The Dreaded EGG SONG Has Arrived!

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006That damn hen is going to blow our cover.  I don’t know what the heck is going on lately but Swiffer has started to do the EGG SONG.  This morning, the “song” (it’s kinda like a cross between a goose in distress and a car alarm going off in your driveway) began at 5:38!  Why now??????? After 7 months of laying like a champ, why the hell are you now making all this racket?  You DO remember that you and the other 2 hens are illegal?????  Did you forget that only our IMMEDIATE neighbors know that you 3 chickens live in our backyard????????? Are you aware that your so-called “song” can be heard way down the street past those IMMEDIATE neighbors???? Why must you have such a big mouth??????

OK….lay on the couch and tell me what’s really troubling you.  Does it have something to do with my post on Rosie from a few weeks ago?  You’re right….she was in the spotlight that week and we did get some good “views” for that post, but you didn’t hear Honda kickin’ up a fuss.  Besides…….her eggs are enormous and she deserved a little “shout out” for her daily accomplishment.  By the way…..you are still laying the SMALLEST EGG!!!!

Guess who's on the right????

Guess who’s on the right????

Ya know….Maybe the soup pot is not a bad idea.   Now that I think about it, you were the one who bullied Rosie for a month when she first came to City Boy  Hens last November.   You were also the one who taught her  NOT to lay her egg in the nest box, but right beside yours on the floor of the coop.  You were also the one who took 7 long months and 13 days to lay your first egg, which by the way, was 3 months behind Honda’s initial offering.

So…….What’s it gonna’ be Swiffer?  You want the By-law Officer to write me  up?   Just to let you know….it’s not me that will be going???  IT WILL BE YOU and the two quiet hens!

So maybe…86 the song.  There’s no need for this racket.  OK…..You win….I’ve written a post about you.  But….don’t come crying back to me if we don’t get as many views for this post as we did for the one with Rosie.  People aren’t generally impressed with such negative behavior……. So…In the mean time ………SHUT IT!003

Pickled Asparagus

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019Canning season officially starts at City Boy Hens with pickled asparagus.  Around here, it is included in our antipasto, the “topper” to “special events” salads, a great addition to any sandwich or just as a pickled treat with dinner. Chickens2 003

Step 1: Sterilize your jars, lids and rings.

You can use the dishwasher on the high temperature setting, your canner (big pot) for 15 minutes at a “rolling boil” or your oven at 225 degrees  Fahrenheit for 20 minutes to sterilize your jars.   Whatever way you choose, remember to keep the jars warm after the required length of time and do not sterilize the lids in any of these ways.  The rubber seal may become compromised do to the extended length of heat and may prevent a good seal for your canned goods.  For me, the oven is my method of choice.004

For the seals and bands, I find it easiest to put these in a small pot of water and keep them just below a boil.  Make sure that you separate all of the lids.  They can easily become stuck together and appear as one.  The last thing you are going to want is to go through the entire process below and find that you are short one lid because you put two on one jar without knowing!005

Step 2:  Fill your canner up with water.

I know it sounds like an easy step, but it is worth mentioning that you need to find the right volume of water.  Too much and the water will overflow when you add your jars that are heavy with their contents.  Too little and the jars will not be completely submerged which will not allow for proper sterilization of contents.  I fill my canner to around 2/3 full in order to accommodate 6 large canning jars.  Note:  Use hot water to fill the canner.   This will help to speed up the process of bringing the water to a boil.  Even with doing this, it will still take some time to get this water to a boil so start now!

Step 3: Wash and cut your asparagus.

Asparagus spears are quite long and a good portion of the vegetable must be cut off in order for it to properly fit into your canning jar.  I have found that the easiest way to do this is to cut one piece to its designated length and then position each bunch beside your one piece and “chop”.  Follow up with a good wash for the asparagus  in the sink.  Note:  Don’t discard the remaining stem of the asparagus.  Bend each piece until it snaps and keep the tender end.  This can be canned, cooked for the next few meals or made into soup!008

Step 4:  Make your brine.

6 cups of pickling vinegar (5% acetic acid)

9 cups of water

9 tbsp. of pickling salt.  Iodized salt will leave your brine cloudy.

Bring this to a boil.

Step 5:  Pack your jars.

Before I begin packing my canning jars with asparagus, I add 1 clove of garlic (cut into 3 pcs.), 1/2 tsp. of chili peppers and 1 slice of lemon.  Feel free to omit any of these ingredients though I highly recommend them all. Now it’s time to pack your jars.   I find that it is easiest to lay the jar on its side when it is time to pack the asparagus into the jars.  You may be surprised at how many spears you will be able to pack into each jar.  I averaged around 35 per jar.  This number will vary on the thickness of the asparagus stalks.  It is important to pack your jars as tight as you can without breaking off the tips of the asparagus.  I find that a table knife works well to help move the asparagus from side to side in order to make room for a few more spears.012

Step 6:  Add the brine and seal your jars.

