Happy Easter weekend! We are back in town with our new little (well, not so little) puppy. Next week I will share our cross country adventures and introduce you to the handsome fella. With Easter being so early this year, the weatherman is predicting chilly temperatures and rain. So much for eating outside and enjoying the spring weather on Sunday. It’s that time again and welcome to Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things these past 2 weeks, as I missed last week.

Daughter’s Birthday dinner party

Luckily, our daughter is home for her birthday and we had a casual dinner party celebrating both her birthday and St. Patrick’s Day.

With 12 guests, I make 2 of my Guinness pot pies, a large salad and two desserts~Baileys Irish cream cheesecake and a London Fog cake (Julianna’s request). These tried and true recipes are always a hit.

Annual Shamrock Run

Fortunately, after indulging in so many good calories, my daughter and I get up early the following morning to participate in the annual Shamrock Run. It is chilly and rainy, but we felt blessed to see a rainbow before the race started.

Julianna ran the 10K with both her dogs (just amazing!) and I thought I would just walk the 5K. However, at the starting line everyone around me started running and in order to keep up, I, too, started running. Please note that after 3 knee surgeries my doctor advises me not to run anymore. I don’t know what came over me but I ran about 60% of the race and placed 5th in my age category. Not without consequences, though.

I could hardly walk later that day and of course, my knee ballooned up a bit. What was I thinking?!? Nonetheless, it is a fun run with all sorts of outrageous St. Patrick’s Day attire. Plus I never want to miss out of an opportunity to do something with my children. I am trying to turn off the voice in my head that is saying, “Mary, you are too old for this”.

Fruit picking

It’s that time of year where we need to glean all the citrus trees. Sweet smelling blossoms are now opening on most of the trees. Removing this year’s crop of fruit will help the production of next year’s crop.

In our orchard we have 12 citrus trees ranging from oranges to kumquats to grapefruits. With our abundance of fruit, we ship boxes of fruit to family and friends and donate the rest.

Picking fruit equals many arm scratches, so I finally put on my Farmers Defense sleeves, which are a must for any gardener. They come in various designs and you can find them here. Really love this product!

Our Yard this Time of Year

Easter and Spring is when our yard looks its best~mostly around mid-to-late April. A few trees are still bare and will bud later, but the flowers and the lawn are at their prime.

Rose Garden and New Book

The rose bushes in the garden look so healthy and vibrant. A few buds are appearing and I am trying to keep an eye out for aphids, which generally are in abundance this time of year.

I have always wanted to truly learn about roses, but I’m a bit of a weekend gardener. Do you follow Grace Rose Farm on Instagram @gracerosefarm? The photos are always so gorgeous and you can order both cut flowers and rose plants directly from them. I recently received her book, Garden Roses and it is a complete guide to growing and arranging roses.

Currently reading this book to up my roses game. Note: I thought the book would be coffee table book size but it is smaller, which I like. The photos are just stunning and it’s written is a way that is easy to understand.

Making Easter Baskets

A quick trip to Target this week results in some great finds for Easter and Easter baskets. How cute are these fabric, bottom weighted chickens with spectacles?!? At $3.00 a piece, you can find them in their dollar section at the store entrance. I cannot find these online so they must be an in-store special.

I love making Easter baskets and like to find a container that serves a purpose afterwards. These coil rope baskets with leather (pleather?) handles by Brightroom are wonderful storage containers. They come in various sizes but I have the 11″ one here and they are currently on sale for $8.00.

In the basket, there is a bottle of rosé Prosecco, chocolate bunnies, various toiletries-deodorant, facial masks, favorite candies and a wonderful smelling candle. Another Target find at the Threshold section (Studio McGee’s line), this 3 wick candle comes in a matte ceramic container and the scent (Citron and Sands) is fabulous. A bargain for such a large candle at $17.00.

Flower Pressing

Do you remember the post about making your own framed botanical artwork? If not, here it is. In order to press the flowers, I use all of our big books, which is cumbersome.

But Rachel, from The Ponds Farmhouse is very creative with a super handy husband. I love this flower press they make from scrap materials.

Rachel puts her beautiful touches on it using a flower motif. I certainly could have used this when making my botanical artwork. What a wonderful way to preserve the beauty of your garden and yard. You can see Rachel’s blog post here. I think I may ask my husband to make this….

