Wildlife Habitat!

My land is now certified with the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife habitat. I am thrilled! This has been a goal of mine for years.

There are a few more things I want to do, as money allows.

• I would like to put in a small wetland
• I want a habitat for amphibians
• I'd like a water feature
• I definitely want a bat house
• I want a house for mason bees (love those pollinators!)

I think all these things are compatible with my homesteading activities. I find great pleasure in nurturing the wild creatures that share my home.

Last year, I hung up a bird house gourd. I was so disappointed that no birds used it. This morning, Hub told me to go look. There's a nest inside, and a wren flew out as I approached! I am delighted!

The garden is doing well. Except, only a few corn plants have sprouted. I may plant a few more tomorrow and see what happens. The zucchini looks good. Can't wait for fried zucchini and zucchini bread. MMMMM!

Our solar clothes dryer (clothesline) has continued to bring me pleasure. It may sound funny to some, but I love being outside, hanging clothes and folding them as they come off the line. It's soothing. There has been a stiff wind today, so it hasn't taken things long to dry!

Hub is working on the chicken coop. He has installed the door for the chickens and only needs to rig up a pulley system to open and close it. Now he is finishing off the side of the coop where the lttle door is so we can get it sided, painted and the run put up. The chickies are getting too big for their little pen!

I have checking into what kind of goats I'd like to get next year. I am leaning towards the Dwarf Nigerian goats. They have milk with a high butterfat content, good for making cheese. I need to eventually pick a spot for a shelter for the larger livestock. I worry about coyotes getting the goats, so I may look into a guard lama.

I also definitely want Angora rabbits. I am going to learn to spin this year if it kills me! Drop spindle and on the wheel. I'd like to be able to spin right off the rabbit. Besides, they are adorable!!

Salad in progress

Yesterday, I planted swiss chard, arugula, and romaine. My garden is so pretty! I just wish it would warm up here. I think the garden will really take off with some good sunshine!

I bought crickets for the chickens yesterday. I love to watch them go nuts and chase around the coop. Of course, whoever gets the last cricket gets chased around by the others until the cricket is eaten! So funny! They make more "chicken" noises now, instead of peep, peep, peep. They look so surprised when a full blown cluck emerges.

I almost ended up with a bunny yesterday. I was at the pet store (small pets only, no cats or dogs) to get the crickets when I noticed an enclosure full of bunnies. One little lop hopped up to the glass, sat up and wiggled its nose at me. Instant love! For only $25. Of course, then I would have to buy bedding, a feeder, a waterer, food and a cage. But, oh, I wanted that little rabbit. It was all I could do to take my crickets and leave.

I have filled all the space in my garden. I now wish I had more room. I was walking in our back acreage this morning, looking at all the space, planning projects to make use of that area. We have 3.3 acres and it seems a shame not to utilize it.

I have it in wildflowers and prairie grasses, but I am still fighting Johnson grass. I am trying to conquer that by hand weeding as I don't want to mow down the beneficial plants. We have planted trees out back, but our lovely deer think we are putting out snacks. I don't want to be rid of the deer (I love to watch them), but need to protect and future tree plantings. Deer fencing, I guess.

In the next week, I am hoping to finish everything I need to get certified by NWF as a Backyard Habitat. That is so awesome to me! I love watching all the wildlife around my house.

So far, my garden rocks!

My garden looks awesome! Bean got me Italian parsley for Mother's Day, so I planted it today. My cabbage is beautiful. And I had my first harvest! Two lovely strawberries, just ripe! They were tasty and I hope I have more soon!

I planted beets today, much to Hub's excitement. I have never had fresh beets, only canned or pickled. Hub doesn't like pickled beets. He says that beets with butter and some salt are heavenly. I can't wait to try!

I have everything I need to fill my last garden bed, except good enough weather. It has been the rainiest spring ever, I think. I am hoping to have time and good weather this Sunday.