Now it’s time to add the brine to your jars.  A large ladle and a canning funnel makes easy work of this step. Make sure not to fill the brine up to the top of the jar.  Leave around 1/4″of “head space”. Once this is done, take one of your sterilized seals out of your pot with a pair of tongs and place it on the lip of the jar.  Note:  make sure to wipe the lip of your jar before placing the seal on the jar.  This will ensure that nothing is trapped on the lip which could prevent a tight seal and spoil your asparagus as it sits in your cantina (cellar) for up to 1 year.  Once this is done, tightly screw the canning ring onto the jar.015

Step 7:  Water bath.

The water bath is debatable and many people omit this step.  Some rationalize the omittance by claiming that the boiling brine is enough to kill any bacteria that may be left on the asparagus.  I also recognize that this step is a pain in the butt and can be quite dangerous because you are transferring a relatively heavy jar into and out of boiling water.  With that said, I feel better eliminating my family’s chance at botulism and using a canning tongs to work the jars into and out of the boiling water.  This process should be done for 15 minutes.016

Carefully remove the jars with canning tongs and place the hot jars on a rack to cool.  After a while, you will hear the great sound of “SNAP”.  That means your jars have sealed.  Let your jars completely cool (over night) and then put them in your cantina or cupboard until it is time to enjoy the taste of pickled asparagus.019

Making Some Honey Bee Frames

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My assignment this week from Dan was to assemble some honey bee frames for my hive.  The frames consist of a top bar, 2 end bars, one end bar and a sheet of 100% beeswax foundation.  The beeswax foundation has hundreds of tiny hexagons which the bees will build up to make comb.  It is in this comb that they will put eggs, pollen (protein) and HONEY.  The process was quite simple and my pneumatic brad nailer made for quick work.003004

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You will notice that there are 2 different sizes of frames.  This is because there are 2 different depths to the supers (boxes) that we will use for the hive. 013 The larger frames will go into the 2 bottom supers.  This will be where the queen will lay her eggs (up to 1000 in a single day) and her workers will deposit nectar for the brood and winter feed for the entire colony.

The upper supers will be strictly for our honey consumption.  There will be a screen below these 2 supers which will prevent the queen from laying brood amidst our honey. Since the queen is much larger than her workers, she will not be able to fit through this screen, though her workers will be able to move up and deposit honey into these frames.

So……..why are these supers smaller than the ones below?  Common sense would dictate that large supers would be the best choice for harvesting honey. Remember last week’s post about more is not always better???????  The only reason that these supers are smaller is because honey is heavy! A medium super – filled and capped with honey will weigh in at around 45 pounds.  Now take into account that there are around 40,000 bees(that’s the average) who are really ticked off that you are stealing their honey.  The last think you are going to want is more weight!   Dan informed me that last year he harvested around 100 pounds of honey from each of his 4 hives!

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So for now……I just have to wait for my Queen to arrive.   Dan told me that she will be coming near the end of the month. She, and a bunch of bees from one of Dan’s strong hives, will be brought together in order to start my hive!

A Bit of Trivia:

Did you know that honey bees are not indigenous to North America?  Apis mellifera (Western Honey Bee) was first introduced in 1622 on the coast of Virginia.  It was famously called “white man’s fly” by Native Americans.

My daughter with Dan's pig "Larry".

My daughter with Dan’s pig “Larry”.

Bigger Is Not Always Better: Some Advice From The Manager

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Rosie's first day at City Boy Hens

Rosie’s first day at City Boy Hens

OK Rosie…. We need to talk!

There is no need to impress me further.  I am aware that you were a late addition to City Boy Hens and that you received extensive bullying from Swiffer during the first month when you were forced into the flock last November, but…. you gotta stop laying those EXTRA LARGE EGGS!    It’s getting to the point where I can’t even close the egg carton because those eggs are sooooooooooo big.  Not to mention the fact that I can’t even fit a dozen eggs in the carton because your eggs take up most of the space where Honda’s or Swiffer’s eggs are suppose to go.012

Listen…….I know you are a champ and I’m very proud of your daily accomplishment, but it’s got to the point where I have to find a separate area in the fridge just to house YOUR EGGS!  This is becoming a pain in the butt, especially on grocery day when fridge space is at a premium.

