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Sunrise Swarm Success

As the sun rose up this morning over Mount Shasta, we recovered a bee swarm discovered by Amelia Barr in Grenada. Eleanor and Izzy assisted this most simple swarm catch. Watch it below: The bees are now back at Maagic Mountain farm with frames of honey and pollen. May they enjoy their new home. Sponsor…

A Goat is Born

LOOK WHAT JUST HAPPENED! I went to go check on Shahar, who just birthed a huge boy far out in the pasture. I heard a grunt and looked to my left and this is what I saw… Thanks Violet for showing us all how it is done; a goat demonstration of natural kid-birth. In the…

Farm Family Maagic

The homestead would not be the same without all our farm family! Do you have a good photo of the farm to share? Please send me your good photos to maagicmtnherd@gmail.com

2020 Garden Group

Growing Together Giving thanks for our 3rd year of committed gardeners working together to vision and create our Maagic garden. After working throughout the winter, our 2020 Spring garden is already started and growing. We encourage everyone to plant at home and share work and harvest with their neighbors. A farm grows more than plants…

Duck Eggs are Back

The Spring starts out again with new batch of black and white duck eggs. These are not as boldly black as the years before but a welcomed signal of abundance to come this farm season. Duck eggs are back!

Look at them now…

Less than 2 weeks and they are hopping about and copying mom.

First Kids of 2020

Here they come 2020 kids. These two born in the sun, Roadie gave birth to 3 new lives today, 2 boys and a girl. These kids were born about 11am, February 11. This is filmed at 12:23, they are about an hour old.

Honoring the Dying Time

Life and death are intertwined on the farm. Regularly I witness the natural miracle of birth and death over and over again. A duckling emerges from its shell and is killed in 2 days. The garden grows and is killed by frost in a night and seasonally the entire landscape appears to die in the…

Stewing Hens for Sale & Class

Come learn or order stewing hens. All activities on the farm are conscious acts of homestead life and sustainability. Click to learn more and order stewing hens.

2019 School Visits

The seasons of change, Spring and Fall, offer the best time for the schools to visit. Each year the kids teach me as I watch them learn and discover the natural world behind their food. Sometimes the kids work on the farm too, like this group moving the rotational grazing fence as a team.

Summer Beauty

May, June, July and now August have been so full and spectacular. There are at least 5 posts missing from the blog that will come as soon as the growth slows, offerng more time for writing. In the meantime, I wanted to post some summer beauty. More to come soon… See the bee kissing the…

Hospice FundRaiser Dinner

This summer nine people from north and south county came together to share a meal on the farm auctioned off for the annual Mercy Mount Shasta Hospice Event. The meal was served in sight of the flowing pasture, which was the primary offering on the table. The menu not only included raw garden “weeds” but…

First to Hatch

Yesterday night I heard the first peeps. Then today the duckling chirped its way into the garden. I scooped it up and brought it back to mom. See and listen to video below. My experience has been that the first to hatch have it rough because there is no one around yet to play with…

Homestead Butcher Class

Back by request, for the second year in a row, the farm will offer a class about conscious meat harvest led by John Beggs. Learn more here

Sacred Gardening Class

Come on out Sunday, June 16 for a special presentation by guest speaker and author,  Marianne Brettell-Vaughn.  She will teach us about her experience and knowledge of sacred gardening.  It will be a fun afternoon in the garden and on the land…Learn More Here

Bees Arrived Today

Today, two boxes of frames loaded with wax, honey, brood and a young queen all set up in their new home on the land.  Huge gratitude for their presence on the land.  Welcome bees!

Oodles of Kids

In the first 4 months of 2019, Maagic Mountain Farm was blessed with 24 kids from 9 does. Four of the does delivered 4 kids. What an abundant Spring! Watch the kids frolic on the log with the natural orchestra in the background. Moms are mowing the lawn while the kids play.  

Equinox Balance

Yin & Yang  duck eggs are back signaling Spring!  Check out the Yin and Yang eggs from years past… Every year at least one of our ducks begins laying one black egg and then then get lighter each day.  Yeah, duck eggs are back! This year I found their nest in the goat stall.  Before…

Garden Group Gratitudes

In 2018 the Garden Group took on a bit more structure when past members of the old Land Trust Garden committed themselves to our maagic garden space.  Other members also joined in and we did it together! The age range of committed gardeners was 0-80+.  Each of us offering different skills and gardening pleasures, but…

Bear Wallow Herb Walk

A wildly heatlthy herb class offered by Cara Saunders at Bear Wallow Herbs of Mt. Shasta.  Cara’s deep connection and down to Earth approach to creating her medicines taught us all the value of these plants and how to use them.   The class was filled with hands-on identifying, connecting, wildcrafting, and creating medicine from…