What Am I Reading?

My friend, Andrea recommends listening to this book . However, I read it instead and it is SO good. I imagine it is excellent whether you read or listen to it. It has over 10,000 reviews with 4.6 stars and is a best seller on Amazon. I highly recommend The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. So well done. Now I need to read her other novels, Code Name Hélèna and I Was Anastasia. Is anyone familiar with this author?

Mary’s Must Haves

As you can see in some of the photos above, I really love this lightweight polyester vest from 32 Degrees. Originally, I bought mine at Costco, but inventory there is certainly hit or miss. Amazon sells this same brand in 6 colors and it has a 4.6 rating.

Also Amazon has a similar looking one for less money and in 12 colors (currently 50% off), but I cannot verify the quality. However, with over 13,000 reviews and a 4.4 rating, it may be a good product. I actually might purchase one and try it out as I like some of the color choices.

What I love about this vest is that it is very light, packable, and washable. During these Spring days when it is warm one minute and cold the next, it is perfect for me, especially in our drafty old home.

I own a blue and olive green one and depending on the weather, it works well with long or short sleeves. I’m 5’4″ and am wearing a Small. This yellow one is particularly cute, isn’t it?

Great Rubber Shoes

These Sloggers are my go-to shoes when it’s wet or muddy outside. They are perfect for gardening too. My very first pair was a gift from my friend, Janie and not only are they cute, but oh so comfortable. Now I own two pairs and one set of boots.

With 24 designs to choose from, you can be slogging through the mud in style. I typically wear a 7.5 woman’s shoe size so the size 8 works out well.

I could go on and on today, but there are hot cross buns and babka bread to be made for Easter Sunday. Wishing you a blessed holiday weekend. Please look for my post next week where I will share all the details of this handsome guy!

Another rainy and chilly few days here in the Valley of the Sun. My garden is very happy about the additional moisture and of course, the cooler temperatures are always appreciated. Happy St. Patrick’s Day weekend! Tonight we are hosting a dinner party celebrating our daughter, Julianna’s 27th birthday. I will be serving my two favorite recipes which I did share with you this week. Welcome to another Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week.

Hosting a Cocktail Mixer

As you may know, I sit on the board for our neighborhood association. This week we hosted a cocktail mixer to introduce people to the association and recruit new board members. With about 40 people attending, I am hoping a caterer will help out with hors d’oeuvres, however, my favorite person is not available.

Using the large round wooden board from Sur La Table, with the help of Costco and Safeway, I create a charcuterie board using cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts and crackers.

Nasturtiums are abundant in the garden right now, and it’s amazing how a pop of color can take your charcuterie board up a notch.

Store-bought French macarons from Costco and lemon yogurt covered pretzels from Safeway make for a colorful Spring dessert tray.

This is the first time buying the Green Chili Chicken Firecrackers from Costco. A quick bake in the oven, it’s always nice to serve a warm/hot appetizer. By cutting them in half, this became a one-bite finger food. I didn’t try them but the tray was nearly empty, so I’m guessing they tasted good.

No photographs but in addition, there is a vegetable tray with hummus dip, fresh shrimp on ice with cocktail sauce, small bowls of cashews, garlic herb almonds and salt and vinegar potato chips.

All in all a very productive and fun meeting.

Gardening Update

This week I plant 6 brand new San Marzano tomato plants. I love this variety of tomatoes as it makes the best sauce. Five out of the 6 plants are missing….just gone. What? For years now, I have grown tomato plants and the critters have never expressed any interest in them. Who/What is eating my tomato plants?

Scattering seeds this week in the garden. I love growing chamomile for its delicate flower and scent~wonderful to dry or make tea. Even though the growing season for chervil is short, it makes a tasty salad.

The castor bean seeds are a new experiment and not even sure it will grow here. Now in doing some research apparently the seed and leaves can be really toxic so I may pull the plants if they grow. Here I thought castor beans = castor oil, all good for you, right? Geez. Not the brightest thing I’ve done.

Do You Take Magnesium?

Gaia Herbs posts an informative article about magnesium. Do you take this mineral that supports muscles and bones, energy, brain function, and so much more? Here is the article and it appears I need to do further research about this.

