Hummingbird Hill Farm and Studios L.L.C.

15.5.16

Back in the Saddle Again

It has been a very busy year, so please forgive me for not posting.
We planted more fruit trees and bushes and have started planning for raised rabbit and other creature proof vegetable beds. Hopefully they will be completed this summer.
The bees took a big hit this winter- we lost all but two hives, but we are going to keep on keeping on.
Many keepers also lost 1/3 to half of their hives so we are not alone.
Some also lost them in the recent flash flooding.
But the Bonnets are back on! and True keepers can't be kept down very long.
The floods and rains this Spring were epic, but they really benefitted the fruit trees and flowers so my blooms were tremendous this year. I will be posting some pictures shortly. I have also started a public instagram feed for my black and white images and you can see some of them there at
https://www.instagram.com/loveblessedlight/

Along with the flowers, poison ivy is back too and the rains flushed out lots of snakes,
so take care while gardening out there. The deer have already moved through this year. Sadly, I have not seen any skunks in a long, long while.. or opossums.. which is very bad since they eat ticks.
We have not seen many rabbits either, and now we know that it is because there are lots of coyotes and there is a grey fox or two in the area since we heard it one night. BOY ARE THEY LOUD!! This is not our fox but this is what it sounded like only much much louder.. Take a listen..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIR8RtI9kaw
More posts soon.

5.5.15

Hummingbird Aerodynamics Explained

11.8.14

Our Asian Pears Made a Delicious Pear Pie

The last of our Asian Pears this Year from our Garden
Pollinated by our honeybees,
sliced and mixed with honey from our hives
and lemon juice- It is not on my diet, but John is delighted!

From Our Dirt to Our Dinner Table- Organic Home Grown Potatoes

Our home grown potatoes baked and served with a
roasted vidalia onion, honey and lemon glaze.

Fresh as can be from our garden.

6.8.14

Brangus Cattle

Brangus are a cross between Brahman(3/8) and Angus( 5/8)
and are very well suited to hot climates
learn more here http://gobrangus.com/

Daddy Longlegs

Daddy Longlegs are not a spider as they do not produce silk,
they are related to spiders, but they are called "Opiliones,
and feed on vegetable matter and are sometimes called "Harvestmen"
I just think that they are very cool and love to watch them
walk on their super fine thin long legs.

From the Hens

20.7.14

Our Asian Pears Are Ripe Now

Some of our fresh organically grown asian pears;
(the ones that the night creatures did not get)
In a bowl made by a local woodworker.

Southern Light

there is nothing quite like the morning light filtered
through southern oak trees draped with moss.

Detail of a Spider web's Warning- Zig Zag Lines

The Zig Zag lines woven into this web are a functional
notice to the birds so that they don't fly into the web.

Just a Little Yard Work

BEFORE
( much of the growth is tarragon gone wild and blackberries!)

AFTER
(still more to clear.. but we were able to sow buckwheat)

Wild Orchids and Carnivorous Plants in Doug and Becky's Bog!

Wild bearded Orchids

Pitcher plant blooms

Pitcher plant

Sundew

Doug has been working very hard for years to regenerate the land and bring it back into balance. He is succeeding. He is healing the earth and restoring its productivity. These blooms that sprang up on their own are evidence of how his clearing and burning have restorative effects.

Breakfast From Our Hens and Garden

Eggwhites from our freeranging hens,
sauteed and folded over wilted greens and tomatoes,
served with Fresh Seared figs and Fresh Blueberries. Yum.

Lots of Rain Lately

Our First Plums!

15.7.14

The music of nature is always the best and most demanding to listen to....to really hear it fully requires ones full attention..as it is always a sponteaneous one of a kind performance ...

9.7.14

Missing Goose

This morning one of our young geese has gone missing.
There were eight here yesterday.
Today there are only seven.
We are heartbroken, and so are the rest of the geese,
who came up to the porch to let us know.
Once again, it is a female.
As a result, we are taking extra precautions and adding more cameras.

26.6.14

Recent Visitor

A Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Visiting our yard.

Probably a male from the size of its claws..

A very fast mover!

There he goes...

6.6.14

Good News for Louisiana " Cottage" industries

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/bobby_jindal_sale_homemade_bak.html

Want Fresh and Local Produce? Try Ripe Near Me

http://www.ripenear.me/

The Livestock Conservancy and Choices about Farm Breeds

The Livestock Conservancy
http://www.livestockconservancy.org/
is a great place to start before you make choices about what breeds of animals that you are going to raise. ""Ensuring the future of agriculture through the genetic conservation and promotion of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry"

The Livestock Conservancy (formerly The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy) is America's leading nonprofit organization working to protect nearly 200 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction."

Of the few animals that we have on our tiny farm; we have chosen to raise:

( click on the links to learn about their conservation status or information)

Chickens: we currently have Black Copper Marans, Australorps , leghorns who lay beautiful white eggs, Dominiques and rumpless Auracanas and americanas .

We have had in the past; buff orpingtons, which are very tender and docile and rhode Island reds.

Geese: we have African / Brown china Geese which are both on the Watch list.

Rabbits: We have two mini Rex rabbits , one Black and one Torte. They are not threatened.

Ducks and Turkeys: In the past we have raised Mallard, Rouen, and farm runner ducks, and a white holland and bronze turkey

I am interested in one day aquiring crevecoeur and Spanish breed chicks.

I would like to raise The Blanc de Hotot. rabbit which is threatened. Perhaps in the future...

and of course I would love a pair of jack's.. and a pineywood cow.. a choctaw pig and an irish horse and maybe some gulf coast sheep

http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/gulf-coast

or spanish or fainting goats ... but we do not have the space or time.
Maybe you do?

29.5.14

Rabbit Eye Blueberries Still Need Ripening

Our No Wood Reinforced Chicken Tractor Design

We have lots of predators ; bobcats, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, etc. So before we built our coop, to protect our little ones, we designed and built this chicken tractor on wheels for the baby chicks to roll around the yard in until they were large enough to fend for themselves. the roof is off of it to show you the angle and the interior heat lamp. It has served us well over the years to protect the little ones from harm. Once we found the wire pulled heavily on the end but not broken by a creature. so the metal may look awful and not so aesthetically pleasing.. but it functions well.