This weekend marked the realization of a project we have been working on for a year or so. The Natural Resources Conversation Service (NRCS) offers grants to private landowners/farmers like us to plant  pollinator habitats. Ours consists of a 20 foot swath of land along two fence lines--about 250 feet across the back of the farm and 300 feet along one side of the property. We are planting three rows of flowering native plants which totals about 375 bareroot shrubs. 
With the mysterious collapse of bee colonies globally, this is a conservation method which can help promote an increase of native pollinator-type bees--which are necessary for many  vegetables and fruit trees to bear fruit. 
The plants come from the Association of Conservation Districts Plant Materials Center. Varieties include red flowering currant, Indian plum, salmonberry, blue and red elderberry, mock orange, pea fruit rose, and nootka rose. 
We tilled the field, set the rows, then dug 12-18" holes four feet apart. Each plant is held in the hole so that the roots do not bend (or 'j'), buried with soil, and watered. Thanks to help from Gail and Dale Tracy (Mom & Dad), we planted about one-third of the planned areas over the three-day weekend. More to come in the next week or so. This is a little like the anticipation of Christmas or a fun trip--to see this habitat mature and bloom is exciting. Thank you NRCS!

The chicks are doing well-almost 3 weeks old. We have removed the inner protective cardboard circle, added a roosting bar, and an additional feeding station. They are still fuzzy and adorable but adding feathers and getting leggy. We check on them twice a day and change their water and food daily. And we just sit and watch them. Peaceful.

The chicks are almost a week old. We lost three shortly after arrival so have a flock of 22. They are adorable--still fluffy and their wings are starting to develop. Today was another winter-paced day. We continued pruning the 100+ year old apple trees and cleared more leftover broccoli and cabbage plants out of one of the fields. We are preparing that area for another two high tunnels. The sun came out and it was great to have a million excuses to be outside.