Currently, I take Magnesium Lactate as this was recommended to me after having low magnesium via a hair mineral analysis years ago. Taking a bath and using Epsom salts is another way to absorb magnesium into your body. Will do a deeper dive and let you know what I discover.

From the Internet

With warmer weather prompting Spring growth, it is also weed season. Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms has a very informative post about Homemade Weed Killer and other natural ways to kill weeds.

If you are using weed killers with glyphosate, there is evidence of its connection with cancer. With so many chemicals in our gardening world, please find an organic way to control weeds.

This time of year I love to tackle small Spring cleaning projects. Barbara from Mantel and Table will get you motivated to clean out your linens drawer(s) with her post on Storing Napkins~How to Organize a Beautiful Linen Drawer.

Do you stop for roadside freebies? I am guilty of doing so with this set of Adirondack chairs. Check out how my friend, Rachel from the Ponds Farmhouse transforms these resin planters into DIY faux Concrete ones. It’s probably good that Rachel and I do not live near each other! Ha!

Since my goal is to always post beautiful things, I consider this next post valuable to keep all of us safe. Since I drive a very old car, I don’t have a wireless or remote starter to the ignition. But since many of you do, please read this very informative article for your own personal safety and to prevent your car being stolen while pumping gas.

Mary’s Must Haves

If you have the sourdough bread making bug, then this starter set is a must have for your baking. It is 27% off this week at $39.99. Not baking sourdough bread yet? This is also a great gift for someone who does.

Speaking of bread, my sweet friend and neighbor, Tevia, ordered some dehydrated sourdough starter from the internet and shared some with me this week. Yes, you can order starter from around the world and rehydrate it.

There is one that is several decades old from San Francisco, and with it I make this nice looking loaf of cheddar, rosemary and garlic bread. I will post this recipe shortly~it’s a family favorite. It is fun to experiment with different starters.

Cake Pans

After purchasing my favorite cake cookbook, Layered, I realize that I do not have good cake pans. Yesterday, in making the London Fog cake (a request from my daughter, Julianna, for her birthday), I want to share these cake pans that I love.

The cake recipe requires three 8″ round cake pans and these from Fat Daddies do not disappoint. It’s amazing that just having the right equipment makes such a difference in the success of the recipe.

I am in the process of trying to consolidate all my Mary’s Must Haves. There will be tab at the top of my home page where you will be able to find all the items and their associated links. Hope to have that complete in a week or two.

Tonight, for the birthday celebration for our daughter’s 27th birthday (which is actually on St. Patrick’s Day), I am busy in the kitchen making 2 Guinness beef pies, a Bailey’s Irish Creme cheese cake, my favorite arugula salad and of course, the London Fog birthday cake.

On Sunday, I am doing a 5k/10k with said daughter in order to work off some of the calories from the night before!

Next week, we are heading to Virginia to pick up our new puppy. I am not sure if I will have the opportunity to post, but I hope to share pictures of our journey (and our new little fella) along the way.

Until we chat again, have a wonderful weekend, a fun St. Patrick’s Day and we will connect soon!

Just a reminder that any words that are italicized bring you to the source. If it is a product on Amazon, please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you purchase something through my website, I receive a small (very small!) stipend, which doesn’t affect the price you pay at all. My goal is to make sourcing the items easy for you. Thank you for your continued support.

Happy Saturday and can you even believe it is March already?!? Being raised in the northeast, there are traditional sayings for some of the months. Will March be “in like a lion and out like a lamb”? Our weather in Phoenix is finally a bit warmer in the mornings( mid-40s) and afternoons (mid-60s-70s). With all the colder temps in January and February, I am a bit behind in planting the spring garden. But more on that later. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week. As I write this I am in Florida, visiting and gathering with my blogging friends.

All Things Lemon Class

This lemon-focused cooking class was last Saturday and 10 people attending. It is the first class I have conducted on my own and all in all, it went well. I will write a more detailed post about this as I want to share some of the recipes with you.

The morning was perfect weather-wise and everyone went home with lots of information on the beautiful lemon. It is fun to make your own preserved lemons, limoncello and tasting the likes of lemon tart and limoncello bundt cake.

New Non-Alcoholic Beverages

After seeing this frequently on Instagram, I thought I would give it a try. Each month I get a case (12 bottles) of 3 different flavors. Each bottle serves 2. There is no commission for me referring this product to you, only sharing something I am enjoying now.

