Public baths taken to a new level: the chickens' unbreakable link to Eternal Rome and Ancient Greece.In Roman times, baths were accessible to all, both rich and poor, and so our chickens do not discriminate either.

Just like famous and splendid Roman baths influenced architecture and design, the chickens' dust baths influence the landscape of our farm, with crates and valleys 'designed' around the best shady trees.

Carrying over the proud tradition of staying clean and relaxing one's mind, the chickens' dust baths keep their feathers in pristine condition, and keeps mites, lice and other parasites away in a natural way. It is the best social activity in the hotter part of the day.

#natural #rejuvenation #baths #bathingchickens #clean #dustbaths #freerange #allnatural #naturalbehaviour #rome #ancientgreece #farmlife #nature #soilimprovement

Social distancing for clouds: the one you can watch, lying on your back against a bale of hay, and feeling happy about the state of the world. #socialdistancing on the #farm, #farmlife #hiddenchickens #pasture #clouds #safeplace

A liquid gold colour, the last of the harvest this season is done.
#harvest #homegrown #fullcircle #chickens #crops #eggs #sheep #natural #pasture #workinglate #summeronthefarm

2021, we are ready for you. Happy new year to everyone and may the best be ahead for all. #nofilter #nophotoshop #2021 #eggs #pastured #free #sunset #ouroffice #work #workingholidays

Our version of eggwreath to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas!  warmest greetings from all the chickens and the farm team #merrychristmas #chickens #eggs #eggwreath

"Turn, turn, my wheel! All things must change
To something new, to something strange;
Nothing that is can pause or stay"


– from "The Song of the Potter" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

From pastured chickens, to organic fertiliser, to clover, to pasture, to golden hay, to sheep...
The wheels are turning on and on,
the future becomes today.

#hay #cycleofnature #turningwheels #eggs #pastured #farming #farmlife #natural #organic #chemicalfree #chickens

These chickens really know how to lay an egg.
if we put a dozen of such eggs together, it would make a-1.8kg package to take home!
 
Photography by Flor

Our favorite evening time discoveries as we go for a walk around the paddocks:

There are the same three chickens who always walk all the way up the hill, and perch on the gates, right in the corner.

They stand close, gossip loudly for a while (a lot is happening in the chicken world every day), and then go to sleep on the gates.

Then, there is the same one chicken, who ever since we baled the hay, comes and flies all the way to the top of one particular silage, and sleeps there. Same silage every day. There are a few bales together in a row, but she always chooses the same one bale.It is very unusual for a chicken to want to be by herself at night, most of the chickens stay and huddle together.

This is what true free range is supposed to mean.

Come morning, all these four ladies go and join the flock. Why do they do it, and not stay like everyone else with the herd?
My theory: they just like the sunset from that height :

Now adding two days for home deliveries of eggs and farm produce (for now, Canberra only).  Choose between Tuesday and Friday  deliveries when you checkout.

"Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head,
they were ruffling up their feathers
as they raced about my bed.

They were on the chairs and tables,
they were on the chandeliers,
they were roosting in the corners,
they were clucking in my ears,
there were chickens, chickens, chickens
for as far as I could see...
when I woke today, I noticed
there were eggs on top of me."

-- the poem "Last Night I Dreamed of Chickens" by Jack Prelutsky, From the book "Something BIG Has Been Here"

#livingthedream #poetry #chickens #eggs #freerange #chickenseverywhere #welovepoetry #dreams #dreamscometrue  #jackprelutsky #whatdreamsaremadeof

A big THANK YOU to all our team. It takes a village to grow pastured, truly freerange eggs.
 
We have the chickens totally mobile and free, and all infrastructure without walls and floors, so it takes a lot of hands to find, collect, and process the eggs, and take care of all the chickens. #thankyou #teamwork #eggs #farmwork #bonvoyage #partyatwork #freerange

a.k.a. 'The Cavalry Charge' (you need the audio!). Having some fun at work today with the egg machine. #workisfun #workandplay #playatwork #funatwork #jumpingjoy #joy #egg #eggmachine #machinefails
--music from The Overture to Rossini's opera William Tell

Tall grass, blue sky, and friends to share all the gossip with. What more would a girl need? #sky #grass #chickens #eggs #chatter #gossip #wishyoucouldhearit

"The tractor goes round and round...I am soooo sleepy... zzzz"
😴
-- Forest the Maremma sheepdog, while watching our tractor do all the hay baling work.

"Ode to Some Yellow Flowers" -- poem by Pablo Neruda

"Against the blue moving its own blue,
the sea, and against the sky,
some yellow flowers.

October arrives.

And though it may be
so important for the sea to unroll
its myth, its mission, its yeast-like inspiration,
there explodes
over the sand the gold
of a single yellow plant
and your eyes
are fixed
on the ground,
they flee from the great sea and its rhythms.

We are and will be dust.

Not air, not fire, nor water
but
earth,
only earth
we will be
and maybe also
some yellow flowers."

--translated by Jodey Bateman

#poetry #eggs #pabloneruda #pastured #yellowflowers #october #freerange #earth #chickens

Speckled beauty, like flakes of snow left melting in those first sunny Spring days.

"A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period —...

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.

It waits upon the Lawn,
It shows the furthest Tree
Upon the furthest Slope you know
It almost speaks to you.

Then as Horizons step
Or Noons report away
Without the Formula of sound
It passes and we stay..."

-- "A Light exists in Spring" by Emily Dickinson

That feeling when the day is done and we can all lie around, squinting at the sunset, smelling fresh spring grass. #done #spring #grass #freedom #freerange #Maremma #workdone #eggs

#stuckwithyou and the adventure continues #lovelyday #springsun

Photobombed by jumping Jack
Have you ever seen a happier dog?
#photobomb #maremma #happy #happydog #free

The red bin got stuck, and try as it might, red tractor couldn't pull it and got stuck. Try as it might, the yellow tractor tried to pull them and got stuck. Try as it might, the green tractor tried to pull them and got stuck. Try as it might, the hilux couldn't pull anything but got us humans out of the paddock.

Fun was had by chickens and humans alike.
Nobody is complaining because rains and tall grass are a blessing.
#farmfun #bogged #fun #stuck #mud #chickens #tractors #bringiton #anyothertruck #farmlove