Secret Garden Farms

04/19/2025

If you are closer to Blanchard check out our friend egg stand! JK Homegrown got you covered and many more great products to come!

04/19/2025

Most folks don’t realize this… but geese aren’t just big ducks! They have unique needs—and yes, unique illnesses too.

Goose-Specific Diseases You Should Know:

1. Goose Parvovirus (Derzsy’s) – Deadly to goslings. Ducks and chickens aren’t affected.

2. Goose Influenza (avian subtypes) – Waterfowl-specific strains can hit geese harder.

3. Reovirus & Viral Enteritis – Often goose-specific and doesn’t cross to chickens.

4. Aspergillosis – Ducks may be resistant, but geese are vulnerable when brooder or bedding gets moldy.

How to Protect Your Geese:

Keep bedding bone dry—especially pine shavings. Wet straw = mold heaven.

Avoid mixing flocks long-term. Chickens may carry diseases they don’t show symptoms for but that devastate geese.

Clean water daily—geese love it dirty, but their bodies don’t.

Boosting Immune Systems Naturally: Add the following to feed or waterers weekly:

Baicalin root tincture – natural antiviral and anti-inflammatory.

Oregano oil (1 drop/quart water) – powerful antibacterial and antifungal.

Nutritional yeast – immune and feather support, plus niacin.

Kelp meal – full of minerals and helps balance their gut.

Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp/gal water) – supports gut flora and disease resistance.

Healthy flocks are happy flocks. Don’t assume what works for chickens will work for your geese!

04/18/2025

Thank you Nichole for making these amazing and super cute copper rods for my plants. I absolutely love them and my plants are thriving! Want your own? Head on over to Friendly neighbors farmstand if you have questions about the science and why these cute little additions make such a huge difference in their growth Nichole is such an expert and can tell you all about it!

04/13/2025

Out and about hunting for more morel mushrooms, minding my own fungi business… when suddenly—NOPE ROPE INCOMING!

Y’all, I bent down to check what looked like a stick and that “stick” wiggled. Enter: majestic but heart-stopping King Snake moment. Beautiful, yes. Startling enough to make me rethink every twig from now on? Also yes.

Lesson of the day: not everything in the forest is a stick—and not all of them want to be stepped on. Mushroom count: 7. Adrenaline spike: 100.

04/10/2025

April is Month of the Military Child, a time to honor the resilience, strength, and sacrifices of military children around the world. Established in 1986 by then-Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, this month acknowledges the unique challenges these young heroes face as they navigate frequent relocations, deployments, and the emotional toll of having a parent serve in the armed forces.

Military children experience struggles that many can’t imagine: the uncertainty of saying goodbye, the emotional rollercoaster of waiting for a parent to come home, and adjusting to new schools and communities. When parents return, sometimes carrying the invisible wounds of PTSD, it can be especially difficult for the whole family. These children show incredible resilience and bravery as they support their parents and adapt to ever-changing circumstances.

As we reflect on the strength of these young warriors, let’s remember the importance of providing them with support, understanding, and love during times of transition. 💜 To all the military families—thank you for your sacrifices and service.

04/10/2025

New Life on the Homestead!
The Mottled Java chicks have officially hatched, and we're beyond excited to welcome these heritage beauties to the flock! These little fluff balls represent more than just adorable peeps — they symbolize preservation, sustainability, and the promise of future egg layers and bug-eaters here at Secret Garden Farms and other small homesteads they join for their selfsustanability!

Over the next several weeks, these chicks will need warmth, nutrition, and a lot of TLC. Watching them grow is one of the most rewarding parts of raising these fluffballs.

5 Tips for Raising Mottled Java Chicks:

1. Keep it warm – byt not hot. Compared to other breeds they require less heat and sclimate quickly. Offer a brooder plate or heat pad for warmth, with enough space to roam without it.

2. Use a secure brooder – These chicks are curious and quick!

3. Offer high-protein chick starter feed – It helps support strong early growth, unless coccidiosis is already on your property, these chicks usually do great on unmedicated chick feed or allflock till they get to be on fresh grass.

4. Socialize daily – Gentle handling builds trust and friendliness.

5. Introduce grit early if giving treats – Helps them digest more than just chick crumble.

5 Fun Facts About Mottled Javas:

1. They’re one of the oldest American chicken breeds (since the 1800s!).

2. Their black-and-white mottling gets more distinct with each molt.

3. Excellent foragers — perfect for free-ranging farms.

4. Hardy in both cold and warm climates.

5. Listed as threatened on the Livestock Conservancy list — raising them helps preserve history!

Watching these chicks grow is more than just farming — it's stewardship of a living legacy.

