How to Speak Chicken Book Review

 How to Speak Chicken

I’ve never felt emotionally closer to my flock than after reading Melissa’s book;

I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Caughey at the 2015 Mother Earth News Fair in Wisconsin. At the fair, we naturally found ourselves discussing our flocks. I can say that Melissa truly loves her chickens. She speaks about them as though they are old friends. If anyone knows how to speak chicken, it’s Melissa!

Most books about chickens are about necessities. They cover the basics of raising healthy birds. This is the first book I’ve come across that delves into the true personalities of chickens.

Melissa speaks to the fact that chickens are not simple egg laying machines, but rather are capable of a wide range of emotions, communication skills and complicated thought processes. Chickens not only have complicated relationships with each other, but are capable of connecting to humans with a deep and compassionate bond.

One of my favorite sections of this book begins on page 34; Chicken Language Explained. It serves as a field guide to the language of chickens. So many of these chicken phrases are familiar to me, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I read aloud the bawking noises with the sound of my own chickens in my head.

I also love the section on page 60, the Positions within the Flock. Melissa uses the word “Sentinel” to describe the position of a hen that takes the lead in a rooster-less flock. I’ve been searching for this term since I started raising chickens. I love that Melissa breaks down the flock pecking order and names each position.  

I also love how she describes the relationship with roosters. I happen to love roosters and with the hen being so coveted , I find that there is a lack of recognition for the beautiful other-half of the chicken world. A flock with a rooster really is different than an all female flock.

The section on brain function is fascinating! Melissa shows how chickens are not only able to be trained, but are capable of math, problem solving, decision making and even physics!

Melissa shows that there is more to keeping chickens than simply feeding and egg collecting. It’s beautifully written, and full of gorgeous images, personal testimonies and most of all, chicken love. 

To purchase a copy click here: How to Speak Chicken by Melissa Caughey

Be sure to check out Melissa's other book: A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens by Meilssa Caughey

And her website: Tilly's Nest

Sloggers Boots New Chicken Collection

Check out these boots!

I'm sure you remember the adorable book Chickens! Chicken Breeds A to Z by Sarah Rosedahl that I shared with you a few weeks ago. The book is filled with wonderful, whimsical chicken illustrations.

Well, now you can wear Sarah's delightful illustrations on your FEET! Sarah Rosedahl's Art. (She gets a bit of a commission)

With the new chicken collection by Sloggers Boots! Please visit Sarah's website for more information. And if you decide to purchase a pair (or two) be sure to order through her site

Giveaway! Chickens! Illustrated Chicken Breeds A to Z Book Review

I am so excited to share with you this adorable book by Sarah Rosedahl.

Chickens! Illustrated Chicken Breeds A to Z

The book is just as it sounds. Each page represents a different letter of the alphabet and a chicken breed beginning with that letter. Sarah includes a sentence or two of information about the breed and a charming illustration. The chickens are fun, but created with attention to detail that represents the breed completely.

This book belongs on every chicken keeper's coffee table. It's a great conversation piece and would make a great gift!

Her use of the alphabet introduces breeds that are not commonly seen by backyard keepers. For example: 
Q for Quechua
U for Utrerana
V for Vorwerk 

Three things I love about this book:

1. It's fun! You get a bit of knowledge about each breed paired with an adorable illustration. I love thumbing through it, re-reading the origins, the descriptions and the introduction of unique breeds.

2. It's whimsical, but it's accurate. I love the style of art that she uses to depict each breed. It's a consistent style throughout the book that represents the breeds in a fun way but at the same time, shows the character and uniqueness of each chicken.

3. I love that there is a chicken breed for every letter of the alphabet! It further points to the fact that chickens are such a widely diversified species and that much more interesting!

Sarah left the software industry after 30 years to live on a farm in Vermont. She raises chickens and creates art inspred by nature and her farmyard flock. To learn more about Sarah's artwork and writing, or to purchase a copy of her book visit her website at:

Sarah Rosedahl's Art : https://srosedahl.wordpress.com

or her Facebook Page Chickens! Illustrated Chicken Breeds A to Z 

The Facebook GIVEAWAY!!!
To enter to win a copy of Sarah's book share this post on Facebook and leave a comment below with the word "shared" and your e-mail so I can notify you if you win. I will choose a winner on April 11th, 2015. The winner will be announced on the Iron Oak Farm Facebook Page.

A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens + A Giveaway!

I'm so happy to share this sneak peak with you at a delightful new book by Melissa Caughey, A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens, published by Storey Publishing! 

I'm sure many of you chicken or bee keepers are already familiar with Melissa's beautiful website, Tilly's Nest where she shares a wealth of information about chicken and bee keeping. I'm always excited to see a new post come through my inbox.

Her blog is of the highest quality, a joy to read and filled with beautiful photos and tons of valuable information. I knew before even reading it, that this book would be great!

