The First Best Thing Farms

Strange visitors found in the garden the other day! Black swallowtail caterpillars have moved in and destroyed our dill weed but we certainly aren’t mad about it. Look how pretty they are 😯

First zinnia flower is coming in by our mail box flower planter. We chose to plant flowers that attract and feed #pollinators to help keep a healthy garden. It’s finally starting to #bloom so hopefully it’ll be looking much more #colorful in a few weeks!

No, those aren’t peppers. They are tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes to be precise. This variety is a type of plum tomato that originated in Italy and has a deep, rich flavor making them great for eating fresh or canned. What’s your favorite variety of tomato? #sanmarzano #tomatoplants #sanmarzanotomatoes #italiantomato #plumtomatoes #stillgreen #unripe #zone9a #green #fruitsofinstagram #juicy #rich #sunset #gardenpics #inmygarden #boldflavour #fruitofthespirit #gardensofinstagram #houston #farmers #canningtomatoes #tomatosauce #needtime #houstonfood #houstonfoodie #houstonproducer #houstonmarket #perfectpearmarket #comingsoon #growbabygrow (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQjPKYcBgDu/?utm_medium=tumblr

Sunflower dump! Our mammoth #sunflowers have gotten so big, some of them over six feet tall. This variety of sunflower puts out a single #flower head, which can be eaten when still immature or allowed to seed and ripen until the seeds are big enough to roast. #sunflower #sunset #glare #sunray #petals #flowersofinstagram #seeds #goodeats #raworripe #growyouown #landscape #eatyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #seedhead #roastem #eatitraw #yellow #giantflower #rows #myyard #yarden #homesteadinglife #greatview #countrylifestyle #makingsnacks #gettingbig #sun #farming (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQfKfzpngnb/?utm_medium=tumblr

We have some beautiful tomato plants growing in the garden right now, there’s more than 50 plants and a good amount are cherry tomatoes. So delicious to eat straight off the vine, they don’t even really need to be washed because we don’t use chemical pesticides. This garden is going to be very red in the next few weeks as the tomato plants really start hitting the optimal age for production. #tomatoplants #gardening #gardenview #countrylife #openfields #skyline #sunset #homesteading #zone9garden #9a #gulfcoast #sweetthings #offthevine #growing #feedthepeople #farmersmarkethouston #homosteading #plantdaddy #letitgrow #naturelovers #organicgarden #nopesticides #naturallygrown #organic #grownwithlove #queerfarmers #homesteadersofinstagram #prettysky #nightiscoming #landscapephotography (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQd7SkVhuja/?utm_medium=tumblr

We had a great time at the @perfectpearmarket yesterday! Our first booth of the season was so much fun and it was great getting to see everyone out in public again. Looking forward to seeing you on July 4! #perfectpearmarket #farmersmarket #pearland #weekend #fathersday #supportlocal #buylocal #brazoriacounty #harriscounty #thingstodohouston #eggs #tomatoes #vendorshow #farmlife #freshproduce #supportfarmers #supportsmallbusiness #eatfresh #tastessogood #wedidit #goalsreached #houstonlife #texas #pearlandtx #farmfresh #outandabout #hustle #feedthepeople #freshveggies #homegrown (at Pearland Town Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZyDqQHIxf/?utm_medium=tumblr

Heading to the Farmers Market on Sunday, June 20. We will be bringing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and much more. We will have fresh farm laid eggs as well as farm made canned goods including salsa and crushed tomatoes. This Sunday is Fathers Day and there will be a raffle for fathers and other great giveaways! #farmersmarket #tomatoes #cannedfood #homecanning #farmfood #farmfresh #peppers #capsicum #pearlandtowncenter #perfectpearmarket #houston #pearland #squash #cucumbers #salsa @perfectpearmarket #cannedtomato #thingstodohouston @pearlandtowncenter #summertime #houstonmarket #fathersday #growingtogether #firstweekend #houstonlife #harriscounty #freshfood #farmstead #homestead #brazoriacounty #leaguecitytx #southhouston (at Pearland Town Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQSFDYqnsUl/?utm_medium=tumblr

Remember a few weeks back when @kol10b blew out some eggs for an art project? Well here is the end result! It’s made to sit flat or hang on the wall. Featuring two Phoenix eggs, a cuckoo maran egg, and one Easter egger #egg along with some #moss that grows from the trees in our yard. We’ll be taking this piece along with the other farm art pieces featured in this post to @perfectpearmarket this Sunday, June 20. Farm Art by @kol10b Pics 1 and 4 Farm Art by @humminbirdzzz Pics 2, 3, and 5 #farmart #eggs #farmersmarket #perfectpearmarket #nest #decor #farmdecor #birdhouse #handpainted #smallball #spanishmoss #oldmansbeard #artprojects #crafting #blownouteggs #googlyeyes #homemadeart #paintings #cuckoomaranegg #eastereggereggs #eggrainbow #signs #wreath #fromthefarm #queerart #natureisart #reclaimedart #upcycledart (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRJ8crnOIv/?utm_medium=tumblr

We Found A Self-Hatching Chick!
A story about why we picked up four chicks today from @tractorsupply This morning, @kol10b was clearing out the lumber pile by the carport. There was a faint chirping noise all morning and our little #jackrussellterrier named #axelburkes spent a good half hour searching around the carport. We eventually noticed she discovered the source of the chirping and ran over to discover a single baby chick wandering around. Our #chickens free-range and a #Phoenix hen of ours went missing last week after we noticed she was looking a little sick. Apparently, she had made a little nest in the wood pile and had been trying to hatch out some chicks. Unfortunately she’s still missing and near the nest, we found some of her feathers. So we think she might have been attacked one night while hiding outside the coop. And about a week later after she went missing, one single chick that she was sitting on #hatched and made its debut. A little #barredrock / Phoenix cross went about a week without a broody hen and still hatched out thanks to this hot #texas weather. Of course, #chicks don’t do well on their own so decided to pick up some #companions for this little one while we were at the store getting wood chips. And that’s how we ended up with five new chicks. (at The First Best Thing Farms)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQCG189HYUI/?utm_medium=tumblr

