Better Hens-a-Laying

Almost exactly 6 months to the day after our first newborn chick hatched at Better Farm, the "babies" have begun to lay... green eggs!

The barred rock/ameraucana/leghorn hybrids bear the black-and-white markings of a flock of barred rocks, host flecks of color on their shoulder blades and tails we've never seen before, and lay eggs that you'd think came from ameraucanas. Photos of these beauties to come... as soon as some of this wintry wind and snow subsides!

These mutts had quite a coming-of-age in one of the wildest winters in recent memory; but our girls (and boy!) are survivors. To be expected, since their heritage dates back to a bunch of leghorns we rescued from an egg factory, one particularly resilient ameraucana named Destiny's Child, several barred rocks we raised from infancy, and two extremely prolific roosters called Big Mama and Kiwi.

Got a backyard flock you'd like to get eggs from all winter? Remember these important tips:

• Egg-laying is a calories game. In winter, chickens burn a ton of calories just to stay warm. And without the ability to forage, it's up to you to up the amount of calories they consume. We like to add cracked corn to the mix in order to beef our birds up; we also give them almost twice the amount of food.
• Keep your coops clean! We clean our coops at least once a week throughout the year. During the coldest parts of winter, we might forego a weekly cleaning in favor of adding more bedding to the coops for extra insulation.
• Keep the birds hydrated. Chickens need plenty of fresh water during waking hours (we don't recommend having water inside the coop, as you don't want the additional humidity and potential spill). In Redwood, we defrost waterers throughout the day to ensure a steady supply.

Got a question about keeping backyard birds? Send us an email at info@betterfarm.org.