The bird-watcher in me loves the behavior checklist. I will make copies of this!

What I love about this book is that it's wonderful for both children and adults. She covers chicken keeping from start to finish, including raising chicks, selecting a coop, health, breeds, anatomy and much, much more! Each element of chicken care is broken down into chapters with lots of helpful photographs and illustrations.
It's incredibly thorough, yet easy to understand.

When the book came in the mail I started reading and I got so enthralled that we were actually late for a dinner date with some friends!

I have several Post-It notes throughout the pages so I can revisit interesting projects check lists, and recipes. 

What I love about this book:

1. It's very personal. Melissa uses examples from her family experiences to help the reader understand what to expect from their own flock. She also includes testimony's from several children as to what they love about keeping chickens. I think kids reading this book can really relate to that.

2. I love that it's aimed at children, but incredibly informative. Both adults and kids can learn from this book. It can be read from cover to cover, or it can be used as a reference book to look up things when questions arise.

3. It's just fun! The colorful illustrations, the sidebars filled with interesting facts, the adorable stories, the interactive projects, crafts and recipes...every backyard chicken keeper should have a copy of this book!

I couldn't wait to try the recipe for Botanical Bug Spray. Last summer I searched and searched for an all natural bug spray for our pets without success...like Melissa could read my mind, this recipe graced the pages of her book.

I've already purchased the citronella oil from a local health food store and made a batch so I'm ready for the first bugs of the season.

We tested out the spray on one of our chickens and she happily clucked away smelling fabulous. The coop has a faint, bright smell of herbs as well. 

The timing of the book's release couldn't have been more perfect. I have a few children in my life who are just starting out with chicks this spring. This will make the perfect Easter present! 


The Giveaway!
To enter to win a copy of the book for yourself, leave a comment below with your e-mail. I'll choose the winner on Thursday, March 19th! Be sure to also check out the list of blogs below. Each one will be holding a giveaway of their own on the date posted, so you have many chances to win! (Contest open to U.S. residents only.)

Tuesday, March 10th:

the garden-roof coop

http://www.thegardenroofcoop.com

Wednesday, March 11th:

Farmhouse38

www.farmhouse38.com

Thursday, March 12th:

Iron Oak Farm

www.ironoakfarm.blogspot.com 

Monday, March 16th:

Dandelion House

www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 17th:

Louise's Country Closet

www.louises-country-closet.com

Wednesday, March 18th:

Chicken Art

www.chickenart.com

Thursday, March 19th:

The Chicken Chick

www.The-Chicken-Chick.com   

Monday, March 23rd

Laughing Crow & Company

http://www.laughingcrowco.com/

Farm Theme Coloring Book

I'm excited to announce that Iron Oak Farm is almost ready to release it's first Farm Themed Coloring Book! It will be available in our Etsy Shop. If you've been following us on Facebook, you've probably seen the various images I've been sharing with our readers. Last night I finished the last of the 40 images that will appear in the coloring book. Subjects include chicken keeping, goats, pigs, cows, bunnies, turkeys, ducks, shearing sheep, spinning yarn, bee keeping, milking, maple syrup collection, gardening, vegetables, apple picking, canning, plowing with tractors, and much more. There's a bunch of baby animal images too!  

When I was a child, coloring was my favorite past-time. I would go through coloring books and crayons at a pace so fast that my mom would limit the number of pages I was allowed to color in a day. When I got a little older, I remember being frustrated with coloring books at the store. I still enjoyed coloring, but most of the coloring books were themed around cartoons that I was no longer interested in. If your child likes farming, gardening, or being around animals, then this coloring book is perfect!

I see the joy that children experience around farms, animals and gardening, and it's my hope that this coloring book can bring a bit of that to them. Especially in the winter months when not much is happening on the farm or outside. I tried to use realistic images and real experience to create a book that is not only fun to color, but educational as well.

The finished book should be available by the end of this week. (That's my hope anyway, I'm still working on printing issues.) But in the meantime, I welcome you to print off this free Chicken Yard image for your children to enjoy and color. (Click the link for a printable version, or visit the Coloring Book page above.) I'd love for you to share your child's coloring work on the Iron Oak Farm Facebook Page!  

Good Read: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan takes the reader through four major systems of the human food chain. The Industrial Food Chain, the Organic Industrial Food Chain, the "Beyond Organic" Chain and the Hunter/Gatherer Chain.

I appriciate the honesty that he brings to his writing. Both in his personal experience, and in his emotions. I don't feel like he's trying to sell the reader an idea. He's simply documenting his research, what has happened in his own experience and how he felt about it. He lets the facts and his very human reaction speak for themselves.

