tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72685677889778573642024-03-13T12:46:09.220-07:00Urban Homestead WAAdam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-84208614524867970982015-04-10T22:21:00.001-07:002015-04-10T22:21:37.028-07:00Busy DayWell, today was a busy one. It's early in the planting season. Heck, this time last year, I had just planted some Tomatoes in the Greenhouse. This year, I planted on 2/14/15, and the Tomatoes are in their 2nd up-potting. <br />
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Seed Viability was an issue, I think next year I will need to splurge on seed, though I am planting enough that I should be able to save some seed, it may not be enough. Most of my seed is a few years old, and they say it will last 3 years some of mine is past that date.<br />
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The greenhouse has Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Peppers. All doing well. Today was all about planting seeds in the ground. I figure, if the weeds are growing, flowering and seeding already, my cool season crops can do so as well.<br />
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Today I put in Carrots, Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Green Beans, Dry shelling beans, and Peas. I also started Hama Melons, Acorn Squash, more Broccoli (a family favorite) and Basil in the greenhouse.<br />
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I had always heard that a farmer is most concerned about the weather....now I get it. If I plant right, I may get two cool seasons in, sandwiching around the hot season.<br />
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The cool part of this year, is on my walks around my small city, I am seeing many more homes, ripping up lawns, and putting in veggie beds! I have also seen and increase in backyard chickens! Viva La Revolution!<br />
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I know what I'm doing is right, when my wife told me tonight that she has been spoiled. You see, she grew up eating food that had processed or powdered chicken base for seasoning. She had to buy it when we saw it. Now she can't eat it, she says it's too salty. Well the first ingredient is Salt. She much prefers food made with homemade chicken stock. <br />
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Sure that's really a DUH statement, but I just saw an ad on TV for Monsanto, and what I saw was sheer propaganda. I hate getting political, but after all they have done, all the lies, it's sicking.<br />
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Well enough of that. I will keep planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, cooking, canning, and freezing my harvest. Monsanto got one part right, food is love, and because I love my family, I will continue to grow food. Not organic (which is a label; shouldn't non-organic food have to be label GMO, oh wait, Monsanto is throwing money against such laws that would make that so.) No, my Grandmother grew food. I will grow food.<br />
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Today wasn't the nicest of days, yesterday was gorgeous, today cold (a storm front is moving in) but I was outside, playing in the dirt. And the best part; I had this kid in a candy store grin on my face the whole time.<br />
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So if you're on the fence about gardening, start small. Buy a tomato seedling, and plant it. Care for it, and this July, when the tomatoes are bursting and beautiful, go out just after the dew has settled, and eat one. I swear, you will never go back to store bought again.<br />
Just sayin'<br />
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Go out and play in the dirt all!<br />
AdamAdam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-59266272814359092422015-03-26T20:25:00.001-07:002015-03-26T20:25:37.396-07:00Close CallWow, what a day here! 72 degrees on March 26th must have been a record. Spent the day outside, weeding (man those weeds got a head start here) and when I came inside for some water, I noticed on my weather station, the temperature in the greenhouse was 114 degrees! 911 could not come to soon, so I ran out there, gave all my wilting seedlings plenty of water, and moved them outside the greenhouse while I opened the vents and door. <br />
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By 6:00 I was able to move them back in the greenhouse where temps had come down to 80 degrees, closed the vents and door and locked them up for the night.<br />
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Everything had perked back up, and disaster was averted.<br />
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Check your seedlings folks, they are just like little kids at this stage!Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-60955834951622845852015-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:002015-03-24T14:00:13.375-07:00Spring has sprung...But where was winter?Wow, if you blinked you missed it. Winter either didn't come to the Pacific NW, or it went by and I simply didn't notice.<br />
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What I did notice, was all the activity around me, birds, squirrels, the hens continuing to lay prodigious amounts of eggs....well, I have been busy. <br />
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Weeding, prepping garden beds, and starting seeds in the greenhouse.<br />
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I'll be honest, saving seeds...well not my strong suit. Oh, don't get me wrong. I can harvest the seed, divide it, prep it, dry it, put it into containers...nope, where I fall down is storage. I can't find a spot to keep them at a consistent temperature all year long, dark and dry. As a result, I get inconsistent germination when I do plant seedlings. So to compensate. I plant way more than I will ever use, and hope 1 or 2 come up. Usually way more come up than I thought. This year, has been hit and miss.<br />
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The first 3 rows are: Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper and Jalepeno Pepper. Cauliflower did really well and my one lone Broccoli. Eggplant is the last row and :( not so much as stub showing...</div>
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This is a shot of both beds. They rest on 1/2 inch insulation, and a heat mat under the tray. The green house is otherwise unheated, so at night it gets to about 45 F and during the day up to 90 if I don't open the vents.</div>
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This is a tray of Tomatoes. First row Brandywine (only one out of 4) Next is SunGold (also one out of 4) Gills AP (2 of 4) Yellow Pear (2 of 4) and finally Isis Candy (none) and Celery is the last row (also none)</div>
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Oh, I'll get by. I planted 4 of everything in late February and early March. I planted Brandywine Tomatoes, SunGold Tomatoes, Gil's AP Tomatoes, Isis Candy Tomatoes, and Yellow Pear Tomatoes in Late February (also red and green bell peppers). Early March was Jalepeno Peppers, Eggplant, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Celery.<br />
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Well as of this writing, some of the Tomatoes have sprouted, a few very nicely in fact as you can see from the photo above. The Cauliflower exceeded my expectations as the seed was almost 4 years old, and all 4 of them sprouted. The Broccoli though, same age, only one....<br />
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Needless to say I think I need to work on a better storage system for these seeds. What I am considering is a Faux root cellar. Basically dig a hole in the ground, so the bottom is below the frost line. Around here, frost line is 3 inches. So I will dig a foot deep hole. Some folks then just put a container in, and fill it with sand or straw to keep vegetables. I am going to build forms, and pour a concrete base and walls. Then I will keep my seeds in glass spice jars in the hole. I will then cover it with a plastic Tote Lid, and rocks to keep critters out. Thats the idea I'm floating here.<br />
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As for the girls, well they love their new home. And my original thought was 3 of them could lay at the same time on the nesting shelf. Well, at the start, they all wanted to lay on the Left side of the shelf. Now though for the past week or so, they are also laying on the right side. So, two can lay at once. Which was what I had before with the two nesting boxes. And yes, they do get a bit vocal when one wants to lay, and there is no spot, but thankfully my neighbors understand, and of course free eggs help out there.<br />
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As for eggs, we are getting 4 -5 a day! And as I said, no layoff over the supposed winter we had. So we have been giving them out; keeping the neighbors happy :) and getting creative with cooking.<br />
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Shameless plug here for a new blog of mine. b-sideswhilebaking.blogspot.com<br />
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My wife challenged me to do a blog a-la Julie and Juliet, using up eggs by making cakes from a specific book we found. If you like baking, and or music, stop by and see what it's about.<br />
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Enough of that. Just wanted to update this post now before everything explodes and I have zero time for blogging.<br />
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Adam<br />
<br />Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-15458917305446223322015-01-27T19:07:00.001-08:002015-01-27T19:07:04.869-08:00The Hen's got a new home!So, I have not been as diligent in my blogging here as I would have liked. It is an art, a skill, and mostly a habit. One that I will need to cultivate. <br />
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So first step, report on where the homestead is at. As someone once said, a picture is worth a thousand words:<br />
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The old coop now standing empty....</div>
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While the old coop was still functional, it wasn't as easy to clean as I originally envisioned when I first built it. Leaning over to clean out the corners, was messy and hard on the back. That really wasn't the motivation that got me to make the new coop though...keep reading.</div>
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The new coop was in the spot where a tired old rhododendron that was dying was. I pulled the rhode, and cleared the site. The coop is 6' deep by 4' wide. And tall enough that I can walk into! The pen is 6' wide by 6' deep. Over all the chickens have a bit more room than they did with the 2 level coop before.</div>
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This is a view of the interior, looking through the door to the nesting shelf. Rather than boxes, I am going with a shelf, as 3 birds can nest in the same spot as two boxes, and the birds aren't that picky. There are two roosts. The birds will all sleep on the top roost, but can use the lower roost to jump up to the top one. Their access door is just under the nesting shelf.</div>
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The girls in their new pen, exploring!</div>
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Here you can see the Chicken door, open during the day and will be closed at night.</div>
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I've got this thing for Dutch Doors, so I put one on my coop.</div>
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The coop sits between the fence, and one of the storage sheds.</div>
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Last view of the sheds and the new coop.</div>
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So really what prompted this move? It's not really complicated. First of all, the old coop sits over a sprinkler system we have, but haven't been able to use. But mostly, it's part of the learning curve. Think about it, we are never perfect the first time we try something. We practice and we get better and better. In homesteading, much of what we do is trial and error. The first coop was good, but not great. Do I think this one is Great; well right now YEP, but probably later on I will see things that need changing or alterations. I already know I need to build a new watering system as the old one was tailored to the old coop. But being a homesteader...I will reuse much of that system in the new one. Much of this new coop is made from reusing materials for earlier projects that just didn't pan out the way I planned.</div>
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Now for those of you who can count, you may go over one of the photos and see only 5 birds. One bird my White Rock (the only white egg layer I have ever owned) started eating eggs! But only the eggs from my Golden Sex Link (the large dark brown eggs.) I did a bunch of research on this, it wasn't due to calcium deficiency, as the layer feed has oyster shell crushed into it, and I supplement by giving powdered egg shell back into the feed. More so, if it were a deficiency, she wouldn't be targeting only one egg. This was behavioral. Now, being a behavioral psychologist, I never suspected I'd take a chicken as a client....needless to say it wasn't successful (a joke from my schooling days; How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb....just one, but the lightbulb has to want to change) needless to say, the chicken didn't want to change. So now the chicken resides in my freezer (nothing goes to waste on the homestead.) </div>
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Daily we are getting 4 - 5 eggs, still, but we have had a warm winter so far (January day temps have been 48 - 60 F.) We froze a bunch of the eggs earlier expecting a drop-off, that hasn't happened yet. So looks like neighbors will be getting eggs here shortly!</div>
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I hope the chickens take to the new coop; tonight their first night in, I had to push them into the coop, and then put them up on the roosts. I just went and checked and they are all perched on the top roost so far so good.</div>
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Good night all!</div>
Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-48154390649905201262014-03-16T23:19:00.002-07:002014-03-16T23:19:27.303-07:00Chicken Update 3.16.14So, the henhouse has been quiet....Housing the wife and daughters Holland Lop bunnies while the weather was at it's coldest. But now the weather has warmed up sufficiently so that the water bottles aren't freezing in moments, so the rabbits are back in their hutch. <br />
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And it's time to start thinking about chickens again. And boy did I have some grand plans! I drew up plans for a brand new chicken coop that would sit inside an enclosed run that would measure 10 feet wide by 27 feet long! Wow, I could have a mess 'o birds in this setup. With that in mind, I set out to order my chicks. I ordered 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Black Austalorps, and 2 White Rocks. <br />
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All was well in my little dreamland. Then for some reason, I checked the City Regulations. I had done this prior to getting chickens the first time. Don't ask why I bothered this time, but I found in the past year the city has new chicken regs! Some of the highlights, are they have to be in the backyard! Drat! My fancy new coop and run were slated for my side yard. This means I am stuck with my old coop. <br />
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Now don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with the old coop, but compared to the new coop drawings, it just isn't new! Not that the chickens will mind, but I can't see that many chicks in the coop. So I called the hatchery back and halved the order. <br />
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They will be coming mail order, my first time by this method, but I am told it's very reliable and safe for the chicks. So now I have to do a thorough clean up job on the coop, as I plan to brood the chicks in the coop. I have a heat lamp set up in there, and can block off an area to use while they are small, and can expand the area into pullet stage, and finally open it all up when they are full grown.<br />
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Really, I can't wait. These past few months without chickens has been lonely. I really miss the clucking and cooing. Also not having Chicken TV has been boring. Real TV can't compare. <br />
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And yes this post is about chickens, but as for a quick Veg update....I am going to get a bit of a late start this year, as I fear a freak frost is coming, so I don't want to start things at the normal time. I will be starting much of what I grow in the Greenhouse. Rather than heating the whole greenhouse with a portable heater, I am investing in Heat mats, and will heat them from below. I figure that during the day, the temp in the greenhouse is in the 60's, but drops into the 40's at night. But if the plants feet are warm at night they should be okay.<br />
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It's getting close folks. I can't wait to get dirt under my nails again. Spring is right around the corner and coming up fast! Get out and plant something!Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-23568773652972827812014-01-15T08:37:00.001-08:002014-01-15T08:37:37.497-08:00Winter WednesdaySo the Holidays are done and gone, The house is back to normal, and the weather outside is still frightful! Regardless, the Garden Porn in my mailbox is starting to arrive, and that along with the craving for dirt under my nails, lets me know it's time to start thinking about Spring. Yes it's just a few months ahead, but as any good gardener/homesteader/project manager (yes that's what we are in the industrial world) we must plan ahead to take proper action for fruitful gains!<br />
