What with the heavy molt they went through last fall, plus the move to the new house, plus the short winter days, my girls quit laying eggs for me for the last 3 months. I knew that with the lengthening days that I'd probably be seeing an egg or two any day now. Sure enough, Pecker started squawking up a storm yesterday morning (which they tend to do right before they lay an egg...) Sure enough, I was rewarded with these two big beauties this morning!

For those of you new to the blog, Pecker is one of my Ameraucanas so she lays beautiful blue eggs.

Alright folks, no rest for the weary here in N. Texas! We get to garden 12 months out of the year and it's just about time to start those spring veggie seeds!

You can refer to an older post HERE for more info about exactly what to start when. You can also use the search function to the right and search seeds for several other detailed posts. Now is a great time to start amending your veggie beds or building your new raised beds so that they will be ready for your first transplants.

DO NOT, EVER, try starting your seeds indoors without supplemental lighting. It's a must-have. Also, January is chilly so tomatoes and peppers will appreciate you adding a seeding heat mat to your set up. You'll be very pleased with the results of both supplemental lighting and additional heat - well worth the initial investment.

NHG has good stock on cool season herb transplant as well as some cool season veggie transplants right now. You can start seeding cole crops now for transplant outdoors in 5-6 weeks, and in a week or so get a start on those tomato transplants. For my new class schedule visit my main website at: www.lesliehalleck.com   Veggie Gardening 101 is on Jan. 13th and registration is required!

On a happier chicken note, I've ordered my new day-olds. They are to ship the second week of March. On my order list are:

2 Salmon Faverolles
1 blue Cochin
1 White crested blue Polish
1 White crested black Polish
1 blue Hamburg
1 silver laced Wyandotte

Yay! So excited for the new gang to arrive! Happy New Year!

Well, I took the day off today so that after all this house moving and family holiday craziness I could have a day of doing nothing. That was not in the cards...this morning when I went to check on the girls, I noticed a patch of blood in the hay inside the coop. I checked each hen and found that Honkers had a very pasty and impacted vent. Poor thing, it looked terrible. I spent quite a while bathing her to try to clear the vent - warm water, soap followed by peroxide to try and break down the poop a bit more. Then olive oil to try and lubricate the vent. Unfortunately, she was bleeding a lot and it looked like her oviduct was actually prolapsing. Such are the realities of keeping livestock. Because of the prolapse and bleeding, we decided it was best to put her down. RIP Honkers...

For those of you in Dallas that may be looking for a community garden plot, good news! There are plots available now at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. They are located at 5923 Royal Lane.  You may contact Gayle Riddle at 214-208-7740. Happy Gardening!

Just happened to be sifting through some photos from the Ohio Short Course last year and came across this beauty: Begonia 'Gryphon', a new variety that will be available in 2011

It's HUGE!!! And how gorgeous. North Haven Gardens will carry limited quantities of this new beauty March/April of 2011. Just thought you might like a teaser!

Americans, you need to contact your Senators TODAY to protest the Food "Safety" Act Bill S.510. This bill is so overreaching it's scary. Do we really need Homeland Security inspecting and regulating our backard vegetable gardens? Telling you you can't save seed and grow your own food? This bill gives Congress the authority to enact just those kinds of policies. This bill protects Big-Ag, period. Small farmers across America are crucial to the future of sustainable and affordable food system in this country. VOTE IT DOWN!!!

Last week we managed to get everything moved into the new house...and then I promptly had some oral surgery. Then family arrived in town for the holidays (and stepped around boxes for the last few days). Today is the first day I've had a moment to start thinking about how I'll be setting up my new home and garden (urban farm). I'm starting with a blank slate again at this new house so I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm looking forward to it.

On today's list of armchair gardening/farming tasks:

1. Choosing the breeds of the new baby chicks I'll be adding to the flock in spring. I think I've settled on:

1- Black Copper Maran
1- Silver Spangled Hamburg
1- White Crested Black Polish
1 - White Crested Blue Polish
1- Silver laced Wyandotte
1- Blue Cochin

Blue Cochin - Photo Courtesy of Backyard Chicken Forum
Can't wait!!

2. Check out beekeeping supplies. Now that my property is split into several sections and I have an additional fenced in side yard for more fruits and veggies, I'll be setting up a beehive. Also plan on attending the 2011 North American Beekeeping Conference in January.

3. Start figuring out where the raised veggie beds will go. It's not the best time of year to determine my best sun exposure in the new garden, but I will need to get the beds in the ground soon. I brought along all my cedar raised beds from the old house and I'm missing my salad garden!

4. Flipping through assorted gardening magazines. Check out the new Urban Farm Magazine...been waiting for this one! Fun read.

Ok, I guess I have to go do laundry now! Booooooo....