Better Farm Newsletter: Winter 2014

Hello, Friends of Better Farm! What a winter! Record-setting cold temperatures, lakes iced over before the New Year, wind chills reaching -40 in some parts of the North Country, and a week-long power outage to boot: Is anyone else ready for spring? We're keeping things hot at Better Farm by gearing up for our busiest season yet. On the heels of a recent FCC approval and first-time betterArts grant from Best Buy, we're initiating a low-power FM station called Better Radio that will work in tandem with our websites and blog to bring you original content from the North Country. Donations to betterArts' Better Radio project are tax-deductible and will go directly into making this project a success (funding information is below). We've confirmed two summer music and art festivals to be held at Better Farm, a "Better Mudder" extreme obstacle course in July, several workshops and retreats, and the arrival this spring of a brand-new stable of artists-in-residence and sustainability students. Better Farm is also available as a venue for rustic weddings, field trip for kids to learn about the great outdoors, and a perfect place to host your next conference, meeting, or event. Information about all of these milestones is below! Stay tuned to our blog to follow all of these adventures. If you know of anyone interested in gaining some hands-on experience with sustainability issues or an artist in search of a creative, open space in which to work on their projects, please send them our way! Enjoy the rest of the winter season—we will see you again this spring! Until next time, better be. Nicole Caldwell Executive Director and Co-Founder Better Farm --- News! Autumn Recap, Winter Activities, and betterArts' First Grant People from Better Farm and its subsidiary nonprofit betterArts kept busy all fall and in this first-half of winter with plenty of community outreach activities and milestones. Here's a review of all recent things "better": Thanksgiving 'Family' Dinner Party—More than two dozen people came out to enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner party with the cast and crew of Better Farm and betterArts. This was our third annual event of this kind, and we expect the tradition to continue for years to come! The potluck event is free and open to the public. Holiday Party with Hospice of Jefferson County—betterArts in December partnered with Survivor Outreach Services of Fort Drum and Hospice of Jefferson County to present "A Time of Holiday Remembrance" for children who have lost a loved one. The event, held at Hospice of Jefferson Country's offices on Gotham Street in Watertown, featured arts 'n' crafts, lunch and cookies, a gifts giveaway, and a project hosted by betterArts that included decorating flower pots and planting poinsettias. Indoor Growing Systems—We expanded our indoor water-based growing system by adding a hydroponics tank. With lettuce growing in that bed and tomatoes blossoming in our aquaponics setup, we're on track to have fresh greens and produce right up through our next outdoor growing season. Click here for the full details and how-to guide for starting your own indoor garden. betterArts Receives First Grant—Best Buy Children's Foundation annually donates up to $2 million in community grants to local and regional nonprofit organizations that provide teens with places and opportunities to develop 21st-century technology skills. betterArts received $6,000 in funding from Best Buy to use in conjunction with its latest project, "Better Radio", a radio station and educational program based out of Better Farm (more information on that below!). Grant funds were used to purchase recording equipment that will be used by young adults enrolled in local schools to produce content; from music to interviews and story-telling. In addition to airing that content on Better Radio, it will be available for use in podcasts and on school websites. --- Better Radio Becomes a Reality Better Radio: A New Media Project by betterArts is a low-power FM station recently approved for transmission out of Better Farm's property. The station will be owned and operated by betterArts, and will be used along with websites and blogs to transmit content produced in the North Country. Approval of the station was announced in December, on the heels of a community grant from Best Buy to purchase recording equipment. We expect our station number sometime this spring; after which time we have 18 months to erect our tower and begin transmitting. While all of that is going on, betterArts members will be working with students at local schools to create great content for use online and on-air. Their content—and content produced by adults in the community—includes recordings by local musicians, storytelling, political roundtables, weather reports, interviews, DIY home repair tips, gardening how-tos, and much much more. We are accepting donations to help fund our tower, transmitter, additional equipment and basic start-up costs. Please email info@betterarts.org if you would like to make a donation of any amount. And stay tuned to our blog for more information on how you can get involved. --- Upcoming 'Better' Events and Initiatives Compost Initiatives, St. Patty's Day parties, summer music festivals, and extreme obstacle courses: Here's your guide to everything Better in the coming months! Better Buckets — Composting is the process of turning food scraps into nutrient-rich soil. With up to 40 percent of all landfills comprised of otherwise biodegradable food scraps, composting is a simple way to cut a huge amount out of the waste stream while benefiting backyard gardens, homegrown produce, and increasing amounts of topsoil. To that end, Better Farm has partnered with the Redwood Neighborhood Association and other local groups and individuals to kick off a new campaign that will turn natural waste into soil and help preserve and expand the natural beauty of the area. “Better Buckets” allows individuals and families in the Redwood area to isolate food scraps from the waste stream in order to benefit their community. Better Farm will deliver five-gallon pails to those who have signed up and make regular visits to empty the buckets. Waste will be brought to Redwood's Community Greenhouse for processing (and overflow to Better Farm), where over time the food scraps will become healthy soil perfect for fertilizing flowers and produce grown in the community greenhouse. This program is brought to the community at no cost to participating individuals. Those that would like to participate can click here for more information. betterArts to Host Kids' Room at Irish Fest—For the second year in a row, betterArts will be in charge of the kids' room at North Country Goes Green's Irish festival held March 14-16 at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown, N.Y. There will be lots of prizes, arts 'n' crafts, games, snacks, and fun to be had for children of all ages! Better Festival slated June 21—This year's annual Better Festival is set for 12-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21. All money raised at the annual music, sustainability, and arts festival will directly fund art- and sustainability-related community outreach initiatives in and around Redwood. The day-long event will featuring live performances by local and regional bands, a gallery showcasing artwork by painters, sculptors, photographers, and more, booths featuring art and handmade items for sale, tours of the Better Farm campus, information about Better Farm and betterArts 2014 programming, arts 'n' crafts for kids (and adults!), freshly prepared and locally sourced food, a refreshments tent, games, bouncy castle, and more! To introduce betterArts' latest endeavor Better Radio, there will be a booth set up for people to create content for that station. Music will also be recorded for live-streaming and podcasts. Camping is available for $10/person/night. We are offering accommodations Friday through Monday, or any night therein. Workshops will also be scheduled throughout the weekend and include lessons in upcycling, permaculture, and yoga. If you would like to perform, display your art, or volunteer, please contact us at info@betterfarm.org to be directed to the appropriate betterArts or Better Farm contact. Better Mudder Coming July 2014 — We're bringing a "better" version of the Tough Mudder competition to Redwood, N.Y., in our first annual Better Mudder event in July 2014. Hosted by Better Farm and featuring more than 20 obstacles, Better Mudder invites the fiercest  athletes and thrill-seekers to the Better Farm campus for agility obstacles, wall-climbs, scaling mountains, and—of course—getting really, really muddy. Proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and sustainability and wellness outreach in the North Country. Stay tuned for more information at www.betterfarm.org/better-mudder. Have Your Next Event at Better Farm—We are now accepting bookings for 2014 retreats, workshops, weddings, corporate meetings and events, lectures, and field trips at Better Farm. Better Farm is situated on 65 acres of  rolling hillsides, forests, open fields, farmed land, a pond, and a small fruit orchard. There are several buildings: the main house with two kitchens, seven bedrooms, three lofts, a library, four bathrooms, laundry room, office and two common areas; the two-story Art Barn with gallery/event space, studio, and second-story deck functioning as stage overlooking a natural amphitheater; a tool shed, wood shed, greenhouse, and small cabins for additional overnight guests. The main house, barn, and property are available year-round to rent for weddings, retreats, workshops, field trips, festivals, concerts, lectures, and more. Rent the whole property for big groups, or rent just what you need for a smaller group. Contact info@betterfarm.org with your inquiries. For overnight lodging information, click here. --- Better Farm's Sustainability Education Program Better Farm’s Sustainability Education Program was created to offer individuals an immersive, introductory crash-course in sustainability initiatives. Those enrolled in the program receive a hands-on education in a myriad of seasonal topics related to sustainability and environmental issues. Instead of a traditional working farm with acres upon acres of one or a few different crops, Better Farm has many gardens demonstrating different styles of small-scale farming and stressing the need for diversity of crops instead of mono cultures. Better Farm equips students with a variety of solutions to real-world agricultural issues, including small spaces, temperamental soils, pests, and climate change. The aquaponics, hydroponics, layered gardens, fruit orchard, and forests on the property are extremely varied so students coming from all over the world will learn real-world tools that can be applied back home. The Sustainability Education Program runs in one- to three-month intervals. Those attending receive daily assignments and chores all related to sustainability initiatives and organic farming, as well as the opportunity to design and implement projects on their own. Upon completion of all units and responsibilities, participants will receive a certificate from Better Farm. College students may additionally receive course credit for completion of Better Farm's Sustainability Education Program. To learn more and to apply, visit www.betterfarm.org/sustainability-internship. --- betterArts Residency Program betterArts offers a unique opportunity to artists, writers, performers, and musicians with a residency program based out of Better Farm. Residencies are designed to offer artists of every discipline space and time to work on specific projects; whether a series of paintings, a composition, book, set of sculptures, or album. A private room, 24/7 access to a fully stocked communal kitchen, linens and towels, WiFi, parking, and round-the-clock access to the Art Barn are all included in a low stipend required of all residents. betterArts residents are encouraged to interact and participate in the goings-on around the property, and to help out with chores and farm-related responsibilities between three and five hours each week. These responsibilities may include working in the gardens, participating in arts-related community outreach projects, helping with house chores, cooking, or assisting with other odd jobs. At the conclusion of each residency, an artist is required to present his or her work to the public in a gallery show, reading, performance, or via some other appropriate medium. Residencies are for two weeks, three weeks, one month, or two-month periods. Basic facilities at Better Farm will be provided; but betterArts residents are expected  to provide the majority of materials and equipment they would need for the production of their work. For more information about the betterArts Residency Program and to download the application, click here. view email in browser | unsubscribe | update your profile | forward to a friend

