The Joy of Keeping Chickens

It's official: Skyhorse Publishing's Fall 2008-Winter 2009 catalog arrived in the mail the other day, with The Joy of Keeping Chickens as one of their featured titles. The book's publication date is set for February 2009. Here's what the catalog says:

THE JOY OF KEEPING CHICKENS
The Ultimate Guide to Raising Poultry for Fun or Profit
Jennifer Megyesi
Photography by Geoff Hansen

Finally backyard farmers who want to keep a few hens for eggs have a bible that's attractive enough to leave out on the coffee table, and inexpensive enough to purchase on a whim. This comprehensive guide, written in charming prose from the perspective of an organic farmer, will appeal to readers who are interested in raising chickens, or simply want the best knowledge about how to cook them. With this in mind, farmer and animal expert Jennifer Megyesi discusses all the basic details or raising the birds — general biology, health, food, choosing breeds, and so on — and she cuts through the smoke to identify what terms like "organic," "free-range," and so on really mean for poultry farmers and consumers.

No chicken book would be complete without information on how to show chickens for prizes, and this is no different, but The Joy of Keeping Chickens also stresses the importance of self-sustainability and organic living, and the satisfaction of keeping heirloom breeds. Readers will appreciate the comprehensive nature of this readable, informative guide, and Megyesi's enthusiasm about keeping chickens. Coupled with Geoff Hansen's gorgeous full-color photographs, this text makes for an instant classic in the category.

$14.95 paperback original (Can. $16.95)
ISBN 978-1-60239-313-4
6" x 9" - 288 pages
100 color photographs
Nature
FEBRUARY

marionwlent.com

After making a few finishing touches to the design, I just posted Marion Lent's new Web site to marionwlent.com – Marion used to live down the road from us and is a very talented artist. She and her family recently moved to upstate New York. We miss Marion, but she'll do well in her new digs with her fun and fanciful work. Click here to see the site.

The Sweet Smell of Spring

Under chilly skies this afternoon, I briefly helped Mike Bogardus bring in sap for his family's maple sugaring operation. With 600-700 buckets to empty, he's happy to have a hand. As one of his neighbors said, it's nice to be working (and, for me, making photographs) when there's not much happening between seasons.

livingwithpigs.com

With the book's publication only a couple of months away, livingwithpigs.com is now online. Chuck Wooster's introduction to Living with Pigs is there, along with a few photos from the book. Stay tuned – appearances and reviews of the book will also be posted as they come along.

Chandler Gallery - 100 Local Artists

As part of the celebration of the Chandler Gallery's centennial, a show of 100 local artists is to open on Saturday, April 5. Zola the Tamworth pig will continue her tour of local galleries, representing herself well in an 11x14 frame in the Randolph, Vt., space. There's a reception on Saturday, April 5, from 6-8 p.m. The gallery's hours are Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-3 p.m. The show will be up until May 11.

On The Bus

Today I was a chaperone on the bus for an after-school ski program travelling from Tunbridge to Woodstock. Between the frost heaves, excited kids ready to get outside and the country/western music amplified throughout the bus, it was a ride worthy of the Tunbridge Fair.

Tunbridge Town Report

The Tunbridge Town Report arrived in the mail yesterday — sprinkled throughout are photographs from last year's A Day in the Life of Tunbridge project, made by a few town residents. While the effort raised money for the church steeple restoration fund, it's even better to see the civic pride it generated. A reminder: we're signing up volunteers for A Day in the Life of Strafford on July 5. Click here to read more about it.