For the Love of Science and Learning...

It has been Science Fair time around here. They began last fall, and while I am glad they learn a lot, they don't tend to choose traditional projects that fit into the mold of the competitions, so they don't compare well to some of their peers, but they can explain some really cool science that often I don't even know about until they get these projects going!

Okay, so this isn't a photo from the science experiment she did, but her experiment was all about goats and stifle alignment. For those of you who followed it, I will try to get her to post it here after the regional science fair is over. The truth is, there were very few goats who had alignment issues of those she surveyed, and when she had gotten the weight of those she had with stifle issues back under control (a certain young buck really likes his alfalfa) the stifles went back in. She hope to do more and track does over the summer and fall who are pregnant to track the change across pregnancy, so should be interesting to see if she finds changes there. That is an oversimplification of her work, but let me know if you have questions about it and she can explain it all!

Wyatt wanted to build a cycle generator, preferably one that would charge a hovercraft. Yup, that's my kid. He did learn a lot about circuits and wiring and how to store alternative energy for later use along the way.

On Monday, they took their projects to SARSEF, the regional science fair for setup day. We have taken to stopping for photos of these cutouts annually now, so we got into it again this year.

Wyatt found the headless scientists pretty fun, but wouldn't stick his head in, wanted to be extra goofy instead.

Bailey thought it was pretty funny to stand between Spock and Dr Jane Goodall.

Tuesday wasa interview day. The kids were lucky enough to spend much of the day up at the Biosphere 2 labs attending classes, then the SARSEF folks were kind enough to let Bailey arrive late for her interviews so she could still do both. So sweet of them to work with us!

Somehow I thought the Biosphere 2 was a dome shape. Really impressive, though! Someday maybe I will get to take a tour or class!

According to the website for SARSEF, Bailey won an award, thought we won't know what that would be until the Awards nights on Friday. Some of her friends from around town were also on the list when i just checked. WOOHOO! (A big congrats to Cristine too!!!)

Another Wild Week for Us!

Wow, I think Wild Week might be an understatement.  This week was a very busy one in the bi academic projects of the year...

on Tuesday, the kids competed in Science Fair.  (had to sneak a pic of Wyatt in his interview)

While Bailey awaited her two interviews, we wandered the Air and Space Museum where the science fair took place. I couldn't believe Wyatt managed to fit in the cockpit of this tiny exhibit!

This exhibit from a bomber group was one of Wyatt's favorites. He loved looking up inside at the bomb bay and the turret guns, and was fascinated at how they also performed humanitarian missions.

He says he would love to restore one of these.

This is Bailey's project on goat stifles. 

This is Wyatt's cycle generator.

His poster

the baby chick that hatched on Monday...

As Monday was my sister's birthday, she got to name her, and chose Gilberta.

With lots of rosemary on hand, lemon rosemary chicken went into the crick pot.  Weeks like this require crock pot time!

Shadow was pretty bored with poster making, and wasn't at all happy with me that Wyatt wasn't cuddled up with her for his school work.

On Saturday, the kids both competed in National History Day. I knew Wyatt was fighting being sick, but he had put so much into his project. I dropped them off for their presentations and had to go teach at work as part of an ALS fundraiser/ awareness event.  Then I picked them up to take them for a treat before the awards ceremony.

They were so ready to go home!

By the time we got home, Wyatt's fever was in full, so Bailey and I went out and split up the feeding and chores, though we did take a little break for a quick driving lesson. =). We also found the first Polish egg from the new pair tht came to us in January. We will see if anything develops with it!

Today, with Wyatt sick and me staying up much of the night with him, we stayed home from church and began to get some new things done. I will get you an update on some exciting new other things happening here tomorrow!

Monday Adventures

I woke up this morning to noises in the incubator, This little Light Brahma decided not to wait the full 21 days, and came along today!  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to need to move chickens around until Tuesday or Wednesday, but it just got me rolling a little early.