Thanks for the memories Facebook. It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, our first breeder rabbit had her first litter. While we’re still far from perfect, we have learned and grown a lot over the last year and we’re not the only ones... The breeding doe in this photo, Cali, had one kit in her first litter a year ago and now she’s averaging about ten baby bunnies per litter. #memories #bunniesofinstagram #oneyear #ayearago #flashback #rabbitsofinstagram #californian #rex #rabbit #momsofinstagram #givingbirth #anniversary #babybunny #oneyearold #annual #babyrabbit #babyanimals #newborn #happybirthday #greatmother #shedidit #breeder #hoppy #hops #bigears #littlething #newbornsofinstagram #hairless #eyesshut #itsababy (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPyJ3joHRP6/?utm_medium=tumblr

Look at this broody momma! She did an amazing job hatching these chicks out and she’s equally as good of a mother. The chicks need a heat source for about the first six weeks of their lives. Chicks need to be 100°F the first week then slowly adjusting to outside temperatures over a six week span. This is why people often use brooding lamps on young chicks, it keeps them warm without needing a broody hen. ABOUT THE TOES PICS
We have one chick with five toes but its color and pattern is barred rock. Our head rooster is a barred rock so the coloring makes sense and the fifth toe came from the hen, either a Black Silkie or a Salmon Faverolles. Either way, the chick has tiny feathers growing out of its five toed foot as expected. We’re excited to see what this farm cross chickens grow up to be! The broody hen is a Phoenix by the way. She hatched 9 out of 14 eggs that she sat on which were a mix of eggs from the whole flock. We will have to wait a few weeks to see how they grow to figure out who actually crossed with whom. (at The First Best Thing Farms)
https://www.instagram.com/p/COqJbpfHHzh/?igshid=1qn5usx2u2tqs

A lovely bunch of swamp marsh caterpillars (Estigmene acrea) have been making a buffet of the curled dock we have growing in the backyard. Another fuzzy moth caterpillar, this little one is also harmless (it doesn’t sting humans) and honestly it has just been on the same plant for the past few days, chomping away. Its peak season is May to August so I’d assume we’ll be seeing quite a few more of these #caterpillar #moths over the summer. It uses part of its hair to make a #cocoon and pupate, generally through the winter, hatching in the Spring. #acreamothcaterpillar #swamp #marsh #caterpillar #moth #larva #fuzzycat #hairycaterpillar #harmless #pupate #bugsofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #arthropoda #lepidoptera #summerbugs #crawler #crawling #antenna #wingspan #buffet #planteater #orange #rusty #setae #estigmeneacrea #estigmene #gulfcoast #brazoriacounty (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/COX_RKBnjVe/?igshid=hgiqjvu0qy97

A lovely bunch of swamp marsh caterpillars (Estigmene acrea) have been making a buffet of the curled dock we have growing in the backyard. Another fuzzy moth caterpillar, this little one is also harmless (it doesn’t sting humans) and honestly it has just been on the same plant for the past few days, chomping away. Its peak season is May to August so I’d assume we’ll be seeing quite a few more of these #caterpillar #moths over the summer. It uses part of its hair to make a #cocoon and pupate, generally through the winter, hatching in the Spring. #acreamothcaterpillar #swamp #marsh #caterpillar #moth #larva #fuzzycat #hairycaterpillar #harmless #pupate #bugsofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #arthropoda #lepidoptera #summerbugs #crawler #crawling #antenna #wingspan #buffet #planteater #orange #rusty #setae #estigmeneacrea #estigmene #gulfcoast #brazoriacounty (at The First Best Thing Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/COX-njinKuF/?igshid=l6v2bwu11ft0

Someone laid an soft shell egg today. Commercial eggs are all screened before going into the carton so you’d never see something like this at the store. It’s often caused by a simple “hiccup” during the normal egg production cycle and usually it’s a big deal. It can also occur if a chicken doesn’t have enough calcium in its diet, if the chicken is stressed for an array of reason, or even due to old age. We’ll keep an extra eye on our girls this week but this is likely what is sometimes called a glitch egg. (at The First Best Thing Farms)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CORoSgYHtYX/?igshid=1vrkgpq7fqkhu

She did it! One of our Phoenix hens went broody three weeks ago and she #hatched 9 of the 14 eggs we placed under her. She’s been doing a good job keeping them warm since they hatched and will need to continue providing warmth for the next 6 weeks or so until the baby #chicks have fully feathered out and can care for themselves. (at The First Best Thing Farms)
https://www.instagram.com/p/COHE5kdHJMe/?igshid=g6fm9mu9nq7d

We are so delighted to receive this handmade #fermenting jar that we bought from @themindofaleaf101 at the @brynhavenfarm The quality of his work is stunning and the paint and #glaze are both beautiful and flawless. We are super excited to improve our #fermentation game and have seen the artist use these for his own ferments, which largely encouraged us to make this purchase. We know that the #quality and functionality are way beyond what the cost was and of course enjoyed supporting another #homesteader (at Brazoria, Texas)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CODnBddHKw9/?igshid=c36hy9fxlgmn