Heirloom Expo

In September, the older girls and I (and baby) went to the National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa – about an hour north of San Francisco.  I had it penciled onto my calendar for awhile, but because it was in the middle of the week and so far away...I had to think about it.  I made the final decision that morning.
 
We were so glad we went!  We had a nice time of (uninterrupted!) girl conversation on the way.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous, as was the scenery.
 
The Expo is centered around the pure food movement, heirloom vegetables, and anti-GMO activism.  While my garden is pitiful, I love gardening and have a great desire to be able to provide food for my family this way.

Chickens and lambs hanging out together.

Girls with Shoshanna Pearl Easling

One of the highlights for us was hearing and meeting Shoshanna Easling from the Bulk Herb Store.

They have a very informative and helpful website. (I highly recommend their Mama's Milk Tea!  I have been drinking it religiously since the day I gave birth to Keoni. At 7.5 months he is still exclusively breastfed and that big boy is doing great!)

Shoshanna demonstrated how easy it is to incorporate herbs into your everyday life and everyday eating.  From salad dressings to medicinal salves to baby food...it was really fabulous.  If only we were guaranteed the herbs would give us the energy level that Shoshanna has!  

She was very personable, and so kind to the girls.  When Kainoa asked her what top things she would recommend to have on hand, some things she mentioned were peppermint (tummy aches), bentonite clay, plantain (bug bites/stings).  The girls and I were very inspired to start a serious herb garden.  Check out their website at the Bulk Herb Store.

There were some fabulously creative uses of recycled materials

All Cooped Up

With the arrival of the 3 chickens, we had to get busy building out the pen.  The good news is that when putting chickens in a new home, you keep them ‘cooped up’ for a few days so that they realize that this is now HOME.

So we had a little bit of time to get the pen up.  We began this project a few days before Christmas.

This was exciting, and yes, we pulled up chairs
to watch dad and the boys in action!

Putting up the hardware cloth

Honey and Kili (3)

A few days after Christmas, we started putting up the hardware cloth.  This has much smaller holes than chicken wire and will provide better security for your chickens.  Not only did we have to wrap it, but Keith had to dig down so that the wire was about 12 inches into the dirt.  More security.

Even though we let the chickens out, they weren't really interested initially.

We are very glad we used a gate kit for the door.

Kapena (5)

The girls checking out their new digs.

Cousins and Chickens

The kids love when Auntie Kuni face paints!

Everyone should have a cousin like my cousin, Kuni.  She and her hubby and children live close by.

We are related on my dad’s side, so we have the Hawaiian gene in common (which comes into play daily in regards to all our children’s eating habits.)

Koa and cousins

The littlest ones

My cousin’s family operates on our wavelength...and at our speed.  

It’s easy...its do-able...its casual...and there will be food.  It is always such a blessing to spend time with them.

My cousin will actually say, ‘I can take the kids – all of them.’  And she means my kids – all of them.  She has said this – and taken them – many times.  She is a crazy lady : ) ...and we are so grateful! 

It was Kuni who arrived at our house very late one December night.....with chickens.  The story was, her brother was moving and had to give up his chickens.  We said we’d take his two hens.


(Okay, to be honest, when Kuni asked us, I nodded and said ‘yes’ .....at the same time that Keith shook his head and said ‘no.’ )


There was a rooster too, but we couldn’t take him.  We are not allowed to have roosters in this neighborhood.

So, because of many circumstances, Kuni offered to bring the hens to me one evening.

The kids and I were scrambling to get our former Christmas Shed ready to be the new coop.


Kuni finally arrived – at midnight – with a box – and said, ‘You’re going to kill me.’  I couldn’t imagine why.


She smiled....’There is a rooster in there...’

Fun morning surprise for the little ones!

And so, they arrived ahead of our planned time to have chickens, and ahead of even getting the pen built (our immediate next project!)

That’s the short version of how we got Honey and Ginger............and Frank.  

Chicken Coop Prep

I have wanted chickens for a long time.  We eat a lot of eggs.  I think the quality of care for chickens that produce most eggs at the grocery store is awful.  

My ideal would be fully pastured eggs – and we have found a source for those.  Ordering can be a little hit and miss.   And there is, of course, the expense.  Pastured eggs go for anywhere between $5 to $7 a dozen.  

Keith had to dig 9 holes with the auger for our posts.
That was some good hard work!

We planned to get chicks ‘next spring’ (that would be now.)  Except that last fall we got word that my cousin was moving and needed to give up his 2 hens and a rooster by the end of November.  Did we want them?  As I recall, at the very same time, I said,’Yes!’ and Keith said, ‘No.’   Hmmm.  

Shed previously held Christmas decor and old file boxes.

Boys 'helping' dad

We had picked out the spot we wanted to build our coop.  Then, one day, I thought why reinvent the wheel? We decided to clear out my mom’s ‘Christmas shed’ and use the shed as the coop. (All Christmas do-dads were safely relocated to another shed.)

I quickly cleaned it out, and Keith got to work on building the pen around the shed.  It was actually, finally happening!  Very exciting!!