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Last summer I completed the greenhouse, so that will be useful for starts for this spring:<br />
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I will need to run some electrical out to it for heating, I am under no illusions that this greenhouse will be able to support temperatures needed for germination in February here without some additional help! <br />
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So in looking at my master garden plan, I keep one drawn out on graph paper in pen, then input my plant selections in pencil each year (yes I am a bit of a geek like that) I can see what I planted last year, and where they were planted. I then thought about what we are eating up from last year, what we have bought, and then dreamed about what we can try to grow this year, that we thought we couldn't grow before. I try to give myself one challenge a year, just to push the boundaries a bit. This year, with the addition of the Greenhouse, I am thinking Melons! I almost got there with Melons a few years back, but just ran short on time. I think starting them in the greenhouse will give me the time needed to make this a reality....fingers crossed.<br />
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The rest of my plan is to grow: Asparagus (yes I will try again), Arrugala, Beans (drying), Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cucumbers, Celery, Corn (another boundary pusher), Garlic, Green Beans, Lettuce, Mache, Onion, Peas, Radish and Tomato.<br />
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Small plantings of Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Peas, Arrugala, Mache and Tomato: This year these will be for fresh eating only. Last year we had a bumper crop of Tomatoes! So we have plenty of Salsa, Tomato Sauce, diced Tomatoes etc. Not sure as to what variety of Tomato I will plant, but will figure that out shortly.<br />
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My large scale planting will be the Drying beans. This winter has been big on soups, stews, chili's so we have gone through our bean supply. Yes I know Dried beans are about the cheapest eats out there, but I get so much joy from eating my own homegrown, that you really can't put a price on happiness.<br />
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Cucumbers will be a good size planting, as I am out of Pickles. An while I am the only one in the family that eat's them, by golly I like 'em, and since I'm the gardener/canner, I'll plant what I like!<br />
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Dreaming this year, are the Melons, Brussels Sprouts, and Corn. I have tried the first two, with limited success. So I will try them again, changing a few things and see what happens. As for the Corn, My brother tried it, as did my Neighbors. Neither had success. Not sure if it was weather, fertilizer, variety they chose, or location. But I'll give it a shot.<br />
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This year I am going to try companion planting. I have been doing some research on it, and it looks promising. I will try to keep this blog updated with that as a focus.<br />
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Another task is to replace the chickens. This fall, I butchered the chickens as the egg production greatly fell off, and one started to go Roo on me. This time I am looking to get 6 - 8 chickens, as the coop is big enough for more than that, and 3 just didn't give me enough eggs. <br />
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All in all, I have my work cut out for me. Lot's to do, and not nice weather to do it in. Currently it is 44 degrees, grey and rainy. So I sit with my coffee, perusing my chicken catalog, and the seed catalog, looking at the seeds I still have, and determining what I will need to order. And with the end of my cup of coffee, I too will end this blog.<br />
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Dream and plan my friends, for Spring is just around the corner, and we will soon begin the rush to get seeds in the ground!Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-88537241843328415142013-11-17T21:30:00.002-08:002013-11-17T21:30:39.335-08:00To live life one must make sacrifices<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Waking up this morning was a rude awakening...I realized much too early, that today was a chore day. Now don't get me wrong, I like to work, it's honest and humbling, but some chores, while necessary are neither fun, but more of a reminder that to live is to take. Yes, giving is part of it, but this blog is not about giving, nor recieving, it is simply about taking.<br />
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You see, I raise chickens, dual purpose birds. This is a working homestead, with pets; but the chickens are not pets. For the past 2 1/2 years, I have raised the chickens and gotten eggs for a good 1 3/4 years, reliably. But the eggs have slowed off, even in the late summer when we had plenty of light. Research shows that Chickens give eggs reliably for about 2 years, then they slow down. Natural. My plan has always been to give my chickens a good life and one bad day. Today was that day.<br />
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I had 3 chickens this morning. I believe in and practice humane methods of killing the chickens, and processing them myslef. I need to know that between the time they are taking from their coop, to the time they die is minimal and the last thing they hear is my soothing voice...no hysterics, no load noises. I try to stress the chickens as little as possible. <br />
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Is the prayer I say for their benefit or mine....I try not to think about that. <br />
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Is it better for me to be here, doing this; or blindly purchasing chicken from the store? I wrestle with this constantly. Yes my conscience could be clear (if I don't think to long about confined chicken breeding practices, or they mechanized way birds are processed,) but I wouldn't know what type of hormones, chemicals, and feed the chickens recieved. Raising my own is a trust. I trust myslef to feed them as naturally as I can, let them roam as free as I can, keep their coop clean, make sure they have water and security. For this I take their eggs, and in the end their life. <br />
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My grandparents had no struggles with this. You farmed, and Harvested the produce, raised livestock and butchered it; all so you could eat and live. In a nutshell, to live is to take. <br />
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Yes I will miss the chickens clucking in the morning, running back and forth in search of who knows what in the grass. But in March/April, I will start again, with new chicks. Why? Because this is a working homestead. And while I wasn't born on a farm, I am a city kid, who wants more control of my food. And sometimes, we must do things we are not comfortable with. But I have a trust. A trust to treat my animals, pets, family with respect and love. I try always to do that. But my livestock are not my family. They raised to feed my family.<br />
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I have come to grips that to live, I must either kill or condone killing in my name. I will miss the chickens, but I knew when they came into my life, that they were destined to end up on my table. <br />
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I can not pass this chore off to someone else. I know that bringing home the chickens when they are a day old, that one day, I will have to take their life, so that I may live. It is sobering, Humbling, and opens my eyes to the reality of life. In this the season for giving thanks, and giving gifts; I give thanks that I have the courage to face my convictions, for the gifts my chickens gave to me and my family.<br />
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<br />Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-91204404771736072222013-11-07T21:53:00.001-08:002013-11-07T21:53:26.048-08:00Still plenty to do indoorsSo even though the weather is turning to Winter here. And working outdoors, though it's necessary isn't as fun as it was a few months ago. And to be honest, it was baking time again. We were running out of bread, so I took an afternoon to make up some more.<br />
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I figured out that 4 loaves last us about a month. So I decided to make up two loaves of Basic white bread, and two of Honey, Nut Oatmeal Wheat. The process is pretty basic, mix up the ingredients, knead 8 minutes or so, and allow to rise for about an hour. Punch down, divide in half, form into loaves, plop them into a greased loaf pan and allow to rise for about 45 minutes or so. Heat up ovens, pop them in for 35 - 40 minutes or until Golden Brown and Delicious (GBD hereafter). Pull from pans, and allow to cool completely. Slice and eat…repeat: here are some photos:<br />
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Basic supplies, Flour, Yeast, Salt, Water, Sugar for the Basic White</div>
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Everything mixed up and kneading is about half done, looking to make this fairly elastic.</div>
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Proofing in the oven with just the light on for a bit of warmth.</div>
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Start of the Honey, Nut Oatmeal Wheat. Wheat bread flour with Pumpkin seeds and Sunflower seeds</div>
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Egg and Yeast…</div>
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Oatmeal….1 cup of old fashioned oats, with 2 cups boiling H2O, allow to sit 15 minutes for Oats to soften.</div>
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Mixed and kneaded Honey, Nut Oatmeal Wheatbread</div>
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1 hour rise time, yep I think she doubled in size!</div>
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Honey, Nut, Oatmeal Wheat on the left, Basic white on the Right. I always butter up the loaf pans for easy de-panning upon baking completion.</div>
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Basic White on final 45 minute rise…again in the oven with the light on for minimal warmth.</div>
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Honey, Nut, Oatmeal Wheat final 45 minute rise.</div>
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Basic white, baked, de-panned, GBD cooling </div>
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Honey, Nut, Oatmeal Wheat, baked, de-panned, GBD and cooling as well</div>
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And while the loafs cool, and the ovens are hot, Peanut Butter cookies were baked! Great with Tea on an Overcast Day!</div>
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With the Garden tasks coming to a close, and the weather turning cold and dreary, nothing makes a house smell like home quite like baking bread. It beats anything you can buy in stores. Try it sometime.</div>
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Adam</div>
Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-87263530289325091862013-10-11T14:02:00.000-07:002013-10-11T14:02:13.307-07:00So another full season comes to a close. I realize that there has been a ginormant amount of time that has elapsed since my last post, so this one may be a bit lengthy to catch up.<br />
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First off, I have found out that working a full 40 work week, keeping up with the homestead, and trying to take care of myself by exercising, and eating right, finding time for my family....well there's only 24 hours in the day and my blogging amongst other things took the hit.<br />
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I realized how much I missed the simple act of writing out my thoughts, sharing pictures, ideas, success' and failures. I missed the community. So I am now going to take the time to blog again. I can't hope for a daily blog, but like my foray into the world of CrossFit, I will take it slow. Two to Three times a week, and will try to work up from there.<br />
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So, as we head into Fall, the Harvest is over, and I can report it was a busy Harvest season:<br />
Herbs - We were able to dry enough Oregano, Basil, Sage, and Thyme for the next year's use. We got some Chives, Parsley, and Stevia drying enough probably for the winter, but no further. Fresh Chives, Parsley, Tarragon, Marjoram and Sage are being used now, and will be allowed to grow for the next year. Borage, Cilantro, and Cumin going to Seed, and will be used for further growth next spring. The Lavender was harvested for oil, and the mint needless to say was more than we needed. Lemon Balm is ready for harvest, and will be used for sore muscles.<br />
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Salsa - well production this year was prodigious! We had Tomatoes, Peppers (Jalepeno, Serrano, and Red Chili), and Shallots and Onions. Not pictured are the Cucumbers. In all, we made 30+ Pints of Salsa more than enough for the family throughout the upcoming year!) I credit this to the wonderful Summer we had here on the Coast. We had a long string of 80+ degree days with mellow nights.<br />
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Pumpkins - We got 10 - 12 good sized Small Sugar Pumpkins and were able to roast and puree and freeze for soups, and yes pies throughout the year. I even tried my hand at Pumpkin Butter. After much research, I found that now it is not recommended for canning. Though I know that my Grandma and her friends all Canned Pumpkin and Apple Butter safely, and so gave it a try. I Shan't share how I did it, as I don't want to run afoul of the law...but needless to say I made sure everything was heavily sanitized, and made sure my products were of the highest quality and clean. We have been eating the first jar (4 oz) and it came out wonderful. The other 3 have been in the Canning Cupboard, so far no explosions, we will see when we open those.</div>
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Swiss Chard and Kale - This has been fantastic as a cut and come again, and we have been using it as sides, soups, stews so far and it looks like it is holding up well. I have read that it will hold up through the first frost when it will go super sweet, looking forward for that.</div>
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Berries - Raspberries, Blueberries and Strawberries Oh My! Prolific harvest this year, and still pulling Raspberries even at this late date!</div>
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Of course these little gems didn't last much after the photo...but boy were they Yummy! In the end we froze up Strawberries, and Blueberries for throughout the year, The Raspberries, being a Favorite, don't make it into the house.</div>
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As for the Chickens: </div>
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The girls: From Left Twinkie (Buff Orpington), MeToo (Golden Laced Wyandotte) and Diva (Wellsummer) Interesting note, Diva has stopped giving eggs, grown spurs, and has tried to crow a few times. I thought I was going nuts, but my brother had the same thing happen with one of his hens. Found out this isn't that rare. <br />
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The girls really like a new addition to the coop this year, a screen door. With the temperatures this summer climbing towards the 90's opening the door kept the coop cooler and helped them through it.<br />
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Looks like the thrown together coop I made a few years back is still holding up well. <br />
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New addition this year number two, a watering system. The girls took to the nipples right away, only had to show them once or twice, and the bucket holds enough water that I only have to fill it weekly, and they don't spill anymore! It was pretty simple, and I re-used old PVC pipe from other projects!</div>
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As for the chickens, I know this isn't something everyone does, but this is a working homestead. And while I name my chickens, they are livestock, not pets. Soon, they will have a bad 5 minutes to end their wonderful 2 1/2 years of life. I don't do this lightly. I took on this project so that my daughter would know where her food came from. And that meat doesn't come naturally covered in plastic wrap on a styrofoam tray. She Took part in the first butchering of our rooster a year ago, and has learned more about our food system than any other "City or Suburban" Girl I know. She has decided now to major in Nutrition and is studying in the University! Success!</div>
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I plan to clean the coop thouroughly when the butchering is done, and next March when new chicks are available, I will get 6 chickens and start the process again.</div>
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As for the bunnies, that is my Wife and Daughter's project. </div>
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My daughter is cutting the nails on our male Holland Lop Snowball. We have a female Sunshine (not pictured) and my daughter is planning to mate them. Next project is a new hutch to acomodate 4 cages, two for the existing bunnies, and two for the babies (have to separate boys from girls as they will breed like rabbits don't you know.</div>
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So, still left to do...harvest potatoes, butter nut squash, last of the tomatoes, spinach, kale, chard, raspberries, oh and play with the new greenhouse:</div>
