Hen & Hare Microfarm

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Boise, ID
Hen & Hare Microfarm

Hen and Hare is a locally owned and operated microfarm in South Boise.
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A microfarm in Boise, Idaho dedicated to raising sustainable food, connecting community, and helping the environment.

10/25/2024

The frost is setting in now on the colder microclimate areas on the farm. Some of the more tender-leafed plants have been looking a little droopy for the past week, and I have honestly been checked out of the garden for longer than that.

Just a few more outdoor projects left before I can really pretend the gardens don't exist.
🪷 Plant peony rootstock that was delivered last week
🌧 Water in some of the newer shrubs we planted
📒 Take notes and schedule reminders for next year's garden plan
🌾 Pull seedheads for plants I don't want to get too ambitious next year
🌻 Scatter seed for some native plants I hope will pop up in the spring

The only other task I might add is moving some leaves from the driveway to the annual beds, and layering rabbit/turkey manure in there. There is no last-minute weeding or "tidying up" around here. And I'm so glad, because this list already feels too long.

The insects have been hunkering down in the long grasses and stems. The falling leaves will insulate them even more. 🦋🪱🪲🐞🐝

Give yourself a break this fall. I promise your garden isn't ugly if there are uneven stems and leaves and dried flowers. It's texture and life and wild, good things. Nature isn't meant to be straight lines and geometric shapes, and I think that style of landscaping does something to our brain to disconnect us from the peace the outdoors should bring us. This is your permission to rest, and let yourself go a little wild.

10/22/2024

Pssst... our turkeys are getting close to sold out!

Be sure to pre-order your holiday bird soon so you guarantee a local, pasture-raised bird for your table. There are even a few processing classes open - it's a great opportunity to truly appreciate where your food is coming from.

10/21/2024

I'm back! And thrilled to come home to a few frost-free roses and tomatoes.

It always takes me a day to fully decompress after a long trip, but I can't wait to share all of my Montana experiences (and a sneak peek at what I picked up!) with you.

Plus, new products and market announcements are headed your way this week.

10/11/2024

It's baking season! I have some frozen fruit stashed away for pies and a pumpkin that will be half for bread and half for the (she really loves pumpkin treats). I'm glad we have laying hens again, so we're well-stocked on eggs. If you need some, we'll be bringing lots to the market this weekend!

And if you're starting to make holiday plans and thinking of hostess gifts, is at this weekend! Handwoven towels and home-baked goods are my go-to gift for just about every occasion.

10/10/2024

There's a lot of things Ammon and I raise just for us - like the rest of the chickens Ammon will be putting in the freezer this weekend. We don't have the space for more sheep or meat birds. Or more rows of vegetables or a full orchard. And certainly not the fridge space and time. Or really? The desire.

When we first bought the farm, I regretted not getting a bigger piece of land. I wanted more livestock and more gardens. Prices had skyrocketed, though, and we were locked in here.

But looking at our place now, I'm grateful. We can raise most of our own meat, have a kitchen garden, and enjoy as much fruit as we want when it's in season. Honestly, I'm not much of a vegetable farmer, and I don't want to manage a large herd. Those can stay in the hobby farm realm.

We don't need to do everything on a marketable scale. It's not sustainable at our level, and there are so many other wonderful farms who raise all of those things for market. Having limited space has really helped me focus on our niche in the community and fine-tune what I want to offer.

09/23/2024

This flower season isn't even wrapped up yet, and I'm already putting together plans and orders for the next??

My biggest struggle is trying to live in the now and focus on what is in front of me - but in business, you always have to be two seasons ahead for planning and marketing. At least, to not feel like you always live in last-minute panic mode.

Im hoping to use this slower season to settle in a bit more to a plan. We're eight (?!) years into this microfarm, and I've gone through a lot of business phases. I think we're coming to a place where we know what has been working for us, and I'd like to lean in. Who else is ready for some fall introspection?

09/22/2024

Now it's officially time to start planning your cozy season - and that includes where you're sourcing your pasture-raised turkey.

There's still room in our pre-orders, so don't wait to secure your bird for the holidays!

🌾 corn and soy-free
🦃 pasture-raised
🍗 humanely raised and processed

Find out more at henandhare.com

09/17/2024

There's only one more date for chicken processing classes this year! Saturday, September 28 - two different time slots are currently open.

Hands-on processing classes are the best way to learn how to butcher your own livestock. Whether you’re interested in learning how to raise meat for your family, or just more about where your food comes from, these classes are an approachable way to see what it takes to raise healthy, ethical meat. Our courses are guided step-by-step as we show you how to efficiently and humanely process livestock on-farm.

This chicken class registration is for a single attendee. The cost includes the class and a pasture-raised, corn and soy-free chicken to process.

Register at henandhare.com/classes

09/11/2024

The plan is to re-stock a few flavors that have been sold out for a while this week. But since each week has been feeling busier than the last, we'll see how the ex*****on of the plan actually goes... 🫐🍑🫐🍑

09/04/2024

IT’S BACK: garlic + rosemary mustard

I haven’t made this mustard in three years, and I STILL get asked about it at market. Just so you’ll all stop telling me how much you miss it, I brought it back.

If you haven’t tried it yet - this isn’t your regular old mustard. It belongs on everything. It’s a touch sweet, very savory, and has a wonderful whole grain texture.

My favorite way to use it is in a homemade salad dressing, or to add a bit of kick in pasta. If you’re a fan of fresh-baked pretzels, it’s definitely for you.

And we're running a special this weekend - buy 5 get 1 free!