It also seems that Pollan has done what he can to stay involved in his research. Without ruining the details for those of you who haven't read it, he stays as closely connected to each food chain, try as he might, to be involved with how his "end meal is produced by each system.

I liked it so much that I just came from the library with his second book In Defense of Food. Let me know what you think if you've read either, (I miss my college literature days where we would sit in a circle and hash out the details of a good book.) and let me know if there's a book that you think should be on the Iron Oak Farm Good Reads List.

Try saving on the Omnivore's Dilemma with these Barnes and Noble coupon codes.

Good Read: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbera Kingsolver

Hi everyone, I'm back! My computer has been on the fritz and I couldn't access any of my images. Looking into getting an external hard drive after the holidays, but Zach has my computer in working order temporarily.

I finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. And to be honest, I had mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong, I totally recommend the book, I feel that there is a ton of valuable knowledge and she presents a great argument in favor of the local food movement. She also has some really beautiful moments, in particular at the ends of chapters where her language really comes alive and is almost poetic. 

But as I read, I always felt as though there was this underlying tone towards the audience. Just a bit condescending, as though she was harboring an inside joke between the book and herself and the reader was expected to just smile and take her word for it. I feel as though she needs to consider her targeted audience a bit more. People who read this piece are probably like you and I, interested in how to eat more sustainably and local, and are turning to her to find out how she did this. I feel as though she gets a bit hung up on the uniqueness of her situation and assumes that the reader will be just as fascinated. It's very slight, but still, I felt it throughout. Not enough to not read the book again, or not recommend it to others, just more of an annoyance than anything else. This is the second book I've read by Barbara Kingsolver, the first was Prodigal Summer, which I loved, but I found her "year of food-life" narrative a different experience.

I feel as though she also sneaks in some off-topic digs, summarizing the opposing arguments in short, generalized sweeps. (granted that is exactly what I'm doing here, by writing this post and giving no citation or examples to back my thoughts, but then again, this is a blog post not a published work, maybe that's an excuse, maybe it isn't?) She also assumes that her reader shares her opinion in these off topic jaunts. As I read the book, I felt that Mrs. Kingsolver thinks that a person who wants to eat locally is a certain "type" of person, and that eating locally automatically signs you up for certain social, cultural, political and even religious (at times) understandings. But without spoiling it for those of you who haven't read it, give it a go, and let me know what you think. I'm sure many of you have already read it, what did you think?

What Joy in a Trip to the Library!

I've been stressing a lot lately. Just life stuff, things that get under your skin and settle in the muscles in your neck. I'm not good with change, and while I'm actually coping quite nicely with the move, the new area, and all the re-adjusting that comes with it, occasionally I get caught up and find myself in a funk.

Today I went to the Post to mail some packages, roving and bottle openers. And while this is almost an everyday trip for me, today I really saw the beauty around me. I popped one of my favorite CD's in the player, The Village Soundtrack, the violin is amazing. It's sort of a dark track, but somehow inspirational.

It's cloudy today, but the sun peaks out occasionally. It was moving in windy glimmers across the golden corn fields.  Three black turkey vultures soared overhead and cast a a shadow with their large spanning wings.

The drive to our Post is almost entirely dirt winding roads. And I LOVE winding dirt roads. I pass an old cemetery, a small bridge over a creek with silvery blue minnows,  beautiful rolling acres of corn, a small herd of large black cows that lick their noses and swish their tails as I drive by. Then there's the Orchard. You know you're getting close when you pass the bee supers. A tiny skyline of white painted boxes and each one a corner cluster of the pretty little bees, hovering in almost blurry streaks. Then the rows of apple trees, and peach trees, and the large brown pumpkin patch with all its orange globes dotting the square.

I passed a tractor today. A large red one, the driver waved. Then I saw something really cool. The field down the road was harvesting corn and they were filling a great big semi full of feed corn. The name Geiglers was on the side. It occurred to me that that is the family feed store where we've been buying our hay and feed, and that our animals would be eating that corn.

I entered the quaint town of Hartland and dropped my packages off at the Post. On the way home I passed The Music Hall, where we'll be seeing our "date night" play this Friday. The Museum with the large loom, that I would just LOVE to get my hands on and the library. It's an old three brick story building built into a hill with a winding sidewalk and arched white windows.

I stopped in to get a couple books. Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking, and Animal Vegetable Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver. I've been missing reading in the evening. The last book I finished was Goat Song by Brad Kessler. One of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. I fell in love with goats all over again, and this time, in an even more passionate level. He helped me to understand our herd dynamic, and relate to the behaviors, personality, language and hormonal drives of a goat. Not to mention the impact that pastoral animals have had on our civilization, socialization, religion, language, traditions and food. Good read!!!

When I got home there was a wheel of goat cheese that I ordered for Zach for his birthday in July! It had been on back order for 3 months, along with a jar of onion and balsamic vinegar jam. 

