• Learn all about Japan at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) with this month’s World Traveler Thursday: Cherry Blossom Festival. The first day will be Thursday, March 9. The activity will be included in the regular playtime sessions at 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Admission to the museum is $12.50 per visitor, $10.50 for guests older than 65, and free for children under a year old.
• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is also continuing its Science Friday program with more hands-on education with its STEAM lab on Friday, March 10, with activities at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (to accommodate both morning and afternoon play sessions). Science Friday programs are included with regular session admission.
• This week’s storytime and craft at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) will feature a reading of Celia Planted a Garden with a floral-themed craft to go along with it on Saturday, March 11, at 11:30 a.m. The event is free; advance registration online is recommended.
• Join the Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road, Bedford) for a family resin workshop on Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. Families will choose what shape to make their poured resin artwork out of and decorate it together. Each shape costs $35 and registration can be done at thecanvasroadshow.com.
Showtime!
• The Palace Theatre’s production of Little Women continues this weekend with shows Friday, March 10, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 11, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. The show continues through next Sunday, March 19. Tickets cost $39 to $46, depending on location ($25 for children ages 6 to 12). On March 7, the website said the purchase of an BOGO Special – Purchase 1 Adult ticket and bring your Young Adult (age 12-18) for FREE! Use code: B1G1LW at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). The show follows the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy) as they follow their dreams and learn to become strong, independent women. The show will run Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12, and Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, with times at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and can be bought at palacetheatre.org.
• Mr. Aaron is having an album release party at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) to celebrate the release of his new children’s music album. The show starts at 10 a.m. and tickets cost $13.75 each. Visit ccanh.com for more information.
• Get “jellicle” with Cats for Young Actorsat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) on Tuesday, March 14, and Wednesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. The Tony award-winning musical features classic hit songs like “Memory” and fun dance sequences. Tickets are $12 to $15 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.
Take a break
• The Peacock Players (14 Court St., Nashua) is offering a parents’ night out on Friday, March 10, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Kids ages 6 to 13 will be entertained by the Players staff of performing artists and educators and will play different games and have a movie night or karaoke contest. Registration for each child is $25 and can be done at peacockplayears.org.
Outdoor adventures
• Head to the McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Court, Manchester) for the Little Macs jamboree on Saturday, March 11, at 10 a.m. The competition is open to kids ages 4 to 6 and of all levels. Prizes will be awarded to kids with the best costume and the best-decorated helmet. Registration costs $40 and day-of registration ends a half hour before the competition begins. Visit mcintyreskiarea.com for more information.
• Beaver Brook will have Forest Tales on Monday, March 13, at 10 a.m. at Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road, Hollis). The hour-long story time is for kids and their caregivers alike to spend time in nature and learn more about the great outdoors. Visit beaverbrook.org to register.
Save the date
• Join the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) for a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Friday, March 17, from 9 a.m. to noon or from 1 to 4 p.m. Kids will participate in a leprechaun-themed scavenger hunt, an Irish-themed craft and a special science experiment. The party is included in registration for playtime. Visit childrens-museum.org for more information or to register.
• Calling all kids who love comic books: Kids Con New England is coming to the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) on May 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The con promotes literacy through the use of comic books, graphic novels and children’s stories. There will be workshops, family-friendly comics, artwork and more. Tickets cost $12. For more information visit kidsconne.com.
I’m trying to find out anything I can about this lamp. It’s been in my parents’ home for years.
It’s still an oil lamp. I have another one that was converted with an electric cord, but this one was never changed. It’s glass, not plastic. Have you ever seen one? Any information you can give me and a price would be great! Thank you.
Terri
Dear Terri,
What you have is a Victorian “Gone with the Wind” lamp. It’s just the name for the style of oil lamp.
The value depends on whether it’s in original condition, sometimes the maker, and whether it’s a hand-painted design rather than transfer.
Look on the base or the wick turner for a maker or company name.
Next look at it closely for brush strokes to see if the floral design was hand-painted. You should be able to clearly tell. It looks like a transfer pattern from the photo.
The value of them used to be in the $200+ range. The tough part now is to find the market for them, if you’re looking to sell it. It just doesn’t seem to fit into this generation’s decor.
I hope the information was helpful, Terri. Thanks for sharing with us.