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Built this potting bench from discarded Pallets!</div>
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Red Chili's this is the last of the season.</div>
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Serrano's; Mason Bee's pollinated, then I dug them up and transplanted into pots, and moved them into the greenhouse, I now have 10 or so Serrano's growing nicely!</div>
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Stevia, it's been chopped and put in the greenhouse to overwinter. The rest is drying in the garage to powder and use this winter.</div>
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Orange Bell pepers, don't think they'll go orange, but I like them green as well.</div>
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Jalepeno's doing very well.</div>
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Basil, these were smaller in the garden, wouldn't have had a chance with the weather turning but seem to be thriving in the greenhouse!</div>
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Well, that's just about it for the wrap-up from the homestead. I will try to update a couple of times a week throughout the winter, as I have more projects on tap that I hope to get accomplished prior to Spring.</div>
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It feels good to be back...</div>
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Adam</div>
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Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-85394650182254496782012-06-08T23:07:00.000-07:002012-06-08T23:07:05.749-07:00New Addtions to the homesteadWell, everything is doing well here on the homestead. The Peas are growing tall, we have Blueberries ripening up, Spinach is just about ready for Harvest, the beets were a hit, and the onions and carrots are going gangbusters! We have had a wonderful Spring! <br />
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But backing up to Mother's Day, on our annual trip out to Flower World...the little missus and my kiddo both fell in love with some bunnies running around. Skip forward some, and I began to notice Wild bunnies in our neighborhood, must be 5 - 7 of them, running around where the City Hall was, and now there is only grass. Seems like somebody was pointing me in a new direction.<br />
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Fast forward again to just last week, and I found myself putting together wire cages for you guessed it, bunnies. <br />
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So today, I spent the day putting together a hutch for the bunnies, as we were to pick up two furry furies this evening.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here I am in front of the frame for a two tiered rabbit hutch. One of the cages is in the frame for measurement sake. Each cage is 3' x 2'x 18". This two tiered hutch will eventually be 5' high at the back, and almost 7' long!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here's a closeup of the construction. It's made from 2x3's, and the cages will hang above trays for the bunny poop. One cage on top, tray in the middle, another cage below, and tray below that. The Hutch will hold 4 cages, the idea is for 1 buck and 2 does, with an extra cage for the litter.</span></div>
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Well, everything was going smoothly, I had the siding on the back and both sides, when my lovely wife realized that this was going to be too tall for in front of the window! After some careful deliberation, and more than a little head scratching, I made an executive decision to scrap the original plan, and push forward with a more moderate one.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My kiddo is peeking out from the left of the photo, her Beau Irving is seated (in red) helping me race to put the changed plans together, and my father (in background) giving sage advice (which we probably didn't listen to), my charming missus is taking the photo (thanks Luv)</span></div>
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So, the more moderate plan is to make a single layer hutch, with two cages inside for now, as we are only getting the two tonight. This photo was taken 40 minutes before we were to leave to get the bunnies!!!. The back OSB panel was used to make a temporary roof (I will be getting White plastic sheeting (not corrugated) to cover the roof) then the OSB will be cut down for the back piece. The sides are not in the picture, but unfortunately didn't quite get on before we had to boogie.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here is the "nearly" finished hutch, with rabbits, water, food, hay. The sides are just laid up against the hutch now, I will attach them tomorrow. The buck is in the left side cage, the doe in the right. I will be adding more cages later.</span></div>
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Well, we hightailed up north to pick up the bunnies. We got two New Zealand Red Rabbits, a solid Red Buck, and "Broken" Red/White Doe. They are 12 weeks old, and weigh just under 6 lbs. When full grown in 5 more months, they will push 10 - 11 pounds, and be ready to mate. The litter could be; all red, "broken" red/white, or all white. The idea is the litter will be used for meat rabbits. Though some could be sold if there is a market. </div>
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Now it's time to meet the newest additions to our homestead:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. Nibbles our Buck. He has certainly lived up to his name so far, nibbling on anything he can get is teeth on. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Isis, she is our "Broken" red/white doe. The term "broken" refers to any multicolored patterned rabbit, She is termed Heavily Broken as she is predominantly Red, with white belly, feet, and cheeks. She is really shy, and more than a little bewildered by her new surroundings.</span></div>
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Well, this was a successful little project, one that I hope grows, and proves successful later. I am already thinking about my next project, a watering system for the chickens, and possible rabbits, that will hold 5 gallons of water and allow them to access it at will. It will use a 5 gallon bucket, and some PVC pipe. If all goes well, I will post my project here.</div>
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Happy Spring to everyone!</div>
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Adam</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-67031713353161548272012-05-12T22:17:00.000-07:002012-05-12T22:17:10.753-07:00Okay, okay....I have been shamed into blogging again. I apologize for the gap (heck a gap as wide as the grand canyon..) I have only myself to blame. I shan't share my woes, suffice it to say I got lazy and stopped writing. 'Nuff said.<br />
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So to update folk, if anyone is still reading....<br />
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I started last Spring with 4 new chickens, well, one started to crow, and we had him for dinner the next week. So this Spring, I still have 3 chickens. Twinkie the Buff Orpington, Diva the Welsummer, and MeToo the Golden Lace Wyandotte. Here you can see how they've grown (the playpen is new for them, made it to take the place of the wooden ark that was too cumbersome to move around by myself.) They are laying a remarkable amount of eggs, often 3 per day. I really didn't expect this type of production, but it's nice. And really, once you've had fresh eggs, eating store bought just doesn't make sense.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is the playpen, I realized the girls needed more space, so this is 1/2 inch pvc with plastic chicken netting. It is </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6' x6'x3' so the girls have plenty of room to roam, and I can pull this around the yard with one hand. Have to get rid of the crappy old blue tarp though. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Twinkie in the fore, MeToo in the rear. MeToo got her name due to following Twinkie wherever she goes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Diva is perusing the buffet...what no desert tray again!!! Shot this photo though one nesting box. The coop is really holding up well. You can't see it in the photo, but I re-purposed the infrared light from the brooder box into this coop to keep it warm on nights it dips below freezing. This winter, the inside of the coop was a balmy 46 degrees and the water never froze, even though we had weeks below freezing here.</span></div>
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As for the veggie side of the operation, I made some changes to my layout. We were gifted 3 lovely mature Blueberry bushes to go with our previous 4. So I had to add 3 new garden beds and moved all the blueberries together. I also made two new beds from cinder blocks I got from Craigslist, and filled one with Strawberries, and the other with Raspberry, Marionberry and Boysenberry. I now call this the Berry Corner. It is joined by my pallet board compost bin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e23f97x335DJT-PsupHiE-9swiFL2Sjge18aHEHHKYrIWDZdL71IO1uG5W7K98anDkZgJue04f7kYZhcnB3Qo7Y6jGIlUa1wLEd-iV9UickQAh1fulTR1ZbAckEiWYF4-FAMEXUrzDPI/s1600/DSC08808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e23f97x335DJT-PsupHiE-9swiFL2Sjge18aHEHHKYrIWDZdL71IO1uG5W7K98anDkZgJue04f7kYZhcnB3Qo7Y6jGIlUa1wLEd-iV9UickQAh1fulTR1ZbAckEiWYF4-FAMEXUrzDPI/s320/DSC08808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here are the two cider block beds, the strawberries were picked up last fall from the plant farm, they had a sale, 25 for 10 bucks. so I dropped the "dime" and put 25 strawberry plants, plus a few we had from before into this 4x8 bed. I mulched over the winter with bedding from the chicken coop. The Strawberries are tremendously big now! The other bed took in the Raspberries, moved from the driveway beds, as they kept spilling out into the other beds. Let's see them try to go through cinder blocks! Ha! oops should not tempt them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv073E_RHvbI6wUb-uMqU7J8PycgDUIpusM-HfV0T98sU4uKeFEMgI2PCWxhyphenhyphenF6sUpbTctJyx5DQ1HBf_GlDuMTtkDBIfClf-scOObuYpXV-sWVvpTJ5H_jTSUVsQynwNnWaS6prC3Ttp/s1600/DSC08809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv073E_RHvbI6wUb-uMqU7J8PycgDUIpusM-HfV0T98sU4uKeFEMgI2PCWxhyphenhyphenF6sUpbTctJyx5DQ1HBf_GlDuMTtkDBIfClf-scOObuYpXV-sWVvpTJ5H_jTSUVsQynwNnWaS6prC3Ttp/s320/DSC08809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here is my thrown together pallet board compost bin. I am thinking of taking off the farthest bin, as I really don't need it. I have some really sweet compost in bin #1, and am starting anew in bin #2.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here are the newest beds, paired with some put together last year. In the nearest, I have Onions and Carrots, the one with trellis' are the Peas, and the next three hold Blueberries. Seriously hoping for mondo amounts of Blueberries this year.</span></div>
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So, having moved the Raspberries from the Driveway beds, due to them spilling (is that possible...or would invading be better) into the other beds, I had a 2x4 bed that I needed to find a use for, then it hit me:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lettuce, yes some thinning is needed here...</span></div>
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Lettuce, we really don't eat enough to plant a ton, and it always comes up. I planted 5 varieties, because it just makes salads more fun. Salad bowl (a fav!), Revolution (the red), Flashy Trout Back, Pom Pom (so cute they named it twice) and Mache. I'll thin some out, and use it on sandwiches, or burgers, then when they grow up, it will be cut some leaves, and let them grow out again. No need to re-plant, cut and come again. Love it!</div>
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We spent today celebrating Mothers Day, as my lovely wife has to work tomorrow. So we went and had brunch at the Maltby Cafe (always a winner) then went over to Flower World. Man, does this trip always bust my chops. I so want a little spread of land to have Lambs, Goats, Chickens running free, harrumph...sigh.</div>
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Well, I won't soon be getting my own slice of heaven on earth, but both my daughter and my wife started talking about Rabbits; hmmm....now there's a thought.</div>
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I'll try to take pictures of the hutch when I start the build later this Spring. </div>
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Enough for a 1st time out in a long time. I will try to write regularly, I didn't realize I missed sharing this much. Thanks to those who took the time to read my silly rantings, and those who needled me to get back into the saddle and write some more. A big thanks.</div>
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Adam</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-17803814431533803442011-09-01T12:16:00.000-07:002011-09-01T12:16:18.601-07:00Veggie Explosion!Well, the garden update from our return from vacation cruising while long overdue is finally here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xUIlXbfKrkhMYK2blfyKCcHB9e_pneDu8RfcDOH9t7SshleD_2ome-JBhwAVANlQXowSseRbgGqPXdyuBiF_Cq0z4oNsRpED2Lk047xO567U8wR0FdQZoZ9ixWvuCMTShc1GBKzOHKEj/s1600/DSC06972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xUIlXbfKrkhMYK2blfyKCcHB9e_pneDu8RfcDOH9t7SshleD_2ome-JBhwAVANlQXowSseRbgGqPXdyuBiF_Cq0z4oNsRpED2Lk047xO567U8wR0FdQZoZ9ixWvuCMTShc1GBKzOHKEj/s320/DSC06972.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The tomatoes are on the left of the photo, and the bean trellis is on the right. The Nasturtiums in the fore front draw the aphids, a real problem here, from the beans and Toms, as the aphids seem to like the Nasturtiums better.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq15uiqwC6NzA3Bp8J_rUH1JMZjTg1OZvsy_YbgIaHllYBz9AXwFDZ5C-GgzncHex6cej-MlWLvO2wqcvnePZbt46arXI1t9tigaPvKQSgcWk-8K7-qR_A-S46i4DaNrLqGEgSdnODvtS/s1600/DSC06963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq15uiqwC6NzA3Bp8J_rUH1JMZjTg1OZvsy_YbgIaHllYBz9AXwFDZ5C-GgzncHex6cej-MlWLvO2wqcvnePZbt46arXI1t9tigaPvKQSgcWk-8K7-qR_A-S46i4DaNrLqGEgSdnODvtS/s320/DSC06963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">At bottom left you can just see the Faba beans, (Actually harvested now, and eaten last night. (Amazingly, my daughter said that was the best thing she had ever eaten, and could tuck right into a big bowl of them....) The Zucchini are huge in this photo, (these have since been harvested and we got 20 small salad slicing Zukes, and 12 large shredding Zukes before dusty mildew set in (also a problem here) and I had to pull the Zucchini so the dusty mildew doesn't set into the Cucumbers next to them before they start fruiting. Just to the right are the tomato plants spilling over the garden bed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4RQ_zPzXnzxw2jHcuR3tlkMqhQqjTaB2kwhBT3IILwJqCPOM3C3D8DKf_fDWwZqqGO17SMODABbE9MGMO2stfsMk1aoSJ2BvDJgs70kFDsg9y1-oyquHoIGxg2D3x-zcocKweCfNquPE/s1600/DSC06958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4RQ_zPzXnzxw2jHcuR3tlkMqhQqjTaB2kwhBT3IILwJqCPOM3C3D8DKf_fDWwZqqGO17SMODABbE9MGMO2stfsMk1aoSJ2BvDJgs70kFDsg9y1-oyquHoIGxg2D3x-zcocKweCfNquPE/s320/DSC06958.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And speaking about tomatoes, here is my experiment from last year. I took all the green tomatoes, at the end of last season, and through them in this garbage can (previously used as a potato bin about 8 years ago) with holes drilled into it, and 8 or 9 shovelfuls of dirt and compost. Well these Volunteers are going strong! (We have been picking cherry toms off this now for the past few days...got to love Open Pollinated varieties!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI4slwckZPYbjJWZ1RkkMHRm5NEhqlJhCBOn9Topp8wHMiH8pRdKfEbG83igj6jC2bqn0EMEnLy5v0G4PgRYboyon6Y3mMBOn7WH5pxe9loTc41y-xsHLtgw1mLHc-NJwAAIyg6OPHzZq/s1600/DSC06976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPI4slwckZPYbjJWZ1RkkMHRm5NEhqlJhCBOn9Topp8wHMiH8pRdKfEbG83igj6jC2bqn0EMEnLy5v0G4PgRYboyon6Y3mMBOn7WH5pxe9loTc41y-xsHLtgw1mLHc-NJwAAIyg6OPHzZq/s320/DSC06976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My heirloom shelling beans are going nuts! Everyone who walks by wants to know what they are. In the bed on the right, is Cranberry beans, and Jacobs Cattle. In the bed on the left are Canelli Lingot, and Hidatsa Shield beans. These being Dry shelling varieties, I will let them fruit, then dry on the vine, collecting them when they feel like little stones. Yes I know that dry beans are super cheap, but from experience, I know that the Cranberry and Canelli Lingot I grow taste infinitely superior to anything I can purchase. These beans serve as a protein in Soups, stews, and risottos we will eat throughout the Winter months.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIm0x59O50wUGsgmIDqodGt6uxXMFF2rtkFyJ2jWqa0yaP6ywWsibV-Eg5gAsQTTOCMfV8CR6-wwjQZhlccBENcEUWK9MUNT5gQZd9G_VVV7LNd-h-Lv6gf_b83GA7HrWDocaHcuQPiuY/s1600/DSC06977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIm0x59O50wUGsgmIDqodGt6uxXMFF2rtkFyJ2jWqa0yaP6ywWsibV-Eg5gAsQTTOCMfV8CR6-wwjQZhlccBENcEUWK9MUNT5gQZd9G_VVV7LNd-h-Lv6gf_b83GA7HrWDocaHcuQPiuY/s320/DSC06977.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Harvesting of the garlic. Got a good haul, from the 4x4 bed pulled 48 head of garlic out. Most medium sized, but some good sized ones I will save for starter seed, and some small, I will chop up and use in sauces. These are now finishing their drying in the Garage, and will begin using them this week. This is an Italian Heirloom variety of purple tinged Soft Neck Garlic, it is one of the best I have ever tasted.