Creation in the Spring

 Onions and Radishes Started



Radishes and Onions started in the greenhouse

     During the third quarter of the moon last week, the time for planting root crops, I started some onions in the house, and some radishes and bunching onions in boxes in the green house.  The boxes have chicken wire stapled to the bottoms and a layer of straw under the soil, so they can be moved outside when I'm more certain of higher temperatures.  I've found boxes 2 foot by 1 foot a good size to be easily moved. 

Chores in the Chicken Coop

Sturdy new bed for my friends in the coop

Remains of the Old Roost

     Our chickens must have gained weight over the winter, as my make-shift chicken roost made out of tree branches collapsed Friday night.  On Saturday I bought five  2 by 3's, and started building a new, stronger roost.  As the battery on my drill gave out before I finished, I ended up tacking it together so the chickens would have a place to sleep for the night.  Luckily it held up for the night, and the next day I finished screwing it all together good and tight.  Barring an earthquake, this one should stay together for at least 50 years.

     Fourth quarter is for clean-up and tilling among other things, so after I finished the chicken roost on Sunday, I started doing the spring clean-out of the coop.  After hauling about 10 or 12 wheelbarrow loads of manure out and spreading new straw in the cleaned half, I decided I could finish the rest on Monday.  Before the new moon comes on Thursday, when it's time to plant the lettuces, broccoli and cabbage, the coop will be cleaned, and I'll have a small area tilled for early outside planting.  Hopefully some of the other clean-up chores will also get done.  Did I say anything about the mountains of dog poop in the yard?

     In case you are wondering about my references to moon phases, clicking on lunar guide on the right side of this page under labels will give a brief explanation.  As the song says, "there is a time for every purpose under heaven."

     Well, Monday did come around, and I did finish cleaning out the rest of the chicken house.  Never put off until the day after tomorrow what you can put off until tomorrow.  And on Tuesday I picked up 500 pounds of layer mash for the chickens.  Much cheaper than buying 50 pounds at a time.

Starting Plants in the Dining Room

 

These lonely onions will soon be joined by other plants.

       I also hung my grow light over a table in the dining room that I'm using for starting plants this year.  I only have the onions I started last week on the table now, but in the next two weeks it will start to fill up with greens and herbs in the first quarter and tomatoes and peppers, maybe squashes, cucumbers and melons in the second quarter.  I'm using the dining room instead of the basement this year because it's warmer, and the plants should get a better start.

The Canvas of Earth is Being Prepared



Last year's Radish House and this year's Central Garden ready to start anew.

     In this view of the Central and East Garden, you can see the Radish house that failed last fall.  I'm going to use it for a cold frame this spring, but I don't yet know what will go into it.  Way in the   back on the right hand side are the conduit semi-circles that will soon make another mini-greenhouse for early plant starting.

    

Some of the Crew going to work to prepare the South Garden for this year.

      In the lower picture, the gate is open between the chicken yard and the South Garden, so the chickens can help me with spring soil preparation.  Of course the sun is helping me along, gently warming the soil, rising a little earlier each morning and going higher in the sky each day. 

 

     The gardens are now like a canvas with a black and brown base coat of soils.  Soon the greens of new plants and weeds will be added, followed by the greens, yellows and browns of mulches.  Then comes the multiplicity of colors in the fruits and flowers of this year's production, until it's all covered with a final coat of white this winter, resting before next year's creation begins anew. 

 





Wake Up! It's Spring!

Granary with attached poultry shed

     Last week it was 29 below at night, and only in the teens F above 0 during the day.  Last night's low was 26 F above 0, and today is predicted to go into the High 40's.  From this photo of the guinea shed, you can see the snow is beginning to melt.  There wasn't a bare spot in the whole yard 3 days ago.

One brave adventurer

    This was the first day I let the guineas out this year.  They're a little leary about it, but one brave soul is checking it out.  The others will soon follow.  All 6 of the guineas made it through the winter, but sadly we lost our 4 peafowl. Life goes on.

Enjoying the Spring weather

      The chickens seem to be enjoying this spring weather too.  Although I gave them no extra light or heat through the winter, they all made it through and kept supplying us with some eggs into January.  They stopped laying completely for the month of February, but we had enough for the family to last until now.  We only have 2 eggs left in the fridge, so they better get started again.

New nesting boxes

     Yesterday, I made five new nesting boxes with plastic bowls from the Dollar store.  Below them are the four old nesting boxes made from old dresser drawers.  Of course I put in new clean bedding for them.  I'm trying sawdust for bedding instead of using straw like I did last year.

     Being plastic they'll be easier to clean.  The bowls are screwed onto a wooden removeable platform so that I can take the whole unit outside to clean it.  I can see that when I give the coop a thorough cleaning this spring, I'll have to whitewash the whole inside of the building.  Maybe I should hang a picture or two to make it a little homier.  Any suggestions for the pictures?  I'm NOT doing curtains!

INTRODUCING SADIE, MY NEW HELPER

     Last fall I got a new helper.  Half Chou and half Shepherd, she's become acquainted with the poultry, and encouraged me to go out and do chores this winter when I felt like staying in the warm house.  Hopefully she'll continue to encourage me through this spring and summer to with the myriad of projects yet to be completed.  Whatever gets done, I know we'll have a good time doing it.