Parade of Coops - A Success!

In spite of the rainy weather, the Parade of Coops was a success as chicken lovers from around the Twin Cities toured local coops. The misty rain and chill didn't stop the chickens from strutting their stuff. They preened and showed off their homes to all of us who stopped by.

A huge thank you to everyone who opened up their coops. If you missed the tour, here's a few pictures from the day.

I didn't get to all of the stops on the tour, but the owners of one of the coops I missed kindly provided photos of their coop and construction process.

Parade of Coops!

Mark your calendar for the Spring Parade of Coops this weekend!

Parade of Coops!
Sunday, April 26th 2009 2-5 pm

Welcome to the Parade of Coops! Explore some of the Twin Cities' finest coops and meet dozens of fans of those flocked and feathered.

Further Information: Peat W. 612 719 1988

If you are currently keeping chickens/poultry/livestock or would like to start, join our TwinCitiesChickens listserve. It is closely controlled to prevent excess spam. It serves not only as an information forum but also as a social platform for poultry keepers in the Twin Cities Metro area as well as Duluth and Mankato.

There will be printed versions available at Coop "A" on Sunday, but get your transport logistics figured out now!

Coop "A": Peat Willcutt, Rocky Gordon, Phyllis Kahn, Leslie Ball, and family
115 W Island Ave Minneapolis, MN

Coop "B": Aimee and Jeremy McAdams
3441 18th Ave S Minneapolis, MN

Coop "C": Stephanie Oyen
2521 29th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN

Coop "D": Rebecca Miller
3145 Colfax Ave (Uptown) Minneapolis, MN

Coop "E": Devin Quince
533 Sheridan Ave N Minneapolis, MN

Coop "F": Michael, Emily, Grace, Ezra Scribner-O'Pray
2419 35th Ave S Minneapolis, MN

Coop "G": Theresa Rooney Garden Chicken at Birdnest Cottage
3510 37th Avenue South Minneapolis MN

Get a head start by checking out the coops in last year's parade.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Eggs with Fresh Herbs

(photo taken by Stafford Photography)

Goat Cheese Stuffed Eggs with Fresh Herbs
Print This Recipe
This recipe of mine was first featured in the April/May 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine. Goat cheese adds creaminess and a slight tang to these deviled eggs.

6 hard-cooked eggs, halved, separated
2 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's)
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon, chives, chervil, dill and/or basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch freshly ground pepper

Mash egg yolks in a medium bowl with a pastry blender or a fork until well-crumbled. Add the cheese and continue to mash until blended. Blend in the mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the shallots, herbs, salt and pepper.

Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites using a pastry bag and star tip or spoon the mixture into the whites.

Makes 12 deviled eggs

Broadway Dreams

Drama Queen

Lulu is being melodramatic lately, as usual. Imagine Bette Davis in feathers and you'll get the picture. Lulu announces her presence each morning off-stage, before the coop is opened, with a piercing cackle. I think she's complaining that I'm late with her morning breakfast tray.

As she saunters out of the coop, arranging her lush tail feathers in a high arch, she briskly sweeps past Cleo while continuing her shrill complaints. She's aiming for the breakfast treat bowl and the other two obligingly clear a path for her. Lulu consents to sharing her food with Roxanne, no doubt because Roxanne is twice her size. But if little Cleo tries to get her share, Lulu's sharp beak find its way into Cleo's tender skin. You can almost see her spit the words "Stand back you little upstart!" The books all mention the pecking order of a flock. I'm convinced it's more of a casting line-up. The hen that has the lead reigns over understudies or those in the chorus.

After breakfast, Lulu strolls the garden, continuing to mutter. Since she's no longer hungry, is she complaining about the weather, the "no-talent" cast she's with or the lack of an audience? Who knows; but like most divas she feels destined for greater things than this off-off-Broadway production she's currently starring in. There are days when those of us in the production crew would gladly see her go.

While Lulu's waiting to be discovered as a star, here is a recipe for goat cheese-topped eggs that will satisfy even the biggest drama queen at your Easter table.