Better Farm is an education center and artists' retreat founded in 1970 on the principles of the Better Theory—a belief that every experience brings with it an opportunity for exponential personal growth. Through educational workshops, artist residencies, work-shares, and an ongoing commitment to sustainable living and community outreach, we strive to apply the Better Theory to all our endeavors while offering the curious an opportunity to expand, grow, and flourish. Copyright (C) 2014 Better Farm All rights reserved.

Coming July 12: Better Mud Run

On location: aerial view of the Better Mud Run course.

We're bringing the First Annual Better Mud Run to Redwood, N.Y., at high noon Saturday, July 12, 2014.

Hosted by

Better Farm

and featuring more than 20 obstacles, the Better Mud Run invites the fiercest  athletes and thrill-seekers to the Better Farm campus for agility obstacles, wall-climbs, scaling mountains, and—of course—getting really, really muddy. Here's a preview of a few events planned for that day:

• Warrior Carry

• Pond Crawl

• Mud Slide

• Tire Toss

• Hay Bale Jump

• Trench Warfare

• High Stepper

Everyone who signs up to participate in the Better Mud Run will get an event shirt. All who finish the course will get a headband. Funds raised will be allocated to sustainability and wellness outreach in the North Country; with a portion of proceeds donated to USO-Fort Drum to benefit service members and veterans. Following the course, visitors are encouraged to stay for some food and refreshments that will be available for sale next to the Art Barn, where we will have live music and entertainment to enjoy.

Stay tuned for more information on time and date, and for our entrance form. Want to come on board as a volunteer? Contact us at info@betterfarm.org.

How Global Warming Works

We've heard lots of chatter in recent frigid weeks regarding global warming and how it is obviously some sort of liberal hoax because, after all, we've got record-breaking cold temperatures!

Well, there's a big difference between weather and climate. So today, here's a quick lesson in exactly how global warming, which is attached to global climate, actually works.

Global warming is defined as a significant increase in the Earth's climatic temperature over a relatively short period of time as a result of the activities of humans. Specifically, it can be recognized as an increase of 1 or more degrees Celsius in a period of 100 to 200 years. Even within a single century, an increase of just .4 degrees Celsius would be significant.

Here's how global warming occurs

: Earth turns the sun's visible light energy into infrared light energy. That energy leaves Earth slowly because it is absorbed by greenhouse gases. This in turn warms the earth. When people produce greenhouse gases, energy leaves Earth even more slowly. The temperature on Earth therefore rises which, over the course of several hundred years, changes the earth's climate. 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of more than 2,500 scientists worldwide, met for a February 2007 Parisian convention to compare and advance climate research. The IPCC determined that the Earth has warmed .6 degrees Celsius between 1901 and 2000. When the time frame advanced by five years, from 1906 to 2006, the same scientists found the temperature increase was .74 degrees Celsius.