Starting seeds indoors under lights is a good treatment for the winter blues. It connects me to my upcoming garden and all its benefits. Early March is when I start onions and peppers, though April is the month for most everything else.
My wife, Cindy Heath, and I are making a commitment to reduce or eliminate the use of plastics in our life, so we are transitioning away from those handy, dandy flimsy plastic six-packs for starting seeds. You can, too.
Gardener’s Supply Co. has been offering ways of reducing single-use plastics like those six-packs sold everywhere. They have sturdy reusable plastic trays for seed starting that have been available for a few years. This year they came out with metal seed-starting trays.
These galvanized steel growing cells are pricey but should last a lifetime. For about $50 you get 24 individual tapered cells and a leak-proof tray to hold them. The cells are a nice big size. The kit is self-watering: It comes with a wire grid and moisture-retaining mat that keeps seedlings hydrated from the bottom of the tray, which you fill with water once a week or so. I got one of these kits and looks like a winner.
Renee’s Garden is now selling seed-starting cell trays made of silicone that are sturdy and reusable, and dishwasher-safe. They do not get brittle, they say. I am ordering some to try them.
Making soil blocks with a simple press. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
If you don’t mind extra work and lots of mess, you can make soil blocks using a little metal press that produces 2-inch soil blocks. The mixture includes peat humus, compost, soil, blood meal and minerals. E-mail me for more info about the process.
So what else do you need? Lights, growing medium and seeds. Let’s start with lights. To keep your light bill low, I recommend using LED lights. I have some old-fashioned 4-foot fluorescent lights but have been replacing them with the LED equivalent. These look about the same, but have no ballast (transformer) inside the fixture and use much less electricity.
If you replace your old fixtures, don’t just throw the old tubes into the trash as they contain mercury, which is toxic waste. Some recycling centers will accept them, or bring them to an electrical supply company for proper disposal. And if you want to use an LED tube in an old fluorescent fixture, you should remove the ballast. Unless it says “No PCBs” on it, it needs to be sent to a hazardous waste collection site also.
Hang your fixture about 6 inches over the planting trays. Use “jack chain,” a small-link chain sold at hardware stores. It allows you to raise the lights as your plants grow. Give your seedlings 12 to 14 hours of light per day — they need a good night’s sleep as much as you do.
Most seeds will wake up and grow more readily if you place them on a warm base. Electrical seed-starting mats are great for that, but not really necessary. I use them for things that specify warmer temperatures, like the flower lisianthus, and for hot peppers.
I recommend buying “seed starting mix” instead of “potting soil” to put in your planting cells. Why? Seed starting mix is a finer blend and works better. It is made from peat moss, vermiculite, perlite and fertilizer. You can make your own, of course, and I often do — I start 10 flats (trays) or more each year. I also mix in some high-quality compost — about 50 percent of the final product. I also add a little Pro-Gro, a slow-release organic bagged fertilizer.
Peat moss is coming under criticism now by the eco-minded community. It is harvested from bogs and is centuries in the making. Coir, a palm fiber, is becoming more available, but I haven’t found it yet in big bags like peat moss.
Moisture is key for starting seeds. If the soil mix dries out before they get well-established, they can quickly perish. That’s OK with me — I need a reason to get out of bed on gray days in mud season. Gotta check my seedlings and give ’em a drink after I have my coffee!
You can contain moisture by buying and using clear plastic covers for your flats of seedlings. They are inexpensive and reusable. Take them off after everything has germinated, or most things.
A biodynamic calendar called Stella Natura is available for gardeners who want to plant seeds by the phase of the moon, stars and planets. I consult it when planting, and although it’s not foolproof, I think it helps. Available at www.stellanatura.com.
So if you want another hobby, grow your own plants from seed. It takes a little practice, but it may make you happy — it works for me!
Featured photo: Metal planting cells from Gardener’s Supply. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
Spring will soon be upon us, and with it plenty of opportunities to be outside. The New Hampshire Outdoor Expo is the perfect place to prepare for all things outdoors. Exhibitors will be selling supplies for a multitude of outdoor hobbies, from fishing and hunting to camping and boating. The three-day event runs from Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12, at the Hampshire Dome in Milford.
“It’s a family event for anybody who’s interested in the outdoors,” expo organizer Dan Kenney said. “We have a … BB gun range, an archery range, an octagon for kids to play in and also a trout pond for them to catch fish … all day long. These are all included in the admission price.”
