The Kitchen Garden

JANUARY 2008

Happy New Year to our customers and a healthy one for all their flocks.
My birds are out in the garden again after their enforced sojourn undercover, because of the local outbreak of avian influenza. Stir crazy like fat moths, they’ve been racing around the garden, and hopefully soon they’ll start laying again. St Valentine’s Day heralds prime season.

We’ve all seen the boost television exposes of the industry have given home hen keeping. Keep a small flock of laying birds, augmenting your flock each year with a couple of broody-raised new layers, and any excess cockerels can go for the pot. An Easter chick makes a Michaelmas roast, so there’s no question of 39 day lives, at 6 weeks, even my Buff Orpington chicks – the biggest natural breed available – are just a handful, a mere mouthful.

Anyone who has kept hens, knows they are sentient creatures with personalities,  deserving far better than the appalling existence meted out by the industry. Of course, I don’t have to tell you their products should be avoided. Hopefully, our children and their friends, having been exposed at an early age to the delights of poultry, will avoid cheap supermarket and fast food, so that the future looks rosier for our feathered friends. Join the Henkeepers’ Association on www.henkeepersassociation.co.uk

2008 Diary at the KITCHEN GARDEN

Easter Saturday Hen Party – Saturday March 22nd
(The Kitchen Garden is open Fridays & Saturdays from then on)
National Gardens Scheme Yellow Book Opening May 25th/26th

Henkeeping Courses
Wednesday April 2nd
Wednesday June (to be decided)
Wednesday September 10th

Francine is also giving a course at Assington Mill on Friday February 22nd.

Subscribe free today www.henkeepersassociation.co.uk

Enjoy Eglu weekends or breaks at Haguelands Farm and collect your own eggs for breakfast www.haguelandsfarm.co.uk