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1WVy1-lSgdmPFVUYSUosyZ6biyLphQEJQgvVXv3cLn7lFtTNJUshHB5Y1jpCpoOIOgK-K6CT4rqEhGIEWjDjM2MsXjddCwIzwicBKDmbc7-D7sxn9OQNfz0AW4bfZmb96DtVwdd6ja-/s1600/DSC06975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1WVy1-lSgdmPFVUYSUosyZ6biyLphQEJQgvVXv3cLn7lFtTNJUshHB5Y1jpCpoOIOgK-K6CT4rqEhGIEWjDjM2MsXjddCwIzwicBKDmbc7-D7sxn9OQNfz0AW4bfZmb96DtVwdd6ja-/s320/DSC06975.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Carrots!!! Real Carrots!!! Wow, I have tried carrots over the years, but my 8" tall beds just didn't give good results. So putting them in my 24" tall bed, really worked. Also, the TP seed tape worked wonderfully! Not sure what type of carrots these are, as I forgot to label them when planted. I just know they are tasty as all get out! These have been used, and the bed still holds 35+ more carrots, so we pull them as needed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">As of this writing, I have harvested much of what was planted earlier, here is a brief synopsis of harvest so far:</div><div style="text-align: left;">Faba Beans - 4 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Zucchini - 30 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cucumbers - 12 lbs and still going strong</div><div style="text-align: left;">Onions - 10 lbs with another 30 lbs in the ground still</div><div style="text-align: left;">Garlic - 8 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Green beans - 6 lbs and still going strong</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kale - 2 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Beets - 10 lbs and still going strong</div><div style="text-align: left;">Spinach - 3 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Peas - 4 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lettuce - 3 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Raspberries - 2 lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blueberries - Scant Handful....but hey, they are still young plants</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tomatoes - 2 lbs, with approximately 40 lbs at the breaker stage on the plant, and another 20 lbs green.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have also planted, Butternut squash, and Small Sugar Pumpkins, with the weather we've had, I don't expect to get pumpkins by Halloween, but since I these are for Culinary use, if they come in November I'm happy with that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And my experiment for this year is Watermelon and Cantaloupe. These have gone bonkers in this warm weather we are having, and I have tons of little flowers, and 12 visible small watermelons and 8 visible small Cantaloupe. I have not dug through the morass of vines to see whats on the inside of the 4x8 raised bed (the vines have spilled 3 feet out from this bed onto the rocks around the bed!) I am optimistic by nature, but realize that I need strong weather we are not normally known for through September to call this experiment a success.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next post will be an update on the Girls...big news there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Adam</div><span id="goog_1647597616"></span><span id="goog_1647597617"></span>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-6761415812511866272011-08-31T23:36:00.000-07:002011-08-31T23:36:55.831-07:00Vacation in AlaskaThe family, my wife, daughter, aunt and I boarded the Golden Princess on July 31, 2011 bound for the great state of Alaska. Our trip would be for 7 days, and visit the ports of Juneu, Skagway, Ketchikan and a swing though Glacier Bay State Park before stopping in Victoria the night before our return.<br />
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We had made this trip 2 years prior with the rest of the family, and now it was time to take Auntie along.<br />
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We left Seattle at 5:00 PM and started cruising up the west coast. As it was sunny, we took advantage of the big screen and nearest bar and started the trip off right!<br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the trip up, our first day was at sea, so we tooled around the boat, ate to our hearts content, relaxed on deck, and kept on watch for local wildlife....but it wasn't until we hit the inside passage that we began to see whales....<br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iwfuP6WtTwu2U00fRir0rOscuuwN-8t9bewz5MUzyAapFSsgq1t495vyeutKSD5Zarjw5u3NQO8GpQWu78-m3S_1jeJXC5icjDhwNU-eUx08tcCBTh4B44MuCYW2yYBHyDPkv3MvdQ76/s1600/DSC05504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iwfuP6WtTwu2U00fRir0rOscuuwN-8t9bewz5MUzyAapFSsgq1t495vyeutKSD5Zarjw5u3NQO8GpQWu78-m3S_1jeJXC5icjDhwNU-eUx08tcCBTh4B44MuCYW2yYBHyDPkv3MvdQ76/s320/DSC05504.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We saw Humpback whales for about 3 hours, most were way out from the boat, this one spouted within 50 yards....yep, this big ol' planet, and we are just along for the ride....</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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In Skagway we had a little over 10 hours in port, and decided to splurge on two excursions. First we took the White Pass Rail trip, up to the Canadian border along the route used by gold miners in the 1800's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwwe6QYp70vSNgAakQEMuVeBXlYcW_OJLljmEdYzuKI0fer8YLNRJoHNPE-PC7jMg_Q8LZSudOdRC_aUa9R5BAPFDFFAmCmi7s4HQrSp5n23PPpZl0EBpFKRQKMFqGidYReFbTHfzoi6F/s1600/DSC05628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwwe6QYp70vSNgAakQEMuVeBXlYcW_OJLljmEdYzuKI0fer8YLNRJoHNPE-PC7jMg_Q8LZSudOdRC_aUa9R5BAPFDFFAmCmi7s4HQrSp5n23PPpZl0EBpFKRQKMFqGidYReFbTHfzoi6F/s320/DSC05628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We were sitting in an original rail car, that had been updated, but was still hardwood floors, tiny little seats, so I stood on the back deck shooting photos like a madman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The 2nd excursion of the day was to visit a dog sled summer camp. This was really cool, we learned a bunch about the history of sled dogs, the dogs they use today, and got to hold the puppies! People live out in the bush, and during the winter, dog sleds were the only form of transportation they had, until snowmobiles came along. Some still use dogs, but the Iditarod was run in the 70's to hold on to this way of life. Today, competitive mushers, keep 50 or more dogs, and use these summer camps as a way to keep them in shape, and teach non-mushers (that'd be me) about the dogs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_pWAcu6RejN43eF4JuZZA8bsdC5db3moTh8ljj1kUw8X81JrMkvLtFPhB3vfO4aDQCZ8wuUwvhKYRei9wmmAm1_0Dq6wwjN_FdIIyt2HKO2XhnvzcP6MK7OlddDHGioB2m3tFn6AlsqC/s1600/DSC06287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_pWAcu6RejN43eF4JuZZA8bsdC5db3moTh8ljj1kUw8X81JrMkvLtFPhB3vfO4aDQCZ8wuUwvhKYRei9wmmAm1_0Dq6wwjN_FdIIyt2HKO2XhnvzcP6MK7OlddDHGioB2m3tFn6AlsqC/s320/DSC06287.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Notice these aren't traditional Huskies...we learned that the first Iditarod was run in 29 days. This past year was won in 9 days. The Husky isn't a strong runner over the long haul, so they have cross bred Greyhounds, Salukis, and Labradors with the Husky to keep the dense winter coat of the Husky, the endurance of the Lab, and the speed of the Greyhounds/Salukis. These dogs, will grow their coat when winter rolls around, and just love to run. They towed us around a 1 1/2 mill course on sleds with wheels, it was a rush!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">But let's be honest...where are the puppies?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx-kAx2hF2z5UfXK4CWPK2o2AKSOlRGwCb15Rg9FQKdYx-echZS9CcaKRzTwbty-kchzq6te4jQlcTh120dtrje-YumLW5lEPXxa_xmb5B2Jp7k_k59eST4_TWqLvA-oCIV7QtT1Vphmd/s1600/DSC06414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx-kAx2hF2z5UfXK4CWPK2o2AKSOlRGwCb15Rg9FQKdYx-echZS9CcaKRzTwbty-kchzq6te4jQlcTh120dtrje-YumLW5lEPXxa_xmb5B2Jp7k_k59eST4_TWqLvA-oCIV7QtT1Vphmd/s320/DSC06414.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For some reason this pup thought my beard was a treat</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qGSyIJ7rhvOh_gSlIEhjCT97M9dyKasiMuaE_7zH4ZXDZkuhMQV26QBwPk9vV6pEFYOxInLy8EBCNXSsG4ArxfGMlFufpv0utuxl7KOi5WybwxewSiv4W-PQI8DnT03DV9zam4hTM_wx/s1600/DSC06415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qGSyIJ7rhvOh_gSlIEhjCT97M9dyKasiMuaE_7zH4ZXDZkuhMQV26QBwPk9vV6pEFYOxInLy8EBCNXSsG4ArxfGMlFufpv0utuxl7KOi5WybwxewSiv4W-PQI8DnT03DV9zam4hTM_wx/s320/DSC06415.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now he's munching my hand.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGilBZMAiVDimWw3px82_mMqmG4dPdf9G3MABPtaWE9cAONcS88nCT2ZTjz_dTWuZqhFdDgIWDkGIkiN_kq6MUMH8jFgf10kc0Z54BqkxWy0QzXkw-8A8peOZjDxxpLKvDCUwSTpqdWGQ/s1600/DSC06423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGilBZMAiVDimWw3px82_mMqmG4dPdf9G3MABPtaWE9cAONcS88nCT2ZTjz_dTWuZqhFdDgIWDkGIkiN_kq6MUMH8jFgf10kc0Z54BqkxWy0QzXkw-8A8peOZjDxxpLKvDCUwSTpqdWGQ/s320/DSC06423.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My daughter, something makes me think she likes this tour.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next day was cruising through Glacier Bay Park...we saw Glaciers, more whales, and Calves...well glaciers calving really. This was the highlight of the day. We were at Marjorie Glacier, this glacier is still moving at a rate of 7' per day, it is 30 stories high, and over a mile wide. We were 500 yards away, and when chunks of ice the size of an apartment building are breaking loose...well, it was like standing at the door of creation, and realizing you forgot a change of undies...It was loud, surreal, exhilarating, and beyond awesome. Unfortunately I can't show the step by step photos I took, but this is one shot out of that series:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRddKI0qU92IcuXU2_1u8S7EIOPqV0pWpS2CJ-7RgeEgRFX1bv9CDxWAT3UKdBXUIe8g1vQr1XJdGSFB8tcZ7ephUhcThnTE8kgQ9-UBbunSo9z0xyCUL-PLlmVbmTjmXVQFheXikvh47J/s1600/DSC06570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRddKI0qU92IcuXU2_1u8S7EIOPqV0pWpS2CJ-7RgeEgRFX1bv9CDxWAT3UKdBXUIe8g1vQr1XJdGSFB8tcZ7ephUhcThnTE8kgQ9-UBbunSo9z0xyCUL-PLlmVbmTjmXVQFheXikvh47J/s320/DSC06570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">While this was a smaller calving, about the size of a bus, larger ones the size of an apartment building fell apart, into the ocean to become icebergs. Simply awe inspiring.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">This was a trip well worth the time and money. We were gone for a week, fed extremely well. Saw stage shows, magic shows, comedians, and movies. We saw Glaciers, whales, gardens, city's built on stilts over the water and Eagles. We went white water rafting, took a rail trip, and rode on a sled pulled by dogs. Can't wait to cruise again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But upon our return, I found the vegetable garden had exploded. That's the next blog...though.</div></div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-66614858085661329202011-08-31T19:50:00.000-07:002011-08-31T19:50:24.687-07:00Mea CulpaI have been a bad bad little blogger....<br />
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I have been remiss in my posting. I have been out and about, working on the homestead, and hording the memories all for my lonesome...I am sorry.<br />
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It all started with a well deserved vacation, where my family all went off to Alaska on a wonderful cruise (thanks bro for looking after the girls for me (more on the girls later....)<br />
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I didn't write upon my return as my garden had gone completely gonzo while I was gone. Up in Alaska, it rained just about daily, but here on the homestead it was sunny and in the 80's every day, and the Veg just lapped up the sunlight. <br />
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By the time I got the garden under control, I ran into a chicken issue...when I realized I hadn't written about the trip or the garden, and now a major development with the "girls" and wow, was I behind. So I did what anyone behind on projects does...I ignored it, hoping it would go away....<br />
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Yes I know this to be wrong, but my denial ran deep, and only now allows me to say Mea Culpa.<br />
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So I am going with the multiple post on the same day attack. First up is this apology. 2nd will be the Alaska trip. 3rd will be the garden, and last but definately not least, 4th will be the girls.<br />
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Again, for those following and felt left out, that was not my intention, and I hope to get caught up here and now.<br />
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AdamAdam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-4887614596112383602011-07-04T20:04:00.000-07:002011-07-04T20:04:09.644-07:00Yes, I fell off the earth....I know, I know that it's been an awful long time between blogs. Really, I wasn't trying to avoid anyone or anything, I just ran out of steam...<br />
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I got busy with project after project around the house, and the next thing I knew, the chickens had grown, and so had my garden. In spite of all my best efforts to ignore them as well.<br />
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First off the girls:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfA30tfP5xoojzQ_CfO-Em0yLTyne2SztJTmJerQ2P3NEWl-E471-BKLqGRkD1SsWLrCEHhiopiniG9Vw-kMyys-_ZPLcd-Hh7odUftUPXtkdBW_nq7CiWPSb-3PcyEQAilmlkOaAAYu8-/s1600/DSC05016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfA30tfP5xoojzQ_CfO-Em0yLTyne2SztJTmJerQ2P3NEWl-E471-BKLqGRkD1SsWLrCEHhiopiniG9Vw-kMyys-_ZPLcd-Hh7odUftUPXtkdBW_nq7CiWPSb-3PcyEQAilmlkOaAAYu8-/s320/DSC05016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here's Twinkie our Buff Orpington. She is quite the individual. She is the only one to like being picked up, and can often be found scratching and pecking away to her own tune...She seems like she doesn't need the rest of the flock, as she can take being with them or alone...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbV77NGjnVGQtjMe1oIfp_Roil5ZKOkdj8izokL3uL6-fLgp8ZgWMWnpUoSFX-__ClKd5lQf5tKjr1XGXvi9ree9qgzi1sWDJAvb499acpa-sbxw5_9V0Ncx22a7lZRIkH4o-GehByieK/s1600/DSC05020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbV77NGjnVGQtjMe1oIfp_Roil5ZKOkdj8izokL3uL6-fLgp8ZgWMWnpUoSFX-__ClKd5lQf5tKjr1XGXvi9ree9qgzi1sWDJAvb499acpa-sbxw5_9V0Ncx22a7lZRIkH4o-GehByieK/s320/DSC05020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here is Hayden, our Golden Laced Wyandotte. She and Little Red our Silver Laced Wyandotte pal around like twins...and neither want to be picked up or handled. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_N1l-E4XJzT1uPes31mIMhO2RKX7trk4lYbjHYjFqQF-hrpXoXYhvqazHp6P3aIwmOk16NIl00VN84bnjM-YGI0k_nZiAWq-B3rk1mX7HkOktTGuoEZHGU_YhF0i-qkS8FJ3mfj0EmDYg/s1600/DSC05019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_N1l-E4XJzT1uPes31mIMhO2RKX7trk4lYbjHYjFqQF-hrpXoXYhvqazHp6P3aIwmOk16NIl00VN84bnjM-YGI0k_nZiAWq-B3rk1mX7HkOktTGuoEZHGU_YhF0i-qkS8FJ3mfj0EmDYg/s320/DSC05019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And speaking about Little Red...well, I no longer worry about HER being a roo...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtVsqDlxPSQeMy_t8WyF3MbPQgd20pdcbeulc9B6EfS7uV7ixkDU88wpWmFvlZM8PdyrOcoWS3gk1WAoa9CZi05WN5D6eWtQSv5_rVO_Bgfw8JEMGxYkeleQW_ZzCoWxN4k-dINH9tGED/s1600/DSC05025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtVsqDlxPSQeMy_t8WyF3MbPQgd20pdcbeulc9B6EfS7uV7ixkDU88wpWmFvlZM8PdyrOcoWS3gk1WAoa9CZi05WN5D6eWtQSv5_rVO_Bgfw8JEMGxYkeleQW_ZzCoWxN4k-dINH9tGED/s320/DSC05025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And finally, Rosalina, our Welsummer. She is the vocal one, and like Twinkie, doesn't mind being picked up. In fact, Rosalina is usually chasing after Twinkie, trying to get her to join the others, or pairing up with her when that fails.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The chickens have had free reign of the backyard for the past week. It has been wonderfully exciting to see them explore, and just be chickens. Unfortunately, they in all their chicken-ness, have wrecked havoc on my wife's flower beds, and the free reign has been curtailed. Basically they get supervised time out of the arc now. Are they happy...no not so much, but this is an experiment in chicken keeping so I will keep adapting, and so will they.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The best part about the chickens is they see me and come running...guess that has something to do with I'm the one that feeds them...but who cares, seeing them come running up to me is too cool!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now for a veggie update:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I harvested the spinach, and froze a bunch up, and ate spinach salad for almost a week. We have also been harvesting Lettuce and Arrugala for salads every night. We also harvested Parsley, Oregano and mint, and they are hanging in the garage to dry...cause we don't have a dehydrator, so it's old school for us. The smell when the garage door opens is to die for...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The rest of the veg is still in the ground, and coming up at varying degrees as you will see in the following photos:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_Z_fIXe8HoZjI-K8QMomccL2cDa4cxV2gcffwWRRp02ZAduHa9uKY_8dxS1W2WUe0ORXUxZt7_wFWhvHEJT4toBywouMd25-Xa8PWIeBzBr_uRQYaSaVEYNMPf8pQAg9qyYn4XFl27Gx/s1600/DSC05061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_Z_fIXe8HoZjI-K8QMomccL2cDa4cxV2gcffwWRRp02ZAduHa9uKY_8dxS1W2WUe0ORXUxZt7_wFWhvHEJT4toBywouMd25-Xa8PWIeBzBr_uRQYaSaVEYNMPf8pQAg9qyYn4XFl27Gx/s320/DSC05061.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Some folks said I was optimistic when I built my Raspberry cage so tall...well, optimism or realism, either way, those canes are tall! I had flowers earlier, now lots of little raspberries are beginning. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfOcncZLGU-9l-5ba6wTJBK0oZv1yRdJYjksHS1R5YiC89XnbUX_uq9_BYUgayXNtgIqRco6HodflhfIzu3JOOy-baYL4zsjQUqyf9zI_mxN9cH56yV7k0Xkp5r7TiSI_qL8dcxDRkSea/s1600/DSC05062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfOcncZLGU-9l-5ba6wTJBK0oZv1yRdJYjksHS1R5YiC89XnbUX_uq9_BYUgayXNtgIqRco6HodflhfIzu3JOOy-baYL4zsjQUqyf9zI_mxN9cH56yV7k0Xkp5r7TiSI_qL8dcxDRkSea/s320/DSC05062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The garlic is almost ready to stop watering...This bed will next up be used for Butternut Squash.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NrW7ao3qXxmyQCdHAOvrEJMG7FwT9ViNG2URhFFuIUiB1o89v8VtnOIreLhNKj_poJJSYlk9vYY01mOT6YUAfkZQWY6aV5HH_KSKczEYcZeD-RJKsiNIgFHGHHkpdG-ZVwEmp_rSV92c/s1600/DSC05063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NrW7ao3qXxmyQCdHAOvrEJMG7FwT9ViNG2URhFFuIUiB1o89v8VtnOIreLhNKj_poJJSYlk9vYY01mOT6YUAfkZQWY6aV5HH_KSKczEYcZeD-RJKsiNIgFHGHHkpdG-ZVwEmp_rSV92c/s320/DSC05063.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The bush beans are coming up! I originally planted Tiger's eye and Yin Yang in the closer bed. Germination rates weren't phenomenal, so I interspersed some Jacobs Cattle Beans I got from the Mother Earth News Fair. The further bed, has Cranberry Beans, which came up fantastic, and Canelli Lingott, which only produce one plant...one measly plant...ugh! So, in went Hidatsa Shield Beans, another Heirloom seed obtained from the Mother Earth News Fair. As you can see they seem to like the bed they lay in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbVbK4FaDYWFR7M86l6r3NxWNtGa2x6LDEf4j2jks5IpelM1ma593ITgHyP7PiXPbucTDByEE-HK08LsxsJek6JcvtuKNvQCgKL-DKjfAeFb0um2mDO_22LFcdl3W9Mem8iocs04_pYnC/s1600/DSC05064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbVbK4FaDYWFR7M86l6r3NxWNtGa2x6LDEf4j2jks5IpelM1ma593ITgHyP7PiXPbucTDByEE-HK08LsxsJek6JcvtuKNvQCgKL-DKjfAeFb0um2mDO_22LFcdl3W9Mem8iocs04_pYnC/s320/DSC05064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lettuce just waiting to become a heavenly salad. I have to be honest though, I can't tell the difference between Salad Bowl and Pom Pom...top left. The Flashy Trout back top right is tasty. The Mache bottom right is a sweet subtle addition, and you can just make out the lone Butterhead that came up...again, one...one...musta planted a gazillion little lettuce seeds, and only one! Ugh. The red lettuce is called Revolution. It is a quiet revolution though...not much on the flavor dept. but does add color to a salad.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's my current favorite salad recipe. Picked this up in Argentina, where the family down there eat it all summer long, and I get why.</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 Big bowl of leafy greens (I use all my lettuce's, mache and arugala)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 - 2 tomatoes cut into small bites and sprinkled over the leafy greens</div><div style="text-align: center;">A pinch or two of salt sprinkled over the Toms and Greens</div><div style="text-align: center;">Canola oil sprinkled over the salt, toms and greens</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rice wine vinegar sprinkled over the oil, salt, toms and greens.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mix and serve.</div><div style="text-align: left;">This salad is so simple and goes well on it's own or with anything off the grill. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4csitWSKR3jsnJqO-GeLOUbIFlNcnvRyQOaja0g3J6uo2f1yzltAARQXGXoIUFcgCsjWSDvE2CfZPXNFtk4U7mcigax9LiBzyV_xZ-A_tUKVW82tvUSD8YDbDNOlQDT-907MzXTLLgU7l/s1600/DSC05065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4csitWSKR3jsnJqO-GeLOUbIFlNcnvRyQOaja0g3J6uo2f1yzltAARQXGXoIUFcgCsjWSDvE2CfZPXNFtk4U7mcigax9LiBzyV_xZ-A_tUKVW82tvUSD8YDbDNOlQDT-907MzXTLLgU7l/s320/DSC05065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The peas are going like gang-busters. I have a ton of flowers, and some have started to fruit! Which is for the best as we are almost out of the peas we froze last year, and will need a new harvest soon. Unfortunately the broccoli goes to flower as soon as the heads form. It's just to warm for them now. I will leave them to go to seed as I will need new seed for a late summer planting for fall harvest, as well as next year. Just to the left of the bed, you can see the mint invasion we have. This is spearmint, and makes wonderful Mojitos which I make it a point to enjoy as often as possible!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2B-kSYRSCZFlKmFa_ECSRmJss9PEpam2fJutX8ILGfasBOBOLtUUXMcMOgojBNnRpwrb5rBPrhSiKO2F4OMlz__yILT7KUYuvX0fce4AAXdCXcPBQnGHfiFNXZlIUtE7SxBwVVf_9sxWf/s1600/DSC05066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2B-kSYRSCZFlKmFa_ECSRmJss9PEpam2fJutX8ILGfasBOBOLtUUXMcMOgojBNnRpwrb5rBPrhSiKO2F4OMlz__yILT7KUYuvX0fce4AAXdCXcPBQnGHfiFNXZlIUtE7SxBwVVf_9sxWf/s320/DSC05066.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Well, the experiment has continued. I was told we couldn't grow melons here, but I had to try. The first attempt with indoor starts failed miserably...the melons began to vine into my tomatoes, and broccoli, and the weather was still too ugly, but I put them out under a hoop house, and they simply withered away...just too cold. So I re-planted in hills direct seeding. This is what is up. Not sure if they will make it before September brings wet weather again, but like I said, this is an experiment.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TJGoeIAp478A7vHJwMmx-xTf033DgZvrRn3hRiRgwSLvhf7GxHiWjF52ebYI9naDLs3ddgoTdmtoAPiATA4G5v9cAMY_u7tgffFr_VAUDw5hspozsL0wtmeu8sfriv4JD6Rt9wXZZbtw/s1600/DSC05067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TJGoeIAp478A7vHJwMmx-xTf033DgZvrRn3hRiRgwSLvhf7GxHiWjF52ebYI9naDLs3ddgoTdmtoAPiATA4G5v9cAMY_u7tgffFr_VAUDw5hspozsL0wtmeu8sfriv4JD6Rt9wXZZbtw/s320/DSC05067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here is the bed dedicated to Asparagus...amazingly even though I planted them late, I got 5 asparagus stalks! This is whats up with the carrots we planted, not a great germination rate with the homemade seed tape, but decent. I know we didn't use the freshest of seeds on this tape project, so not sure if it was the flour glue we used, the toilet paper being two-ply...or old seed. Perhaps just the fickle finger of fate, who knows. But we will have a few carrots this year. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjUCw07O-J5AK98tmdgMSF_OUsOKpZTF3aMv1Ko8OG2eavnX350lT7FHv8iDP9o97-glwf41nTrzvMs22xwq0SI68qhWVdrI5CbBe_Kno_EUAlMrypz-DuOO9_D2rbW4u4uQv2RTWfpW7/s1600/DSC05068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjUCw07O-J5AK98tmdgMSF_OUsOKpZTF3aMv1Ko8OG2eavnX350lT7FHv8iDP9o97-glwf41nTrzvMs22xwq0SI68qhWVdrI5CbBe_Kno_EUAlMrypz-DuOO9_D2rbW4u4uQv2RTWfpW7/s320/DSC05068.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This bed has big hurkin Faba Beans bottom left, with cucumbers to their right. Behind the beans is a mess of Arugala (great peppery flavor in salads) and to their right are Zucchini. Behind all this climbing the trellis is the pole beans. Need those to mature to harvest stage as we have only one meal left frozen from last year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZsYatyqRLZKy_XbdsBH8215jz8Ck1FyYVEqp6b0WiNvW5Bx0RtZBr0mdut8C0bqkjIKHRj8didh-qowqxxSDmn-CLECCBwC_HCTOW0I-gotCrecw7z_QdYyESNZ9KXSSd9T1KU2Expl/s1600/DSC05069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZsYatyqRLZKy_XbdsBH8215jz8Ck1FyYVEqp6b0WiNvW5Bx0RtZBr0mdut8C0bqkjIKHRj8didh-qowqxxSDmn-CLECCBwC_HCTOW0I-gotCrecw7z_QdYyESNZ9KXSSd9T1KU2Expl/s320/DSC05069.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This bed is home to 4 surviving tomato plants, little pepper plants and the big leaves up front are Nasturtiums...they control aphids (a pesky problem here in the pacific nw, and if not aphid infested, are a tasty addition to a salad as well. Yes Nasturtium flowers are edible!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsDx4gcHfLcUqTy3IFPcCOfJ4bwHBKt14qwdiRiL5HrOhVCeVpRdA_kcxEtzwEugVFfQp4CwLZx_USbfFcLC3bUBVhZTWaRvkI_nKmJBcoSgRGn64L0IsoSXHOBc43Ae4HVbsNbIHBCvT/s1600/DSC05070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsDx4gcHfLcUqTy3IFPcCOfJ4bwHBKt14qwdiRiL5HrOhVCeVpRdA_kcxEtzwEugVFfQp4CwLZx_USbfFcLC3bUBVhZTWaRvkI_nKmJBcoSgRGn64L0IsoSXHOBc43Ae4HVbsNbIHBCvT/s320/DSC05070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Is that, yes I believe it is, A tomato or two! I thinned out some the the leaves, as the tomatoes were getting to bushy, and lo and behold, tomatoes were seen! Come on warm weather, without tomatoes, salsa aint a happening...and we need salsa as only two or three pints remain in storage.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that rounds out the growth in the garden. So as you can see, in spite of all my hand wringing about the sorry weather, and feeling sorry for my self, the chickens and veg follow a different drummer; and are growing wonderfully.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope to blog more often, and hope that time will allow me to spend it amongst the chickens and veg.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Night all.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Adam</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-60286240653522565842011-06-06T00:16:00.000-07:002011-06-06T00:16:03.881-07:00Great Weekend at the Fair!Whew, what a whirlwind of experience and knowledge. Right now I feel like a kid just getting off the carousel; dizzy, giddy, tired, and ready to do it all over again. June 4th and 5th, I attended the Mother Earth News Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds here in Puyallup, WA, just a hop, skip and a jump from my homestead.<br />
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I have subscribed to this wonderful magazine for the past few years, and was totally envious when they announced last year that the first ever fair was being held in Virginia :( so never in my dreams did I think I would be able to attend a fair like this. When 3 months ago, they announced that they were expanding the fair to 3 cities, and that Puyallup, WA was the first stop, I immediately bought my weekend pass, and was as excited as a kid on Christmas eve! I eagerly awaited this weekend, and Saturday, woke up bright and early so I could make the 1+ hour drive South to Puyallup. Unfortunately, my wonderful wife, was under the weather, so couldn't make the trip with me.<br />
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At 9:00 when the fair opened, I was one of the first to walk in, and attended my first of many lectures that day, this one called Herbal Apothecary 101, which was followed by Cheese Making: Fresh Mozzarella, which led me into the lecture I was pumped up to see: Ballet in the Pasture, by one of the true "Rock-Stars of Sustainability" Mr. Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictG0T_npw6vvywQ_7szAVw5lTI7VZIlu6Bx9ZIutVjRWPzhIAj-ABI122K-lIQvteqo4Tq20MXzm46Qm8g4UuzmhnlqKpLtSYv1-xZpjUXbBgnYW4YgwLLw5wkkwPNJ_JtltRC7gQ1nTj/s1600/DSC04500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictG0T_npw6vvywQ_7szAVw5lTI7VZIlu6Bx9ZIutVjRWPzhIAj-ABI122K-lIQvteqo4Tq20MXzm46Qm8g4UuzmhnlqKpLtSYv1-xZpjUXbBgnYW4YgwLLw5wkkwPNJ_JtltRC7gQ1nTj/s320/DSC04500.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The man truly is a rock star in this field, this was the single most attended speaker of the festival, and his book signing line went on for more than 2 & 1/2 hours. Needless to say, I didn't get a chance to speak to him :(</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">From here, I attended a lecture on Solar Energy in the Pacific NW, and then realized I hadn't had anything to eat since o'dark thirty....and found myself munching down on a gyro. Which meant I missed a lecture from 2:00 to 2:45, but used that time to peruse the vendors. Of which there were plenty. I connected with a group that sells and installs made in WA solar panels, tucked that one away for future reference. Then met another group that sells and installs innovative solar hot water heaters:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxdNG5OOR_RIGgiruYkgW8k1HnCpWuXS5IbV58BLZEnoTyjqigh_A_PZY2Eow63vnhtwKiS5SEKV8GG8v_laVOGI2uQZxRRM3cMi5f4QYWry7x6qYD2FMg8ExvMKZSKLTR-uMwEfkM9IY/s1600/DSC04504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxdNG5OOR_RIGgiruYkgW8k1HnCpWuXS5IbV58BLZEnoTyjqigh_A_PZY2Eow63vnhtwKiS5SEKV8GG8v_laVOGI2uQZxRRM3cMi5f4QYWry7x6qYD2FMg8ExvMKZSKLTR-uMwEfkM9IY/s320/DSC04504.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These tubes, heat the water without glycerine, and though this is a sample setup, the real deal has 20 tubes, and will heat enough water for a family of 4, using direct sunlight and UV rays, so it can be overcast and still work. Total cost of install, is just shy of $2,500.00 more affordable than I thought.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also found myself at the booth of Seed Savers Exchange, and chatted with those folk for 20 minutes or more, and walked away with Jacobs Cattle Beans, Hidatsa Shield Figure Beans, Amish Snap Peas, Borage, Vining Petunia, Love Lies Bleeding, and Sky & Ice Petunia seeds. What a haul! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I was left with enough time to make another lecture on Cold Process Soap Making. Looks simple, this I will have to try.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">From here, I went back out, and found myself mesmerized by people cooking in solar cookers:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDovBToILXUalTYHmMid2xObFFUgPutNEsvkl2fVwlJvnRp2EszwkI8VQCO12INu8rez6DvI-vQrKTzMzCewtTFXlTqdCEmPOPd_hCR84HdP4vsaO8Ppr9-OowTD0dm6YBBTvhjGFcEPy/s1600/DSC04501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDovBToILXUalTYHmMid2xObFFUgPutNEsvkl2fVwlJvnRp2EszwkI8VQCO12INu8rez6DvI-vQrKTzMzCewtTFXlTqdCEmPOPd_hCR84HdP4vsaO8Ppr9-OowTD0dm6YBBTvhjGFcEPy/s320/DSC04501.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Man, this is so easy, cardboard, white glue and tinfoil...I am so making one of these this week!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I did a turn around, to catch my breath and bearings, and saw this sign, and had to snap a picture:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFJ9g8Z3FjLIAzHvFDy79FgM422Cb6_WsLBlA4iB5HBFsxoQM1f2ltdF_h4WO4hEsBQDD9scyqB3wyoNuHJlJn2npxfGg4LXjLbkGGQv3P-sIkDzXzektBh0GcreWKbAHbBHM_59PD-oO/s1600/DSC04502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFJ9g8Z3FjLIAzHvFDy79FgM422Cb6_WsLBlA4iB5HBFsxoQM1f2ltdF_h4WO4hEsBQDD9scyqB3wyoNuHJlJn2npxfGg4LXjLbkGGQv3P-sIkDzXzektBh0GcreWKbAHbBHM_59PD-oO/s320/DSC04502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This tent had some good info, many animals, from Cows, Pigs, Alpaca, sheep and goats...hmm no chickens anywhere??? Show me a homestead without a flock of girls, and you got nothing...We don't need no stinkin' cows :) It was still cool though.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had planned to make another lecture, but was tired, and had a long drive home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So up early again, and again, the wife was under the weather, so my bro (sinfonian) joined me for the ride down (hey carpool lane...luv it). We got to the fairground and in just at opening 9:00 and were able to make a lecture called Backyard Bounty:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFBE1uPYZ8q6NxEeWVgXFWDwI_dhp6heZq2bsArbQkCPLpreenwqRoou5pa3Q0q8kcX1EplaeO01sNMZR-JNkdhOMu_jg5u8j2wfjb8daPv0HZaymLMjRRvGGJ4tQLHVh2XWlkQZ7z9hX/s1600/P1020617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFBE1uPYZ8q6NxEeWVgXFWDwI_dhp6heZq2bsArbQkCPLpreenwqRoou5pa3Q0q8kcX1EplaeO01sNMZR-JNkdhOMu_jg5u8j2wfjb8daPv0HZaymLMjRRvGGJ4tQLHVh2XWlkQZ7z9hX/s320/P1020617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Payback for the posting photos of me in your blog... Glad you could make it Bro.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We got some good info at this lecture, but most of it was old news...guess that means we've learned something over the years...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We then walked around the vendors, my second time around, and my bro, seemed awfully interested in...bees?!? could the little buzzers be in his future...watch his blog carefully. Heck I'm family, and even I don't know. When we broke for lunch, he spotted another blogger, and we struck up a conversation. She was there with her family, so we weren't the only ones to attend...glad others could make it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, we then sauntered off to the keynote main-stage to find seats for the main speaker of the day. So we got there early and saw a lecture about of all things...Beekeeping??? While it was a snooze fest for me...I lost track of my Bro, and if he was taking notes...or what???</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Then it was blessedly over (not really, the Bee Dude had some great points about keeping bees sustainably, and had his own theories about Colony Collapse Disorder...in a nutshell, survival of the fittest, and was really at odds with most of the beekeeping world. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But now was the time for the speaker I had come to see today...a man who needs little in the way of introduction:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kMoPRR6l0-gPyRD9qQk86SZy-CoCChG4zhLiNmgHR6SJ8qK9-bQlEPo50hMHD5mNZRY-JDK5L0x7dE5yavfQl-M1bbi0YdEeJMQpFbhM5qCHskIi9hRNQjN6mTd_s9xATzC20TS3Ylhm/s1600/P1020619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kMoPRR6l0-gPyRD9qQk86SZy-CoCChG4zhLiNmgHR6SJ8qK9-bQlEPo50hMHD5mNZRY-JDK5L0x7dE5yavfQl-M1bbi0YdEeJMQpFbhM5qCHskIi9hRNQjN6mTd_s9xATzC20TS3Ylhm/s320/P1020619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. Ed Begley Jr.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Would you believe my bro had to leave part of the way through this lecture??? I understand bro....really I do. Ed Begley Jr. was eloquent, funny, a true professional. Great points about being able to effect change, and it begins at home. Amen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unlike the day before, where I missed a chance to meet Mr. Joel Salatin, I made sure I got to meet Ed Begley Jr.:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALAwpP1rwdaYatI7Uisvw1rKo2TFaAMSk7dz0pqDplAbRMHY35EiBbW78MAR-a-wZXxMg3_s2Jh7BEcZtk3zqmoQP-BhqHpOqu2npzw4KiHkaA-kouWiD0ngo1fsFu4yNITPOT-v1uAEM/s1600/P1020620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALAwpP1rwdaYatI7Uisvw1rKo2TFaAMSk7dz0pqDplAbRMHY35EiBbW78MAR-a-wZXxMg3_s2Jh7BEcZtk3zqmoQP-BhqHpOqu2npzw4KiHkaA-kouWiD0ngo1fsFu4yNITPOT-v1uAEM/s320/P1020620.