Kenney, who has traveled across the country doing fishing shows, has been doing exhibitions since 2011 in several northeastern states. This will be the New Hampshire Outdoor Expo’s fifth year at the Hampshire Dome.
“Primarily I do them in January, February [and] March, so when people have cabin fever,” Kenney said. “They can … go inside a building and … get geared up for the season, basically.”
The show will have about 100 exhibitors from all over the region selling items at discounted prices.
One vendor is Mountain Road Trading Post, a specialty outdoor recreational store from Raymond established in 1972. Their focus is primarily on paddle sports, like canoeing and kayaking, but they also have fishing and camping gear.
Troy Brown, the current owner of the store, first came to one of the shows about 10 years ago as an attendee. Last year was his first time coming as a vendor.
“It was a great experience [and a] great time [with] good people, and this year is going to be bigger and better from what I understand,” Brown said. “At shows you get the chance to talk to people, to build relationships, and it does kind of carry over into ongoing customer traffic and ongoing relationships.”
At the expo, Mountain Road Trading Post will have kayak fishing supplies as well as kayaks of multiple brands, varieties and models.
“We’re going to introduce people to the world of kayaks in general … [and] kind of broaden people’s minds about what kayaks are all about,” Brown said.
In addition to the vendors, there will also be educational seminars by industry professionals on topics like hunting and fishing. Renaissance Firearms, a gun shop from Barrington, will be running a laser shooting game and providing instructions on gunsmithing. XSpot Archery, an archery range and shop based in Massachusetts, will be there offering archery instructions.
“It’s a good place to go and kind of visit friends … see the new gadgets and the new products that are out there … talk to like-minded people and … gear up for the season,” Kenney said. “We … have a lot of interesting vendors assembled under one roof that you really just can’t see anywhere.”
New Hampshire Outdoor Expo When: Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12 — hours are from 1 to 8 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday Where: Hampshire Dome, 24 Emerson Road, Milford Cost: Admission is $15 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under Visit: nhoutdoorexpo.com
Featured photo: Scenes from the New Hampshire Outdoor Expo. Courtesy photos.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• At the Currier: Catch singer-songwriter Rebecca Turmel performing on Thursday, March 9, at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) as part of Art After Work, when museum admission is free from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. This week’s scheduled tour is the “Flower Power” gallery tour, according to the website. This Saturday, March 11, also features free admission for New Hampshire residents; the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. And while you visit the Currier, check out the newly acquired “French mounted Chinese porcelain vase,” now on display in the European gallery, according to a Currier newsletter. The piece is a “large porcelain vase, made in China in the 14th century, [that] received gilded bronze mounts in France in the 1760s,” the newsletter said. The vase was likely owned by Maria-Christina of Austria, Marie Antoinette’s sister, the newsletter said.
• A late winter Midsummer: The Milford Area Players finish out a two-weekend run of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with shows Friday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 11, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. at the Amato Center for the Arts (56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford). Tickets cost $15, $10 for students and seniors. See milfordareaplayers.org.
• New opening weekend: Vanities, the comedy-drama by Jack Heifner being presented by Creative Ambitions Performance Studio of NH, a new professional theater company, will open Friday, March 10, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315). The show was originally slated to open March 3 but that weekend of shows was canceled, according to the website. The show runs through Sunday, March 19, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets cost $22 for adults; $19 for students and seniors, the release said.
Art and video games Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester; 512-6209, MosaicArtCollective.com) has joined with the Ralph Baer Projects Club to showcase local artists’ works in “Level Up,” a show honoring the legacy of Ralph Baer and video games, according to a presale release. The show features pieces in a variety of media including 2D, 3D, digital, mixed media and interactive forms, the release said. Ralph Baer, known as the father of video games, was born in Germany (on March 8) but lived in Manchester for much of his life; there are a statue and a bench honoring him in Arms Park. The exhibit is open through Sunday, March 26. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 11, from 4 to 8 p.m., the release said. Find more about the Ralph Baer Projects Club at ralphbaerday.com.
• You can still catch a night of theremin: Chris Martiello’s theremin concert scheduled for March 3 has been rescheduled to Friday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Whipple Hall (25 Seamans Road in New London). The performance will be followed by a Q&A and light refreshments. See centerfortheartsnh.org.
