sauerkraut. It should keep well in storage (around 40 degrees) for up to 18 months.
Our Trip to Scotland
The third week in February, Jack, Dan, Paul, Ellen, Chuk and I traveled to Scotland and northern England for a week. We spent most of our time in the Borders area of the UK, where the Scots and English fought back and forth for a few centuries over who would “own” the land. But before that the Romans showed up in 43 AD, stayed for 4 centuries, then the Anglo-Saxons showed up flowed by the Vikings, and the Normans. I was impressed by the visual reminder of the many layers of culture over centuries. When the Europeans came to this land, they did such a thorough job of decimating the Native Americans that it is harder for us to connect in with our ancient culture. Thanks again to the farm staff for keeping the place running, particularly around the rough storm on February 23rd.
At Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian – Ellen, Paul, Chuk, Jack, Dan, Julie
Kittens
I thought we were out of the kitten business when Eloise and Sadie were dispatched by Harriet and Skippy, however, Beba, our half-feral cat slipped away and has been eating breakfast up on a shelf in the garage. She had some nice kittens, we found them, and brought everyone into the house. As I write this they are racing back and forth in one of the bedrooms upstairs. The kids are a little on the wild side, but tamable by a cat person. We have three males for sale at $75 each. They will be ready for you to take home on the weekend of March 15 and 16. They will be somewhere around 8-9 weeks old. We have a more traditional looking tuxedo type and two that have about equal parts black and white. Contact me to reserve a cat, put down your $75 deposit in advance, and you can pick them up in two weeks.
Farm Doin’s
Still struggling from the February 24 storm, on Monday we spent a fair amount of time, tractor plowing, ice chipping, and shoveling the farm yard. Luckily there was a lot of melt happening the rest of the week so we can now walk around without fear of falling.
Monday our carpenters were able to make more progress on chicken hose construction. We made good progress on our apple pruning this week and ended Friday with just one of our 33 apples left for today.
Brandon from Stetson has a natural knack with pruning. He is at the top of his ladder.
Matt working his magic with the extended pruning saw while Marissa works from below.
I was in the crows nest at the top of a few trees this week, and took this great shot of the house and barn from the pond field.
Next we will move on to the peaches. Here are three videos that Jack selected, that you might enjoy watching before you prune your peach trees.
How to Prune a Peach Tree in 4 Simple Steps!
We spent some time in the hoop houses, replanting a few holes with lettuce plants. Last year we had so much bounty in the hoophouses due to the warm winter, but this year things are very slow. I am hoping that by next Monday, March 10, we can perhaps take off the row covers, bring a hose down over ground to water in the houses and perhaps do our first foliar feeding of the season.
We had been off of wood management for almost 2 weeks due to the heavy snow cover, but got started back on it Friday, and were able to put away ¾ of a row of split firewood by the end of the day.
Julie
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