The little ones in the brooder are feathered out, and were needing to move outside, but I had been hesitating. When I went to teach Step, I told the kids there was a little one drying and that we could move everyone when I got home. While I was gone the ones int he brooder picked today to make their escape! The kids put them back twice, and when I got home, the largest Light Brahma and the Buckeye escaped for Shadow and I.  I suppose if I needed any confirmation that they were ready to move to the next grow out step, they gave it to me!

In order for the little ones to move to their next spot, the two new roosters bringing new blood to the Silkie program got to move in with the remaining Silkies!

The new boys are young, and Buff and Partridge. It was definitely time, generation-wise to bring in some new boys, so the older hen, Trooper decided to give these boys the lay of the land. She used the top of her head and nudged the more dominant one backwards to the pen fence, then gave him a piece of her mind.

After that, the young roosters kept to themselves, enjoyed the snacks and treats, and did what the girls wanted.  I love it!  THey will settle in in another day or so.

While the kids were working on science fair, and I was watering before starting dinner, I got bust with the pruning on my list.  This is the Pichu plant that I posted for advice the other day. Folks told me to hurry up and prune it just above the new growth before the plant wakes up much more, 

so I did! I hope I did it correctly! We shall see, since only time will tell. This is the first time we have grown or overwintered Pichu fruit.  I did save some fruit though, so plan to harvest some seeds later this week to start for the next ones.

What do you think? This is the other, smaller Pichu plant. It struggle last year, as the puppy liked to sit in the pot with it.

These are the little tiny new leaves of it.

So I cut just above the leaves. Not sure what I think, though, since the stalk is rather leaned over. This is the finish trim, any thoughts or advice?

I also got a couple minutes to add dirt and expand the new little asparagus patch. I think I need to water better with both of them in the record heat.I will add some more dirt and move that low pot to the other end, too, I think.

Charlie helped Wyatt with his science fair pedal powered generator. The wheel doesn't always want to set up, so they did a few trial runs so he will be ready to set it all up and explain it tomorrow at the fair.

And he did a few trials proving that he was generating and storing power.

I also added the two new jars of soaking barley to the fodder system as well.  The fodder is growing slowly right now. I am not sure whether the issue is the heat int he window, or something else, but the aren't moving much beyond the sprout stage. I will have to keep watching and working with it.

Well, another busy day in the books.  Tomorrow looks to be another busy day, lots to do with the kids, and fun times ahead.  But for today, I made a little dent, got to talk to my sister online on her birthday, and even got to face the fact that my eleven year-old is now taller than me. Just another day in this crazy life, but more blessings along the way.

You all have a great one, we'll check in again soon. Love to all!

Pima County Fair 2013- The Heritage Poultry Project

From the time that Wyatt and I kept getting sent tot he poultry section of the petting zoo, to Wyatt earning his first chickens, then Bailey joining the poultry project so that Wyatt could sit in the back and learn along with her, the Patriot's Dream poultry journey has been a winding one.

The year after our first chickens arrived, Wyatt and Charlie talked Bailey into trying the meat pen project in 4-H.  We knew it would be a learning experience, and we had no idea how right we were!  

For those of you who have raised the cornish rock cross birds, you already know they are a laboratory created bird which is designed for optimal meat production in a short period of time.  These birds do not live long enough to lay eggs and cannot reproduce naturally.  The commercial poultry industry standard is for them to live 49 days from hatch to slaughter, and are almost exclusively the chicken you purchase as a broiler or fryer in the marketplace, regardless of whether you purchase organic or not.  In the 4-H project, those birds are brought to fair at 6-8 weeks of age.  After that first year, Bailey spent some time researching better breeds, as those fast growing created birds might put on lots of breast meat fast, but come with their own set of stomach and skeletal issues.  She tried newer, slower growing breeds the following year, and then turned the project over to Wyatt Clay.