In other words, significant.

Weather is local and short-term. If it's -11 degrees Fahrenheit in your town right now (like it is here), well, that's weather.

Climate is long-term and doesn't relate to one small location. The climate of a specific area, like the Northeast, is the average weather conditions in a region over a long period of time, say, over 30 years. If the part of the world you live in has cold winters with lots of snow every year, that would be part of the climate for the region you live in. The winters there have been cold and snowy for as long as weather has been recorded, so we know generally what to expect.

Very, very important here is the understanding that any mention of climate relates to very long-term weather calculations. When we talk about a change in climate, that can only be charted by tracking weather over at least 100 years. Climatic changes often take tens of thousands of years. If you stumble upon a winter that is much colder than usual, with a ton of snow—even if that lasts several winters in a row—that isn't a change in climate. That's just an anomaly—an event that falls outside of the usual statistical range but doesn't represent any permanent, long-term change.

Clear enough so far? Here's another layer to the whole discussion. Even a slight difference in climate (that is, a sustained temperature and weather difference over 100 to several hundred years) can have significant effects. Take the Ice Age, for example. When you think of that era, you likely envision the world frozen over and covered in snow. But actually, during the last age (ice ages recur roughly every 50,000 to 100,000 years), NASA reports that the earth's average temperature was only 5 Celsius degrees cooler than it is today.

So based on science, this records-breaking cold winter is, unfortunately, not a sign that global warming is a hoax. Most recently, NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies confirmed there is a global warming trend occuring; noting that 2013 tied with 2006 and 2009 for the warmest year since 1880.

Here are some other findings from the IPCC (as gathered by Phys.org):

• Of the last 12 years, 11 have ranked among the warmest years since 1850.

• The warming trend of the last 50 years is nearly double that of the last 100 years, meaning that the rate of warming is increasing.

• The ocean's temperature has increased at least to depths of 3,000 meters (over 9,800 feet); the ocean absorbs more than 80 percent of all heat added to the climate system.

• Glaciers and snow cover have decreased in regions both in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, which has contributed to the rise of sea levels.

• Average Arctic temperatures increased by nearly twice the global average rate over the last 100 years (the IPCC also noted that Arctic temperatures have are highly variable from decade to decade).

• The area covered by frozen ground in the Arctic has decreased by approximately 7 percent since 1900, with seasonal decreases of up to 15 percent.

• Precipitation has increased in eastern regions of the Americas, northern Europe and parts of Asia; other regions such as the Mediterranean and southern Africa have experienced drying trends.

• Westerly winds have been growing stronger.

• Droughts are more intense, have lasted longer and covered larger areas than in the past.

• There have been significant changes in extreme temperatures -- hot days and heat waves have become more frequent while cold days and nights have become less frequent.

• While scientists have not observed an increase in the number of tropical storms, they have observed an increase in the intensity of such storms in the Atlantic correlated with a rise in ocean surface temperatures.

Solar Radiation Mapping at Better Farm

Solar radiation map of Better Farm by Elyna Grapstein.

Elyna Grapstein studied sustainability at Better Farm in September of 2012 before going on to study at SUNY-ESF's ranger school in Wanakena, N.Y. While there, her projects have included land-cover mapping (as we showcased in December on our blog), and more recently, solar radiation mapping of Better Farm's property. Below are her findings.

Elyna Grapstein's completed solar radiation map and guide.

Solar Radiation on Better Farm Property
by Elyna Grapstein
INTRODUCTION:
Better Farm, a sustainability education center and artist colony, exists as a place where visitors and residents have the opportunity to experiment in a way which will "[enhance] the local and regional community by offering each individual the opportunity to expand, grow, and flourish sustainably." I feel that one productive way in which Better Farm may choose to experiment is with renewable sources of energy—specifically solar power. These maps were made with the intention of displaying where solar radiation is strongest and weakest on Better Farm's property in the case of wanting to install solar panels in the future, and where those panels would be be placed based on solar radiation strength and current land conditions.

STUDY AREA:
Better Farm is located in the Indian River Lakes region of Jefferson County, New York, in the hamlet of Redwood. It is set in the center of several lakes: east of Butterfield Lake, west of Lake of the Woods, northeast of Millsite Lake, and southwest of Grass Lake. Set west of the Adirondack Region, Redwood's topography consists of hills and wetland.

METHODS:
First, I set up ArcMap 10 through ArcGIS so that I could use the basemap feature, World Imagery. I then navigated to the Jefferson County website and located the Better Farm property parcel number and boundaries through interpreting Jefferson County's tax parcel. Once the property was located, I took a screen shot and saved the image as a .jpeg. Doing so allowed me to crop and edit the screen shot so only the necessary image components were present. I added tax parcel data, adjusted its transparency so I could see the parcel's outline and base layer for georeferencing. Once that was done, I was able to heads-up digitize a polygon shapefile of Better Farm's property.

