Cindi Hickey’s Garden – by Kay Faught

My Neighbor’s Garden – September 2014

This month, my “neighbor’s garden” is truly a celebration for me. Not only did I strike it rich with finding a “city chicken garden,” but the gardener, Cindi Hickey, purchased my Blue Door Garden Store on August 12th!

While discussing this column, I naturally thought it would be fun to feature Cindi’s garden. When I heard that she actually had a “chicken garden,” I was absolutely thrilled. In five years writing this column, I’ve never covered one…though chickens have always evoked a calming, mellow feel in me… I love them!

I met Cindi at her home in Medford with its two giant, beautiful maple trees sheltering the entry. After walking into her quiet and sunny side patio, adorned with roses and garden art, Cindi immediately took me through the back into the “chicken area!” Around the side, over a walkway, past a storage area, was the home of Beatrice, Joanie, Adelia, Olive, and Gertrude, all with their little red heads lined-up, peeking through their wire windows in anticipation of Cindi’s arrival!

Once released, four of the gang hurried-out to the raised garden area. As if sneaking chocolate ice cream at midnight, they snatched, pecked and began devouring the tender tips of plants currently filling the planters. Mild, fearful, Gertrude followed timidly, searching for leftovers, honoring the obvious “pecking order!”

Cindi and her husband Mike have lived in their home for seven years but recently bought the Rhode Island Red chicks only two years ago. Cindi shared stories about the first two months, saying their chicks would cuddle with them on the couch as they watched TV! Today, the girls have their own private coop and gravel garden area to carry-out their job of offering-up wonderful brown eggs, great garden manure, and hours of smiles. There’s a small bistro table in the gravel area where Cindi and Mike often sit in the evening, enjoying a glass of wine while watching their girls strut around, enjoying the bugs and goodies they find.

Cindi’s planter beds change each year, from a cutting garden, to tomatoes and peppers or pumpkins…each season is new. Her favorite time of day is morning, looking out her bathroom window, viewing her garden beds and her girls lined-up in the coop, anxiously awaiting an offering of breakfast tidbits. Cindi had a tip for anyone wanting these garden friends—“Give them space… they’ll tell you chickens are okay with just the coop, but chickens really need space to dig, scratch, and roll in the dirt. It’s their JOB to do that, so give them the space to do it and be happy.”

My thoughts were the same for Cindi with her new “job” and now having the space to have fun in the store and just be happy and content. I wish her the best and LOVE that my last garden column is on chickens. What mellow beings.

As I ended this interview, I realized I was passing-on one of my biggest joys in having this store. I have loved doing this column and am hopeful that Cindi will gain as much as I have carrying it on, not only in the unbelievable variety of gardens she will find, but in the beauty and joy of the people that tend them! I send my thanks to this community for all your “open gates” and for allowing me the joy of walking through them. Keep the gates open and let’s keep learning about our neighbor’s gardens!