• Artist reception: Catch at artist reception for the Body of Work shows “For Granted” (featuring photographs by Judy Arnold) and “Isolation and Inspiration” (featuring the watercolors of artist RS Bense) at Seacoast Artist Association Gallery (130 Water St. in Exeter) on Friday, March 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. with music provided by folk-bluegrass duo Green Heron, according to a press release. The shows will run through Sunday, March 26. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m, according to seacoastartist.org.
• Purim fun and games: Etz Hayim Synagogue (1½ Hood Road in Derry; etzhayim.org) will host a riff on the TV show To Tell The Truth when “the Etz Hayim Never Ready for Prime TIme Players invite you to ‘To Tell the Emet (Truth) Shushan Version’” on Saturday, March 11, at 7 p.m. The show will use the game show format to have famous (or infamous) characters from the story of Purim (which was March 7) answer questions along with two imposters, after which audience members will vote for the real character, according to a press release. For more information, contact [email protected].
• More voices: According to tkapow.com, Theatre Kapow’s “Expanding the Canon” play reading circle in March will focus on The Fish by Madeline Sayet, a member of the Mohegan tribe in Connecticut. The event takes place Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. over Zoom; register online.
• “Japan’s Garbo”: The work of actress Setsuko Hara, an actress who quit in acting in 1963 but was considered “one of the greatest actresses of her time,” will be discussed in a program from the Derry Public Library by Zoom on Monday, March 13, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to a press release. Register for access to the discussion at derrypl.org.
• A quick international trip: Make a quick visit to Egypt and Gibraltar with a travelogue from Marlin Darrah, a filmmaker, on Wednesday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (3 Prince St. in Concord) for a free Walker Lecture Series, according to a press release. See walkerlecture.org.
• Mingle with history: The Manchester Historic Association will host “an evening of heritage, legacy, industry and cocktails,” according to manchesterhistoric.org, on Thursday, March 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester). The evening — “The Best of Amoskeag Tour” — will feature one complimentary cocktail with a ticket (the event is 21+) and appetizers as well as actors from the Majestic Theatre portraying some of Manchester’s influential people, according to the website. Tickets cost $25; go online or call 622-7531 to reserve tickets.
Painting, photography and more Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) has several adult and teen classes on the schedule in the coming months. Classes range from one-day workshops to month-long or longer classes. The schedule includes wheel throwing (with classes for beginners and intermediate), Modern & Contemporary Dance (for teen, ages 11 and up, and a class for adults), Medieval Illumination, Introduction to Adobe Lightroom, watercolor classes, Fundamentals of Printmaking, Painting in Oil or Acrylic, Life Drawing, Non-Toxic Etching and more. See kimballjenkins.com/adultclasses for class schedules and links to class descriptions, material requirements and registration.
YAM! for young artists Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) will host the 2023 Concord School District Youth Art Month Show, which runs now through Wednesday, April 12. An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 29, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and “will feature live music from local high school bands, light food and hundreds of works of art by Concord youth and young adults,” according to a press release. The show will also feature works by Concord art teachers in the Jill C. Wilson Gallery, the release said. After Thursday’s reception, the Concord Historical Society will host a talk from 7 to 8 p.m. on “Artists of Concord: Past, Present and Future,” the release said. The program will feature New Hampshire artist Richard Haynes talking about the late Mel Bolden of Concord sharing images of his work, the release said. Concord artist Pam Tarbell will also share her work and stories from her 50 years of making art in Concord, the release said.
• Celtic flutes: Start the Saint Patrick’s Day (Friday, March 17) celebrations early with a “Celtic Flutes” performance from the Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org, 644-4548) Faculty Performance Series on Thursday, March 16, at 7 p.m. The performance will feature Aubrie Dionne on flute; Erin Dubois on flute and piccolo; Kylie Elliot on flute, and Rose Hinkle on flute and alto flute, according to a press release. The show can be viewed in person or via livestream; register online.
• Celebrate the Irish: Moe Joe’s Restaurant (2175 Candia Road in Manchester, 668-0121) will host the Black Pudding Rovers playing Irish Classics on Friday, March 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. The band is in its 22nd year and features “Mike Becker on piano, guitar, and vocals, Ken Wyman on guitar, harmonica, and vocals, Butch Greene on drums, and Gary Hunter on woodwinds,” according to the press release, which says the band will also feature special guest fiddler Joe Blajda rejoining BPR to play Irish reels, hornpipes and jigs. The restaurant will feature a special Joe’s Corned Beef and Cabbage, the release said.