The other piece of downloaded data was a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Redwood. This was necessary to map solar radiation. I was also able to access this data from the Jefferson County website.

After the polygon of the property was made, I began to cut the polygon using the "cut polygons" tool to distinguish different land uses. This was done through interpretation of orthoimages and my own knowledge of the property. Once this was done, I added the necessary features to make it a complete map (Fig. 1). Figure 2 is designed to portray the amount of solar radiation that comes in contact with the property. This map was created by turning on the spatial analyst extension property and then extracting the mask so only the DEM raster cells that are within the property parcel would be exercised. My downloaded DEM file was the "input raster" and the polygon of the Better Farm property that I had digitized was the feature mask data.

From here, deriving solar radiation was straight forward. After selecting "Area Solar Radiation" under "Spatial Analyst Tools", inputting the extracted Better Farm DEM and selecting the time configuration for the year 2013, I was able to create a map of solar radiation.

To create Figure 3, figures 1 and 2 were overlapped, the solar radiation map was made transparent use the "Effects" toolbar, and the spaces that had the highest solar radiation were marked using a "points" shapefile.

RESULTS:

Fig. 3

Based on these map overviews, it seems the spaces that experience the highest amounts of solar radiation are located on the forested portions of the property.  This is not unexpected, as approximately 73 percent of the property is forested (Fig. 1, Table 3). However, the areas experiencing the strongest amount of solar impact also happen to be located on edges; so if solar is ever to be installed at these locations, getting to these spots and clearing forested spaces would not be nearly as involved relative to other locations on the property.

The areas with the second-greatest amounts of solar radiation are generally located in more remote zones and are more difficult to access; however there is one location on the southern end of the property's lawn that would make a good location to set up solar panels. No land clearing would be necessary, as the space is vacant and there is little slope to interfere with the installation (Fig. 3).

Though solar power may not be in Better Farm's immediate future, these three maps may be used as references for numerous other projects involving property management and planning—be it for organizing crop locations for Better Farm's garden, building trails through the forest, or even as an educational tool for visiting students and guests.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

IRLC to host Winter Hike Feb. 9

The Indian River Lakes Conservancy has scheduled its third annual "Celebrate Winter Family Outing" from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Grand Lake Reserve:

Coming Soon: Better Buckets

Image from Jose Vilson.

Introducing Redwood to Compost in Order to Preserve its Natural Beauty and Teach Sustainability 
Composting is the process of turning food scraps into nutrient-rich soil. With up to 40 percent of all landfills comprised of otherwise biodegradable food scraps, composting is a simple way to cut a huge amount out of the waste stream while benefiting backyard gardens, homegrown produce, and increasing amounts of topsoil.

To that end, Better Farm has partnered with the Redwood Neighborhood Association and other local groups and individuals to kick off a new campaign that will turn natural waste into soil and help preserve and expand the natural beauty of the area.

“Better Buckets” allows individuals and families in the Redwood area to isolate food scraps from the waste stream in order to benefit their community. Better Farm will deliver five-gallon pails to those who have signed up and make regular visits to empty the buckets. Waste will be brought to Redwood's Community Greenhouse for processing (and overflow to Better Farm), where over time the food scraps will become healthy soil perfect for fertilizing flowers and produce grown in the community greenhouse. Redwood residents are invited and encouraged to participate in the process of growing plants in the greenhouse, which is operated and overseen by members of the Redwood Neighborhood Association. Plant sales and giveaways throughout the summer months will help to nourish residents and beautify the hamlet. This program is brought to the community at no cost to participating individuals.

A three-tier compost bin will be installed at the community greenhouse during a compost workshop this spring, and fliers will be distributed to residents with more information and sign-up opportunities. Stay tuned for more information!

If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please email info@betterfarm.org or attend the next meeting of the Redwood Neighborhood Association at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of next month at St. Francis church on Route 37 in Redwood.

Exceptional Winter Chicken Care

Rapunzel in winter. Photo/Nicole Caldwell

Winter chicken care can be a particular challenge for those of us living in chillier parts of the world. At Better Farm, we've struggled with cases like frostbite in the flock more this year than the last four winters. Special precautions have had to take place, information for which we acquired through laborious research and interviews. To circumvent that legwork for you, here's a quick rundown of tricks you can utilize to ensure optimal comfort for your birds during the next cold snap.

For starters, let's go over frostbite. Frostbite is damage that occurs to bodily tissues from exposure to extreme cold when fluid in cells freezes. As a result of freezing, blood clots form depriving the cells of oxygen, causing tissue damage to varying degrees. In extremely cold conditions exposed tissues can suffer frostbite in minutes.

