March 4 2012

It has been a rough three days, but yet good.  I refuse to abuse my body any more and therefore am working on the computer instead today - in doors - putting together a business plan, marketing plan, business cards,  and farm brochures all for my VA Tech class that is due in one more week!

We did manage to get alot done these past three days.  On Thursday we had two boys come out and they worked hard.  We were able to take a couple large loads of brush out of the pasture and put it by the woodstove, begin clearing out the wild blackberry patch where the garden is going, and chopped down alot of those nasty, nasty locust trees that are overtaking so much pasture.  Nathanial even found a fox's den in the midst of cleared pasture so hopefully we can obliterate whoever is eating our kittens!

On Friday it was great weather and work again as we attempted to start chopping up all the wood moved so we can burn it.  I had Joel attempt the wild blackberries again, but no success chopping.  I had to eventually go in there with the riding mower and just mow it all down.  One branch snapped back and cut me in the face pretty bad, but otherwise it was doable.  There are some rose of sharon bushes that need to be removed and then I can get to all the other blackberry bushes and take care of that.  I'll have to do lasagna gardening there because of all the roots and runners, but I think it'll eventually be a great place to grow summer greens.

We also were able to continute clearing behind the house, removing small piles of wood and going through with the mower to start clearing the large grass where the fencing is going to go.  The whole back yard looks alot different.

After hours of chopping wood in the morning on Saturday I needed a break and went to work on the garden.  I'm disappointed at the outcome of the cold frames, but some plants are coming up.  I opened it all up and watered it good.  Hope something else will come up.  I did get into the established beds and planted arugala, endive and romaine lettuce.  Plus there was a lot of clean-up of weeks that are overtaking the beds and pathways.  It all went into the compost pile.  I really need to do better in the fall with cover crops.

David purchased supplies to try a new lower chicken tractor to use this year.  The large hoop ones are a lot to move and can get picked up too easily by this crazy wind around here.  We're going with the Joel Salatin model from Polyface farms that are only 2 feet high with hanging waterers and feeders.  I hope they work out well.   Chicks are coming in another week and I need to order the ducks soon.  I hope we can get three chicken tractors going this summer.  I'll be great for the garden areas and pasture.  I'm looking forward to a friend's son coming and doing some hunting here so everyone will hopefully be a little more safe.