Here is information directly from their website:

“Curious Elixirs are booze-free craft cocktails, infused with adaptogens to help you unwind. Our beverages are handmade with the best ingredients and no refined sugar. 

We created Curious Elixirs because we believe non-alcoholic drinks should be unusually delicious, well-crafted, and good for bodies and souls. So we began a mission to serve up the world’s best booze-free craft cocktails. 

Each Curious Elixir also bolsters the body using the mysterious properties of plants — from an ancient botanical that increases serotonin and dopamine precursors…” See their website here.

New Wine Refrigerator

After 23 years, our ULine wine refrigerator died. In researching replacement of our ULine, my, have the prices gone up over the last two decades. A new ULine wine refrigerator is upward of $2500 ~ what? It did take a week or so to look at different wine refrigerator options, but we purchase a Kalamera 30 bottle single zone wine refrigerator from Wayfair….for $422.71.

I nearly read every comment as concerns include: noise, chilling ability and bottle capacity. Delivered this week, we are happy with this brand. It has a very cool blue night light and fits perfectly in the space.

Why Am I in Florida?

One of the nicest part of taking on blogging at this age, is that I am able to meet some truly wonderful women. I am part of a group (they are far smarter and successful bloggers!) of women who share their talents, technological information and tips on how to be better at this. If you attended the Fall Styling Workshop, you met Chloe (from Celebrate and Decorate) and Chas (Chas’ Crazy Creations.

Since we truly enjoy each other’s company, we try to get together 2-3 times per year. Chloe’s home in Celebration, Florida is so lovely and we are working hard and doing a bit of playing. I am enjoying photographing Chloe’s home and her sweet dog, Lily.

As you know, Chloe is the master of beautiful table settings so we are playing with these colorful dishes from Caskata. Aren’t they lovely?

New Haircut, finally!

In an attempt to grow my hair long (as requested by my sweet husband), I tried, I truly did. However, I didn’t find it flattering and finally got a haircut this week.

I’ve known my hairstylist longer than my husband and Roscoe, once again, does a great job. Roscoe Nichols at Pucci Salon in Scottsdale, Arizona.

We are Getting a New Puppy

For those of you who have been following me for awhile, know we lost our beloved Cooper in 2022 and our dedicated beagle, Sox last year. Losing two dogs who were best of friends has left a void in our family. Cooper, an Akbash was the perfect protector of our property.

In a few weeks we will be getting an Akbash puppy and here is the most recent picture of some of the litter. Aren’t they adorable?

Mary’s Must Haves

One of the benefits of visiting with my blogging friends, is that the share products they love. Being here at Chloe’s I am getting first hand experience with some of these. I’ve already ordered these under cabinet 40 LED Rechargeable Battery Operated Motion Sensors indoor lights.

Chloe has these lights in this bookcase that lines a hallway and they act as nightlights because they can be switched to motion activated. Another is placed underneath a bathroom cabinet for lighting your way to the toilet at night. Plus they have 3 settings~ dimmable, on, and motion for different applications.

The lights are attached magnetically so if you experience a power outage you can remove the lights to use as a portable flashlight. Many uses-to line a staircase, use in your closet, the list goes on and on. Rechargeable with a USB port.

These lights are currently 33% off at Amazon, priced at $19.98 for 2 lights. See it here!

Slow Cooking Liners

If you use your crockpot frequently, you may appreciate this product. I had no idea these existed but I believe they are productive on a few levels.

Slow cooking for many hours can result in burnt bottoms of your crockpot. These liners help prevent that and keeps the pot clean.

Occasionally I will make a slow cooker meal and want to deliver it to a family member or friend. How easy to grab the bag and transport the contents. The liners are BPA-free and safe for high temperatures. For a 6-count box is $3.31 and you can find it here. P.S. Chloe makes chili while we are here and uses these liners so she gets all the credit!

Pill Pouches

It’s a little embarrassing that I travel with my vitamins like this~quart size Ziploc bags….

Especially when my friend, Andrea, uses this….

I did find them on Amazon here and for a packet of 100 it’s a mere $7.99. They would be good for daily dosage of pills and vitamins too.

Well that’s a wrap, folks! Have a fabulous weekend!