In cold weather, chickens are able to conserve body heat by restricting blood-flow to their combs, wattles and feet, the very parts of the body that give off excess heat in warm weather. The result is a decrease in warmth and oxygen to those extremities, which puts them at risk for frostbite.  

For the Damage That's Already Been Done
If you find that one of your chickens is having trouble walking due to frozen or frost-bitten feet, take the bird inside immediately but DO NOT put the bird near extreme heat like that of a wood stove, fireplace, or hair dryer. The drastic temperature shift can put a bird into shock or even kill it. Instead, warm the bird up gradually by putting it in a room of the house that is on the cooler side. After an hour, assess the damage.

• Lethargic Chicken If the chicken seems dopey, is stumbling, or seems tired, provide sugar or electrolytes. Options include warm water with honey, apple juice or orange juice slightly diluted, or a berry smashed into warm water. Organic apple cider vinegar is an excellent additive to a chicken's beverage on a daily basis. If the chicken doesn't drink on its own you can take a small syringe and dribble the water mixture onto the bird's beak. Be very careful if you put water into the chicken's mouth--chickens don't swallow with muscles, they instead tip their heads back to let liquid run down their throats, so squirting water into a chicken's mouth can cause it to aspirate and choke. (From Yahoo)
• Blackened Skin or Other Obvious Frostbite If your chicken has a blackened frostbitten area on the comb or wattles, coat the areas with bag balm or petroleum jelly. If the chicken is alert and behaving normally, it will probably be fine to go back outside in the coop. 
• Peck Marks Chickens can be brutal to each other, and if they sense a weakness they will attack it. They may peck at one another's frostbite; and if they draw blood, they'll keep going. Coat the pecked area in Neosporin. (Note: Never use anything with pain killers. If anything on the ingredient list ends in -cain then it's lethal to chickens!) Keep the chicken isolated until the pecked area heals to prevent further pecking from other birds. If you can't keep the chicken separate for that long then coat the pecked area with pine tar or Blue Kote (in the horse section at the feed store.) When a chicken pecks and gets a mouth full of pine tar, it won't want to peck there again.
• Damaged/Frostbitten Feet It can take up to six weeks to heal frostbitten feet, so you'll want to be able to keep the bird inside in a heated garage or (our favorite) spare bathroom. Depending on the severity of the frostbite, chickens may lose some toes or even an entire foot. Keep the chicken on a soft bedding, like a towel, that won't cling to his or her feet. If the feet turn completely black then there isn't much you can do except wait for the blackened areas to fall off. Often the chicken is able to survive this and continue on with life, though they will be crippled. If the feet only have partial frostbite, they may grow blisters. Do not pop the blisters no matter what! They will rupture on their own when the skin below is healed enough to be exposed. You can treat frostbite on feet by soaking them twice daily in warm water mixed with Epsom salt, grapefruit seed extract (a natural antibiotic), and hydrogen peroxide (will help to remove dead skin cells and keep bacteria out of healing feet). Don't let the chicken drink that water! Epsom salt in high doses can be very damaging. After a 20-minute soak, dry the feet and coat them with Neosporin or a similar product, then coat with Bag Balm to make a protective layer. Bag balm has menthol in it, which increases circulation and speeds healing. Finally, put loose bandages or an old pair of socks over the chicken's feet to protect them.

NOTE: If your chicken's feet become infected to the point that the chicken is no longer eating and drinking normally then you can administer Penicillin G. This can be purchased at most feed stores, along with syringes and needles. Full sized large breed chickens should get 0.5 mg injected once a day in the drumstick area of the leg, into the muscle. Injecting a chicken can seem a bit intimidating at first, but if you hang the chicken upside down with the help of a partner, the bird will quickly go limp and you can inject the Penicillin without too much trauma. While your chicken is healing be sure to feed it plenty of high protein treats along with normal amounts of food and water to help its body recover. Chickens love scrambled eggs, oatmeal, fruit, and most table scraps aside from raw potatoes and salty foods.

Preventative Care

Here's a great idea for a highly insulated wind break chickens can enjoy. All this design takes are four pallets and some hay.

In the winter, whether you've got extreme subzero temperatures or not, chickens should have a place they can go to get away from drafts, snowfall, and cold wind. We recommend putting a tarp over a run and layering fresh hay on the cold ground regularly. This will help prevent frostbitten feet. Some people like to use heat lamps and bulbs for their birds in winter; but in general, we'd caution against that. Heaters can cause additional shock to the system when a chicken goes in or out. Generally speaking, most chickens can acclimate to very cold conditions when given the chance to do so naturally throughout a season. That being said, we have put a small bulb out with the birds under a covered run on extreme days (-20 or colder) in order to melt ice and give the birds a little bit of an edge. here are some other tips:

• Ventilate the Coop Your goal is to get as much air exchange throughout the coop as possible without drafts, particularly in the roost area. Ideally there will be windows and/or vents on all four sides of the coop. Ventilation holes towards the top of the coop, far above roost height and chicken height are best for achieving effective cold weather air exchange. If your coop does not have adequate ventilation, create more. Think: windows, not little holes. Install as much ventilation as high up on the walls as possible while ensuring that the air over the roost remains still. You want the warmest, heaviest air moving up and out of the coop. 
• Limit Moisture in the Coop Most breeds tolerate cold extremely well, but freezing temperatures inside the coop in addition to moisture is the recipe for frostbite inside the coop.  Frostbite is most likely to occur overnight in a cold, poorly ventilated coop where damp bedding and moisture from droppings and respiration cannot escape. Chickens generate a great deal of moisture from respiration (breathing) as well as from pooping as droppings consist of 85% water. If the windows of the coop have condensation on them in the morning, there is not enough ventilation in the coop.
• Keep Litter Dry and Fresh We use shredded paper and dry hay as bedding in our coop; other people recommend sand because of its ability to evaporate moisture so rapidly and retain warmth. 

Tips gleaned from a variety of sources, most notably Yahoo and The Chicken Chick.

Save the Date: Better Festival June 21

Better Festival, the annual open house, fundraiser, and alumni weekend for Better Farm and betterArts, is slated from 12-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21, 2014.

All money raised at the annual music, sustainability, and arts festival will directly fund art- and sustainability-related community outreach initiatives in and around Redwood.

The day-long event will featuring live performances by local and regional bands, a gallery showcasing artwork by painters, sculptors, photographers, and more, booths featuring art and handmade items for sale, tours of the Better Farm campus, information about Better Farm and betterArts 2014 programming, arts and crafts for kids (and adults!), freshly prepared and locally sourced food, a refreshments tent, games, bouncy castle, and more! To introduce betterArts' latest endeavor Better Radio, there will be a booth set up for people to create content for that station. Music will also be recorded for video, podcasts, and eventual broadcast use.

Camping is available for $10/person/night. We are offering accommodations Friday through Monday, or any night therein. Workshops will also be scheduled throughout the weekend and include lessons in upcycling, permaculture, and yoga.

Seeking Vendors, Volunteers, Artists, Performers, and Sponsors

• ARTISTS: Individuals who would like to put their artwork up in the gallery for sale are encouraged to contact us at info@betterarts.org for the appropriate paperwork. There is no fee to hang your pieces, but betterArts does reserve the right to a 15-percent commission on all sold art.
• PERFORMERS: Bands, singer-songwriters, storytellers, and other performers are invited to participate in the festivities. We have a small stage in the Art Barn's gallery space and a larger outdoor stage on the second-floor deck overlooking a natural amphitheater. If you are interested in performing, please contact amberleeclement33@gmail.com or call (315) 482-2536.
• VENDORS: A one-day vendor's pass is $15. Please contact us at info@betterfarm.org or call (315) 482-2536.
• SPONSORS: Sponsors will have their names or business logos included in all press materials and prominently displayed at the event. Sponsorship levels begin at $50. Please contact Nicole Caldwell at nicole.caldwell@betterarts.org or (315) 482-2536 to learn more about becoming a sponsor.
• VOLUNTEERS: We need people's help setting up, breaking down, running the refreshments tent, cooking, working in the gallery, and more. Please e-mail amberleeclement33@gmail.com.

Better Farm is located at 31060 Cottage Hill Road, Redwood NY, 13679. For more information visit www.betterfarm.org.

11th Annual Heart of Winter Show Seeks Artists

Heart of Winter piece by former Better Farm intern Maylisa Jade

The Heart of Winter Art Show & Chocolate Reception
Macsherry Library
112 Walton Street
Alexandria Bay NY 13640

Macsherry Library on Saturday, Feb. 8, will host the 11th annual Heart of Winter Art Show and Chocolate Reception in the community gallery.

Artists are invited to submit pieces representing the heart of winter. The show will hang from Feb. 8-15 in Macsherry Library's gallery. All artwork must be brought to the library by noon on Feb. 5.

In addition to visual art, writers of original Haiku, short poems, and essays (one page or less) are being accepted for display. For the sake of consistency and readability, all written works will be reprinted and hung with the show. Written works are due at the library by Feb 3.

Artwork may be removed during library hours after Monday, Feb.

There will be a few Peoples Choice Awards for different categories. There will be a decadent assortment of chocolate desserts to sample while enjoying the display.  There will also be a Valentine’s day crafts table for “kids of all ages”. This year will also feature a guitar performance followed by lessons in the meeting room with Gary Waltz. As with most Macsherry Library events, there is no fee to attend.

If you would like to help behind the scenes or need more information, contact Sue-Ryn Burns   at (315) 482-2985 or Cecilia Thompson at (315) 777-3385. Artists interested in submitting work can print out this form to be brought along with pieces to library:

Macsherry Library is located at 112 Walton St., Alexandria Bay, N.Y.