• NY opera broadcast in NH: Catch The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin, which will be broadcast live at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Saturday, March 18, at noon. Tickets cost $31.75; $25.75 for seniors and $18.75 for students. The broadcast will also screen at O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping via fathomevents.com at noon on Saturday, March 18, and as an encore on Wednesday, March 22, at noon.
• Keep the Irish going: The Pembroke Historical Society and Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St.; 485-7851, pembroke-nh.com/pembroke-town-library) will host musician and folklorist Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki on Wednesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. at the library, according to a press release. Tirrell-Wysocki is a fiddler and singer who “brings fresh energy to Celtic music,” the release said. The event is free and open to the public. Get a taste of his music at JordanTWmusic.com.
• Curious: The Pittsfield Players will present The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time from Thursday, March 23, through Sunday, March 26, at the Scenic Theatre (6 Depot St. in Pittsfield). The shows run at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 25, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, according to pittsfieldplayers.org. Tickets cost $15 plus fees.
• Audition alert: The Pittsfield Players (pittsfieldplayers.org) will host auditions for the comedic mystery Jack of Diamonds (which will run May 19 through May 21) on Sunday, March 26, and Tuesday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at the Scenic Theatre (6 Depot St. in Pittsfield), according to a press release. See the website for the list of characters and audition information.
• Spring choral concerts: Amare Cantare, a Seacoast-based auditioned chamber chorus, will perform “Solace,” their spring concert, on Saturday, March 25, at Phillips Church in Exeter at 7:30 p.m.; on Sunday, March 26, at 3 p.m. at Dover City Hall (288 Central Road), and on Wednesday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. at Middle Street Baptist Church (18 Court St. in Portsmouth), according to a press release. “The centerpiece of the concert is Canadian composer Eleanor Daley’s Requiem. A seven-movement unaccompanied work, the Requiem alternates traditional Latin texts with poetry by Carolyn Smart. The concert program will also include works of several other contemporary composers, including Only in Sleep by Ēriks Ešenvalds, Until by Joan Szymko, and Earth Song by Frank Ticheli, as well as a selection of celebrative sacred settings by early composers Heinrich Schütz, Orlandus Lassus, and Hans Leo Hassler,” the release said. Tickets cost $18 and can be purchased at amarecantare.org and may be available at the door, the release said.
Winter concert and guest pianist The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will hold a winter concert featuring guest pianist Ko-Eun Yi performing Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto” on Sunday, March 12, at 3 p.m. at the Music Hall (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org). The concert will feature a talk with Music Director John Page at 1:45 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $35 for adults, $30 for seniors and $20 for students, according to a press release. See portsmouthsymphony.org.
• Save the date for a craft fair: The 11th Annual Woman’s Service Club of Windham Spring Craft Fair will be held Saturday, April 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Windham High School and feature more than 100 artisans from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine presenting arts and crafts including ceramics, glass, jewelry, bird houses, spring wreaths, home decor, textiles, handbags, scrapbooking, doll clothes, rag dolls, woodwork, garden sculpture, soaps and lotions, candles, photography, fine art and more, according to a press release. The day will also feature raffles and sale of artisanal food, the release said. Admission is a suggested donation of $2 per person. See WomansServiceClubofWindham.org. And if you know of a spring craft fair or arts event, let us know at [email protected].
• At Gibson’s: Author Ralph White will discuss his book Getting Out of Saigon: How a 27-Year-Old Banker Saved 113 Vietnamese Civilians, a book about his own experiences in Saigon in 1975, on Monday, April 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com), according to a press release. No registration is required for the event, the release said.
• A master class performance: Pianist and conductor Stephen Drury will play a concert at the Johnson Theatre (Paul Creative Arts Center at UNH in Durham) on Thursday, April 6, at 8 p.m. as part of the UNH Department of Music/Arlene Kies Piano Recital and Master Class Series, according to a press release. The concert is free and you can also view it remotely at youtube.com/unhmusic.