Secondly,  I’m getting tired of having to explain to the neighbors why your eggs are so much bigger.  I’m sure you are reveling in your daily accomplishments, but you should remember how it was going for you last November when Swiffer was pecking the crap out of you.  As I’ve told you before, that hen is not playing with a full deck, she lays the smallest egg, and you might want to stop rocking the boat!

Don’t get me wrong……..I’m proud of the fact that you have never taken a day off since last November.  I’d also be lying if I said that I am not impressed when I come out in the morning to collect your egg.  I know you hear my “Wows” & “Holy S**Ts” when I get your egg, but this favoritism has to stop.  From now on, I’m not going to view your accomplishments with any more interest than I do for the other hens.015

I also hope that you are not doing this in order to impress Honda with the hope that you’ll move into the #2 hen position.  You know that you are number 3 in the batting order and that’s never gonna change.  You also need to come to terms with the fact that Swiffer is always going to be psycho, no matter how much help she gets.  Don’t keep tickin’ her off!  It’s bad enough that you are not TOTALLY accepted by the tribe.  You’re only gonna’ make it harder on yourself.

Up on the deck.

Banished to the back!

So…. maybe drop the egg size down to a large, give yourself a little rest and try flying under the radar for a while.

Maybe then there won’t be so much jealousy in the hen-house.

Yours truly,

The Manager

There’s NEVER enough time!

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Part 1

Last week was a busy week at City Boy Hens and I have no one to blame but myself.  Dan the beekeeper gave me my first assignment and I was instructed to put together 2 hive bodies or “supers” as they are referred to by beekeepers.  It really was an easy job because most hive parts are sold pre cut and ready for assembly. 006 So off I went back down to the city and assembled my two supers in an about an hour. 010 Then I got to thinking……….I could make some supers from scratch and, while I’m at it, I’d  better make  a base and a hive cover as well…….And I still have a couple of  days before I have to go back up to the cottage……… so I might as well paint them all as well.  And before I knew it….I made my very first hive!  My wife often reminds me that I “sometimes” try to accomplish too much in too little time, but I reminded her that there is no way that my hive was going to fit into the van with the family, dog and chickens when we all go up to the cottage in a few weeks time. Well… I’m sticking to that story, though I don’t think she believes me!017On Sunday morning, I met up with Dan and brought my hive to its new home.  It will sit in his barn for a few weeks until we can purchase a few more queens and re-start the 2 other hives.

Dan’s two surviving hives are doing well and the bees are starting to bring in some pollen.  You can see the yellow pollen that is attached to the legs of the bee in the picture below.  This is a great sign that all is well with the bees.027

Part 2

This past weekend also presented itself with the opportunity to build our raised bed vegetable garden at the cottage.  It was also the annual Spring weekend with my two great friends from my high school days.  It was great to have their help, laughter and practical jokes for an entire weekend.  Thanks guys!  Your sweat was greatly appreciated!011

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So…the week is over and a lot was accomplished in those blurry seven days.  Sometimes everything comes at once, but I know I’ll look back in the summer when the honey is a flowin’ and the garden is a growin’ and know that it was all worth while.  In the mean time, sleep is looking pretty darn good!

City Boy Hens….. & Honey???

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City Boy Hens & Honey ….It’s gotta nice ring to it.

Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about honey.  It all started with a bottle of honey that ended up in our house because my daughter wanted it on her morning pancakes.  I then began using it as a sweetener in my tea.  And then…..I started thinking.

As my wife will testify, thinking & me can become a dangerous obsessive combination which generally leads to something new.

Well…..I’m happy to report that this city boy is movin’ into the honey business.  It might be a bit premature, but I want to tell you how I got to this point.  The desire to make honey (well.. I’m not really makin’ it..the bees will) is no different from my desire to make lots of other foods from yesteryear.  Like all the other stuff, it has the right combination of interest, technique and loads of knowledge that fits right up my alley.

In my initial investigation, I thought that maybe I could co-op into one of the various hives that are maintained by a local honey bee association in our city.  That idea hit the skids when I found out that there is a long waiting list and I’d have to do a lot of volunteer hours for a little bit of honey.  Not to mention that the majority of those hours would have to be given in the summer when I want to be at the cottage.

At first, I thought that was the end of City Boy Honey, but then I started thinking in broader terms that could potentially fit into  my desire to harvest this golden nectar.  What about if I partnered with someone else like a local farmer who was willing to share the responsibilities with me?  Then I shot that one down when I realized that I’d have to leave my summer sanctuary in order to harvest the honey in late summer and I’d never get the chance to see how the bees were progressing through the summer.   Then…..I remembered Dan!024

Dan is a local farmer near our cottage who sells antiques and boards horses.  I have known him for around 8 years and I have lovingly restored some of the pieces that I have bought from him over these years.  But best of all….DAN KEEPS BEES!!!!!

