Our farm story is one of struggle and triumph, of laughter, love, feathers, learning, and a lot of work. We are honored to be stewards of our land and the animals that come into our lives.
Part 1
You might say it began in 2013, the year our oldest son was diagnosed with an allergy to chicken eggs, as well as a long list of other allergies. We were told he could however handle ducks eggs. We had never eaten duck eggs before. This was a new world for us. We went searching for duck eggs. We were able to find one store 40 minutes away that carried duck eggs for 75ยข each. We purchased half a dozen to bring home and try.
We found that duck eggs worked great in recipes, making baked goods fluffier and moister compared to chicken eggs. The taste was a little richer and the yolk bigger but for the most part much like that of a chicken egg. With the realization that ducks eggs could work for our family, we began discussing how we would continue to have them at our disposal. We found a farm about 30 minutes away that sold duck eggs and started purchasing from them.
We chose to take the plunge and get ducks. We did our research and decided we wanted to start our flock with ducks from Holderread Waterfowl Farm & Preservation Center, in Oregon. We selected 3 breeds with high egg production: Indian Runners, Welsh Harlequins, and Golden Cascade Ducks, and placed an order for ducklings.
On the morning of April 29, 2014 we got a call that our ducklings were ready to be picked up at the post office in Brandywine, MD. Emily got our two children loaded up and headed to the post office to collect our new arrivals. Little did we know at the time how those eleven ducklings would shape our lives.
As we opened the package at the post office we were greeted by cute, fluffy, ducklings with a lot to say. Upon seeing the ducklings our 13 month old daughter exclaimed “Ducks!”, surprising the postal worker.
Our 5 year old son who dealt with anxieties and fear of animals was soon won over by his new charges. These were his ducks!
Ducks became our gateway animal into farming. They provided so much more for our family than the eggs they laid. Ducks will always have a place in our family and on our farm.