• Jazz night: The UNH Traditional Jazz Series will present the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet on Friday, April 7, 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theatre (Paul Creative Arts Center, 30 Academic Way in Durham). Tickets cost $12 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors. According to a press release: “The music of saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is filled with empathy and conviction, bonding arcs of melody and lamentation to pluming gestures of space and breath. His remarkable quartet features Micah Thomas on piano, Daryl Johns on bass, and Kweku Sumbry on drums. His new album, The 7th Hand, explores relationships between presence and nothingness across an hour-long suite comprised of seven movements.” See unharts.com.
The basics on adding hens, chicks and roosters to your backyard farm
Perhaps the fluctuations in egg prices have you considering getting your own flock of egg-laying chickens. A New York Times story from Feb. 2 about the “inflation chicken” trend points out that there is a hefty upfront cost to raising chickens — the cost of the birds, the cost of the coops. But if you are thinking about adding chickens to your spring and summer gardening plans, here’s what you can expect in terms of chores, costs and eggs.
Barred rock chicken. Photo courtesy of UNH Cooperative Extension.
What are the regulations for raising backyard chickens in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire does not mandate statewide regulations for keeping chickens for personal use. Rather, regulations are set by municipalities and vary by town or city.
“Most towns and even cities are very chicken-friendly,” said Christine Templeton, who co-owns Templeton Family Organics farm in Goffstown with her husband, Brian Templeton.
Residents may be subject to zoning ordinances and land use laws that dictate zones in which backyard chickens are and are not permitted; the minimum acreage or lot size required; the distance maintained between chickens and neighboring residences and roads; the number of chickens allowed to be kept (which may be relative to the acreage or lot size); and rules regarding roosters.
“Some towns regulate roosters — limit the numbers or do not allow them — in residential areas,” said Mary Davis, UNH Cooperative Extension Field Specialist and New Hampshire State 4-H Animal Science program manager. “There are fewer regulations in more rural areas and areas zoned residential.”
“It is the responsibility of the chicken owner to check if roosters are allowed or not,” added Kendall Kunelius, UNH Cooperative Extension Field Specialist in Agricultural Business Management. “I always recommend checking with the town before considering purchases of any animal.”
What types of chickens do well in New Hampshire? How do I decide what type(s) of chickens to get?
There are many different breeds of chickens to consider; New Hampshire chicken experts mentioned Golden Comet, Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red, Speckled Sussex, Australorps, Leghorn, Buff Orpington, Araucana, Easter Eggers and Wyandottes as some of the most commonly kept breeds in the Northeast.
Mixed breed chickens, often called a “barnyard mix.” Photo courtesy of UNH Cooperative Extension.
The best type of chicken for you depends on your goals.
“Why do you want chickens?” Davis said. “For the fresh eggs? For locally raised meat? Any breed of hen will lay eggs, but the popular egg-laying breeds have been selectively bred to produce more eggs per year, and ‘meat breeds’ are bred to have larger breast muscles, be bigger and yield more meat.”
New Hampshire Red, Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock and Golden Comet chickens are reliable egg-layers and tolerant to the cold, making them popular picks among New Hampshire chicken owners. Other breeds might be chosen for their more specialized egg-laying qualities.
“There’s a lot of variety among breeds bred for egg production,” said Carl Majewski, UNH Cooperative Extension Field Specialist in Dairy, Livestock, and Forage Crops, “from the modern Leghorn breeds used for commercial production, to older ‘heritage’ breeds dating back to the 1800s or so, to oddball breeds that lay different colors of eggs — anything from blue to green to chocolate brown — or have striking plumage.”
“People need to decide what is most important to them, such as high egg production, show quality or even egg color,” Templeton added. “It’s about what the person or family wants to get out of the experience.”
Backyard chicken seminar Nashua Farmers’ Exchange (38 1/2 Bridge St., Nashua) will host a poultry seminar on Saturday, March 11, at 10 a.m. The seminar will cover the basics of raising chickens, including how to get set up and how to care for chicks and full-grown chickens. It’s free and open to the public. Visit nashuafarmers.com/events/chicken-seminar-2023.
What’s the best way to start — from eggs, chicks or grown chickens?
There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but ultimately it’s a matter of personal preference, based on the kind of experience you want and the amount of time and money you’re willing to invest.