Even though the ground hog states we are getting an early spring, it still feels like winter here~cold, rainy, and windy. Below is a stunning picture my neighbor shared of a rainbow after Wednesday’s storm. The mountains are getting lots of snow and with this colder weather, soups and stews are on the menu every day. Happy weekend and welcome to another edition of Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things.

Baby Chicks

After 3 plus weeks in a cage on the breakfast room table, the 15 new chickens are ready to go out to the hen house. Baby chicks are so cute the first week or so, but by week 3 they get a little fragrant.

Since we designed the hen house (see hen house post here) to have a separate section for new chickens, we did some work this week getting it ready for their arrival.

In this section of the hen house, all the hay is removed and the floor, roosting perch and laying boxes are thoroughly cleaned using a steam cleaner. This small portable one is perfect for this task. To learn more about this steam cleaner, click here.

Now clean and with fresh hay, half of the hen house is ready for the new flock. Of course their first night the temperatures dropped to freezing, but with the help of heat lamps, the chicks stay cozy.

Piano Lessons

Yes, it is true I am taking piano lessons. Years ago, I took a few lessons with our children’s piano teacher, Miss Eva. She is so remarkable, as a vibrant 85 year old. Am hoping that learning musical notes, scales and scores will keep my brain healthy.

We have a beautiful piano and it will be nice to use it again.

Unscheduled Project

The sitting room off of the master bedroom and home office has been a makeshift art studio for me (see that blog post here). Located on one end of the room is a rather large day bed, purchased many years ago. Is it ever used? No. But trying to get it out of this relatively small room is a complete pain in the butt.

For some reason this week, I decide I want this day bed out. In doing so, I realize this room is a mess. It’s time to repaint the walls, clear out the clutter and try to make it a real office/art studio for me. Have you ever started a project and wish you hadn’t?

Now the enormous day bed is sitting in our upstairs hall as we debate what to do with it. Since it’s hardly been used it is in excellent condition.

In the meantime I will paint goldenrod colored walls to something more neutral this weekend. Hope to show you some good before and after photos soon.

Trying New Recipes for the All Things Lemon class

I am having such fun experimenting with lemon and citrus recipes, in anticipation of the All Things Lemon class on Saturday, February 24th. There are only a few spots left so if you are interested please sign up now.

You will leave the class with my favorite lemon recipes and your own jars of limoncello and preserved lemons. If you want to get a sense of what a class here at Bella Terra looks like, check out this week’s post on our Valentine cookie decorating class here.

Did You Know?

I am familiar with companies like Stitch Fix and Rent the Runway but I wasn’t aware of Amazon’s Prime Try Before You Buy. Prime Try Before You Buy is a Prime-exclusive program where you can try eligible items from women’s, men’s, kids’, and baby clothing, shoes, and accessories before you buy them. You have seven days to try the items at home and you are only charged for the items you keep.

However, for an extra fee of $4.99 per use, you can have access to Prime Personal Shopper and allows you to work with Amazon’s stylists to find wardrobe pieces that fit your taste and budget.

If you’re looking for a wardrobe overhaul or to refine your personal style, enlisting the help of someone with styling expertise can take a lot of the pressure off when shopping for clothes online. Or if you are like me, I am not fond of clothes shopping.

The Difference between Prime Personal Shopper and Prime Try Before You Buy

Prime Try Before You Buy, unlike Prime Personal Shopper, is free as part of an Amazon Prime subscription and is available to all Prime members. The service allows you to do more or less the same things as Personal Shopper, including curating a selection of clothes, shoes, and accessories based on a survey and your selected preferences. The big difference lies in the absence of a stylist to help guide your selections or curate.

Has any one tried this? I have a question into Amazon on how one signs up for the Prime Personal Shopper as it isn’t intuitive when you go to their website. It seems like you will need to use the Amazon app? Will let you know how they respond.

From the Internet

I love finding beautifully designed spaces. Beth Webb, internationally known interior designer, is known for her serene and elegant style. If you feel stressed, just look through the portfolio of photos on her website.

Mary’s Must Haves

For the Face…

I have mentioned this product before and I did reorder it this week. Colorscience Total Protection Brush-on Sunscreen is something I use EVERY day. In lieu of face powder, I brush this on and enjoy the SPF 50 protection.