The chickens continue to thrive. We have been busy, so no further progress on the coop. I put them in their pen as often as I can, weather permitting. I got them a large feeder and waterer as the small ones didn't hold them a day. Hub hung them from the coop ceiling and they stay much cleaner.Hub also built a three tier roost. It is so cute to see the chickies on it. Some on it, some under it. It's a process!

I now have a compost area, made with supplies we had on hand. I am delighted to have a place for my kitchen scraps and the shavings from the coop.

I am pleased with my progress with my little homestead so far. I am being patient, enjoying the process. It is a journey and an adventure.

Slow Going

I have been fighting bronchitis this week. I've had three days off and couldn't enjoy it for being sick. Ick. I haven't even felt like scrapping. It has been pouring rain for three days here and I couldn't do anything outside, either.

I did gather the bills and it is depressing. I am going to have to work more to make ends meet. I love my job, but it is physically and mentally draining to me. Right now, I work 64 hours a pay, that's 8 shifts in two weeks. That is really my limit. Up until now, it was OK, although Hub is a bit weird about me not working "full time." The work exhausts me and doesn't leave me much to give at home. I don't think he understands how hard it is to be a nurse.

But money is more than tight right now and we need more. One of the new nurses is resigning and I know I could pick up a couple more shifts to make me 80 hours. Since I work evening shift, I'll never get to see Hub, except on the weekends that I am off and two days in that two weeks. I just wish I was back on day shift, but I kind of burned that bridge. I guess we will see what happens. Maybe I could work more just through the summer, until we get the Subaru paid off. That will free up almost $400 a month.

The chickens are growing like weeds. They are so funny. Hub built them a roost. When he put it in the coop, they immediately jumped on it. Since then, they have spent more time huddling beneath it. I guess they will figure it out.

My garden looks amazing. I now have cabbage, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, basil, and thyme. Dad gave me $100 for my birthday and I am going to spend it preparing my last raised bed and buying veggies for it. I can't wait to actually harvest something, even just one strawberry.

I received a catalog from Gaiam/Real Goods that has a lot of cool, low eco-impact products in it. Some are more money than I would spend, but others may be possible next year. It is nice to dream...

Movin' sloooowly and loving' it!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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"!!

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.

Gettin' eco-freaky!

I have plans to get back on my eco-path. I have been consuming much more mindfully. I'm probably driving Hub nuts keeping lights off. Just wait until I get power strips to reduce our phantom load! I think he'll be happy about the money savings, though.

I want him to put up a clothesline this week. Even if I use it only a few times a week, it will reduce the amount of energy we use to dry clothes. I will also be ordering a garden bed from Square Foot Gardening. I have been deciding what veggies to grow. Peppers, definitely. Zuchinni, eggplant, tomatoes, lettuce. Herbs--rosemary, parsely, basil, oregano. I may try to grow some sweet corn. Very cool.

What's going on?

This has been such an unsettling day. Hub and I have been spatting off and on. I don't know if it's because I'm hormonal (a new experience for me) or if we are both just stressed about money and finances. We really had a yelling match today and Bean walked in on it. Heck of a thing to come home from college to your parents fighting.

So, I put in a pork roast (Hub's suggestion), took it out and the veggies aren't done. I'll let it go another 20 minutes and check again. Of course, now Hub is napping. He didn't tell me he was going to nap and for some reason that pisses me off. I am never this easily upset, so I don't know what to think. I am really just trying to keep my mouth shut to keep the peace.

I haven't accomplished anything, really. I guess I cleaned up a bit, did some dishes and laundry. We took the dogs to the park, which they totally loved.

I have an appointment Feb 26 to see Dr. Huse again. I know this bothers Hub because of our money situation, but I need to try. I have been picking up extra hours at work and will continue to do so.

I have to admit--I made a purchase last week at the scrapbook store. I really didn't mean to spend $50. So, I am staying out of stores. I would prefer to do the household shopping along with Hub, to keep us both honest. It really is easier to save money that it is to earn it.