I called him about 3 seconds after I remembered this and asked him if he would be willing to share a hive with me.  I am delighted to say that Dan is also excited to join in this venture with me.  For him, it’s really an opportunity to share his knowledge with a Newby.  As I have said before, you meet great people in your discoveries who generally want to share their interests.

Well, off I went up to the cottage for the weekend and arranged to meet with Dan on Saturday.  This Spring is really late up North.  In fact, the ice just went out of our lake on Saturday.011 As a result, Dan’s hives are still wrapped up from the Winter and it wasn’t until the sun came out that the bees began pouring out of one of the hives, which is ALWAYS a great sign after a long winter.033  Unfortunately, 2 of the hives did not survive the Winter.  From what I have read, this seems to be the norm for this year.

As I close this post, I am sipping on a hot cup of tea that is sweetened with Dan’s honey.  If all goes well, I’ll be tasting some of my own honey by the end of August.  In the mean time, I’ll keep you up to date with what I am learning in the wonderful world of the apiary.

A Year in Review

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Well…..we made it through a year.  The hens have officially been at City Boy Hens for the last 13 months.  For me…it’s a big deal.  Not because the hens are 1 year old, but rather, I or something else, haven’t managed to kill them in that time.   In the last 12 months, they have survived cat and owl attacks, an attempted break in by a raccoon, one weasel close call at the cottage and two red tail hawks that continue to circle the backyard at home looking for a take-out chicken dinner!

The hens have also moved from their first accommodation – The Chicken Ark- which I made last Spring, to  permanent swanky digs that didn’t have to be moved around the yard each day. They, like the Jeffersons, were “Movin’ on up!”

Portable chicken ark.

Portable chicken ark.

The Run

I kept the new digs toasty throughout the Winter by constructing a well insulated coop which generated heat via a 100 watt lightbulb.  The light was on for the better part of the day and this kept the eggs and drinker from freezing. If you would like more info on these accommodations, check out my page: https://cityboyhens.com/laying-eggs/coop-run-requirements/

There are still no signs of  lice or mites on the hens and our dog, Stanley, has yet to develop a taste for raw chicken.  The transition to the cottage in the summer was pretty easy except for some stinky poop on the way up and some aggravated hens who wouldn’t stop squawking when we stopped for a burger.  As I have said before, they love meat!

As Spring continues to tease us with the expectation of warmer and dryer days, I look forward to returning to the cottage in the months to come and watching the hens free ranging down at the beach.  In the mean time, the neighbours at home continue to get the freshest of eggs when there’s surplus and my friend Ted continues to call me the Chicken Man.

I guess it’s like anything in life.  You reap what you sow.  With that said, wouldn’t it be easier to just get some eggs, salami, cookies, pickles or whatever at the grocery store?  From a time perspective, the answer is yes.  But, I’ve learned a lot in my trade-off with time.  Satisfaction, pride in accomplishments, successes with small failures, and the opportunity to share with family and friends have made every moment worth while.  I’ve also met a lot of great people all the way and it is great getting to know you all.

My blog has been up and running for the last few months and I am amazed at the interest.  It has gone to places in the world that I will never reach.  Thanks to all for spending some of your valuable time at City Boy Hens.  As Spring unfolds, I look forward to sharing the progression of my  vegetable garden at the cottage and  some canning posts on making jams and preserving asparagus, peaches, pears, olives, peppers and more as we move into summer.canning

So….the hens are one year old.  Though they all started laying at different times, I think we’ve received around 650 eggs and counting since Honda got the ball rolling last July!  In the end, we’ve all survived.  In fact, I believe we thrived!  My only regret…….the odd Saturday sleep in to 8 o’clock would have been great!

1 Week's Work!

1 Week’s Work!

Making Salami

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018I have waited patiently over the last 4 weeks to taste the salami that Mike and I made 4 long weeks ago.  During the last 4 weeks, I have nurtured those “babies” in my cantina; making sure to provide the correct temperature and humidity that will create the right environment for curing these delicious insaccati treats.  Well…the tasting time arrived last night and I am proud to say….. “Home run!”

Week 4 8C 72RH

Week 4

It was definitely worth the wait and effort.  A big thank you to Don for all his patience in my emails during the last month.  As you fellow bloggers have discovered, we meet great people on our road to success.  Don, you were a great source of knowledge to me and I am grateful for your help.  I hope you take me up on the offer of a dozen fresh eggs from the “girls”.