04/07/2025

Took a peaceful stroll across the property today to check if the morels were waking up—and sure enough, they're here! I spotted those telltale honeycomb caps peeking out beneath the leaf litter and ended up bringing home just over 1 lb of beautiful, fresh morel mushrooms.

There’s something so grounding about foraging—breathing in the fresh air, tuning in to the land, and letting nature surprise you. These morels felt like a gift.

Morels aren’t just tasty—they’re nutrient-rich too. They’re high in iron, antioxidants, and vitamin D, and they support immune health and cell repair. Wild food really is medicine.

Classic Morel Recipe: Sautéed Morels in Butter & Garlic
1 lb fresh morels (cleaned well)
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional: splash of white wine or cream

Melt butter in a skillet, add garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Toss in the morels and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until tender. Season with salt, pepper, and a little wine or cream if you're feeling fancy. Serve on toast, over pasta, or as a side dish with dinner. Pure magic.

04/07/2025

This Easter, please don’t buy chicks, ducklings, or goslings just because they’re cute.

Those fuzzy babies grow up fast—into loud, messy, demanding animals that need real care, space, and commitment. Without a homestead, a farm plan, or even long-term dreams of raising poultry, these sweet creatures often end up abandoned, neglected, or dead.

What it really takes to raise them:

Brooder setup with heat for weeks

Constant cleaning, food, and clean water

Transition to predator-proof coops and runs

Time, money, and daily responsibility

Vet care, bedding, fencing, safe shelter

Cost till adulthood? Easily $150–$300+ per bird.

But every year, thousands are bought “for the kids” and then discarded when the novelty wears off. Over 75% of Easter chicks and ducklings are abandoned or surrendered within weeks. Many are dumped at ponds where they do not survive. Domestic ducks and geese can’t fly away. They starve, suffer, or are attacked by predators.

What are we really teaching our children when we treat living animals as seasonal decorations? That lives are disposable? That it’s okay to give up when something gets hard?

The only ones who profit are the hatcheries.
The animals suffer. The kids learn the wrong lessons. And nature pays the price.

This Easter, choose chocolate or plush toys—not lives you’re not prepared to care for.

Please share this message if you’ve seen it happen too. Let’s do better. For them. For our kids. For our world.

04/02/2025

The Heartbreak of Candling Eggs

Every time we candle our incubating eggs, there’s that bittersweet moment—seeing new life forming but also realizing that 25-45% of our eggs weren’t fertilized. If only we could tell before setting them in the incubator! Those eggs could have been breakfast instead.

But nothing truly goes to waste here at Secret Garden Farms. Our Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) get the unfertilized eggs as a nutritious treat, while the ducks and chickens happily consume the shells for added calcium.

Hatching our own chicks, ducklings, and goslings is a crucial part of our self-sustaining farm life. Some will stay and contribute to our flock, while others will move on to new homes—whether for their beauty, personality, or dual-purpose qualities.

Every hatch is a mix of hope, heartbreak, and the ongoing cycle of farm life.

04/02/2025

Well we just got done with cleanup, and we're about to use rebar to steak these down, problem solved, one good wind gust and p**f. Thankful no birds were harmed and it missed the Heat pump. It's gonna be a fun night....

And the weather isn't even really here yet sheesh, ughhh

03/30/2025

Farmer market days at the Well in Norman today! Go support local and meet the amazing people behind the food!

03/27/2025

Picking Up Our Half Pasture-Raised Pig from Freeland Farms!

Today was more than just picking up some incredible pasture-raised pork—it was about community, connection, and women in agriculture lifting each other up! Meeting Tiffany Baxter, the Backyard Butcher Girl, and getting a personal tour of Freeland Farms was an absolute privilege. Seeing firsthand the care and dedication she puts into her animals and her craft was inspiring. We visually sexed some white Chinese Geese, Embdens and her sweet Brown Chinese, which one girl is making a nest in the middle of the pasture. I learned a lot about spotted Glocestershire pigs their lineage and just the sheer size of her breeder male was impressive. Complete with turkeys goats and chickens the tour was impressive .

We didn’t just talk about pigs—we talked about future endeavors, breeding programs, and the power of women working together in agriculture. We’re building something bigger than just our own farms. We’re creating a network of women supporting women, sharing knowledge, ideas, and dreams. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and proving that old-school methods like word-of-mouth can thrive alongside technology to showcase our progress.

This isn’t just farming. It’s farmHERing—and we’re rallying together to make sure we all succeed!

03/27/2025

In case you are wanting to get some flathead minnows to raise for your ducks and chickens or some other fish breeds, the day moved to April 2nd. We can't wait to give their minnows a try.