Last year, he incorporated the project into his science fair project, and raised White cornish rock cross meat birds, slower growing red broilers (often called red rangers) and heritage Delaware birds side by side.  The birds all went to fair, with special permission to take the Delawares as a demonstration project, and judge felt that they all would have been competitive, but that he started them all at the same time instead of on the timelines for them to be ready at the proper timing for each breed.  But the county premium book was set for  the 6-8 week line, without provisions for heritage breeds.  The white broilers he took would win grand champion, and earned Wyatt a new record in his first year at auction.  And now, he wanted to do more.  

Armed with knowledge and experience (and another trip to regional science fair competition), he looked back at the Delawares and didn't really like how their color had help up in the Arizona weather.  He selected Brahmas - light and buff- and Buckeyes to try for the coming year.  He also liked their finishing weights, and egg size and color, so that extra hens would do well in the laying flock and extra roos could fill out his business goals of the meat.

It turned out hard to time the number of birds he needed for hatching on the fair schedule, so he ordered in more, and the buff Brahmas had color variations that he thought could be a problem for uniformity, so in the end two pens of light Brahmas went to fair a little over a week ago.

The birds were unmistakable. When you looked down the line at meat pens, heritage and otherwise, you really noticed the light Brahmas.  There were regular cornish rock cross meat pens, sure, and some of those looked better than others, but those just sit and lay around, and have no personality   There were other heritage pens, too, but it was the first year these heritage projects were allowed so it was a learning curve.  There were some beautiful barred rock ones, which earned the reserve champion heritage slot, as they were perfectly uniform in weight and one of Wyatt's Brahma pens was off by a 1/4 pound.  But the color didn't stand out quite the same.  That really showed Wyatt that he was right about the light Brahmas over the Buff Brahmas.

This is Wyatt Clay with his Champion Heritage Meat Pen plaque and blue ribbon.  There had been a lot of apprehension about this first year of the project, but the youth did a beautiful job, and educated the public, too!

These are Wyatt's heritage meat birds in the pre-auction viewing area.  He was so excited.  Apparently, the poultry judge had come through and spoken with several of the youth, then even bid on their birds in auction.  Talk about exciting for the kids!!!

A couple fo the boys from his 4-H club helped Wyatt carry the birds through the auction.  I love those big smiles!  I especially love that the youth work together so well!

Another special moment of excitement for Wyatt- not only did he have the Champion Heritage Meat pen inits first year as a project, the judge said it would have held its own again the regular meat birds had they been allowed to compete for grand champion, but the same duo of buyers who have been purchasing the regular broilers and bought at auction from Wyatt last year, still bought from him in the Heritage project!  Lots of work from the youth is really gratified in moments like this, and the fact that they remember him, and remember his letters and projects means so much to him in recognition of his hard work over time.

Next- this weekend, we will make some adjustments to the breeding stock for the qualities that did the best for him, and the not quite perfect attributes he wants to remove from the breeding stock to put in the laying flock.  I love that the hard work and a little success has him ready to work more!  And I guess now, the incubator won't be going back to the shed for a while. 

 He wants to get his timing down and incubators rolling to hatch all of his birds on a perfect schedule next year!  I guess no rest for mama just yet!

The Leprechauns Take the TCC

Many of you know that I have been struggling to feel caught up again, with issue after issue running me in circles, and trying to make a break from caffeine, all while returning to running again through the flare up of my hamstring injury and transitioning Bailey to homeschooling, and keep a straight face as my younger child begs to switch over to homeschooling. (We have mandated that if there is not a drastic reason, we are not making that kind of a change this late in the school year.)  It was that big a deal with Bailey, but Wyatt needs to finish the year out.

So on top of the crazy already present, the run up to county fair, and work and the little farm, I haven't felt on track.  I spent a whole week at Bailey's school trying to get through the transition, after four weeks trying to muscle through only half of the meetings.  Needless to say, I have A LOT to catch up on.  Still, that isn't slowing the growth of this years hatch, it doesn't stall the goings on in the incubator, or the spring planting, blogging, teaching, or the personal goals I set for myself this year.  Honestly, I sound like every other mama on the planet, right?