If you would like a detailed explanation for making City Boy Salami click HERE.

Well….I can now tick off salami from my list of foods I want to make!  Maybe next year, we’ll try our hands at capicola or prosciutto.  Until then, I look forward to sharing these delicious treats with family and friends, over a glass of wine with some cheese and homemade olives.   Why don’t you give it a try and let me know how you made out with this great tradition from our past.

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Crescia – The Easter Bread from Le Marche

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074My Family came to Canada in 1913 from the town of Pesaro in the Province of Le Marche, Italy.  Over the years, traditions were lost or no longer practiced as my ancestors blended more into the Canadian fabric.  But,  Crescia has always survive the test of time and it has now been alive and well for 4 generations in our Canadian family.  I’m sure it’s not the same as the one my great-grandmother (Bisnonna Laura) made, but I hope it’s a close resemblance.

Crescia is a vastly different bread, depending on the region of its origins.  It can be as thin as focaccia or as high as the crescia that originated in Pesaro. The later is the one that my Family has made for generations, though it was denser and did not rise as high as the one that I make. But, it is similar in its signature ingredients of eggs, pepper and cheese.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Easter breads are so laden with eggs. As you backyard chicken owners know, heritage breed hens take a break from laying eggs during the Winter and resume their production in the Spring which happens to coincide with Easter.   As well, eggs, cheese, meat and olive oil were historically omitted from the diet in Italy during the period of Lent so everyone must have been “chompin’ at the bit” to return to these foods after those 40 bland days!

As I write this post, the scent of baking crescia fills the air!  It reminds me of my ancestors who came to this great country over 100 years ago.  Times were a lot harden then, but they were also flavoured with great  traditions which always revolved around food.  Unfortunately, a lot of those great traditions have been lost or misplaced in our progression to a busier life. 

I’m not sure if we have made a good trade.  Perhaps, it’s worth “stepping back” now and then and carrying on some of those great traditions that remind us of roots and the journey that has brought us to today!

I hope I “did you proud” Bisnonna Laura…..Buona Pasqua!

If you would like to make crescia, check out my page https://cityboyhens.com/food/crescia-the-easter-bread-from-le-marche/

Drop me a line and let me know how you made out!

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Saturday Morning Education

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Over the past few weekends, both of my kids have had friends sleep over for the night.  For my daughter, it was more of an orchestrated event with a particular movie, snacks and sleeping bags.  For my son, it was just a place for his buddies to crash after a party.

Before going out to the party, my son asked his friends if they wanted to see the chickens.  “You have chickens?” said one of the teenagers, as he gave me “the look”.   If you have backyard chickens, I know you have received “the look”.  It’s similar to a polite smile that screams “This guy is crazy!”

As we entered the coop, I watched their reactions to the chickens.  It’s generally the same for most people : 1 part caution, 1 part fear, 1 part interest.  Maybe it had something to do with me possibly saying something about “attack chickens” that fostered more of the fear part.

For my daughter’s friends, the fear part must have dominated their reactions because nobody even asked to see the chickens.  Not even after I promised fresh eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast.  Maybe they just didn’t care. Maybe the movie JAWS was too captivating. Maybe, they were just being kids.   Anyways, it got me thinking more about our alienation from our food source and the fact that most urban kids (and adults) have very little or no connection with the food that they eat.   I’d bet that most of these young people have never even seen a chicken up close and they have a preconceived notion that chickens are just dirty barn yard animals.  That might explain why the girls had no interest in visiting the hens.

It’s too bad that we’ve created such a disconnect from our food source over the years.  I know it’s easier to just go to the grocery store to buy those eggs, sausages, olives, canned peaches or whatever.  But, with that convenience, comes a lost opportunity to learn, create, share and take pride in your accomplishments. DSCN4970

Camera Shy!

Camera Shy!

So, with that said,  I got up earlier than usual and prepared breakfast for our guests. The menu included “backyard fresh” eggs, homemade potato hash, bacon,  and homemade biscuits with last years’ blueberry and strawberry jam. Everyone got their first taste of “farm fresh” eggs, though I’m not sure if they were really impressed.  Afterall, they are teenagers (or soon to be), who live in the moment, and are more interested in stuff   that I do not understand or no longer hold of value.  But, I  do hope that our brief “lesson”  regarding our food source stays tucked away somewhere in the archives of their brains.

Maybe, when they become men and women, the memory of our breakfast together will come back and they, too, will want to plant a vegetable garden, raise some chickens, or take an interest in making sausage or canning some pears, or…………    “OK Dad…… stop talking so much and pass the potatoes!”