So we slacked off a little bit. Due to fighting illness, weather, taking trips, and doing some serious music playing, our amount of farm labor has diminished considerably the last month. But, spring is around the corner, and we are in full anticipation mode. Here's a quick update of what we have done, and some of what is to come.

We've continued to pull brush out of corners as we go along, and our brush pile is almost out of control. Somewhere along the line we'll have a fine bonfire. We also cleaned a portion under the barn shed for the pigs to move into when they arrive in the next month or so. Unfortunately, I couldn't be around to help with that project, so I let the other team members take care of it. Outstanding job, guys, really.

We've also been getting around 9 eggs a day from our hens. We let them out in the yard to forage whenever we're home, and they love it. When they see the gate has been left open for them, they make it a point to run to the yard and the nearest leaf litter. You've never seen happier chickens in all your days. If chickens could smile, ours would never frown. March 30th we have another 25 chicks on their way to the farm. We placed an order for 5 Black Sex Links, 5 Rhode Island Reds, 5 Buff Orpingtons, and 10 Jumbo Cornish Cross (for meat). Chicken from the store is good, but I don't think there will be anything quite like raising our own yard birds for the oven and grill.

 

 

Another project we've been working on is bees. Clint and I purchased a couple of hives from The Feed Store in Crossville. Clint has worked with bees before, but I never have, and I'm quickly finding out it's a lot more work than it first appears. There's no pictures of the hives yet, but we'll get something up eventually. The bees are coming in May. We ordered two nucs (nucleus - composed of approximately 3lbs of bees and 5 frames) of Hygenic Carnolian bees. If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, me either. All you need to know is they are honey bees, and hopefully we'll be able to get our first crop of honey this summer!

 

We've been trying to find a time to till up the garden, but there's been so much wet weather it's been impossible. That's on our urgent list at the moment. Brent is ordering our seeds right now, so seeds will be here in a week or two. We're using as much heirloom as possible to keep the variety high. Whatever we don't order through outside companies we'll pick up from The Feed Store and local gardeners closer to planting time.