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">He loved the shirt, proudly made for Mother Earth News, it asks the question; " 40 years of oil left, 5,500,000,000 years of sunshine left; choose wisely.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, after chatting a bit with Mr. Begley, I made my way outside, fully intending to make my way back up I-5 and home, but the display on living roofs caught my eye:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fqSjawSOzz4gJVyGrEE3-BTWFJ_lt5dzsmqHAS6Dw5BXDIugM9-Ty2QbZ-Vy0AoYRVTzGvIoZykHgacaburh5tnXV6qz36j2vDyrYpq-NtPBU4STU1cRkeMkMqbAnO5lItrDtYBTfCGZ/s1600/P1020624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fqSjawSOzz4gJVyGrEE3-BTWFJ_lt5dzsmqHAS6Dw5BXDIugM9-Ty2QbZ-Vy0AoYRVTzGvIoZykHgacaburh5tnXV6qz36j2vDyrYpq-NtPBU4STU1cRkeMkMqbAnO5lItrDtYBTfCGZ/s320/P1020624.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now to convince my wonderful wife, that since our backyard roof faces North, I have to pressure wash moss off every year. Making that part of the roof, living, with sedum's, and grasses, well who cares if moss comes to play as well. I got some strong 'splainin' to do....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now it was really time to go, but a demonstration on making and using an outdoor clay oven was to interesting to pass up...especially when they were baking bread in an already finished...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGukPYOehs0Ajr3tiwiIsEUZpaGDBhrulVUxsbhrNTovPxmdd1tQs-945Um7T4pPgBJMmzgIj94To2avqyqM4s_Mm0l8CF6PHBQYipI5W6PfmRJ0kNH2Bixz_yRKX3YzpHeKnO54umX_I/s1600/P1020629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGukPYOehs0Ajr3tiwiIsEUZpaGDBhrulVUxsbhrNTovPxmdd1tQs-945Um7T4pPgBJMmzgIj94To2avqyqM4s_Mm0l8CF6PHBQYipI5W6PfmRJ0kNH2Bixz_yRKX3YzpHeKnO54umX_I/s320/P1020629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I can definitely see one of these...much larger of course, you really couldn't fit a pizza in this one, and if you can't do pizza, why build it???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, there was nothing between me and the exit now, so it was out the door, back to the car and 1 hour and 15 minutes back home...where I could relax, check on the girls, and share my day with my wife. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Let me tell you, if you ever get an opportunity to attend a Mother Earth News Fair, I suggest you do so. The amount of knowledge shared, by the speakers, and vendors is phenomenal. I brought a notebook to write down all the wisdom I uncovered. I know that info is probably out there in other places, but I got to speak to so many well informed, wonderful folks, that it didn't seem like learning, it was just chatting. Wow, I knew I forgot something...they had an organic beer and wine garden that I completely missed...dang</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, it's now tomorrow, and I am truly spent. Hope you enjoy this post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Night all.</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-83066081738172368122011-06-03T21:27:00.000-07:002011-06-03T21:27:40.278-07:00Garden UpdateWell folks, the weather here has turned up at last, June 3rd, and we nearly hit 80 today. I made sure to get out and water deeply every bed, and I noticed that things are starting to come along nicely. The pole beans are popping up (peeking I call it, when they aren't fully out, but bending to get out into the open...) the arrugala has sprouted, and the carrots are finally on the way.<br />
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I ended up with 4 asparagus, heck they didn't know they were late. And I have Cantaloupe peeking from the mounds I planted them in. <br />
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The tomatoes are all in flower, as are the red bell pepper plants. The Peas are about 6 inches high now, and found the string on the trellis'. And the broccoli and cauliflower are taking off, now that warmer weather is around.<br />
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The biggest thing that I noticed was that I needed to do some serious weeding. So I worked on the lettuce/spinach bed, and found that the beets, and swiss chard succumbed to the weeds, and were wiped out. But Kale managed to survive, and is growing strongly. I replanted beets in the cleared out area, and hope they will work out (my faith in nature is being restored slowly....)<br />
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Now in my weeding, I found 7 Japanese Maple starts (from the mid size tree in my garden area...) and I put those in a pot and watered them...they will go nicely with the 5 Golden Chain Laburnum starts I have from last year. Saving these up, with an eye to selling them...who says nursery's should have all the fun.<br />
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Well, it was such a wonderful day, and I was having so much fun, that I plumb forgot to break out the camera, so no photos today. Sorry.<br />
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I will try to remember my camera tomorrow and Sunday, as I will spend both days at the Mother Earth News Fair in Puyallup! I have subscribed to that magazine for years, and now get to attend the festival. I will get to see a Hero of mine, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, and listen to his lecture. While I will never be to that level of farming, I hope to do what I can where I am at.<br />
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night allAdam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-25261212180811556752011-05-29T00:13:00.000-07:002011-05-29T00:13:15.775-07:00Garden Update...with a surprise!Yes, it's been awhile since the last post, but it's been slow here on the homestead. Been helping my Bro with his chicken coop, and the weather hasn't been much help to the veg. Now the weeds, they are loving this weather...oh well.<br />
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I finally got around to cleaning up (tilling under) my winter cover crop in the last two 4x4 beds...I let them go seriously long...I had winter wheat forming heads! I'll have to keep that in mind for a later experiment, but for now, I need those beds for beans! So with my daughter's help, we got it all tilled in, and weeded. Then we planted using the BioIntensive plan (big thanks to GrafixMuse for reminding me about Mr Jeavons wonderful words.) We got about 60 bush bean plants into each 4x4 bed. This year we planted 4 varieties of bush beans; Tiger Eye, Yin Yang, Canelli Lingott and Cranberry. The last 3 I grew last year, and had great success, and Tiger Eye is one that came recommended from a former co-worker as a great tasting bean. I let these dry on the vine, to use in soups, stews, chilis and risottos throughout the winter.<br />
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So here are some shots I took this morning of the gardens:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mx3fMSoiIyrdF_2AWHugxcXmBlOdbpBpEIut_gmnUDKMzeGf2PXvNL8n2cvMlXi2HztmJ8QQxEHMpBPbmunspCouqtZhAtbE_OCAPBeQvPD628LI0WRnyeTykicATC96uAAB7xX0UIO6/s1600/DSC04404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mx3fMSoiIyrdF_2AWHugxcXmBlOdbpBpEIut_gmnUDKMzeGf2PXvNL8n2cvMlXi2HztmJ8QQxEHMpBPbmunspCouqtZhAtbE_OCAPBeQvPD628LI0WRnyeTykicATC96uAAB7xX0UIO6/s320/DSC04404.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is a composite shot of the 4 driveway beds I have.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzDrEs1DH3AIhha4SqOMkU_13o55tq12zkwu4BoNka6uFKnm6auZgYMVc6M2GHCYtNCp7qqAilASMzAo7Q0c0KTrUH3ThRavLPI466xPw3kgQJS919t5hmwa_6COL_fs26mOK20uhviWU/s1600/DSC04409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzDrEs1DH3AIhha4SqOMkU_13o55tq12zkwu4BoNka6uFKnm6auZgYMVc6M2GHCYtNCp7qqAilASMzAo7Q0c0KTrUH3ThRavLPI466xPw3kgQJS919t5hmwa_6COL_fs26mOK20uhviWU/s320/DSC04409.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Spinach, Beets, and lettuce...lots o' weeds to. Need to get to this sometime soon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjltwkAI2Jj6Y5tGJty6QCZXjgK10J1EdY8k9PPHXyYH2V9of8dK7NtDxAVFam7Ns-zj2bLrGq-rb01DHuqCZXmC7xvs7fRbLX62-blRHvlpFM6F9SWslTWowQmcwRmIXGvj9fALr-vdJ/s1600/DSC04410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjltwkAI2Jj6Y5tGJty6QCZXjgK10J1EdY8k9PPHXyYH2V9of8dK7NtDxAVFam7Ns-zj2bLrGq-rb01DHuqCZXmC7xvs7fRbLX62-blRHvlpFM6F9SWslTWowQmcwRmIXGvj9fALr-vdJ/s320/DSC04410.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Peas are coming up, and broccoli and cauliflower have somehow avoided the creepy crawler leaf munchers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_utyE0xFSOjo9UTmS2_zTruXDeZrF4JzKgnAktE-HIurYAzJ9dzqGHbXdKCBumMZY8fy2IpjiGlube6vE_IvnGmnaTvSbS2eha3tY9h-GeZ-e7AKwBAWWMoidzDPlmItC_HYyRwZmGNb/s1600/DSC04411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_utyE0xFSOjo9UTmS2_zTruXDeZrF4JzKgnAktE-HIurYAzJ9dzqGHbXdKCBumMZY8fy2IpjiGlube6vE_IvnGmnaTvSbS2eha3tY9h-GeZ-e7AKwBAWWMoidzDPlmItC_HYyRwZmGNb/s320/DSC04411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">It doesn't look like much, but this is my dedicated asparagus bed, planted this year with 3 year old crowns, I didn't figure to get any asparagus, so overplanted with carrots that are now coming up...sporadically at best.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWf4GoxIo7DSzNZQMjhf7tqTzq4KUrEdX-gDLEJmx96vq8-0bltTZD6Io7AVQikLg7dX2VV7W-HG1vvOa8ABQeP3VerwhIAZPgT0kpk_fdsf79doU-0rc9e0OzHCdDDxJvTKI8G05xrQUv/s1600/DSC04415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWf4GoxIo7DSzNZQMjhf7tqTzq4KUrEdX-gDLEJmx96vq8-0bltTZD6Io7AVQikLg7dX2VV7W-HG1vvOa8ABQeP3VerwhIAZPgT0kpk_fdsf79doU-0rc9e0OzHCdDDxJvTKI8G05xrQUv/s320/DSC04415.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lo and behold, Asparagus...SURPRISE!!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dEUl9GhggSBWpCQm_xvdosbGm6Pq6e9NRmb94qA5HobRi47OeZMTZ6biRFOurPs-01KFUp8Cv2XQcgKh4A4c8tC0lyeoUwQyWhndlVuvyLb0TvlqPn34WAH_n2AtfK-ALr9ZVKbl6wEQ/s1600/DSC04416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dEUl9GhggSBWpCQm_xvdosbGm6Pq6e9NRmb94qA5HobRi47OeZMTZ6biRFOurPs-01KFUp8Cv2XQcgKh4A4c8tC0lyeoUwQyWhndlVuvyLb0TvlqPn34WAH_n2AtfK-ALr9ZVKbl6wEQ/s320/DSC04416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And another...wow! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz-giRbGw9K4_cuJzrmhusVdql_c-od9OQozs73lONW_QtSxPCn9VSY-cyvriycwRYKMbu2R1OWkEkOh4nixHdZ83EWz-mWRtCTw0zRNlefMipzzbfv56K8uOFGecOyycj7_p43op48hi/s1600/DSC04417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz-giRbGw9K4_cuJzrmhusVdql_c-od9OQozs73lONW_QtSxPCn9VSY-cyvriycwRYKMbu2R1OWkEkOh4nixHdZ83EWz-mWRtCTw0zRNlefMipzzbfv56K8uOFGecOyycj7_p43op48hi/s320/DSC04417.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This bed is 4x8 and holds Pole beans (well the trellis is visible) arrugala, Faba Beans, Zucchini and Cucumbers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqGokTUPLphUcQFPP5Y8RGzG9fh59FHRXxkC6xfN3oxr2xhOCGlOpZUNPhAVPfC8DSZzYlsmI1UmRDDoaBgpmSNMys8Z_mgfYY8m2smjhYVWXyYkGwwAVfvDKqI89sG2REKanPywrfuhx/s1600/DSC04418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqGokTUPLphUcQFPP5Y8RGzG9fh59FHRXxkC6xfN3oxr2xhOCGlOpZUNPhAVPfC8DSZzYlsmI1UmRDDoaBgpmSNMys8Z_mgfYY8m2smjhYVWXyYkGwwAVfvDKqI89sG2REKanPywrfuhx/s320/DSC04418.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers, Jalepenos, cayennes, and pepperocinis. A few basil struggling along to fill in some gaps.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I see that I have neglected to snap a photo of the onion bed, but that's okay, something for a later post. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now if the weather would just cooperate. We have had ridiculous 70+ days with 40 something nights that have everything but weeds on hold...Though I do have flowers on the tomato plants, I hope that they are strong enough to bear fruit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that's the update, hopefully the weather will come around, and the veg will prosper.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Night all.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-21068394275942550222011-05-20T20:24:00.000-07:002011-05-20T20:24:29.771-07:00Coop's Done, and Chicks play in the sun!So sorry folks for all the chicken updates, but the garden is really at a standstill, we've only just hit 70 degrees (yesterday 5/19) and nights are still in the mid 40's so everything is in hold mode...<br />
<br />
But, the Chicken Coop is now DONE! and the chickens have officially moved in!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuu9R1_jpu2gDCOPqh8ZU4bdf-kD8C1KbXCvwQMNZCHvOxgGzPHR4fjfJD6G2yVgePbLoOC8x00GAr3-KO50IdWJAHPTiA4VUZTXmkQVXiDGaw1DnUUGUMzWQzVqi_4UkoS0xnqo6xvjW/s1600/DSC04385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuu9R1_jpu2gDCOPqh8ZU4bdf-kD8C1KbXCvwQMNZCHvOxgGzPHR4fjfJD6G2yVgePbLoOC8x00GAr3-KO50IdWJAHPTiA4VUZTXmkQVXiDGaw1DnUUGUMzWQzVqi_4UkoS0xnqo6xvjW/s320/DSC04385.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What's the first thing chickens do when moving into a new domicile...check out the buffet!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">So today after running errands, I finished up the Ark, and brought the chickens out into the sunshine. Wow did grass confuse them!?! But they soon warmed up to the green under their feet, and started pecking away, eating bugs, weeds, pulling up grass and having a good 'ol time!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBcxCk1ue-b3EqdgABxmVcexQOFv0B2STjvpIo0FrVZU8_Ze1znkAex92Rskrub5vioCA9UPGTcLspp7VJKyp7YUNSiBb5hGrz6XJo2F0eDsDgz4xpU1HS85ICC8CGhhDqLaujnhoerv6/s1600/DSC04376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBcxCk1ue-b3EqdgABxmVcexQOFv0B2STjvpIo0FrVZU8_Ze1znkAex92Rskrub5vioCA9UPGTcLspp7VJKyp7YUNSiBb5hGrz6XJo2F0eDsDgz4xpU1HS85ICC8CGhhDqLaujnhoerv6/s320/DSC04376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is one of the prettiest sites in our already gorgeous backyard. My dream of 5 years has become a reality...there are chickens in my backyard!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was really cool to have them outside with me as I put the wired gate on the lower run of their coop. This was the last thing to do before I could move them in. The gate is made from 2x2 lumber, and then 1/4 inch hardware cloth is on top of that. I put hinges on the side, so that the gates open outwards, like cabinet doors.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ryEDR6GAFyn8ONijEPjTZamCERuqQ8vfmJYtOw_M5XVoEIXIDM_G55Ijorj0kAE1YJxf94qZh3v-Qooyfh_g7QNiD7nfkFtkUOo_xPv_RP9xlTof9o3WcaM9nSKmW1MBr8Lb35Dp1Wqh/s1600/DSC04382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ryEDR6GAFyn8ONijEPjTZamCERuqQ8vfmJYtOw_M5XVoEIXIDM_G55Ijorj0kAE1YJxf94qZh3v-Qooyfh_g7QNiD7nfkFtkUOo_xPv_RP9xlTof9o3WcaM9nSKmW1MBr8Lb35Dp1Wqh/s320/DSC04382.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I'd like to think I was so smart as to think this up beforehand, but circumstances led my hand. In the end, I like this better than what I had planned, which was to have the gate lift up from the bottom with hinges on top. The use of 1x2' would have worked like that, but using 2x2's made it tricky to impossible to make work, so I improvised, and actually like this result much better! Go Figure.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, this was all done by about 6 pm, and needing to get the girls into the coop before we left to see the farmers market down the road, I moved them in and they took to the new place likes kids in a candy store.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow I will work with them on the ladder to the lower run. I will also have to purchase a larger waterer for them. I will likely use the same feeder though as it is still working. They are just going through more water than a quart mason jar holds.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sorry, writing this up, got me thinking about the chickens, and I had to go see how they were doing. Well it turns out, they are chirping away, eating. I could see that my plan to minimize the bedding isn't a rousing 100% success, as the ramp ladder is covered in bedding now! Not sure if I can do anything about that at this stage, but once they grow bigger I can increase the size of the wall around the opening.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow comes the task of cleaning the garage. That's were the brooder box ended up, and there is a fine layer of dust over everything within spitting distance of the box (that would be camel spitting distance I'm discovering...) Oh bother. That will have to be done before we attend a play, and then scurry to see my daughter perform in her high school play. So Busy day tomorrow.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Night all</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-43781607326698839402011-05-19T23:10:00.000-07:002011-05-19T23:10:28.074-07:00Coop Update: Chicks to go out tomorrow!Well, nice weather has arrived! Days up to 74, though nights still in the mid 40's though. The day being nice allowed me to get work done on the Chicken Coop. I am 97% to 98% done, with just finishing up the gated wire on the bottom front of the coop, and the chickens can move in. They should be in their castle tomorrow, keeping fingers crossed (which makes typing difficult to say the least....)<br />
<br />