🚨🚨We just received information from Lake Pro, there truck is broke down and they will be rescheduled for April 2nd 3-4pm

Please help share🚨🚨

03/23/2025

Saxony Duck Roast with Sauerkraut, Morel Mushroom Gravy & Pan-Fried Potatoes

There’s nothing quite like the rich, succulent flavor of home-raised Saxony duck, slow-roasted to perfection and paired with tangy sauerkraut, earthy morel mushroom gravy, and crispy golden potatoes. A true farmstead feast!

Recipe:

Roast Saxony Duck

1 whole Saxony duck (about 4-5 lbs)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

2 onions 1 inch slices to rest duck on

1 can beer

1️⃣ Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
2️⃣ Pat the duck dry and season inside and out with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
3️⃣ Place on the sliced onions in a roasting pan, add beer to the pan, and roast for about 2.5-3 hours, basting occasionally.
4️⃣ Increase temp to 425°F (218°C) for the last 20 minutes for crispy skin. Let rest before carving.

Morel Mushroom Gravy

½ cup dried morel mushrooms (rehydrated in warm water)

2 tbsp duck fat

2 tbsp flour

1 cup duck broth (from roasting pan)

Salt & pepper to taste

1️⃣ Sauté morels in duck fat over medium heat.
2️⃣ Stir in flour and cook until golden.
3️⃣ Slowly whisk in duck broth, simmer until thickened. Season to taste.

Sauerkraut & Pan-Fried Potatoes

2 cups sauerkraut, drained

4 large potatoes, sliced

2 tbsp duck fat

½ tsp salt

½ tsp smoked paprika

1️⃣ Heat 1 tbsp duck fat in a pot, sauteed cubed onions and chopped garlic. Add 1 can beer, cumin seeds, sauerkraut, and simmer for 30-45 min.
2️⃣ In another pan, heat remaining duck fat, fry potatoes until crispy, season with salt & paprika.

Serve everything together for the ultimate comfort meal!
PS: when selecting a beer, choose a medium bodied beer with a good hoppy flavor such as a lager or IPA.

03/22/2025

Stop Calling Geese "Guard Animals"

I wish YouTube and people would stop spreading this myth. We raise several different breeds of geese, and each has its own personality. Some are louder than others, some waddle around like grumpy old men, but none of them will stay and fight off predators.

Yes, they honk—a lot—but that doesn’t mean they’re reliable for predator control. During mating season, they need their own space. Some can live peacefully with chickens, but that’s the exception, not the rule. And let’s be clear: geese aren’t aggressive, they’re defensive. Ganders take protecting their mates and nests very seriously. If you stand your ground and make yourself big, they usually back off.

Kids running? That’s a problem. A gander sees movement as a challenge, just like they do with rival males. That’s why they chase and nip from behind—it’s instinct, not aggression. If you mistreat a goose, they will remember (just like orcas do) and hold a grudge long after mating season ends.

Geese are highly intelligent, recognize faces, and are deeply intuitive. But if you’re looking for a fearless farm protector, they’re not it. Let’s start appreciating geese for what they really are, not what people assume them to be.

03/17/2025

Spring Awakens on the Goosestead 🌸🌿

The orchard is stirring—peach, pear, and plum blossoms unfurl like whispered promises of warmer days. Each petal catches the golden kiss of the sun, painting the air with the soft perfume of renewal. The geese chatter excitedly, waddling through a world turning lush and green again. Beneath the delicate canopies, the earth hums with life, and our hands, still chilled from winter’s grasp, reach out to welcome the warmth.

Today, as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we honor a man who, legend says, drove the snakes from Ireland and used the shamrock to teach the Trinity. Though history tells us Ireland never had snakes, his legacy remains—a symbol of faith, resilience, and the enduring power of new beginnings. 🍀✨

From our blossoming homestead to yours, may your days be filled with growth, luck, and the beauty of nature’s grand reawakening.

03/12/2025

The Magic of Fairy Eggs! ✨🥚

Ever found a teeny-tiny egg in your chicken coop? That’s a fairy egg! These little surprises happen when a hen’s reproductive system misfires, usually in young pullets just starting to lay or older hens going through a hormonal shift. Unlike normal eggs, fairy eggs often lack a yolk, earning them whimsical names over the years, like:

🧚‍♀️ Wind eggs
🧚‍♀️ Fart eggs (yes, really!)
🧚‍♀️ C**k eggs
🧚‍♀️ Witch eggs
🧚‍♀️ Dwarf eggs

While their size is tiny, their meaning is big—farmers are happy to see them because it usually means a young hen is gearing up for regular egg-laying soon! Have you ever found a fairy egg? Tell us about it!