Received the first shipment of chicks on monday. Got them settled in with a non-medicated starter ration and water. They actually received a live virus coccidiosis vaccine prior to being shipped which precludes giving them any medication. The vaccine was administered by sending the chicks through a spray cabinet which doses the chicks with the vaccine mixed with a dye. The dye encourages preening behaviour which results in the chicks ingesting the vaccine.

Working land for Gary behind the Silver Creek Reservoir in Haverhill Township I stopped and snapped this photo. In the foreground on the water are a couple clutches of ducks. Pretty impressive how a flood control structure can add a little slice of nature in the otherwise agrarian landscape.

First new calves have come in now. Calves are born on grass and will stay on pasture with the cows until after corn harvest when thay are turned into the cornstalk fields for Fall grazing. By calving on grass I have no need to treat calves with any antibiotic to treat or prevent scours. A common type of bacterial infection that often afflicts calves born earlier in the winter.

New chicks are coming soon and we still have a few 2011 production fryers in the freezer. We will sell them for $2.00/lb until they are gone. The birds were raised without antibiotics and were finished on grass and allowed to range.

Lots going on out at Graham Park. The Olmsted county fairboard and Olmsted county parks have ponied up some money to continue improvments on Building 31 (aka floral hall). They will be replacing floor joists in the upstairs that will enable the upstairs to be used again for events. Also the county has the money required and has bids for replacing the windows. Notice in the picture the flashing placed over the eaves of the building. That prevents water from running down into cracks in the limestone where it freezes and damages the limestone.

Also county park and highway staff put in curb cuts and small drainage basins in the area between the beer garden and building 42. This allows water to run off the parking lot into these small catch basins and infitrate back into the ground instead of ending up in the storm sewer system and dumped into the river. A small first step towards reducing runoff from the facility. Also grass will be seeded into the worked up areas and trees will be planted. Furthering the greening of graham park.

Lambing started. The ewes will lamb inside and then in April I will move the ewes and lambs to a grass pasture. For a day or 2 the lambs are confined with the ewes in a small pen then they get moved to a group and then as the lambs are older they move outside.

Had a great meeting yesterday. We were briefed on some exciting activities going on surrounding building 31 on the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. Improvments that will allow the balcony area in building 31 (Floral Hall) which has been closed for nigh on 2 decades to be open to the public once more. The Friends will help promote awareness of this project through social media and will highlight it during grahamfest on Saturday May 19th.

Anyone can print and use the attached image as a free pass to the Healthy Living Show March 24th and 25th at the Mayo Civic center. Good for 2 adults.

Cone on out and see us at the Healthy Green living show at the mayo civic center, booth #65, March 24th and 25th 10 AM to 5 PM each day. We will be taking preorders for rangefed chickens and talking about lamb and honey products.

Pretty mild weather for early February. With temps running in the low 30′s the ewes are almost overdressed. Some of the ewes are starting to get a little wider. Lambing is only about 5 weeks away. Side note: I need to get a hay feeder built for them. 1 more thing for the list.