Well, here are some photos of the coop;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6jFF8E-n32_eNaUhdfyrJoliw5B7iETvZC6uUshnPZEl-I4jPE-kcl71by5O55uuwZD19mCLuhLAX3Val1-39lXqKRbh49ztXu47MIW65MIsYfCCkuPLBdjQvY3RVvJzHVPnEIgDFxOn/s1600/DSC04354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6jFF8E-n32_eNaUhdfyrJoliw5B7iETvZC6uUshnPZEl-I4jPE-kcl71by5O55uuwZD19mCLuhLAX3Val1-39lXqKRbh49ztXu47MIW65MIsYfCCkuPLBdjQvY3RVvJzHVPnEIgDFxOn/s320/DSC04354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Got it into position. Had to put wheels on, as this is one heavy (sturdy too) coop. Wire is in-place on the back and sides, just need wire on the front, which will be in the form of two gates that lift up to allow access.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp02CQ0MUxMwvNsqc8lLlfIyOq2Pkz0Mdk0mtwsUAkYdlB9JPmTayQlbopkMRRBDpVQjl_WEtZQ-R4rKGILU03k7mxge6cy6MOEiKRLWArDTr0I_hy131AhNFdzDXiVxfS3SAntExvvaC/s1600/DSC04355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp02CQ0MUxMwvNsqc8lLlfIyOq2Pkz0Mdk0mtwsUAkYdlB9JPmTayQlbopkMRRBDpVQjl_WEtZQ-R4rKGILU03k7mxge6cy6MOEiKRLWArDTr0I_hy131AhNFdzDXiVxfS3SAntExvvaC/s320/DSC04355.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My brother (sinfornian) wouldn't take a photo unless I was in it. Thanks for the help Bro!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zNFBlDYL6F3CVQdcJyouiVu-CCysujrS4KyeECPc70Iedop_61j9GAeCm1oOfLS5ie4gTUNDvNTIhrG8czq2HXG5rXA_IMDgt88Wc0s2ITw6Xxmd47n873NDMi4XlgesbhuApgJxEwM6/s1600/DSC04360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zNFBlDYL6F3CVQdcJyouiVu-CCysujrS4KyeECPc70Iedop_61j9GAeCm1oOfLS5ie4gTUNDvNTIhrG8czq2HXG5rXA_IMDgt88Wc0s2ITw6Xxmd47n873NDMi4XlgesbhuApgJxEwM6/s320/DSC04360.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This rope closes the trap door that completes the ladder to the lower run, pull it and the door closes.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfiYuTFwY3VCPGxgbobbOkzFq7fdIFsH9KBsUqYxgUkyBg72bnVzaIe9ZUHCapKj3BVgzTMWI6inz5Oi5tRe95x5uhhrRaTy_Msq_VqB61-2mbY_vbDND29ob6uSFhKM7LBy_W0Nvj4tu/s1600/DSC04361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfiYuTFwY3VCPGxgbobbOkzFq7fdIFsH9KBsUqYxgUkyBg72bnVzaIe9ZUHCapKj3BVgzTMWI6inz5Oi5tRe95x5uhhrRaTy_Msq_VqB61-2mbY_vbDND29ob6uSFhKM7LBy_W0Nvj4tu/s320/DSC04361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now it's open...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvvi_j0EDtPN2M0F_w6pzpZCQ87pZq0bOwDO_gLbN5fJn3NPKgZcR63CbXC4EK26JT5dsoijTcH_Ccj0E_galxfEPmkBU2925M_e61QZyU4Mbu00ibdN9qbNfrkUgnPuikP0tmMdmy_v5/s1600/DSC04362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvvi_j0EDtPN2M0F_w6pzpZCQ87pZq0bOwDO_gLbN5fJn3NPKgZcR63CbXC4EK26JT5dsoijTcH_Ccj0E_galxfEPmkBU2925M_e61QZyU4Mbu00ibdN9qbNfrkUgnPuikP0tmMdmy_v5/s320/DSC04362.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and a pull of the rope closes the door! The wood around the door is to try to minimize the loss of bedding when the door opens in the mornings...try, try, oh well...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3mnrfg2tkpmOnESUnHJy0C9MvAzZEn20_PTZAysXb3nRFx9c_CplY3Jr7X2mG4OMvE_xPyC-J30GW6i7XSekB47u1mbh8YFua-IIZiasBb2IaoPxGuX5mUaoa_z7WqpqQJId1W-aEF7y/s1600/DSC04363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3mnrfg2tkpmOnESUnHJy0C9MvAzZEn20_PTZAysXb3nRFx9c_CplY3Jr7X2mG4OMvE_xPyC-J30GW6i7XSekB47u1mbh8YFua-IIZiasBb2IaoPxGuX5mUaoa_z7WqpqQJId1W-aEF7y/s320/DSC04363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These doors open to access the nesting boxes, and collect the eggs.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1xv4dlAIBqNK7AKEGuFfU2Gue96hdAW3et0KUOpNLiLt47GK1Aagu5iKZcjk-JfSKi5Ht-Jg0LW7dckPKG7z7ANFr7mqAtwHc7AH9xWOAef6ocfu24YtouA2-QPodbX-ktErdzCcu4zP/s1600/DSC04364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1xv4dlAIBqNK7AKEGuFfU2Gue96hdAW3et0KUOpNLiLt47GK1Aagu5iKZcjk-JfSKi5Ht-Jg0LW7dckPKG7z7ANFr7mqAtwHc7AH9xWOAef6ocfu24YtouA2-QPodbX-ktErdzCcu4zP/s320/DSC04364.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The two roosts are in place, and the vent in back is secure. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">These past few days have been long, but the reward is knowing the the chickens have a safe secure coop to sleep in. It will stand up the worst weather we get here, and stay warm and dry. The only drawback to this design is the lack of roaming room, yes they lower run is some room, but they need a bit more. To that end, I am building an ark, 7' by 4' A frame style so that I can move them around the yard, and after harvest the ark will fit nicely over my garden beds.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzdteFRqXKvWU6lw-2C15J2fqTkFyb3IgJhAJ8otBzzjS7s9F1MM1CqBwrfzxiO2hxmxBwouKS2qL-hXQzcN82vpuP6NnjGfEWEtKPePve5K5quCHKEASQHZ6jEse9D8yUkKyxptFeHXL/s1600/DSC04365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzdteFRqXKvWU6lw-2C15J2fqTkFyb3IgJhAJ8otBzzjS7s9F1MM1CqBwrfzxiO2hxmxBwouKS2qL-hXQzcN82vpuP6NnjGfEWEtKPePve5K5quCHKEASQHZ6jEse9D8yUkKyxptFeHXL/s320/DSC04365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is the framing for the arc, after shooting this photo, I put the poultry netting over the to long sides, and one end. That's when I ran out of daylight, and turned in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, tomorrow is supposed to be nice as well, and I hope to be able to finish up the coop, let the girls roam the lawn out back, and plant some veg, I need to get pole beans, cucumbers and bush beans in the ground. I was able to put out my first basil starts, and my ground cherries. The tomatoes, and peppers are flowering, and the melons vining. All is starting to look like Spring, the bees are buzzing, hummingbirds feasting on the flowers instead of the feeder, blooming happening all around...wow, life is good!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Night all</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-27659827636968195382011-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:002011-05-13T20:57:04.194-07:00Okay, here's a 2 day post...Well, just when I have news to share, I find that Blogger is down temporarily. I know, you all know this, but I was well, bummed. So I will just share two days worth of news in one post:<br />
<br />
Thursday:<br />
<br />
Chickens are getting too big for their Costco box, and the coop is in need of finishing:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xIoN1xpLukAADUFHCIJJoLmREIsMZSX1Creztg8P0_C4XlyXdLLv-jQEPBHnHZIaVn8jL35JpAPFHUk3bdFSYbd1Bgt70Ipua3hHVdra8hp3NOlnEC2pBLtnmALqNiy1X8dS18qSiVkZ/s1600/DSC04333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xIoN1xpLukAADUFHCIJJoLmREIsMZSX1Creztg8P0_C4XlyXdLLv-jQEPBHnHZIaVn8jL35JpAPFHUk3bdFSYbd1Bgt70Ipua3hHVdra8hp3NOlnEC2pBLtnmALqNiy1X8dS18qSiVkZ/s320/DSC04333.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">No roof, No floor, but the roosts are in. I used 2x3's and offset them so the higher roost is behind the lower. They can be removed for cleaning.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So the plan for the day was to put on a roof, put in the floor, and complete the ramp ladder to access the outdoor lower run.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTgDKw4G303Ic9-h68jne2UURNjVx1sDkt68cdotOBvV0SF3iltnAGQCdX4EckmFNfIN-pi4dN2PJcbEICa1HGDnooWqrbnUINK_UL-fGVOjnkbPtRDEU2jWdser0FwzuB7i2AucRVxIU/s1600/DSC04337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTgDKw4G303Ic9-h68jne2UURNjVx1sDkt68cdotOBvV0SF3iltnAGQCdX4EckmFNfIN-pi4dN2PJcbEICa1HGDnooWqrbnUINK_UL-fGVOjnkbPtRDEU2jWdser0FwzuB7i2AucRVxIU/s320/DSC04337.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, successful for the day. Here you see the floor in, and the register at the back to aid in ventilation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fDv_h600IbbzDZdWTPdgFXh5uPM02u7-bnjAKsQGqEnkrW5L_V9oib1RCA0OWsknHrHuXu743DwPT6TZ8IHJm5aSy-uR-FspHeJp9wlD0XQrfseKoCwnlzGkXYsS3jDn3-1J1dNwhbTr/s1600/DSC04340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fDv_h600IbbzDZdWTPdgFXh5uPM02u7-bnjAKsQGqEnkrW5L_V9oib1RCA0OWsknHrHuXu743DwPT6TZ8IHJm5aSy-uR-FspHeJp9wlD0XQrfseKoCwnlzGkXYsS3jDn3-1J1dNwhbTr/s320/DSC04340.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lookee here, a way out!</div></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-uGg0Adt6PCBOlUsa7l5rDQXGcuyC8x90uI3_Yl3UlVIMqFCj5ckXV0wf9Jm19p3Nn7uwsa4CzhI4Kc-zbkzpi7eaOfSfgsB4VwH5OR3X8tM-Ygrn-f5XhVq4OJqa7o3NafUNcH-nKDO/s1600/DSC04341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-uGg0Adt6PCBOlUsa7l5rDQXGcuyC8x90uI3_Yl3UlVIMqFCj5ckXV0wf9Jm19p3Nn7uwsa4CzhI4Kc-zbkzpi7eaOfSfgsB4VwH5OR3X8tM-Ygrn-f5XhVq4OJqa7o3NafUNcH-nKDO/s320/DSC04341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Ramp to the lower run, when the door / ramp is lowered to complete it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NeAcXw5dCyAY8ogJip7iQoYas7NXyLRy-eIhoaHqU9YHjua9jFofjFuqJ2mgRnewQNsddXAEs5DQCjCvCmcm6vlNcIngAct1Rrp40u6lKVaYH5Uix2LY7Tcjjm4gOqqGw4K_SD5fowRJ/s1600/DSC04342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NeAcXw5dCyAY8ogJip7iQoYas7NXyLRy-eIhoaHqU9YHjua9jFofjFuqJ2mgRnewQNsddXAEs5DQCjCvCmcm6vlNcIngAct1Rrp40u6lKVaYH5Uix2LY7Tcjjm4gOqqGw4K_SD5fowRJ/s320/DSC04342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The door/ramp is up, the coop closed up, and the ramp is now partial.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3UoqzDhfuRpwr6EaSMIC7d-mrECAGiB2uNy_dgVPLc5TTbDLdt-Z0rNZFVOnRX_8FB1QysS_JkXnOC2BRHgkPFACDFTLryXb9QS8g1x2TQs7dxR-GYAvupkzTPSlKMPjVCgHcXihNz2q/s1600/DSC04345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3UoqzDhfuRpwr6EaSMIC7d-mrECAGiB2uNy_dgVPLc5TTbDLdt-Z0rNZFVOnRX_8FB1QysS_JkXnOC2BRHgkPFACDFTLryXb9QS8g1x2TQs7dxR-GYAvupkzTPSlKMPjVCgHcXihNz2q/s320/DSC04345.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here is the view from the nesting boxes (note there are two) and you can just see the roofing shingles at the top of the photo.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This took darned near all day! Building this coop is a chore. I had wanted to get the tomatoes, peppers and melons out, as I had made two hoop houses over my 4x8 beds, but was too whupped to do anything more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Friday. Well, got an early jump, and had planned to put the front panel on, and fix the door on the front, and put on the nesting box doors. If time permitted, put out the tomatoes, peppers and melons.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLABWo1WD5rV6lvM3niFq2X8XIY5DAaam_7s1fTI_bu5CiiOnXG6Y_YBRlux-hNQLG8BIPUFBUtTzEMuNCghj2MEkw2g5PNPun_r6NqEQkoekrt9rK73cPVLv7J7Fu1C_YU9XgUJLaDS5/s1600/DSC04346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLABWo1WD5rV6lvM3niFq2X8XIY5DAaam_7s1fTI_bu5CiiOnXG6Y_YBRlux-hNQLG8BIPUFBUtTzEMuNCghj2MEkw2g5PNPun_r6NqEQkoekrt9rK73cPVLv7J7Fu1C_YU9XgUJLaDS5/s320/DSC04346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Well, the front panel is on, and the door is in. Note the window in the door. The window is 18x24 acrylic. The door has 3 hinges at the bottom and is held closed with two barrel bolts at the top corners.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cLflYU0c_0d1SOjHDB23ABrcmXYbxGxOuYpGLSJXxBCWyuFBy7BTwp4Da-5LwLXD3ROSdECpX2qFzEe3Zdylr1Gcj_7cvZPGv0G6kwLShwrJk32S6KlWVIuaA24Y-pcI3fTaRdWp9thk/s1600/DSC04348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cLflYU0c_0d1SOjHDB23ABrcmXYbxGxOuYpGLSJXxBCWyuFBy7BTwp4Da-5LwLXD3ROSdECpX2qFzEe3Zdylr1Gcj_7cvZPGv0G6kwLShwrJk32S6KlWVIuaA24Y-pcI3fTaRdWp9thk/s320/DSC04348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is the front door when open. It drops totally down, allowing me to clean the inside, easily.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUsC4q2wf7KCQznXo9ZGhpcJcG6lFzerZibHiBX7e3INkJrGz9pjBSOrngUHmaTE_J28_360OBl8HyMob3qRBnY00zgFAd2TffHA47sTfFsucs5H6QlpjgPR1lu_s438COM_PIMYHPN6o/s1600/DSC04349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUsC4q2wf7KCQznXo9ZGhpcJcG6lFzerZibHiBX7e3INkJrGz9pjBSOrngUHmaTE_J28_360OBl8HyMob3qRBnY00zgFAd2TffHA47sTfFsucs5H6QlpjgPR1lu_s438COM_PIMYHPN6o/s320/DSC04349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I have two doors on the nesting boxes, one for each box. Two hinges per door, and a barrel bolt at the top holds it closed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2nmKVu-Szu01OHvsSx556-JPwr1wapLwHbuZE1xWhfkLlgYSpFHCYbRqoYLrJZfwyNwsjZIawVaBkzcA2luodjSN8-Lh5LwsA5ZF69CM7al6U6Q1YfTrxvnqKdNAcw5dQj3xH4l95_VL/s1600/DSC04350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2nmKVu-Szu01OHvsSx556-JPwr1wapLwHbuZE1xWhfkLlgYSpFHCYbRqoYLrJZfwyNwsjZIawVaBkzcA2luodjSN8-Lh5LwsA5ZF69CM7al6U6Q1YfTrxvnqKdNAcw5dQj3xH4l95_VL/s320/DSC04350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here is one of the open doors. Normally I see the lid lift up to access the box, but this was placed so high, my wife and daughter couldn't get their hands into the box if it was accessed through the lid, so I enter through the back wall, now everyone can hunt for eggs!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I finished up, and though tired, was able to put out 4 tomatoes, eggshells at the bottom of the hole, and a mix of epsom salts and organic tomato feed around the base. I also planted out 5 Red Bell Pepper plants that were starting to flower (I got the seed from a Red Pepper I bought at the Grocery! We will see what we get...) Also planted were 3 Jalepeno Peppers, 3 Cayenne Peppers and 3 Pepperocini Peppers. Everything got a good soaking, and I sealed up the hoop house.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By this time, I was beyond tired. I just couldn't get the melons out. That will have to wait for tomorrow. As will the basil, and Ground Cherries.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My wife's sunflowers have all come up, and are reaching for the great fluorescent sun in the sky! The tomatoes I planted as a last ditch effort to grow my own have all sprouted, and are growing, so I have some hope now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Night all </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-1345724034864061532011-05-07T20:09:00.000-07:002011-05-07T20:09:08.572-07:00Uh oh...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Well, quick Veggie update:<br />
<br />
Peas, Garlic, Lettuce, Beets, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale and Swiss Chard all coming along well. Still no sign of carrots, and one or two toms still holding out. I did find at a veggie stand wonderful strong stemmed big tomatoes, and bought 4, even though I potted up 9 more tomato seedlings the other day. Have to hedge my bets, can't go without tomatoes this year!<br />
<br />
Now on to the chickens. Thought that I would give everyone an update on how much they are growing:<br />
First up is Rosalina, our Welsummer:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDtza4iXO7ZTO9O8_ylivUKtoFmxqptehGrrnI3oBp-V2HMTlLQUUQTFoFjavhlXDvyh4IPEgXsFQlJ5iSodwXfyE1QOUw9fD9yroYaN-pTzYgz_yl3M029K5JkiyqbEfmvtpdgWUggJO/s1600/DSC04314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDtza4iXO7ZTO9O8_ylivUKtoFmxqptehGrrnI3oBp-V2HMTlLQUUQTFoFjavhlXDvyh4IPEgXsFQlJ5iSodwXfyE1QOUw9fD9yroYaN-pTzYgz_yl3M029K5JkiyqbEfmvtpdgWUggJO/s320/DSC04314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the wings though, she is using them to full advantage keeping her place as top hen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe7HnT9GHRwfbRK7zaGpnzcw5FwViPvpiQUC3lIluineDLgtUE82gMz_JmW_lmAOU093q88TxARZfjOugthOc7y5RfWQHrijpp7xlHYIioJ-ZRUQDxStsb5t_GjySId7afegoCgdweIlU/s1600/DSC04316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe7HnT9GHRwfbRK7zaGpnzcw5FwViPvpiQUC3lIluineDLgtUE82gMz_JmW_lmAOU093q88TxARZfjOugthOc7y5RfWQHrijpp7xlHYIioJ-ZRUQDxStsb5t_GjySId7afegoCgdweIlU/s320/DSC04316.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosalina is one of the birds that is the most docile, and really pays attention when she is called a "good girl"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hayden, our Golden Laced Wyandotte:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YWdRzpAPi4VkKMmg10PJfLvMYIG1bcSy44pMo6nwnODb_MC-zaSlihGOfTHUu_CWHwpl3A5eO6TAksBVNgRwBZfVLSjTjwzIo9_p4ehdGy3G1NruoWyliDt5axRrSoLK3UyOXygH8gFq/s1600/DSC04320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YWdRzpAPi4VkKMmg10PJfLvMYIG1bcSy44pMo6nwnODb_MC-zaSlihGOfTHUu_CWHwpl3A5eO6TAksBVNgRwBZfVLSjTjwzIo9_p4ehdGy3G1NruoWyliDt5axRrSoLK3UyOXygH8gFq/s320/DSC04320.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calm as can be...hah, she is the flighty one of the bunch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Twinkie, our Buff Orpington (who along with Little Red is one week younger than Rosalina or Hayden):<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwqZ-SpsqP7chzoJ7dNmJn4X3y6e_sQnqKzjcqYCme4QjOd9PwYtngYcixItIsOKlZ5cYOz1gBuuymquz7N2qMiDcgHXZ-nxKc9d4U1OePCcSYQ5AJsNN3l1hfPTIE8U-VMBAzs0yO00f/s1600/DSC04309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwqZ-SpsqP7chzoJ7dNmJn4X3y6e_sQnqKzjcqYCme4QjOd9PwYtngYcixItIsOKlZ5cYOz1gBuuymquz7N2qMiDcgHXZ-nxKc9d4U1OePCcSYQ5AJsNN3l1hfPTIE8U-VMBAzs0yO00f/s320/DSC04309.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She is shedding (or molting I guess they call it) something awful...sorry Twinkie, I know better photos are in your future!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And now for Little Red, our Silver Laced Wyandotte. This little chick is the reason the name of this post is Uh oh...I am more than a little concerned that this litlle chick is a Roo. Not a hen. No crowing yet, but look at the photo, and you may see why I think this:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGPpDOCrzZf5xtkrJk4JnjRD6RyUxPYijVtxkX6E9rwDwDcSNl2Iem57IirRPUNswJeXlUqz1dKURaV1F5pNhQYKxWW0Paek-c8VYTb52SYWVmG8eQ6D092TMtEn4XTRvfh6rjcDkk5Wz/s1600/DSC04303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGPpDOCrzZf5xtkrJk4JnjRD6RyUxPYijVtxkX6E9rwDwDcSNl2Iem57IirRPUNswJeXlUqz1dKURaV1F5pNhQYKxWW0Paek-c8VYTb52SYWVmG8eQ6D092TMtEn4XTRvfh6rjcDkk5Wz/s320/DSC04303.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This chick is one week younger than the Golden Laced Wyandotte, is much smaller than all three of the other birds, and the comb and wattles are noticeably more pronounced and larger then any of the others. This bird, is tail end charlie in the pecking order, and is the most aggressive of the birds. This chick is vocal, but so far, just clucks and coos, no crowing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The hatchery says that it's 97% certain as to the sex of the hatchlings, but 3% of the time, a Roo slips through. I'd hate it if I was in the 3%! I had planned on 4 hens, and was building the coop for that. I can't have a Roo inside the city, and can't jeopardize the rest of the hens. If it is a Roo, I will try to find it a home, but if not, I will do my best to quickly and painlessly end it's life. That is the the promise I made myself when I began this foray into chickens. They can be named, but they are dual purpose birds; eggs and meat. They are not pets. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am crossing fingers, saying prayers, and hoping with all my might that Little Red is just a Hen. And that I will not have to kill a chick. Hence, the Uh oh... </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On a positive note, the coop is coming along nicely. I have the back and front plywood pieces cut and primed. The nesting box is framed and primed. And the flooring plywood is cut. I have the roosts in place, and with a few nice weather days should have the side walls cut and all primed. Then It's just put the plywood together with the framing, put on the roof, and wire it up. I may be done within the next week. None too soon, as the chickens are getting bigger and outgrowing the Costco Watermelon box they are in!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have also turned off the heat lamp, as I had it moved up so far, it was keeping the temp equal to that of the garage. No sense waisting electricity, and it was time for them to get used to Dark. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well, it's learning every day here on the homestead. Looking forward to what I will learn tomorrow.</span></div><br />