DIY Pollination

Pollinating tomato plants in Better Farm's aquaponic garden.

Gardening applications such as indoor aquaponics and hydroponics are wonderful for a host of reasons: temperature and climate control, the absence of pests and weeds, and control over the grow cycle. But playing garden god has its consequences; not the least of which being the utter lack of pollinators and helpers-along, namely bees and the wind.



Put simply, there are two types of pollination: same-flower pollination, and multi-flower pollination.

• Same-flower pollination Veggies and fruits in this category include peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. In these plants, pollen just needs to be released from one part of a flower to another part in the same flower in order for pollination to occur. Wind is the most common pollinator here, literally “shaking loose” the pollen. Insects, like bees, also help with the vibration of their wings or the physical action of their climbing on flowers moving the pollen around.
• Multi-flower pollination Plants in this category include cucumbers, melons and squash. These plants produce both male and female flowers. For pollination to occur, pollen must move from the male flower to the female flower. Generally, this is accomplished by insects flying or crawling from one flower to another.

With same-flower pollination, gently shaking or vibrating the plants or individual flowers a few times a week (daily is best) after flowers appear is the most straight-forward way to ensure pollinations.

For plants with male and female flowers, you're going to have to manually transport pollen from male flowers to females. Can't tell which is which?  Male flowers are smaller and you can often see the pollen as “dust” inside. Female flowers tend to be larger and often have a small, unfertilized fruit at their base. For example, with cucumbers, you can actually see a small ½ inch long cucumber at the base of the female flowers. If left unpollinated, this will drop off. If pollinated, it grows into a full-sized fruit.

To fertilize these plants, you can use a Q-tip or tiny paintbrush. Just dab the male flowers a few times and then dab the female flowers and buds. This morning I pollinated tomato plants and clovers using both methods just for due diligence. I'll be knee-deep in aquaponics for the next few weeks repeating the process and capturing pics of the progress. Here are some action shots:

Book Your Next Event at Better Farm

We are now taking inquiries and bookings for 2014 retreats, workshops, weddings, corporate meetings and events, lectures, and field trips at Better Farm.

Better Farm is situated on 65 acres of  rolling hillsides, forests, open fields, farmed land, a pond, and a small fruit orchard. There are several buildings: the main house with two kitchens, seven bedrooms, three lofts, a library, four bathrooms, laundry room, office and two common areas; the two-story Art Barn with gallery/event space, studio, and second-story deck functioning as stage overlooking a natural amphitheater; a tool shed, wood shed, greenhouse, and small cabins for additional overnight guests.

The main house, barn, and property are available year-round to rent for weddings, retreats, workshops, field trips, festivals, concerts, lectures, and more. Rent the whole property for big groups, or rent just what you need for a smaller group. Contact info@betterfarm.org with your inquiries and for pricing information. For overnight lodging information, click here.

Former betterArts Resident Ruby Amanze in Brooklyn Gallery Show through April 6

Ruby Amanze, a visiting artist-in-residence back in 2011, has a body of work on display as part of a larger gallery exhibit in Brooklyn, N.Y., through April 6 of this year.

Six Draughtsmen, showing at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, highlights the diverse drawing practices of six artists. Arguably the oldest of all mediums, drawing has evolved to redefine and expand its parameters in this increasingly experimental era of contemporary art. Navigating somewhere between the traditions of the past and an imagined future, contemporary drawing embraces and challenges drawing conventions in medium, surface and concept.

By Ruby Amanze

In the past 15 years, there has been a surge of critical discourse on contemporary and experimental drawing, but artists of African descent have been disproportionately absent from the international discussion. The work of many pioneer Nigerian artists shows evidence of a strong historical connection to drawing. Currently, however, drawing in a Nigerian context has primarily been designated a preparatory exercise rather than being recognized as a finished medium.

Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze, Toyin Odutola, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Nnenna Okore and Odun Orimolade are six artists of Nigerian descent who explore aspects of drawing in their current practices in Nigeria and in the U.S. Though most of the artists primarily practice in the U.S., at the time this exhibition was conceived, five of the six women found themselves actively engaged in a studio practice in Nigeria. Aside from those who only draw, participating artists also identify as installation artists, performance and video artists, mixed media artists and sculptors.Yet through their various mediums, all are intrinsically invested in a dialogue with drawing, both two dimensionally as well as by taking mark-making, line, erasure, transparency, memory and process, off the page and into three dimensional space.

This exhibition is curated by artist Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze as part of her culminating research for the Fulbright Scholars Program in Nigeria. From August 2012 to June 2013, Amanze joined the faculty as a resident artist in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts is located at 80 Hanson Pl., Brooklyn, NY 11217. Can't make it to the gallery? See Ruby's amazing work at www.rubyamanze.com.