So this last week, I oopsed.  Not a little oops.  Not an unmanageable one, but an oops, none the less.  After turning their science fair projects in to the regional science fair they had advanced to, I looked at the website for the schedule.  Bailey had interviews the following day, Wyatt would not need to stand for interviews until next year.  They were feeling the need to work on school work and animals, so opted out of young innovators' night, and I read the site to say that we needed to pick up their posters Sunday morning between 8 and 12, or they would be recycled.  Wednesday night, I checked and learned that neither of them had advanced further in competition, and told the kids we could go by on Sunday to pick up the posters.  Wyatt is planning his to double over for county fair.  (The project is he same, and I am big on not wasting!)

So yesterday, Bailey and I drove almost right near there while running errands and heading to work out.  Last night, I saw an email that concerned me, so I rechecked the site.  OOPS. We were supposed to get them Saturday.  Uh. oh.

Then this morning, the three of us piled into the car on the way to town, and headed off early to hopefully see if there was any way to get them.

We found the convention hall deserted.  But there was an open door.  So we figured someone, security at least, was in there.

The three of us, dressed in green for the St Pat's Day, headed into the convention center.  The kids were whispering, and silly.  I was calling down corridors, looking for anyone who worked there.  We got to the windows above the hall where the fair had been set up, and still saw piles of boards.  So they weren't all gone- yet.  We knocked on office doors, went up and down stairs and quiet escalators, and looked for security.  There was a truck and a golf cart besides our car, so someone must be there, right?  We decided we were leprechauns on the loose in the convention center!

Just as we were beginning to wonder if we could find anyone, we saw someone.  We asked if he worked there, and he was clearly surprised that we were in there.  We told him about the open door (he called security) and we told him of our mistake.  He showed us down to the hall and let us look through the remaining piles.  Bailey found hers rather quickly.  The man mentioned that he had found hers quite interesting, having looked at it previously while they were set up.  Then just as I was thinking Wyatt's was already gone, I looked in one stack a second time, and saw the telltale camo he had covered his board in.  YAY!

So, all is well.  We printed out the photos Wyatt needed for his dog project poster, but didn't have to reprint the poultry ones.  I am off the hook for the oops, and we have our silly story of clandestine leprechaun operations.  And we know there are still very sweet folks out there, willing to be understanding and take a few extra minutes out of their day to help a couple kids and a mom.

Did you have any fun, GREEN adventures today???

First to Hatch

I mentioned these little ones in the previous post.  What a treat to get to see this one work its way out of its shell!  As the first time to have one hatch before our eyes, it was so fun to see that they really do make a line all the way around and lift off as a lid!  I never figured it was quite so tidy, and the shells have always been pretty beaten up by the time I have seen them.

These are the two little ones that hatched the first night.  It leave me with so many questions!  The chickens in that pen where the eggs came from are all Brahmas, some light, some buff.  So I am wondering if the dark feathers are going to go away on that one, or if there may be some darker brahmas mixed into the heritage of this line I have.  This should be fun to watch them grow!

They didn't have the litter yet a this point, I was having trouble getting the brooder warm enough, since there were little ones ahead of schedule!  Funny, they had no interest in the gro-gel, but that's okay!

We had to fix something in their brooder the second night, as their little friend was hatching, so Bailey took over baby-sitting duty.  They began by standing on her hand and talking to her very loudly, then took turns climbing up her shirt like a jungle gym and nestling in for quick little mini naps.

Once they were dried out and fluffy, the color difference is really noticeable!

Well, we will keep you posted!

Incubator set and running...

Wyatt Clay drug the big incubator out of the tack shed over the weekend.  He read all of the isntructions, and got it all set up with a little supervision.  He has several eggs from a breeding pen he is working with, and will likely add more in the next couple days.

This is part of his heritage breeding project he is working on for dual purpose meat and egg layers.  Keep your fingers crossed!  This is quite a project and learning experience for his phase two  meat pen project!  Especially since he is only ten!

Watch here for updates, I am excited to see what he will raise and learn!