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</tbody></table>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-89715651385410319102011-05-03T23:11:00.000-07:002011-05-03T23:11:48.386-07:00Short depressing postThe tomatoes have died. I tried everything I could think of. I gave them bigger (dollar store) pots (perhaps they wanted Nordstrom pots???) I gave them artificial light, natural light, kept them warm, exposed them to wind, watered them, fertilized them. In the end, they needed to go outside, they were getting and ugly yellow, and I was losing 1 tomato a day, just withering away. It was pathetic and depressing.<br />
<br />
So I took the plunge and planted them outside on Sunday, the weather was nice-ish, and I covered them with a hoop house. I amended the soil and plunked the 10 survivors down into the nice warm soil. I watered them, then said a quick prayer. <br />
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Yesterday, no improvement, but no lost plants. Since no negative is a positive, I had hopes. Hopes that were dashed today.<br />
<br />
I checked on them, and all were worse off then when I put them in. If this were intensive care, the MD would order life support shut off. I am now preparing to purchase tomatoes again this year.<br />
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I hate this, I can grow them from seed, under the lights, to a proper plant out size, but with the weather we have, I had to go long indoors. What I wouldn't give for a greenhouse. Not sure if that's the answer, but it's the only thing I could have done different.<br />
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Now I have Watermelon and Cantaloupe that are vining indoors, and really, I mean really need to go out, but I am freaked about the weather being this cold, and what it will do. I set up a hoop house over the bed, but after the tomatoes, not sure if this will be enough.<br />
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I hope that the cool weather will just slow down the growth of the melons, and that they can hold on for warmer weather...but deep down, I know that by sending them out, I condemn them to withering away...just like the tomatoes.<br />
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Heck, if it weren't for the chickens, I don't know if I could call this a homestead. Yes, I do have cool weather crops coming up; Lettuce, Kale, Swiss Chard, Beets, Spinach, Peas so all is not lost. And while the calendar says it is May 3, I could still plant tomatoes and transplant in 6 weeks. Likewise, if the melons don't survive, they to could be re-started now. It isn't ideal, but it's better than not having anything at all.<br />
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Perhaps, I needed this little pep-post to right my ship. <br />
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Tomorrow I start new tomato seeds, and melon seeds (just in case.) Hopefully my wife will let me have the light shelf back, she's using it for sunflowers. Nope, just asked, well, the peppers will have to share then won't they.Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-63897487538794081572011-04-27T20:30:00.000-07:002011-04-28T08:54:13.362-07:00Coop TimeWell, Monday was the first really nice day we've had in a while, so with my brother (Sinfonian) raring to go on his coop, we headed to Lowe's to pick up needed materials, and met his father in law back at my folks place and set to putting up a coop or two. Well, we made good progress on his coop, you can read about it on his blog, so Tuesday we got to work on my coop. We set up at my house, just across the street from my folks, and got to building my coop.<br />
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As I had a bunch of 2x4's I found in my attic...so while he used 2x3's, I chose to save some dinero by using the found 2x4's and buying what I needed to make up the rest. I figure that once all is said and done, the diffence in weight between the two coops won't really be that much.<br />
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I have some photos of this construction, they are small, but do represent the build...fuzzy at best. While my brother regards me as some sort of coop building genius for designing what he and I feel is the "perfect" coop (at least now, as newbies to chickendom, we will likely revise our thoughts on this as time goes on...) to tell the truth, I learned my construction style with lincoln logs when I was six! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3cvAuXL3KaxqtHiDtdArTFp1-qN756JhCkcNEN70CzH9vFhSPne00AxoopKiGVsSCmSFrt2VQTJ_E1kwexAsId52q-QaQ8X5sPDiuLR9JhfTZtWMH5x3o0plSqpRov_3UmhhilcYWce_/s1600/Assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3cvAuXL3KaxqtHiDtdArTFp1-qN756JhCkcNEN70CzH9vFhSPne00AxoopKiGVsSCmSFrt2VQTJ_E1kwexAsId52q-QaQ8X5sPDiuLR9JhfTZtWMH5x3o0plSqpRov_3UmhhilcYWce_/s320/Assembly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Framing up the front walls, you can see the new beds I built in the foreground. We used my ladderrack as a building platform. I'm the goofball in the picture.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-mzsfgQ5wSTykHEZoQrso5X2StHjzbBG3noB6zaxpgV3bUM8zIYa49xKgP0p7A1-H8spVwfGanTrBsKHwQ771jQDUd-WFa9btAAbnNte3CX88C2IK0GouQxRVXVBkoT5jYHAiTH8r7Q8/s1600/Front+Wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-mzsfgQ5wSTykHEZoQrso5X2StHjzbBG3noB6zaxpgV3bUM8zIYa49xKgP0p7A1-H8spVwfGanTrBsKHwQ771jQDUd-WFa9btAAbnNte3CX88C2IK0GouQxRVXVBkoT5jYHAiTH8r7Q8/s320/Front+Wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here's the front wall of the coop being put together. Framing on this piece is just about done.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Pd3TOSPEgSWuvVGJQjPD4ZpwWmsFW_Gn0oeboDURh4-6cHDSUyPBioOyv2kltaHDXXOhTa8oU_fAHDQ-5C-MN8UZOTMjQhlsrt0MuQ_bD2pXRHPP1ZAExt44fXyL1GB8eHruReHNkKC7/s1600/Pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Pd3TOSPEgSWuvVGJQjPD4ZpwWmsFW_Gn0oeboDURh4-6cHDSUyPBioOyv2kltaHDXXOhTa8oU_fAHDQ-5C-MN8UZOTMjQhlsrt0MuQ_bD2pXRHPP1ZAExt44fXyL1GB8eHruReHNkKC7/s320/Pieces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Front wall and Base laying down, waiting for the back wall to be framed, then it will move into the back yard where assembly will take place.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJzwxK2hcHzzdgqk07Ui289mriK5gUwzelb7ay9BMnMzYEqAEh28ifplgl78BWjzuT3wbBP9DhgB5U5lSQMTjB1rI6M5wdyu0iwJyYpJc1Dd0xunPEkFtNImPnhk8mb7-C6oS6jG13qBB/s1600/Putting+it+together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJzwxK2hcHzzdgqk07Ui289mriK5gUwzelb7ay9BMnMzYEqAEh28ifplgl78BWjzuT3wbBP9DhgB5U5lSQMTjB1rI6M5wdyu0iwJyYpJc1Dd0xunPEkFtNImPnhk8mb7-C6oS6jG13qBB/s320/Putting+it+together.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Assembly going on...just about now we found a major error in my plan. The base side bars were too small. I forgot to take into account I wanted the inside to be 3' wide, so had to make the side bars on the base 3'!</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcRyWz8Jj0P139bMVai_BDAYjy5ZrizaodN5V1rlbWcxpNWnGJ3OXwltFBhK7Q0MXZX3oUKE72L8Koym228fc8CSJC-7wi2hnGdrCl-yXn5sUzZ3MapyfENcoY28qlX7aIqh1geQjOIm3/s1600/DSC04281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcRyWz8Jj0P139bMVai_BDAYjy5ZrizaodN5V1rlbWcxpNWnGJ3OXwltFBhK7Q0MXZX3oUKE72L8Koym228fc8CSJC-7wi2hnGdrCl-yXn5sUzZ3MapyfENcoY28qlX7aIqh1geQjOIm3/s320/DSC04281.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is the back wall of the coop. You can see the bottom, what will be encased in 1/2 inch Hardware cloth. Poultry Netting works great at keepin Birds in, but stinks at keeping other Critters out, hence the welded Hardware cloth.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSZzLv1iU5Rf0llYP4FdIj8l7tQ6F9yM8R7wThx1f0CXLLWJUpBiDu-T7qzlgu0lirREHloAkJOfraQmyLAOmx3QK_5orN8zZLI52psa9lJ-GuCRa-l00H8K9vXcKpO-NJHLMSP5ncDC2/s1600/DSC04282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSZzLv1iU5Rf0llYP4FdIj8l7tQ6F9yM8R7wThx1f0CXLLWJUpBiDu-T7qzlgu0lirREHloAkJOfraQmyLAOmx3QK_5orN8zZLI52psa9lJ-GuCRa-l00H8K9vXcKpO-NJHLMSP5ncDC2/s320/DSC04282.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is a side shot, looking at the framing for the Nesting boxes. You can also see the framing where the floor will be. The floor dimensions are 3' wide by 6' long, giving me 18 square feet of floor space. I allowed for 6 inches between the floor and the door on the front in case I want to use the deep litter method.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFjEsSUn3MfSoSdOl7JoNKtteID4zdekWtIpuRhMbyci9As0JQBSo4QhEeTfFXEyq1nseFq7D5PF4ljuI0QMNO-VK_DT4RQuIkWb8yln1EJuskInkBn_M2iphLUHCVX3_Snu91qRMalmd/s1600/DSC04283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFjEsSUn3MfSoSdOl7JoNKtteID4zdekWtIpuRhMbyci9As0JQBSo4QhEeTfFXEyq1nseFq7D5PF4ljuI0QMNO-VK_DT4RQuIkWb8yln1EJuskInkBn_M2iphLUHCVX3_Snu91qRMalmd/s320/DSC04283.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">So in this photo, you can see the framing for the door, that will drop down to allow cleaning of the coop. I can reach all parts of the coop floor by leaning in. The door is 4' wide by 38" high, so I don't have to stoop over to keep my head from banging on the top rail. Above that is 8" by 6' of vent space for ventilation. This will be covered with fine mesh, to keep insects out, but let amonia build up out. I think you can clearly see the old wood and the new wood, and that it's about 40% old, which saved me a bundle. I have an overhang for the roof of 1" on the back and 4" on the front. The front is just over 7' with the roof, and 4 inches lower at the back for runoff.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, tomorrow is supposed to be nasty, but this weekend is looking better. Hopefully we can make more progress on my brother's coop, and I will look to frame out the nesting box, build a gate for the bottom front that will flip upwards to allow access to the lower run, and build the ramp up to the floor to allow the girls access to the outdoors when the door is open.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all, I probably have 4 more days of work to go on this. I am slow, but what I build stands up. Everything on this coop was pre-drilled to prevent splitting, and connected with 3 inch exterior grade deck screws.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My lovely wife, though she denies it now, set a budget of $300.00 for this coop. So far, I am $215.00 into that budget, and may spend a bit more, but will definately come in under budget. I will continue to take pictures, and once finished, will post plans with cut lists so others can if they want take the plans, use them, modify them whatever. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7268567788977857364.post-55626205080443708512011-04-21T22:02:00.000-07:002011-04-21T22:02:03.514-07:00ThursdayLet me take a moment to share, Thursday is my least favorite day of the week. I am usually tired, and today was no exception. But when one tries to homestead, being tired is the last excuse to work. So, today I got a number of things done, none terribly big, but work it was.<br />
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First off, the weather was iffy to say the least. Sun Breaks, means no sun most of the time. The weather was around 55 degrees, but at least it didn't rain.<br />
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So, I took my tomatoes for a walk:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETmr0YjPtTFiwc_GsDPStDl4LQlICr7nLYUN2Poc_FzzjbGAZR9b2ZOrXqiiV2fVpv5zKUeddTGcnlEkgzAWlkteBjH-9JoYz9w_22ZtDTuCTQtJWtnigNbPOpStMSDnEQ6AiFT6QgMUZ/s1600/DSC04209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETmr0YjPtTFiwc_GsDPStDl4LQlICr7nLYUN2Poc_FzzjbGAZR9b2ZOrXqiiV2fVpv5zKUeddTGcnlEkgzAWlkteBjH-9JoYz9w_22ZtDTuCTQtJWtnigNbPOpStMSDnEQ6AiFT6QgMUZ/s320/DSC04209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Aren't they cute dressed up in their dollar store pots???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The got about 4 hours out, in the on again off again sun and light wind. All and all it was good for them (I hope...fingers crossed.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Then I got out and finished filling in the last of the garden beds I built:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEVF8LqVkQ-DEd0uWu6XBRKXyWUBQmRJ0Q31uSCfkJITGTL1sotOgPUT8mF6-KXFl1uCLtJOAXHKtJ30vzUsgFkWfSk2x0_3XIOYYaRhQpfUxcB3a4AnIMuC47BgbNHWYqiG_FOJ5SReX/s1600/DSC04242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEVF8LqVkQ-DEd0uWu6XBRKXyWUBQmRJ0Q31uSCfkJITGTL1sotOgPUT8mF6-KXFl1uCLtJOAXHKtJ30vzUsgFkWfSk2x0_3XIOYYaRhQpfUxcB3a4AnIMuC47BgbNHWYqiG_FOJ5SReX/s320/DSC04242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, all my garden beds are in the front and side yards (I live on a corner) and I like this setup. My house faces South, so that was the primary reason, but now I like that people come up and talk to me, know me as that garden guy; ask me questions, and possibly ask for help in setting up their own gardens. So far, I have gotten 2 neighbors who previously weren't gardeners, into planting veg!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I also weeded 2 of the 3 original beds, and found that the lettuce is coming up nicely, and the spinach and beets are just starting to pop up! So that just leaves Kale and Swiss Chard as the johnny come lately's (hoping the come soon!)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I realized today, that while I devoted the last post to the girls and their new digs, I didn't update their growth progress. So I will rectify that here:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIVGxkABKKRC1tonYRB_wDGyekBEh9kpTzoOK6sN4kt2uRhJuoO2Wq8cK5vLTTkmShoSuWzTbs3Dz-uYe5yxlQPMwiPl0G3-YfLZCtiDbh-GM-itaInTaPZGQhMFYEQqQ2x1hfbejC3Cz/s1600/DSC04212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIVGxkABKKRC1tonYRB_wDGyekBEh9kpTzoOK6sN4kt2uRhJuoO2Wq8cK5vLTTkmShoSuWzTbs3Dz-uYe5yxlQPMwiPl0G3-YfLZCtiDbh-GM-itaInTaPZGQhMFYEQqQ2x1hfbejC3Cz/s320/DSC04212.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Rosalina, our Welsummer. Right now she is the biggest of the flock, and the undisputed Alpha Chick!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPATUjeQ2B04n6A5tjpCuZRFe5mja6JX8eUTgVxXzu1v0ZgttRp7lkTBf-FoBAZrZ_S8iBJmMYmUtRygazZHEFlt6o7W83njEG21kKY51JOKq49ec1HaVbj6e9xC7QBzo7FVHq3qjfN1Ph/s1600/DSC04229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPATUjeQ2B04n6A5tjpCuZRFe5mja6JX8eUTgVxXzu1v0ZgttRp7lkTBf-FoBAZrZ_S8iBJmMYmUtRygazZHEFlt6o7W83njEG21kKY51JOKq49ec1HaVbj6e9xC7QBzo7FVHq3qjfN1Ph/s320/DSC04229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Hayden, our Golden Laced Wyandotte. She and Rosalina were hatched 3/21/2011, and Hayden is #2 in the pecking order.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhAs10JQyvJ1iFs2pYSt0HY3z-nTJES-A-HbhldFiDJKHQjc_jGt42kOsyyxWJ31bLN7Otd1h35wy0pb62jr5RPf3iy62Whgu-vK1NAtiIQWcNv7l7EA0_7LChB61bv9_uDwgN5rlSVx5/s1600/DSC04213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhAs10JQyvJ1iFs2pYSt0HY3z-nTJES-A-HbhldFiDJKHQjc_jGt42kOsyyxWJ31bLN7Otd1h35wy0pb62jr5RPf3iy62Whgu-vK1NAtiIQWcNv7l7EA0_7LChB61bv9_uDwgN5rlSVx5/s320/DSC04213.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Twinkie our Buff Orpington. She has calmed down since her early days, and has quietly moved into the #3 position. She has also put on some heft, and is almost as big as Hayden who is one week older.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnMkoUog4bdwxLHdGNzywhLacQRvBGhQJqGDl2f2W_E-xHUiP6bZa9-TXrUxe26zviOvn_3SyBfmyTQMy5saLesGxokks8QjEH0GaRGCG0kt4wnofCdtks6_4HL3oKiXf99Y9KKgwKwO3/s1600/DSC04216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnMkoUog4bdwxLHdGNzywhLacQRvBGhQJqGDl2f2W_E-xHUiP6bZa9-TXrUxe26zviOvn_3SyBfmyTQMy5saLesGxokks8QjEH0GaRGCG0kt4wnofCdtks6_4HL3oKiXf99Y9KKgwKwO3/s320/DSC04216.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This is Little Red (more on the name later) our Silver laced Wyandotte. She is the smallest, and now #4 on the pecking order. She is the smallest of the flock, and since coming to the new bigger box has been pushing everyone's buttons, to no avail. This has moved her from #3 to #4 in the flock. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The name for Little Red came as an epiphany. In my family, we love playing games, and whoever is in last place, is the little red caboose. Hence, her name reflects her position; Little Red.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The girls are settling into their new box. The garden beds are done, and ready for planting. Now we just need the weather to come around. But a quick check on the weather shows tomorrow and Saturday as being nice, so the bro and I will likely get a good start on the Chicken Coops before Easter.</div>Adam Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04047815031601395361noreply@blogger.com1