• Hatching from eggs can be a fun and educational project for families. However, Majewski warned, it can be hard to find fertilized eggs that have been properly screened to be disease-free. Hatching also requires an incubator and other expensive equipment, and the conditions in the incubator must be frequently monitored and maintained. Finally, even if you do everything right, there’s still no guarantee that the eggs will hatch.
• Starting with chicks also requires some extra equipment, including a heat source and special food and water dispenser, and some extra care for a few weeks while the chicks are at their most fragile, but chicks are less expensive — and less risky — than hatching from eggs.
“Many farm supply stores offer pre-orders for chicks, allowing customers to order exactly what they want,” Davis said, adding that in New Hampshire an order must include a minimum of six chicks. “For those wanting laying hens, the retailer can help you determine if a chick is female. In many breeds there is a color difference of the males, although this is not 100 percent.”
It takes four months or longer from the time a female chick is born until it starts laying eggs.
• If you want to skip the wait, you can purchase “pullets” — young hens that have not started laying eggs yet but are expected to start soon.
“They save you the time and bother of brooding and rearing chicks, and they’re ready to start laying within just a week or so of getting settled in at your home,” Majewski said, “but they are more expensive. They can go for around $20 apiece, versus $3 for a chick.”
Do I need a rooster?
“It is a common misconception that you need to have a rooster for hens to lay eggs,” Davis said. “This is not true. The hens will lay eggs without a rooster.”
There is an argument to be made that hens are happier and feel safer having a rooster around, but most chicken owners who aren’t interested in producing fertilized eggs opt not to have one.
“Mature roosters are undesirable for many people,” Davis said. “They are loud, crowing not just in the morning but throughout the day. They may be aggressive to other poultry and to human caregivers, and two or more roosters may often fight one another.”
“They’re kind of obnoxious,” Majewski added. “They really do crow at an ungodly hour of the morning, and their voices can carry for a half mile — not a great way to stay on your neighbors’ good side.”
Buff Orpington chicken (back), Barred Rock chicken (middle) and Rhode Island Red chicken (front). Photo courtesy of UNH Cooperative Extension.
What kind of housing and essential items are needed to raise chickens?
The proper dimensions for a coop, Majewski said, should include at least 3 square feet of floor space per chicken and an additional 10 square feet of fenced outdoor space per chicken.
“This doesn’t need to be elaborate,” he said. “If you don’t have great carpentry skills, it’s fine to requisition and/or modify a portion of a shed or even the garage.”
Next you’ll need feeders and waterers — enough to give each chicken at least 4 inches of space. Supplemental heat lamps aren’t necessary for adult chickens.
“Those feathers provide remarkable insulation,” Majewskis said. “I’ve seen our birds running around outside in January with the temperature in the teens.”
What supplies are needed for maintenance and care, and what is the average monthly cost?
Feed is the main expense. Majewski said a 50-pound bag of conventional feed, which lasts a small flock a little over a month, costs around $20 to $25. A non-GMO or organic feed will cost more. Bedding for the coop — usually wood shavings — may cost around $10 to $15 and should be refreshed at least monthly, after cleaning the coop.
What’s on the chore list for raising chickens? What’s the time commitment?
Most people find a small flock of six to 12 adult chickens is easy to manage, even if they work a regular job.
“It really takes no more than 20 minutes per day to collect eggs, refill water and feed and do general wellness checks,” Kunelius said.
The only chore that you may have to set aside some time for is cleaning the coop. Majewski said most coops should “ideally be cleaned weekly, but at a minimum once per month.”
