Raising hens for eggs has long been a fantasy of mine. My fantasy is now a reality! I picked up four chickens from a lovely family in Greene, NY. I purchased 2 Black Australorp and 2 Buff Orpington for $4 each. They are about 2 weeks old. For now they are inside with a 250w heat lamp, but once they have a full set of feathers they will be (almost) free range outside. Once I have the coop under construction, I will post photos of my coop and run. For now, some photos of the chicks:

Just a few minutes ago, my nephew Steven and I were transplanting some tomatoes into the ground. The oldest, most mature plant was quite heavy with fruit and unfortunately snapped during transplant. When it happened, we both froze momentarily, in shock over what had happened. It took me a moment to accept the reality of it.

It’s definitely a bummer, it’s like watching your kid crash a bike or something. I suppose in the end it’s not all that bad… I already harvested several delicious tomatoes from it, and the season is almost over.