Things have been moving slowly here on the homestead. I am pleased with our progress and I am in no hurry. The chicken coop is still progressing. We will be roofing tomorrow before I go to work, then Hub will work on the window and door. I prefer that he and I do the roofing as opposed to him roofing alone. If he falls, I will be here to render first aid or call 911! I know, I am a worry wart, but better safe than sorry.
So, we should be able to move the chickies into their new home next week. The coop won't be totally complete, but liveable. Hub has christened the coop "The Eggplant." He is delighted with this play on words. I think it is cute!
My garden looks good. I was worried that my plants would be flattened by last night's storm, but everything seems to have come through it OK.
Since things have been slower, I have had a lot of time to consider what I want to do with my little homestead. I have decided to create The List.
Lists are wonderful things. You can use them to brainstorm, inspire, remember, dream--lists are awesome. They are dynamic, as they can be altered as the need arises. Here is my list of things I want to accomplish on the homestead:
Bat house
Bee habitat
honey bee hives
goats
Certify as a Wildlife Habitat with NWF
Vermicomposting
compost piles
solar oven
The list will gow--I could actually add to it now, but I think I'll go take a nap!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Progress on the chicken coop!
Hub and I made a lot of progress on the coop yesterday. The walls are up, the door and windows are framed in. We put up the external part of the walls on the back before the weather turned on us. I am hoping we can move the chicks in about two weeks.
I was able to put down the landscaping fabric for the garden. We bought the vermiculite, compost and peat yesterday. I was actually able to find coarse vermiculite--at a place that had originally told me they didn't have it. Now I know to be more persistent in my inquiries. My soil mix won't be exact, but it will have to do for this year. I need to buy about three or four bags of garden soil and some mulch to complete the prep for my garden.
The chickies enjoyed crickets again yesterday. I also picked up some meal worms, which caused a frenzy. On chick had a meal worm and everyone else chased her around the brooder trying to take it away. She finally tipped her head up and down it went. They are so funny.
Another project we did yesterday was a corner garden at the end of the driveway. Hub had some split rail fence left over from a job he did last year. We put it up in a corner pattern.
Some friends of ours are relocating to Maine in a couple of months and they offered us anything we wanted from their garden. So more FREE stuff!! Teasel, globe thistle, Russian sage, California poppies, and a hollyhock. We put it all with the split rail fence to create a corner butterfly garden.
They also gave us two kinds of mint, but I am thnking of planting that somewhere else. Maybe as a ground cover near the front walk.
The weather doesn't seem to be cooperating today for many of our outdoor projects, so I'll most likely work indoors the rest of the day. Spring in Indiana, gotta love it!
I was able to put down the landscaping fabric for the garden. We bought the vermiculite, compost and peat yesterday. I was actually able to find coarse vermiculite--at a place that had originally told me they didn't have it. Now I know to be more persistent in my inquiries. My soil mix won't be exact, but it will have to do for this year. I need to buy about three or four bags of garden soil and some mulch to complete the prep for my garden.
The chickies enjoyed crickets again yesterday. I also picked up some meal worms, which caused a frenzy. On chick had a meal worm and everyone else chased her around the brooder trying to take it away. She finally tipped her head up and down it went. They are so funny.
Another project we did yesterday was a corner garden at the end of the driveway. Hub had some split rail fence left over from a job he did last year. We put it up in a corner pattern.
Some friends of ours are relocating to Maine in a couple of months and they offered us anything we wanted from their garden. So more FREE stuff!! Teasel, globe thistle, Russian sage, California poppies, and a hollyhock. We put it all with the split rail fence to create a corner butterfly garden.
They also gave us two kinds of mint, but I am thnking of planting that somewhere else. Maybe as a ground cover near the front walk.
The weather doesn't seem to be cooperating today for many of our outdoor projects, so I'll most likely work indoors the rest of the day. Spring in Indiana, gotta love it!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The chickies have left the buidling!
Today is my chicks first outing. We have a small pen we made as a "cat containment system", to corral the kitties when we were showing the house. It has chicken wire walls and a hinged lid. It is a warm, albeit very windy, day, but I decided they chicks needed some outside time. The brooder is getting a bit cramped. We are starting work on the coop tonight, hopefully we can have it liveable within a week if we get cracking on it.
Anyway, I took them out in the brooder and lifted each one into the little pen. They are so funny. They looked so puzzled. They each just stood there until everyone was together again and huddled against each other. I have a barrier on one side to keep most of the wind off and their food and water in the corner.
It took a while, but they finally started to explore and scratch. I can see them from the window and everyone seems fine. It was hard for mama to give them this freedom--I am surprise by how attached I have gotten to them. Of course, I have been an animal nut my whole life.
I know there is a big chance I'll lose some to predators no matter how careful I am. But, I have really been enjoying these birds.
This is one of the little things in the adventure that is my life!
Anyway, I took them out in the brooder and lifted each one into the little pen. They are so funny. They looked so puzzled. They each just stood there until everyone was together again and huddled against each other. I have a barrier on one side to keep most of the wind off and their food and water in the corner.