Al Pastor Evening in the Garden

With a dappled light on the garden and the sun’s spotlight on the pasture of goats, the Maagic Mountain Farm’s “Al Pastor” dinner began as guests arrived and enjoyed the land that would offer their evening meal. The event opened with a prayer and offering of bee pollen on the tongue while local musician, Gentle…

The Bees Swarm

Monday afternoon the bees called me from the garden.  I went over to find a huge swarm in the air circling all around.  The sound was intoxicating.  I ran back to the house and got the camera and recorded this video. TURN UP YOUR SOUND!!!     After about 30 minutes, they settled down in…

Homestead Butcher Class

Wednesday, June 13,  5:30-8:30 In this class, we remember that to eat is to take life. The class is an introduction into butchery in a way that teaches of the deliciousness, respect and celebration that is created through an honest relationship with our food.  Learn more at Homestead Butcher Class…

Al Pastor Dinner Experience

A unique evening prepared by Chef JT Beggs from the land at Maagic Mountain Farm…READ MORE 

Whey Easy Bread Class (And Recipe!)

by Farm Member, Ashley Hirsh Recently, a few farm members had the pleasure of experiencing a bread making class with Leslie at Maagic Mountain Farm. At the beginning of class Leslie assured us we were up to the task because she doesn’t “do anything that isn’t easy!” But since she runs a five acre organic…

Gentle Yoga on the Farm

When life feels too big to handle, go outside. Everything looks smaller when you’re standing under the sky. L.R. Knost Deborah Franzini leads this gentle Yoga class tuning us into our inner world in the presence of all the natural sights, sounds, smells and vibrations of the outside world on the farm.  Rain, shine, and…

Maagical Solstice: A Member’s Experience

By farm family member, Ashley Hirsh I grew up in a conventional American household in Las Vegas, Nevada. The nutrition of my youth was S.A.D. (Standard American Diet.) Meals came out of boxes or cans and our idea of a refreshing beverage was an ice cold Pepsi. When I left home and began my journey…

New Kids for 2017

Blessings of life with cute healthy kids!

Summer 2016

Summer 2016 was a whirl!  It was a lovely year with healthy pastures, many babies, and a healthy garden.  It went so fast…I guess it was because we were having so much fun!  

Girl Scouts Name Clover

The Girl Scouts came out and we had a great time playing on the farm.  The girls toured everything from the compost to the beehives to the milkstall.The girls tried hand milking and held baby goats. They enjoyed spending time in the field brushing them and playing.  They asked many questions and had a great…

Golden Eagle Charter School Visits

Golden Eagle Charter School came out a couple times this year offering grades K-5th an opportunity to learn how family scale food production is done.  They learned how all the animals have their jobs on the farm: Goats – Landscapes, weed eradicators, providers of meat and milk and lots of fun Chickens – Compost turners,…

Herb Walk on the Land

Sherry Ackerman offered a basic edible and herb walk on the land and in the pasture. Big takeaway fo me…More edibles per square inch grow on less naturally healthy and disturbed land rather than in nature.  Those weeds we can’t seem to get rid of in the garden are often edible treats or even gourmet…

Happy Spring!

The 2016 birthing season has delivered us 15 kids so far.  Our basket is full of new life!

February brings 1st Births of 2016

Daisy, the lead goat, was first to deliver on Saturday afternoon of February 20 and adds 1 doeling and 1 buckling to the herd. Congratulations Daisy! Then Sunday, February 28 Coral delivered 3 uniquely colored little buckings.  The came out small, medium and large in that order and sizing.  Congratulations Coral! Next up:  Valentine as soon…

Melba is 1 year

Happy Birthday Melba! Click here to see Melba last year with her brother in First Kids of 2015 post

Chickens Found! See for yourself

The chickens can be so hard to see roosting in the snow, especially in the photos and on the internet.  I blurred everything except the spot on the tree where the chickens are roosting.  This is the same photo used for seek and find.

Holiday Seek and Find

Some of our hens are free spirits and refuse to sleep in the coup.  They prefer a chicken’s natural roost, small limbed trees (too small for predators to climb).  This makes for fun times and not only eggs to hunt for but hens also. In the picture above 4 hens roost, hidden after an evening snow. Can…

Kefir & Cheesemaker is coming back!!!