Yes, it is not an inexpensive sunscreen but the last time I ordered this was January 2023~13 months ago. If you amortize the cost over time, the initial price of $69.00 ($65.55 if you subscribe), equals approximately 17 cents per day. A bargain to protect your skin from sunspots or worse, skin cancer. I have never seen it on sale either. It comes in multiple skin tone colors. You can find it here.

Speaking of taking care of your skin, my dermatologist recommend I use La Roche-Posay Vitamin C anti-aging face serum to visibly brighten and smooth uneven skin tone and those dastardly wrinkles. Groan. After using her sample packets I just received my first bottle of serum this week. Hoping for good results.

Does anyone use a Vitamin C serum? I sure miss those days when I only used soap and water on my face.

For the Body

I exercise 5 days a week always live in yoga pants and workout tops. Truly, my inventory is old and so pathetic. Instead of looking like a ragamuffin, I finally purchase 3 new pairs of yoga pants in plum, olive green and blue. A bit of a color is a stretch for me as I tend to wear black and gray.

I am sporting the plum ones as I write this post and I like them~especially the high. thick waist and the pocket for your phone. Great color selection and are on sale (17% off) at a reasonable $24.99. They are very comfortable and hopefully will wash well. Makes me feel a bit dressed up! Ha!

Last Saturday, one of my subscribers, Corrine, commented about using Vital Proteins and how they have helped her. Do you supplement your diet with collagen peptides? I started using Vital Proteins about 4 years ago. Within 3 months, I noticed less popping sounds in my joints. Also my hair appears thicker too. Collagen peptides are great for your skin, nails, joints and hair.

Every morning I put two scoops into my coffee (equally 20 grams of protein) or hot beverage and it’s part of my daily routine.

There are so many different brands and flavors, but I use the regular, unflavored 24 oz.Vital Proteins. A new Vital Proteins Advanced is available too. Here is a link to a page that has several brands/flavors/sizes.

Occasionally, Costco will have the 24 oz. Vital Proteins marked down and limits the number of containers you can buy. That’s when we generally stock up so we always have it on hand.

Wishing you a happy weekend. I will be painting as it is supposed to be raining all day Saturday with chilly temperatures. Would much rather be curled up with a book by the fire, but the art studio calls.

We are in discussion about expanding our flock of chickens. January is a good time for us to get baby chicks because it takes approximately 6 months before the baby hens start laying eggs for consumption. Since we tend to travel during our summer months, older chickens have a better survival rate here in our hot climate. Currently, we are down to 5 mature hens and 1 very old duck. As hens mature, egg laying diminishes. Typically a hen slows down the daily egg laying process when she is 3+ years old.

Why Chickens?

Often I get questions about our chickens. I don’t recall the day we made the decision to have chickens. When we were living temporarily in a double wide trailer while restoring Bella Terra (that’s a complete story in itself!), I remember having 2 toddlers, a newborn, a puppy and baby chicks. All of us happily living in a 24′ by 56′ manufactured home. Crazy times.

Where do you buy chickens?

Locally, we have a few feed stores that sell baby chicks. Check your local listings to see what is available in your area like Craigslist or Etsy. Chicken farms nearby may also sell their chicks. Some hatcheries will mail baby chicks. I know it seems odd, but we have received chickens this way. Use a reputable company like McMurray or Hoover’s Hatchery

Where do the Chickens live?

I designed our hen house specifically for our feathered friends. Located adjacent to my garden, it makes sense to share my extra garden produce to the residents next door. To see more design details to this sweet building, click here.

Chickens need a certain amount of room. Both the interior and exterior spaces are designed for up to 25 chickens. If you are considering a hen house, please do the research to see how many chickens your quarters will accommodate. Crowding chickens can lead to both behavioral and health problems.

Choosing the right Breed of Chicken

More than 1600 different chicken breeds are recognized worldwide. Since our goal is to have fresh eggs, we look for good layers with a variety of egg shell colors. Some of the more exotic chickens are beautiful to look at, but do not produce many eggs and many not be very hearty.

Some breeds are known for being the best egg layers. Do your research if you are looking for other uses for your chickens.

Australopes, Wyandotts, Barred Plymouth Rock, Leghorns, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds and Blue Ameraucanas are a few good laying breeds.

How Long do Fresh Eggs Keep?

When an egg first comes out, it is covered in a wet coating and then dries within seconds. This invisible coating is called the “bloom” and works to keep air and bacteria from seeping through the pores of the shell.

