farmCurious

Easter cheese boards are here and I made a few extras. Come by the Castro Valley Marketplace before noon and claim one!

Chickens are celebrating loudly every morning which means spring (and Easter!) is upon us. With a last name like Easterday, you know this is a big holiday for our family. I mean, who else has a whole day?? Let’s play with eggs! These silk tie-dyed eggs are ridiculously easy and so fun. All you need is some old silk fabric. Out of fashion ties are the best so ask grandpa to raid his closet for you or ask on your local Buy Nothing group. If your local thrift store is open and safe, those tend to be silk tie gold mines!! Check out the link to my how-two in the comments.

I grow fennel almost entirely for the use of Anise Swallowtail butterflies which we love watching flutter around our garden. The caterpillars provide endless hours of entertainment as we watch them hatch and grow and change. Who doesn’t love the magic of a beautiful butterfly glimmering in the sunlight. Two Falls ago, we saved some of the larger caterpillars in a large butterfly habitat, fed them fresh fennel fronds every day and watched them form their chrysalises. Unfortu...nately, as we were adding fennel, one chrysalis was knocked off its branch and fell to the bottom. We didn’t know what to do but it didn’t feel right to leave it there so I used a paper clip to hang it back on a branch. As all the others changed and merged, this one stayed green but continued to hang unchanged. When the season seemed over and all that remained was the one, I removed it and hung it in a vertical succulent garden near my back door where I would see it often. I didn’t want the butterfly to emerge unseen and be trapped in the habitat. I was amazed that it stayed green for 18 months so I held onto hope that it was still alive. Yesterday, a bright color caught my eye and the butterfly had emerged!!! We got a chance to see it close up as it practiced using its wings and by afternoon it had flown off to begin its new life. It felt like a miracle after so long. Nature can be so surprising and beautiful. I’m glad we never gave up hope.

Raising chickens is so much fun for the whole family. We had chickens before we had kids but they’re even more special now that the kids get to bond with them. I brought in this fun Chicken Games and Puzzles book to inspire your little ones (and mine!). https://www.farmcurious.com//chicken-games-puzzles-book-by

This was such a fun board to build for a thirteenth birthday party. Gotta love little gals with sophisticated taste.

Easter egg cheese crates are ready for pre-order! Pick them up Saturday April 3rd from the @Castro Valley Marketplace.