Late Winter

     It's a 50 meter trek from the steps of the house to the little red chicken coop in the background of this photo.  Although it's difficult to see, there is a narrow path laboriously shoveled from the house  through the 2 feet of snow to the coop.  I take this path every day to visit with the 8 chickens while they eat their lunch.  I bought another 100 pounds of corn in January that will last until they start laying again in March or so. They also get leftover vegetables, rice and potatoes from the house to provide a little variety in their winter diet.  Except for a fluke, when one of our hens laid 3 eggs the last week of January, which were frozen by the time I picked them, there's been no egg production since November.  Those lovely hens are, however, producing fertilizer that along with the pigeon poop from the barn, will help produce next year's vegetables.



THE LONG TREK

 WE BECKON THEE, OH SPRING!

     The only thing we've got left in the larder from last year's garden is a couple of squash, and some canned tomatoes, and a few jars of wild plum jelly.  I hope to do a little better next year.  The year before we had carrots and frozen green beans until the new crop started coming in.  And the potatoes lasted until January, instead of just until November.  With the new greenhouse for starting plants, I eagerly await thee oh spring.  With the days lengthening, and the temperatures coming up to almost freezing during the day, I can just about taste those first stalks of asparagus.  Each year is a re-birth with hope springing eternal.