I am good at coming up with ideas, as many are. I simply do not accomplish everything I think up. Nor would it be wise to pursue every idea. I admit I struggle at times knowing which one is the best to pursue. Looking back at the last 3 months, the first thing that comes to mind is all I did not get done.
If I think a little harder, I realize I spent hours learning. Learning about how to improve this website and create a unique homestead.
One day, stands out as I spent time with my Dad working outside. With his help, several tasks were accomplished. In recent weeks I spent time connecting with family who are in the area for 5 weeks. Never wasted time in my opinion.
While composing this post I looked back at Fall 2019 where I shared my goals for the upcoming season. I found myself surprised at all I did complete and feeling good about it.
Completed Fall Projects
Moved 4 Chicken Pens
The chickens have proved faithful in dulling sod growth and killing it off to create garden space. If I get a bit creative, I might be able to use the horses for that purpose, too, for a larger area of ground.
This fall I moved the 4 outdoor chicken pens constructed of dog kennel panels and netting with odds and ends as entertainment and shelter in the pens.
Planted Blackberries
I am excited to now grow black berries here at CG Heartbeats Farm. They were a gift of sorts. I dug them up at a friends house who is moving.
When not pruned they mulitlply quickly. Oh, how I know this as I neglected to prune the black raspberries I have until this past spring.
Planted Red Raspberries
While I had a few red raspberries last summer, I went from 3 plants to planting almost 20 this fall. Actually, my Dad helped me greatly that day. He dug the holes and we both filled the dirt in around the Raspberries plants. I added compost from the pile to the hole, serving 2 purposes. The compost soil provides nutrients.
I did not work the ground before planting the berry plants, the compost added a fluffier soil for the roots to take hold in. I have read there are benefits for garden dirt be turned over and to opposite that the soil becomes disrupted when turned over.
To be honest, I did not work that ground before planting for the simple reason of time and energy. I suppose come spring I will know for sure how the berry plant roots did over the winter.
Planted 350 Garlic Cloves of 5 Varieties
I found hard neck garlic does well here when planted in high well drained ground. German, Montana, Music, Spanish Rojo, and, new this year, Elephant. I look forward to offering garlic here on www.dontclipmywings.com for purchase. Garlic ships well and will be ready in September on a yearly basis.
I have started hauling hay chaff from the barns to the garlic beds. I cleaned up where the wind had blown hay over time outside of the paddock where the horses eat. I find the need to become creative in finding cover for the garlic beds as they are larger this year.
Planted Egyptian Onions
In October I planted Egyptian onions for a first on CG Heartbeats Farm. I wanted to plant these for over a year. I feel excited to have obtained starts this year from Heirloom Solutions.
Hatched Chicks
Two batches of Swedish Flower Hen chicks arrived in December. Both 6 in number for a total of 12 chicks. I used the Janoel 12 incubator to hatch chicks from Cherokee and his ladies.
The first chicks from their pen arrived the end of September. I tried hatching Silver Gray Dorking eggs from the pair, with no fertility showing up. Most of fall, the older hens were in a molt. I only recently started incubating SGD eggs from pen # 1.
Chicken Pens
I cleaned the 3 of the 5 brooder tanks and all 3 are currently in use. I will continue to work on cleaning indoor pens. Cleaning the floor and walkways of the chicken barn is an ongoing project.
December 26, 2019 the temps were around 60 degrees. My heart full from a beautiful time with family on Christmas, I woke up ready to get to work. Brian and I worked together to replace the leaking water hydrant by the chicken barn.
I reconstructed the Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner outdoor pen. Days like this are on my top ten list of favorites.
Plant Flowers
The flower bulbs I ordered became unavailable. I found a sale at our local Tractor Supply Company. I plan to plant them this week. The ground still unfrozen allows for planting bulbs. What did I pick out? Daffodils, Anemone, and Crocus.
Carryover Projects:
Grapevine Post
One Concord Grape plant has grown large enough to begin training it to a wire. In this area I am going to train one vine upward (perpendicular) on several wires. In the future, side branches will be trained along the wires paryell to the ground. For now, the next step, putting in posts. Stringing the wire happens after the posts set. At a different place on the property I hope to one day have an arbor to walk through under grape leaves.
Fence Construction
I have material and plans to improve existing fence lines and install new ones. In the past I did most fence work in the fall. Zero fence work was completed in Fall of 2019. I keep reminding myself this homestead is a marathon, not a sprint.
Sassafras
I mentioned I wanted to dig up Sassafras trees to use the roots to make tea. That did not happen, yet! The trees are still out there. I intend to have sassafras tea in my future.
Clean up Around Barns
We started this project by cutting down the unwanted trees that popped up. The remainder will wait or perhaps the weather will provide a day or two in the next couple months to sneak a bit of ‘warm weather’ work in. The temps were near 60 degrees on December 26th.
A prickly bush needs to be removed, the container garden area project near the chicken barn seems ongoing.
Moving Cement Blocks
I started a container garden 3 years ago by dumping the sweet potato buckets into it as I harvested.
With the amount of dirt I dumped this year, the raised bed is ready for an additional row of blocks.
Barn Roof
One barn roof, long overdue for repairs did not receive the required attention this year. I feel disappointed and want to see that barn addressed this year.
Fall Harvest
I completely enjoyed the beauty of Fall 2019. The day I harvested sweet potatoes, onions, and carrots I watched our first snow fall of the season. I became chilled, but pressed on taking time to snap picture of the pretty scenes.
That day was not the only day I enjoyed fall but I think it was the most memorable. All of my senses came alive. I smelled wet soil as I dumped buckets harvesting the sweet potatoes. I intentionally breathed deeply inhaling the odor only onions produce. I felt the dirt dry my hands and stick under my nails. I looked around at the display of color enhanced by the white of falling snow. I created a bit of art as I hung the onions to dry before taking them inside. I heard roosters crow and hens cackle as I worked. I listened to the quiet that encompassed my work as the rain that turned to snow softly fell. I did not actually taste any of the food I harvested, but imagined I did. I felt blessed as I worked.