David Asher, author of new book, “The Art of Natural Cheesemaking” is coming back to  Mt. Shasta to teach two classes.  Kid Creek Pastures and Maagic Mountain Farm are co-hosting this event and herdshare members have first priority for limited seating on the farmstead in Kid Creek Pastures’ kitchen.  Sign up by Dec. 10 for best…

Winter Greens?

Todd is finishing up the mini high tunnel greenhouse he built right over the tomatoes and basil.  It is our first attempt at extended/winter gardening and we are excited to learn. The space is so beautiful, I look forward to having a solarium in the winter, the extended growing season just feels like a bonus. If…

Maagic Mountain Farm…a lot can happen in 3 years

August 10, 2012 we closed escrow on this homestead property.  The house was a striped foreclosure and without a toilet (just a hole), no bathroom floor, no light fixtures, beer cans littered around the house and very dirty.  One wall in the kitchen was used as a dartboard.  Outside, the yard was completely unkept for…

Birth Under the Apple Tree

This morning I was honored with an amazing opportunity.  While milking and looking out on to the pasture, out under the tree, our first-time mother, Shadow, gave birth.  The labor started while washing goat #1 and I watched her: up and down, pawing the ground building a nest, up and down, and around, yawn, yawn (opening), and then…

NEWS on the Homestead

Lots of new things happening at the homestead:   New last week:  3 Turkeys and 10 Chicken Pullets.  They live in an interior cage inside the chicken pen.  This helps everyone stay protected and get familiar with each other.  These turkeys are almost chicken size.  Watch how quickly they grow! A new Top Bar Hive…

Welcome Home Honey Bees

Two weeks ago Friday the bees moved back on to the farm.  The first couple of days they saw sun but then only rain and wind and a bit of hail.  They are loving this sunny day! Today they are out and about collecting food.  See the pollen sacks on their legs as they return…

Yin & Yang Duck style!

Ducks are laying again.  Attached is a photo of the first 2 eggs they laid this week.  One black and one white. Really, I did not color the egg; it came out just like this.  I did color the background.  Farm life always offers little lessons of balance and spirit. Remember Duck egg yokes can be…

The Landscape Changes Overnight

This Saturday we enjoyed a lovely farm day in the sun and green pasture. Today we woke up to white everywhere.  Look at the view from the milking stall.  Todd designed it perfectly so the view is open but no snow comes in.  You can see the ducks look like they want in but they…

2015 Spring Birthing Season is Complete

Valentine delivered 2 healthy kids on March 26th.  The doeling and bucking are so cute and just starting to really jump around.  Come play on Saturday, April 4. This was the last birth until next August/September and so the herd is settling in with the new little ones. Most of these kids have or will move on to other homes…

Bee Update

Late in January with the warm days I noticed the bees active in the heat of the day.  I could monitor their activity as well by watching their debris on the bottom board of the hive.  Then by mid February, after those heavy rains and winds, all activity stopped. Last weekend I opened the hive and…

Quack-Quack…Duck Eggs

Spring is here and the ducks are laying.  Fresh duck eggs available to members for trial by the each at 2 for $1.  They can be used just like chicken eggs.  They are more nutrient dense and bigger.  Duck eggs are often preferred over chicken eggs by bakers.  Check out some recipes and thoughts on duck…

Kids get big so fast!

On February 9 & 10th the two sets of twins will be one month old already.  They are all over the place cruising the farm as the choose.  Kids can get through all the farm fencing and roam as they choose.  Last week they were hanging out in the tree and leaping on logs.  The…

Enjoying the Rain!

The rain is falling and the pastures are greening! They say we can expect 9 inches this week.  Green photos from Spring 2014

First Kids of 2015

Welcome little ones! Melba and Flash born 1/10/2015 Saturday evening to Tinkerbell, also known as “Tink”. Then went out next afternoon and found 2 more from Glinda. Day 4 hanging out with lead goat Daisy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

In gratitude of all the humans and creatures that create our farm community.  We all need each other to keep it flowing and fun!  Thank you!

Traveling Ducks

Oh Yes, our ducks a crazy group of travelers. Every day they make a trip around the street block. The walk in a line and entertain most of our neighbors. Others find it scary for these creatures to be on the loose for fear or their harm or harm to humans. Most recently we reinforced…

Good Job Maamaa Thursday

Thursday Gave birth to her first kid!  She is learning to be a great mom.

Welcome “Sunshine”

Just born this week is our latest addition, Sunshine.  Born Thursday,  September 4 out in the pasture.  She was delivered by a new freshling, Thursday.  Yes Thursday delivered Sunshine on Thursday.  Sunshine is part SaanNubian and Nigerian (small breed milk goat).  Since this was Thursday’s first birth I wanted the babies to be small.  Well…

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