Horseshoe Glen Farm & Apiary

Horseshoe Glen Farm & Apiary Laying Hens, Blackberries & Honeybees

07/26/2026

It seems there are some critters feeling comfortable in our "back half acre". I have seen places where the grass has been trampled to lie down on. I know I have seen white tail deer.

Also there are multiple trails through the grass made by the woodchucks (wuchak indigenous language).

07/11/2026

Lightning bugs or fireflies—what do you call them?

We’ve all heard of "No Mow May," but our version started a little differently. After returning from our recent adventure, we found that neither of our walk-behind mowers would start, leaving us with four-foot-tall grass across the back half-acre!

Monday morning was dedicated to dropping off a mower for a tune-up and assembling my new "w**d eater" (the company honored the two-year warranty—wahoo!). However, after a few quick passes around the driveway and deck ramp, the 95°F heat and 90% humidity forced me to call it quits.

It’s now June, which means we are approaching prime firefly viewing season. I’ve already spotted them during the day, clinging to the tall grass as if they’re shouting, "Sanctuary! He gave me tall grass!"

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07/09/2026

Looking forward to homemade "breakfast" tacos with ham, egg, and cheese using our farm-fresh eggs, paired with toasted homemade bread, blackberry jelly from last year’s harvest, and a cup of dark roast coffee from the Dominican Republic.

With the UV index and dew point in check, it’s a perfect time to do some yard work and tidy up the tall grass near the golf cart once had sat.

I had a strange dream last night about mowing the back half-acre of "wilderness" and encountering an unbothered bobcat. It makes me wonder how the local wildlife will react now that we have no more chickens.

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07/06/2026

I can choose to let it bother me or not. Our former Alpha hen, Gretchen, passed away about a week ago. Instead of dwelling on the sadness, I’ve chosen to find comfort in a plausible story of her final moments.

The girls were safely in the run, scratching for bugs and grubs. Earlier this spring, I had removed the old, deteriorated snow fence cover, ensuring they could still enjoy the outdoors while remaining protected from predators like foxes.

Merida and Gretchen must have spotted an aerial threat—we often have Red-tailed Hawks lurking in the mature locust and walnut trees nearby. In my mind, I can see Gretchen motioning to Merida to get the others safely inside the coop while she served as a distraction. She likely "rope-a-doped" the hawk in the corner by the fence, shielding herself as best she could.

I found her body huddled in that corner, with the only wounds on her "fluffy butt." I truly wonder if she simply suffered a heart attack in the process. In my imagination, I can hear her channeling Worf from Star Trek: "It is a good day to die."

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07/06/2026

It has been a bittersweet season here at Horseshoe Glen Farm & Apiary. Sadly, our bee colony swarmed while we were out of town this spring, and the remaining bees did not survive. We recently discovered the hive empty, marking the end of Alexandrina’s reign. I have since relocated a brood box with drawn comb in hopes of attracting a new swarm, though for now, it seems the local colonies have discovered our reserve honey and cleared it out. We’re taking it all in stride and looking forward to what the rest of the season brings to the farm.

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07/03/2026

Despite the stress of losing flock members, our Dominique hen, Ariel, still managed to lay an egg today. When I went to close the shed after dark, however, I didn't see or hear her the other hen, so I'm hoping they’ve just found a clever hiding spot and will be back by morning.

On a brighter note, I scared up a bunny near the tall grass the other day; it took off with the same instinctual speed as the woodchucks! The blackberries are finally starting to blush, though it’ll be a little longer before they're ready for picking.

(edited with AI assistance)

07/02/2026

It has been a difficult week at the farm. After offering our laying hens to an acquaintance, we faced a series of losses in the coop and run due to predators. We are now down to only two layers. It is often easier to hope they found a new home with the neighbors than to face the grim reality of the circle of life.

06/29/2026

Summer Blahs: The morning heat and humidity make yard work feel like a real chore—even if I'm the only one setting the schedule!

I’ve been clearing fallen branches and tackling the overgrown grass, which is currently a mix of plantain, orchard grass, and timothy. I even spotted a deer scurrying into the trees behind the property today. On a brighter note, the blackberries have officially set fruit, though we’re still a few weeks away from them ripening.

The chickens are enjoying the foraging, but it’s been a tough week—we’ve lost three of the girls. I suspect an aerial predator like the red-tailed hawks we've been seeing, rather than them wandering off. Has anyone else been dealing with increased predator activity lately?

06/26/2026

Three eggs in summer...a couple not too hot days. Still we have someone with a nasty habit of breaking eggs and eating them. Girls seem to be staying close to the open door of the shed. Wonder who spooked them...?

W**d eating time/Curb View. 61 F (c. 16 C) Dew point and only 70 F (c. 19 C). Going to give it a whirl...get it...? W**d eater String whirls around the axis...(chuckling at my own jokes).

06/24/2026

"Wahoo! He left the shed door open," cackled Isabeau. "i'm going to make a run for it!"

Isabeau was named after her "Auntie Clara" whose middle name was Isbeau. We usually just call her Izzy. She is an Easter Egger chicken, a hybrid that carries a blue-egg gene. She has a beard like other Easter Eggers. But the unique part is that she actually lays blue-tinted eggs. Some Easter Eggers lay green- tinted or off-white/gray eggs.

"I just love getting outside. Especially with the tall grass and bushes to hide under." The only problem is that I was setting out food and refreshing the water. She was stuck on the outside and I was between the door and the feeder and water bowls.

Chickens "bock" and "cluck" etc. But they also have a song they sing. This alarm can be for "Hey, there is a stranger," or "I just got frightened," but most often to announce the arrival of their egg.

This was the case of "You'll never get near me, Old Man!"

I just decided to walk away and see what she would do. She high-tailed it in through the shed door, squawking all the way, "You all better have left me some food!"

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Houston, TX
46528

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