It took a while, but they finally started to explore and scratch. I can see them from the window and everyone seems fine. It was hard for mama to give them this freedom--I am surprise by how attached I have gotten to them. Of course, I have been an animal nut my whole life.
I know there is a big chance I'll lose some to predators no matter how careful I am. But, I have really been enjoying these birds.
This is one of the little things in the adventure that is my life!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Ready to garden--sorta!
Well, I am ready to start gardening, but I am having issues finding coarse vermiculite for my soil mix. I am creating a garden based on the Square Foot Gardening technique. You make the soil for the garden beds with 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 coarse vermiculite, 1/3 peat. I can find the blended compost and the peat, but the vermiculite has proved to be a problem. I am still on the hunt for a local source (I try to shop local whenever I can), but I may have to purchase on line. Dang it, I hate shipping charges.
The garden boxes are ready. I have the landscaping fabric to put down to squelch weeds. I am so ready--no vermiculite. I'll keep looking, but I may have to come up with something else.
On a cool note, a co-worker gave me two cabbage plants for free. Wahoo, I love free! I have three strawberry plants, so I am feeling the pinch to get these cold hardy plants in the garden.
The chickies are still doing great. Hub created a top for the bin with the bin lid cut out in the middle and covered with chicken wire. The little darlings are flapping like crazy. I brought them more crickets today and had a ball watching the free-for-all. They are so entertaining.
I am off now to hang my first load of laundry on my new clothesline. No dryer today, I'll let nature do it for me!
The garden boxes are ready. I have the landscaping fabric to put down to squelch weeds. I am so ready--no vermiculite. I'll keep looking, but I may have to come up with something else.
On a cool note, a co-worker gave me two cabbage plants for free. Wahoo, I love free! I have three strawberry plants, so I am feeling the pinch to get these cold hardy plants in the garden.
The chickies are still doing great. Hub created a top for the bin with the bin lid cut out in the middle and covered with chicken wire. The little darlings are flapping like crazy. I brought them more crickets today and had a ball watching the free-for-all. They are so entertaining.
I am off now to hang my first load of laundry on my new clothesline. No dryer today, I'll let nature do it for me!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Chickens and crickets!
I am having a ball raising my chickens. I ended up with ten because when Hub went to pick them up, he used "Hub logic". OK, the wife wants six chickens. Some of them might not survive. So, I'll get TEN chickens, and if some of them don't make it, she will still have close to the amount she wants.
I love that man.
I have ten lovely, healthy chicks, growing at an alarming rate.
They are so funny!Today, I bought 24 crickets for them. It was hilarious. I put the crickets in the brooder and the little darlings were scared to death of them! They huddled in a corner and peeped like crazy. My bet was on our little Warrior Chicken to figure it out first--sure enough, she was the bravest to venture out of the huddle and peck at a cricket. When she swallowed it, it was like she was saying, "Hey, guys, they're EDIBLE!" Soon, it was a free-for-all, with chicks going everywhere to snatch a cricket. They sure didn't last long!
So far, I love being a "chicken rancher"!!
I love that man.
I have ten lovely, healthy chicks, growing at an alarming rate.
They are so funny!Today, I bought 24 crickets for them. It was hilarious. I put the crickets in the brooder and the little darlings were scared to death of them! They huddled in a corner and peeped like crazy. My bet was on our little Warrior Chicken to figure it out first--sure enough, she was the bravest to venture out of the huddle and peck at a cricket. When she swallowed it, it was like she was saying, "Hey, guys, they're EDIBLE!" Soon, it was a free-for-all, with chicks going everywhere to snatch a cricket. They sure didn't last long!
So far, I love being a "chicken rancher"!!
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Creating our urban homestead!
Well, we now have chickens. Ten adorable chicks, living in a rubbermaid bin in my master bathroom. I had a spare bin, so I took the easy route and made it into a brooder for my babies. Much easier than building one. We still have to build a coop, so a simple brooder was just the thing.
I am getting ready to set up my garden, using the square foot gardening technique. I think it will work for me and provide my with all my favorite veggies. Nothing better that growing your own so you know there aren't any pesticides used on them. Tomatoes, zucchini, a large variety of peppers, sweet corn, spinach, lettuce--I can't wait!
More info here: www.squarefootgardening.com/
For chicken support, I have found: http://www.backyardchickens.com/
For photos of my babies: http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/28459/view/1383385/-1/0/1.html
I am looking forward to finding ways to reduce my impact on the earth, and be more self-sufficient. Homesteading should be challenging, rewarding and a wonderful path for personal growth.
I am getting ready to set up my garden, using the square foot gardening technique. I think it will work for me and provide my with all my favorite veggies. Nothing better that growing your own so you know there aren't any pesticides used on them. Tomatoes, zucchini, a large variety of peppers, sweet corn, spinach, lettuce--I can't wait!
More info here: www.squarefootgardening.com/
For chicken support, I have found: http://www.backyardchickens.com/
For photos of my babies: http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/28459/view/1383385/-1/0/1.html
I am looking forward to finding ways to reduce my impact on the earth, and be more self-sufficient. Homesteading should be challenging, rewarding and a wonderful path for personal growth.
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