In the United States, commercial egg growers are required to wash their eggs, which then requires refrigeration. Unfortunately, washing off the bloom accelerates the aging of the egg.

We do not wash our eggs and if I do, it is just before I use them. I have read that an unwashed egg can last up to a year! If you go to another country, often times eggs are not refrigerated. That’s because the bloom is still on the egg and provides protections from deterioration.

How Do You Tell if an Egg is Old?

Gently drop an egg into a glass of water. If an egg sits flat on the bottom of the glass, it is fresh egg. If the egg floats, it may still be good but it is definitely an older egg. As it continues to age, more air enters the shell and it will float at a steeper angle. With hens laying fresh eggs daily, there is no need to eat an old egg.

Why are Hard-boiled Fresh Eggs Hard to Peel?

As an egg ages, air gets in through the pores on the shell. The air forms a pocket between the membrane and the shell making it easier to peel. Older eggs are best hardboiled. Fresh eggs have little to no space between the membrane and the shell~hence making them more difficult to peel.

Does a Chicken Lay an Egg Every Day?

First, the female chicken, a hen, will lay eggs. It depends on the breed as some hens lay more eggs than others. Typically, a hen will lay only one egg per day but can also skip days. The average hen will lay approximately 300 eggs per year. Chickens require a minimum of 14 hours of daylight per day in order to lay. Therefore, hens typically lay more eggs in the spring and summer, and slow down in the winter months.

Does a Female (hen) need a male (rooster) in order to lay an egg?

No, the female lays eggs regardless. The hen (female) does need a rooster (male) if she is laying a fertilized egg = baby chicks.

Why Don’t You Have Any Roosters?

The City of Phoenix does not allow male poultry within the City limits. Since it is rather difficult to determine the sex of a baby chick, we have had roosters. Typically we discover a rooster when a neighbor calls to complain about the crowing.

If you are considering raising chickens, please check with your local zoning laws to make sure you are compliant with city requirements.

Do Rooster only Crow in the Morning?

No, they tend to crow all the time. This can be a nuisance for your neighbors.

Is there Really a Pecking Order?

Yes, the chickens do determine their own hierarchy of status. It is unpleasant to see older chickens pecking at younger ones, or healthy ones doing the same to sick hens. But it is the nature of chickens and the place in the flock is important to the survival of the fittest.

Why are the Eggs Different Colors?

The color of the egg is based on the breed of chicken. We have white, brown, tan, blue and green egg layers. But like people, we may be different colors on the outside but the inside of the egg is the same.

Do You Let Your Chickens Free Range?

Yes, with some supervision. We keep our dogs inside while the chickens roam the yard. Since we have birds of prey (hawks, owls, etc.) we let them stay outside but for a shorter period of time. Chickens are a natural way to control the bug population in your yard.

Do You Eat Your Chickens?

No, we do not. When the children were little, they would name the hens. It is hard to think about eating Fluffy or Spotty.

Though we do not name the chickens now, we still do not eat them.

What Do Chickens Eat?

We provide them with scratch and crumble. With scratch, they use their toes to mix up litter or scrape the ground in search of various seeds, greens, grit, or insects to eat. Spreading scratch grains (cracked, rolled, or whole grains such as corn, barley, oats, or wheat) encourages this behavior. Crumble is their actual food that provides the nutrients they need. The crumble is placed in a feeder.

We also feed them oyster shells which provides calcium to help create nice, strong shells on the eggs.

Do You Give Your Chickens Treats?

Yes, they get fresh greens from the garden, any healthy kitchen scraps and I spoil them with dried black soldier fly larvae called Grubblies~~they LOVE this!

I also add fresh herbs and flowers to their nesting boxes. Not only does it look pretty and smell nice, while keeping the bugs out. Who wouldn’t want to lay an egg in a nest of rose petals?

I hope you enjoyed this information on chickens and eggs! Honestly, the taste of fresh eggs will far exceed anything you buy in the grocery store. Since commercial growers wash their eggs before they are shipped for distribution, the egg is already unprotected and losing freshness. This doesn’t happen with homegrown eggs.

If you are considering raising your own chickens, I encourage you to do so. It is so well worth it and the work is fairly minimal. If you have any further questions or comments, let me know.

Thanks for joining me today to learn all about chickens!