08/28/2024

Sometimes, I get so into production mode that I forget I can just make a regular, small batch of something for us. And that we're only a family of two, so seven jars of pickles is JUST FINE. Does anyone else tend to go a little hard on food prep?

08/21/2024

The plum tree was good to us this year! That late frost had me nervous, but this year was one of our best harvests yet.

I use golden plum jam as an ingredient - as a glaze on salmon or blended up in a salad dressing. Drizzled in ice cream? Perfect.

Pick up a jar at the this weekend!

08/20/2024

Berry season is lasting for.ev.er. At some point, I give up and let the birds and wasps finish the harvest, but I'm not quite there yet. Gotta get these frozen for jam makin' season.

08/18/2024

Turkeys are a bird without so many of the terrible bird qualities. They have a much more easy-going spirit than chickens, and it really helps with flexible management.

In the first round of turkeys, not everyone was up to the necessary weight for processing, so we held most of the hens back. But with a new batch in the barn ready for pasture, we had to take a chance on integrating both sets of birds.

Our biggest problem was the one leftover rooster that actively stalked the poults through the pasture. He was caught and processed.

Then, the few remaining toms were mostly all show, putting on bravado and taking the occasional swipe. For the most part, though, they go about their business.

And of course, the hens couldn't care less about the new kids in the field.

08/14/2024

These two little rams look just like Samael and Ammon when we brought them home four years ago. Derpy horns and weird little clown smiles.

08/08/2024

When I got home from Montana last night, the first place I headed to was the garden. Roses are in a new flush, and some of our annuals are really stepping into their prime. Flowers for this weekend's bouquet subscriptions are looking fiiiine.

08/02/2024

A contractor bailed at the last minute.
The ram got out. Again.
Our spruce fell over onto a good portion of my garden.

But.

We still managed to find a replacement for this week.
He meandered back in on his own.
Now I can plant a s**t ton more roses.

So many little things have gone wrong this week, but I am really trying to look on the bright side. I get bogged down in the negatives, but we're still doing okay. Although, I'm not excited to figure out this tree removal situation.

07/27/2024

Who else is stoked for tomorrow's warm-yet-reasonable market tomorrow?! 🙋‍♀️☀️

P.S. - If you haven't pre-ordered your turkey yet, you can do it in person! We are already 20% sold out this first week.

07/25/2024

Turkey pre-orders are now available! And a full schedule of turkey processing classes, too. Don't wait to reserve your bird - they're already going fast.

📸:

07/22/2024

No matter how well we plan, there's always some hiccup with our birds. We're halfway through our turkey season, but this week, only half of batch one is heading to the processor. A lot of the birds are still small, so they'll have an extra month on pasture. That means an extra trip and figuring out where to keep some extra birds for a while..

For those who have been checking in, turkey pre-orders open up this week. (Maybe today, if all goes well!) You'll place your deposit, which goes towards the cost of your bird. This year, we've already scheduled pick-up dates, so don't forget to put them on your calendar!

07/22/2024

My neighbors watch me take a lot of photos of insects. 🪲🕷🐞🐝

07/17/2024

I'm tired of the quick, cheap solution being acceptable when it causes so much harm to the environment. Wool is burned instead of processed - and then we wear and insulate and mulch with plastic. There's a lot done for the sake of "progress" that doesn't feel like progress at all. It feels like we have lost the value of nature and believe industrially-produced solutions are superior.

This spring, I watched birds pick up bits of discarded wool from shearing. I enjoyed the unique beauty of a handwoven wool blanket raised from my sheep. I mulched with wool scraps. I learned how to crochet to make a one-of-a-kind scarf.

And the beauty of all of this is that one day, it will be able to rot back into the earth with no residual waste.

I want well-made. I want long-lasting. I want unique and local and small-batch. Anyone else?

06/28/2024

This has been a stunning year for flowers, y'all.
And foxtail, but whatever.

What are you loving in your garden right now?

06/24/2024

We picked up 60 more turkey poults this week! This little, extra-cuddly stage is always my favorite. Just two seconds after this photo was taken, one of them fell asleep.

06/19/2024

On my grandparents' farm in Star, there was an old barn, and I remember my grandpa bringing me out to look at the barn owl that was nesting inside. We don't have a beautiful old barn, but we did put up an owl box four years ago to try to entice one.

Over the past few years, it has been inhabited by wood ducks during nesting season. That was to be expected, since when it was installed, they told us it was unlikely owls would like our proximity to busy roads and lots of lights.

However, Ammon caught the pair hanging out on the barn window one night during chores last week. Our first clue was the beheaded vole underneath the owl box a few weeks ago, but I attributed it to a cat to not get my hopes up that we finally had the owls we were hoping for.

We’re excited to have a nesting pair on the farm - especially to help us with our ever-present mouse population.

Address

Boise, ID
83709

Telephone

+12088636949

Website

http://www.henandhare.com/

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Videos

The turkeys are very fond of irrigation water days

Happy Mother's Day 💕

Fresh snacks from the @boisecoop scrap bin! Turn the volume up for crunchy snack sounds with a melodic turkey cheep accompaniment

I'm ready for this kind of busy

This is the cuteness I get to stare at every morning.

This video on repeat should help get you through Monday.

A little visitor today! The turkeys then proceeded to step all over his freshly dug hole. Well, that's one rodent control method, guys.

Make sure you eat your veggies! #tinyfarmdog loves kale- she picked this up after we had tossed it out, and made sure to bring it back in with her.

Yesterday I picked up 20 more turkeys, plus a few guineas, and of course some more chicken babysitters. It's best to get everyone young and raise them up together so they bond. Since it's so warm we can just put them in the shop instead of the poultry shower.. but this batch will be out on pasture soon enough!