As I am writing this the weather is cool and gray. We have had quite a bit of rain over the last few days but it is not enough to saturate the ground. When I planted the garlic last week the soil was still dry just a few inches down. Hopefully the rain coming in the next few days will begin to penetrate. After that, we are to see some snow, just in time for Thanksgiving, just as it should be.
So there is still work to do in my garden. Fortunately the soil is not yet frozen. Today I will be cleaning up the space that will be home to sunflowers, sweet peas, and a large 10’ stock trough raised bed. This summer he tank will have some bush summer squash in it and some Nasturtiums. I may even plant a back drop of dill in there. If I get that done today and the rest of my tulips and daffodils in I will be pleased.
I am still cleaning up from the wind storm last October . My husband and brother finished removing the trees themselves but there is a lot of branch debris still on the ground. However, we did get the shop cleaned out so the Ford Tractor and riding mower could be moved in. Next will be moving the quad. At that point everything except the Farm Truck will be under cover for the winter. For me, this is a dream come true. Why? Because if there is a problem with any one of these machines I want (it) to be undercover to be worked on. I still remember watching my dad and brother work on a tractor out in the snow, under a tarp, when there was a perfectly good, HEATED shop available, but it was full of junk. So much junk that they tractor could not fit in it. This is just one aspect of the farm I want to change.
The next big task is cleaning out the hen house, as I have already mentioned. The ladies have begun to lay again after several weeks of molt. They are looking pretty rough and are in need of some extra protein in their diet. We should be up to two dozen eggs each day before too long. There is also a problem with the electricity in the hen house. When I opened the electric box to check the breakers, one fell out into my hand, so, you know, someone with more knowledge than I have is going to have to tackle that one! Luckily I know a guy. The ladies will be much happier once the hen house is clean of all manure from under the roost, fresh shavings are in, and I do a little more insulating.
A couple of years ago the door between the hen’s living space and the front entry (a little work room like a foyer) became damaged. It was a hollow core door and was never intended to last as long as it did. When I removed it I wanted more summer ventilation, so I built a structure with spaced wood planks and overlaid it with cage wire to keep varmints out. The project was finished in early February. The rest of our winter was mild so nothing much happened. It was a great idea and the air flow in the summer was increased. But boy did that change with the next winter!
In 2023 I prepared the hen house for winter as usual but failed to consider I had added 28 new hens to the population. I didn’t completely insulate the interior door and added a very poorly made door to close off the front room entry to protect from bigger external predators. When the sub zero temperatures came in January I had a real moisture problem in the front entry! While the hens living space remained dry and ventilated, a huge amount of moist air came through the interior door into the front entry and the ceiling was literally dripping! I tried running fans but nothing stopped it! I just had to wait until the cold snap ended and leave the new front entry door open.
So this year, the interior door will be properly insulated, and all of the manure from under the roost will be removed which should cut down on the moisture. We will see how that works.
That’s it for now. I will write again when the other issues are tended to and I discover the extent of the hen house electrical problem. Hopefully I can get the rest of the flowers in and the rest of the tanks in place here pretty soon. Until then, take care.