Where to buy chicken supplies • Achille Agway, 351 Elm St., Milford, 673-1669; 65 Jaffrey Road, Peterborough, 924-6801, achilleagway.com • Cloverdale Feed & Farm Supply, 12 Roby Road, Webster, 746-3234, cloverdalefeed.com • Dodge Grain Co., 59 N. Broadway, Salem, 893-3739, dodgegrain.biz • Nashua Farmers’ Exchange, 38 1/2 Bridge St., Nashua, 883-9531, nashuafarmers.com • Osborne’s Farm & Garden Center, 16 Cinemagic Way, Hooksett, 627-6855; 258 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 228-8561, osbornesfarm.com • Tractor Supply Co., locations throughout New Hampshire, including Hooksett, Derry, Merrimack, Chichester, Plaistow, Milford and Pelham, tractorsupply.com Where to buy live chickens • Cloverdale Feed & Farm Supply, 12 Roby Road, Webster, 746-3234, cloverdalefeed.com • Dodge Grain Co., 59 N. Broadway, Salem, 893-3739, dodgegrain.biz • Nashua Farmers’ Exchange, 38 1/2 Bridge St., Nashua, 883-9531, nashuafarmers.com. Deadline for chick orders is March 25. • Osborne’s Farm & Garden Center, 16 Cinemagic Way, Hooksett, 627-6855; 258 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 228-8561, osbornesfarm.com • Templeton Family Organics, 176 Kennedy Hill Road, Goffstown, 781-316-5067, templetonfamilyorganics.com • Tractor Supply Co., locations throughout New Hampshire, including Hooksett, Derry, Merrimack, Chichester, Plaistow, Milford and Pelham, tractorsupply.com
Are there any safety concerns I should be aware of?
New Hampshire chicken experts mentioned three main dangers:
• Fires. Heat lamps are only needed for raising chicks; adult chickens do not need a heat lamp to stay warm during the colder months, but some chicken owners still choose to use one. In any case where a heat lamp is being used, exercise caution to prevent fires.
“Follow the safety guidelines included with your heat lamp to keep the heat source a safe distance from combustible items,” Davis said. “In the winter, water deicers can also be a fire concern. Always make sure all your equipment is in good condition and functioning properly.”
• Biohazards. “Salmonella or other bacteria can be present on birds, on eggs and in coop areas,” Kunelius said.
Wash your hands directly after handling poultry and related equipment.
In recent months, avian influenza has also been a concern with chickens and other birds nationwide.
“There is currently an avian influenza outbreak in migratory wild birds that can spread to domestic poultry and other animals. As of early 2023, there had been no human cases in the U.S. You can prevent exposure of your birds by limiting their exposure to wild birds, especially waterfowl such as ducks and geese,” Davis said. And the best way to limit that exposure is basically to have them penned up and not let them free range, she said.
• Wildlife. “Predators are a real issue,” Majewski said. “[Raising chickens] probably won’t significantly increase the number of encounters you have with wildlife, but it does affect the welfare of the birds themselves.”
Free-range chickens are at a greater risk.
“Keeping them fenced in — with adequate space, of course — is much better for all concerned,” Majewski said.
How many eggs can I expect to get, and how often?
“In peak production, a hen will lay an egg approximately every 26 hours, so you pretty much get an egg per day,” Majewski said. “A small flock of four to six hens kept in good condition will provide the average family plenty of eggs, with an extra dozen for friends and family on a regular basis.”
Older hens lay eggs at a lower rate — usually about every other day, but sometimes less.
How long do chickens live? Is it common to keep a chicken for its whole natural life?
Most chickens can live to between five and eight years. Chickens that are raised for meat are usually processed at a young age. Hens lay eggs at peak productivity for two to three years. When a hen’s laying starts slowing down, a chicken owner may make a decision about what comes next for the chicken.
“A pampered chicken can live for several years, and people have kept them for that long when they become sort-of pets,” Majewski said. “[An older hen] still lays occasional eggs, but they’re not really earning their keep. We keep ours at home for about two years, and then they make the transition from breakfast feature to, um, soup.”
Are there any benefits to raising chickens besides poultry products?
Davis said free-range chickens can help to control a variety of insects, and chickens’ manure and used bedding can be composted for later use in the garden.
“Chickens offer great tick control and fertilize your lawn,” Templeton added.
Raising chickens can be especially rewarding for families with children.
“It offers a way for families to do something together and reconnect,” Templeton said. “It is also a great way to teach children responsibility and in a world where people have become far from their food source it provides an opportunity to be close to it.”
Adopt a rooster
Frosty is a rooster available for adoption at the New Hampshire SPCA (104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham). According to the NHSPCA website, Frosty was a stray found in Durham and is now looking for his perfect home. He gets along with other birds and would love to have a flock of his own.
Horhey is also a rooster available for adoption at the New Hampshire SPCA. According to the NHSPCA website, this handsome guy is very friendly and gets along with other roosters and hens. He is easygoing and would make a nice addition to any flock.
To learn more about chickens and other farm animals available for adoption at the NHSPCA, visit nhspca.org/adoptable-animals or email [email protected].
