We have moved our blog!

We moved our blog to: http://www.averagepersongardening.com/blog

Be sure to continue to follow us there.

-Mike

#183: Mike talks with Fresh Eggs Daily author, Lisa Steele, About Proper Chicken Keeping

In this week's episode, Mike talks with chicken expert and author of the book Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy Healthy Chickens Naturally, Lisa Steele, about how you can use the herbs you grow in your home garden to raise healthy and happy chickens Lisa will explain how you can get started with raising your own chickens, how to get chickens, the coop you should be using, and how to incorporate your herbs in the feed, bedding and so much more. In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover: Chicken health Chicken breeds Roosting Proper Feed and water techniques Chicken safety Breeding heritage chickens Chicken keeping legalities Lisa's visit to Moss Mountain Items mentioned in this episode include: Lisa's book: Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally Fresh Eggs Daily Facebook Page Lisa's website: Fresh Eggs Daily Which Breeds lay Colored Eggs Build your own coop plans Buy a coop: Amish Coops Leonard Coops Non-organic: Nutrena Blue Seal (has both organic and non-organic organic: Nature's Best Organic Feeds Scratch & Peck Feeds About this week's Guest, Lisa Steele: Lisa and her husband share their small farm in southeastern Virginia with a menagerie of chickens, ducks, horses, a German Shepherd, a Corgi and a Tuxedo cat. Lisa shares her farming adventures on her blog Fresh Eggs Daily® and sister Facebook pages Fresh Eggs Daily and Ducks Too. Dedicated to raising their animals as naturally as possible, Lisa offers advice and tips on raising chickens using herbs and other holistic remedies and shows her readers how to have some fun while doing it. In addition to chicken keeping tips, she also shares DIY projects for the coop and run using repurposed materials, gardening ideas, and recipes using fresh eggs, vegetables, berries and herbs. She knits, sews, and dabbles in canning and breadmaking when not tending to her flock. A fifth generation chicken keeper, Lisa has been around chickens for most of her life, but only got back into raising them as an adult about five years ago. In the years since, she created Fresh Eggs Daily® to help others learn how to keep their flocks safe from predators, how to build strong immune systems, and how to keep them healthy without using antibiotics or other commercial medications. Lisa’s advice is time tested, much of it based on how the oldtimers did things, as well as triedandtrue from her own experiences with her flock. She has written a book called Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally which not only offers some basic advice to those just starting out on their backyard chicken journey, but also complies the best from her blog in the areas of the coop, run, nesting boxes, dust bath area, and more, to guide readers on a more natural path to chicken keeping. She is also a contributing writer for HGTVGardens, Grit magazine, Capper’s Farmer, Hobby Farms Chickens magazine and Backyard Poultry magazine. Lisa’s own flock has numbered from just three hens to more than three dozen over the years. She has raised more than 20 different breeds at various times and now concentrates on some of the more rare breeds such as Lavender Orpingtons, Chocolate Orpingtons, Olive Eggers, Faverolles and Blue Ameraucanas. She collects pink, blue, olive green, cream and chocolate brown eggs daily from her mixed flock.

Previous Podcast Episodes #182: Mike talks Hydrating Vegetable Seeds with Annie Haven of Authentic Haven Brand Natural Brew #181: Mike interviews Niki Jabbour Author of Groundbreaking Food Gardens #180: Mike interviews LaManda Joy the founder of the Peterson Garden Project #179: Mike interviews Helen Yoest the author of Plants with Benefits #178: Mike interviews P. Allen Smith Giving us His Best Garden Tips and Talks Heritage Chickens

5 Ways to Stake Tomatoes

photo credit: http://thefreerangelife.com/5-ways-stake-tomatoes/ Tomatoes are the king of the home vegetable garden. Just about anyone who has a garden, regardless of size, grows some variety of tomato. And who can blame them right? Tomatoes are easy to grow and with so many varieties to choose from, there is bound to be one out there for you. Since there are so many tomato varieties to choose from, it comes without saying that there are also a lot of ways to keep tomatoes "propped" up, so they grow off the ground, helping to produce a plentiful bounty. Tomato cages, sold at all home and garden centers are the easy, go to, choice, but you have plenty more options out there. Check out these 5 from author Sarah Toney. You are sure to find one that you will enjoy. http://thefreerangelife.com/5-ways-stake-tomatoes/

READ OUR LATEST BLOG ENTRY

How to Grow Yarrow

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT TIPS

8 Natural Ways To Kill Garden Weeds

Top 10 Ways to Prepare Kale

7 DIY Vertical Gardening Techniques for Healthier Veggies

7 Ways to Protect your Garden Plants Naturally

How to Use Forks to Keep Rabbits out of the Garden

5 Ornamental Plants That Could Save Your Vegetables

photo credit: http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/5-ornamental-plants-that-could-save-your-vegetables.aspx Are you practicing companion planting techniques? More importantly as it pertains to this article, are you planting flowers alongside your fruits, vegetables and herbs? If not you are really missing out on making your home vegetable garden even better. Flowers can serve an even greater purpose to your gardening efforts than simply looking great and pretty with a nice aroma. They can attract beneficials, ward off harmful insects and even add some nutrients back into the soil. Check out this article by Hobby Farms where they list 5 ornamental plants that you can plant to help out with your home vegetable garden. http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/5-ornamental-plants-that-could-save-your-vegetables.aspx

READ OUR LATEST BLOG ENTRY

How to Grow Yarrow

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT TIPS

Brew Compost Tea in 5 Easy Steps

4 Simple Steps to Grow a Hundred Pounds of Potatoes in a Barrel

10 Inspiring Gardens for Growing Food in Small Spaces

10 Ways to Make Gardening Easier

photo credit: http://gardening.about.com/b/2014/05/24/10-ways-to-make-gardening-easier-2.htm Once again vegetable gardening author Marie Iannotti knocks it out the park with some great vegetable gardening information. This time she tackles making vegetable gardening easier, and who wouldn't like to make their vegetable garden just a bit easier? I know I would. Here in Marie's article, she covers 10 cool tips that can speed up some your vegetable gardening efforts, as well as keep your vegetable garden maintenance to a minimum. There is a little bit of garden knowledge in here for everyone as Marie tackles weeding, drip irrigation and getting your kids involved in your home vegetable garden. http://gardening.about.com/b/2014/05/24/10-ways-to-make-gardening-easier-2.htm

READ OUR LATEST BLOG ENTRY

How to Grow Yarrow

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT TIPS

Fix Your Nutrient Deficient Soil with this Mediterranean herb garden

How to Make Roses Bloom with Banana and Coffee Grounds

11 Tips for Using Recycled Materials in Your Landscaping

Top 10 Anti Inflammatory Herbs

5 Ornamental Plants That Could Save Your Vegetables