We started work on the chicken coop . Actually, we re-started it. For some reason, our corners weren't coming out square so we unscrewed the entire base frame and checked that the cuts were straight. The 2nd try was better. The lesson in this is that a tiny mistake can cause big problems that compound … Continue reading Coop, Sowing, and Trees
Chicken Coop Building Materials List
Ugh. Lumber is expensive. I know there are ways to get it cheap or scavenged. But I didn't do that. In fact, we've spent a stupid amount of money on this daggone chicken coop and run. But ya know what? I would rather it be done the right way with quality materials and only have … Continue reading Chicken Coop Building Materials List
Resourcefulness
Part of efficiency on the homestead is learning to work with what you've got. Today, I had a fridge full of left over mashed potatoes, some sweet potatoes that needed to be eaten, and a need for some apple cider vinegar So, for dinner tonight, I combined the potatoes to make some homemade gnocchi (NYAH-kee), and … Continue reading Resourcefulness
The Not-so-perfect Storm
We're in the Smokey Mountain region of this great nation and we were promised some brutal storms. Well, we ended up just getting a ton of rain. Which on one hand is great, because of the drought conditions this past summer/fall. On the other hand, we had quite a bit of water damage to our … Continue reading The Not-so-perfect Storm
Chicken Update: Feed, First aid
All our girls are doing well. Before we got the chicks, I made a point of putting together a "chicken first aid kit" because I wanted to be prepared should we encounter pasty butt, coccidiosis, parasites, fungal infection, bacterial infection, respiratory infection, our cuts from bigger chicks bullying the smaller ones, etc. Fortunately, we haven't … Continue reading Chicken Update: Feed, First aid
Rainy Day on the Homestead
As it happens, Tuesdays are my "outdoor" days. Not only did the rain hamper my outdoor activities and chores planned for today, it kept all of us cooped up inside. I got really discouraged and unmotivated to do anything. I have been really diligent in keeping up with house cleaning lately, but one weekend destroys … Continue reading Rainy Day on the Homestead
Chicken Coop Plans
I've been driving myself nuts trying to design a chicken coop. Honestly, there are too many choices and builds online without sufficient details in the plans about materials needed. So, I drew up my own plans. In my reading, everything said plan on more chickens than you have to account for replenishing your flock. So, … Continue reading Chicken Coop Plans
My Toddler’s First Day Out
Thursday evening, my son's babysitter sent me a text asking if she and her boyfriend could take my little man out for a day at the aquarium. For starters, both of them go to my church, and I trust them. Second, my son loves Miss Shelby, because, well frankly, she's a very pretty blonde, southern … Continue reading My Toddler’s First Day Out
Finding the Slope
So we're going to have to terrace our hillside in order to be able to garden in it. A useable slope is about 2%, or 1 foot of rise for every 50 feet of run. Our slope is about 8%. To find that, I used a simple equation from Algebra 1 I never thought I'd … Continue reading Finding the Slope
Terracing, Burning, and Grooming
Busy day! We picked up our last two chicks at the co-op this morning- Black Cuckoo Marans. They're doing fine with the others and we now have our full flock of 9. I have a suspicion that one of our Buff Orpingtons is a rooster, based on size and wing sexing, but I've also never … Continue reading Terracing, Burning, and Grooming
Wholly Holy Living 
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