I have been using interlibrary loan and am waiting for my books to come in. So much cheaper than buying, but I still get to browse on Amazon!

Hub has talked about getting another job, at least for a while. I hate that. It would limit our time together. It would limit our time to work on the house.

Somehow, I feel our financial situation is all my fault. I know it took both of us, but I still feel pressure to be the one to fix it.

Such a bad girl

I had a stressful work week and often found myself at the convenience store or McDonald's. I truly need to work to be more prepared. My major consumption issues tend to relate to food products. It is so hard to find the energy to cook from scratch. Not time, energy. And I really enjoy cooking.

I applied for a new job week before last, but I haven't heard back yet. I know it would pay less, but the hours would be a dream. I hope I at least get called for an interview. I have a friend who works there, she told me it can take them a while to respond to applications. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

eco-stuff

OK, trying to get back on my more eco-friendly path. I do pretty well most of the time, but often convenience is tempting. When I take my lunch to work, I do a "trash in, trash out" kind of thing. I use re-usable containers and bring any cans home to recycle.

I have become interested in this whole "phantom load" thing. I know electronics use power, even when you turn them off. I would like to try power strips so the whole shebang can be turned off, the TV, computer, dvd player, microwave, etc. I wonder how much the dollar savings would be? My house is total electric, so it would be easy to track.

I am also looking into having chickens. How much fun would that be?? About four would be nice, I think. We use a lot of eggs, making frittatas, stratas, quiche. They cut down on pests, clear the ground, use up kitchen scraps, make fertilizer--sounds good.

I just wish I could do better with my transporation. I have to drive 22 miles to work. Walking to shop and to social/community events isn't feasible because we live just too far out. It's something I'll have to think about, maybe I can come up with something better.

Bean's mom

She is driving us nuts! She can't seem to get it through her head that Bean is 17 years old, four months shy of 18, and isn't going to take any more of her crap. She is making demands and threats, which isn't unusual. But she has not paid a penny to us for the child's upkeep. I gladly do that. She may as well be my daughter, I have always treated her thus. She has never gotten over Hub getting primary custody. It has been stuck in her craw for years.

Bean handles it pretty well. Better than I would. I just worry when Bean is a young adult, out in the working world. I'm just betting that she will be pestered by her mom and that side of the family for money. I've told her that she needs to put her foot down from the start, that she is not going to give them money. It would be so much better to not have to even start that kind of nonsense.

Bean deserves a good life. A life free of chaos and drama. Her mom lives on drama. If there isn't some tragedy going on, she thinks she's not living.

I wish she would back off on the religion thing, too. Bean doesn't think she wants to be Mormon. If she decides that's what she wants, fine. But Hub and I think she should be free to choose. Of course, being raised by a pagan step-mom makes you open your eyes to all the truths in the world. I'm glad Bean has an open mind.

I am so proud of her. I think she has a wonderful life ahead.

Cease and desist order

I suppose if I wanted peace and quiet in my household, Hub and I should not have adopted Kya and Sophie. The cats had just become accustomed to life without a dog, then we bring not just one, but two canines in the house. Kya only bothers the cats if they get near her food. Sophie thinks they are her personal toys. Jasper isn't afraid of her, he will smack the snot out of her muzzle if she gets too close.

Of course, I brought this chaos on myself. I only have a twinge of regret when I am trying to quietly read, then Sophie will dash into the room and across the couch, knocking me and the cats everywhere. Duchess has taken to staying upstairs in Bean's room a lot. It is safer there. And quieter. Heck, I might start hanging out there when the fur is flying.

Having Kya has been good for my activity level. She insists on going for walks a couple of times a day. Won't let me back out of it, either. She can give me the look-you know, the one dogs give when they are guilt tripping you. So, out the door we go. For a more peaceful walk for both of us, I have been leaving Sophie behind. That gives my time to bond with my dog.