I don't know where this post is going, I just felt inspired to share. And perhaps this post is more of a reminder to myself, that there are so many blessing, if I just take the time to see them. 

The Closing of Borders Books

What do you guys think?

I keep running the movie "You've Got Mail" through my head. One of my favorite movie's by-the-way, only this time it's "Fox Books" that's closing. Frankly, this whole thing is a bit scary for my taste. I'm an English Literature Major. I spent 5 years of my life, and a whole lot of college tuition devoted to these little bits of binded paper called books. So maybe I'm partial, but what does everyone think about this, or am I getting my knickers in a twist for no reason at all? Honestly, I don't know the exact reason why Borders is closing. Was it bad managing, too many locations? I have no idea, maybe I should have researched this before I went spouting off on this tyrant, hmmm? But I have this un-shakeable fear that some of the contributing factor was that the importance of literature is going down the tubes. (I feel as though I am climbing the stairs of the soap box, teetering, here I go, oh no, I'm up.....sorry)

What exactly is this development saying about our society? I realize that Borders is not the end all, say all, to books as we know them. In fact, how many Mom and Pop bookstores has a major conglomerate like Borders or Barnes and Noble or Wal-Mart for that matter, put out of business? Is this revenge? Will the Mom and Pop book store rise to live again, or is this a tragic commentary on a larger issue.

As a "Borders Club Member", yes, I've been known to frequent the many isles of Borders Books, complete with over-sugared espresso concoction in hand, wiping the plastic whip cream from my nose. I received the mass e-mail that Borders was, in fact, closing its doors for good. There was a brief synopsis of the reasons, but the reference to "electronic reading" really stuck with me.

As a blog writer, perhaps I'm stepping on my own toes, but I'm willing to chance it. Even now as I write this post the e-glow of the Blogger's screen stares back at me and casts it's ghostly blue light on my soul. Perhaps that blue light is the spirit of books soon to be no more. (Ooooo eeee ooooo) Ok maybe I'm being dramatic, but do you remember the encyclopedia? The dictionary? We tried to donate ours and both the library and Salvation Army wouldn't take them. I ended up keeping ours so I can show my children what I used to look up words in. They will probably laugh and gaze nostalgically at my "oldness" the way I did when my grandmother spoke of making butter. And now, as an electronic Hobby Farming/ Homesteading blog writer, who writes about making butter, it makes my life a strange sort of irony.


The written word is vanishing. Penmanship is a nostalgic thing of the past. I only write cursive in my 80 year old Aunt's Christmas card each year because I know she thinks it's "more proper". And when I'm done, I have to shake out the cramps of unused hand muscles. How sad! But as cursive has been replaced by printing, by the by, has been replaced by typing, has been replaced by electronic sending, such as e-mails, and now has created the acronym language of texts because we are so lazy or hurried as a society that we can't even take the time to spell out a whole word, LOL!!!



I can't imagine a world without the paper book. The smell of the pages, the typed text, anxiously fingering each page. There is a romanticism that occurs when you read a book, novel, letter etc. It is irreplaceable. I see stacks of books lined up on my book shelf as tiny adventures. Each binding a small treasure, an accomplishment, like the stamps on a passport, or pins on a map, (or maybe that's the hoarder in me. Maybe I'll start collecting Chihuahuas, or shot glasses, or clown figurines?)  

So what of Kindles or Nooks, what of Amazon.com vs. a real live bookstore, where you can actually touch the pages? Is this the new future of reading? Maybe we'll save the rain forests in the meantime? What do you guys think because I'm confused as all get!

Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen

Hey there, I'd like to expand the book list here on the blog. I have the "Good Reads" page, but I keep forgetting to post new books. If it gets extensive I can organize it into categories or something. Let me know your favorite books and I'll post them here. Doesn't have to be about farming, just anything that strikes your fancy.

I'll start.

I was recently loaned, ok well not so recently, actually I need to get this back to her soon...Anyway...My friend Stacey let me borrow her copy of Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen.
The San Francisco Chronicle calls her "The Julia Child of Ireland." Need I say more?

Love, love, love this book. It's not just a cook book filled with recipes, but like the title suggests, it teaches you "skills" and old fashioned ones at that! Like how to hang game, how to raise chickens to get the best meat, how to butcher things, how to smoke and cure etc. She was "nine years old when electricity came to her village" So she's been there, and lived the techniques she talks about. It's filled with interesting facts, antique approaches, and "what to do's" if something goes wrong. It also has nostalgic little "isms" like "a scant cup" or "handfuls" and a written dialect that makes it extra "Irishy" and quaint. Don't skip the yellow text boxes, she gives some great tips and hilarious stories. 

On my list to read:
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
The Dirty Life by Kristen Kimball

Just finished:
The Bucolic Plague by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
re-read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (One of my classic favorites)