Snowy River Heritage Farm
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Snowy River Farms

We would love for you to follow along as we move through the highs and lows of everyday farming in Nova Scotia.
Because we are so busy here; we have less time for true blogging so we have moved more to short stories on our Facebook and Instagram. Come find us on our Social Media sites and see what we've been up to!

Oh Goodness.....a Blog

11/28/2011

6 Comments

 
Ok, so I said that I would NEVER start a blog because I couldn't possibly see myself having the time to sit down, gather my thoughts, and then write them out in such a way that it didn't seem pure word vomit being thrown at you....no guarantees but I will try my best to keep them short and concise!

Snowy River Farms has now been through an entire growing season: seeds were planted, they grew into seedlings, were transplanted into the prepared beds, grew like the devil into deliciously wonderful vegetables that fed both our family and customers of the farm, and we are still alive so all in all it was a success! We are now in the planning phase for our 2012 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which pretty much means I am frantically trying to decide how much seed to order, how "interesting" I should be with the varieties I choose, and where the land for all of this seed is going to come from! We've already prepped the herb garden by the house with chicken compost from the summer as well as a layer of duck manure mixed in with straw.  With all of our animals we do what is called a "pack barn" or "compost litter" in which we turn the bedding weekly and add fresh bedding directly on top as it is needed instead of completely removing litter as it becomes dirty. When done properly there is no smell of ammonia and beneficial bacteria are able to grow and break down the litter into a clean, nutritious compost that can be placed directly on the garden in the spring. Another benefit of the compost litter system is the heat it produces while breaking down, which in turn, keeps the livestock toasty warm during those terribly cold months! We are currently using this style of bedding for the pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks so there will be plenty of compost for our vegetables to use come March!
6 Comments
Diane Lynn Tibert link
12/19/2011 09:08:33 am

Hello Amy, Is this method of laying soiled bdding for heat during the winter also called 'deep bedding'? Since October, I've been adding fresh bedding and building a thick layer of hay for the animals. But I don't turn this. Does it work better if it is turned?

Diane, who lives just over the hill. I blog about my farm, Moon Meadow Croft, at http://moonmeadow.wordpress.com

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Amy
12/19/2011 07:58:25 pm

Hello Diane!
It is also called deep bedding, or compost litter system. We use shavings for the poultry bedding and that does need to be turned in order to get the air through it and have it start breaking down. For our sheep (and alpaca) we use a deep litter of hay/straw and we don't turn that but it still breaks down well. I find that hay doesn't need to be turned as it can break down on it's own quite well but the shavings take longer so it's best if you sift them. Thanks for the comment and I will check out your website!

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Diane Lynn Tibert link
12/22/2011 08:49:17 pm

Thanks for the clarification, Amy. This is my first year with goats and sheep, so I'm still learning.

By the way, how can I follow your blog? I don't see a 'follow' me link.

Have a great Christmas. Enjoy the snow.

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Amy
1/2/2012 03:13:13 am

Hey
As far as I can tell you have to click on the RSS Feed Button on the right hand side to follow the blog, I'm not able to put up a "follow me" link. I will check further into this. Also, with your bedding, the underneath straw/hay will be broken down some, however; a large layer on top will not be. If you get pigs in the future I would recommend giving them time in the hay with some feed sprinkled into it before putting in onto the garden. Pigs make EXCELLENT compost speeder-uppers and all of our sheep's hay will be going to them before application. If you do not have pigs than I would suggest using the top bedding in between your rows to cut down on weeds!

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Diane Tibert link
1/5/2012 01:32:06 am

Okay, I'll give the RSS Feed Button a try.

I'd love to get a few pigs, but my plans this year don't include them. Last year, I focussed on obtaining animals since they'd take a year or more to produce. This year, my efforts will focus on the garden. Thanks for the tip on the bedding hay. I want to use everything, waste as little as possible, so it's great to be able to use hay in many ways.

Gaetane Carignan link
1/16/2012 12:21:45 am

Hi Amy, I just came across your website and your blog on Margaret's Facebook wall. I love your blog, I love your unique CSA and aggy ideas like "natural coloured eggs". Great marketing! Also, maintaining and promoting heritage breeds and seeds is so important. Your website looks great. Thanks for the aggy inspiration, and practical info on topics like "pack barn" composting/bedding.

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