The Lord has blessed us with a new baby boy born the 14th.  He is doing well and already allowing Mommy to sleep for 4-6 hours at a time at night.  It has been an amazing time.  The other children love him so much already and have a hard time letting him be.

We are working on a variety of projects right now to prepare for the gardening season.  Again our goal is to raise the majority of our own food and to preserve the harvest from a large garden to allow us to accomplish that goal.  Our first priority is to plant items that I find myself buying during the winter.  Our second priority is to plant items that we enjoy eating for variety.  Our garden area is about 100' by 125' and will probably increase this year.

I can't believe it is time to order seeds and get them started already.  However, I have misplaced my favorite seed catalog.  The seed order has to go in this week or next so we'll be looking for that today.  This week we are also working on assembling a seed starting shelf system.  Our DD10yo will be taking care of the seedlings as part of her homeschooling.

DH and I have also prioritized the outside projects for the upcoming spring and summer.  We have the addit ional chicken run as a top priority, although they have figured out how to free range despite us.  They fly out of the coup and peck around and then fly back in.  The dog seems to leave them well enough alone - finally.  I think it also works better because they can fly back in if a predator threatens them.

We want to increase the pigs area and try planting some corn, carrots, or beets for them to root up later.  We also have a hilly, brushy area that would be nice to fence for the goats.  The sow needs to spend some time with the boar.  We are also going to raise some chicks.

As always we have lots of ambition.  We would love this to finally be the year we get everything done that we plan.  We would love to get ahead a little on firewood and food.  We would love to eat more of our own food and less from others. 

Let me know if there is any interest in our garden plan and I'll post it.

Happy homesteading to you.

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!

Posted by Sweetmama2

I am interested.
Thanks
Sweetmama

• Permanent Link

Posted by reginascott

= )
I definitely know what you mean by hoping to get done everything we have planned.
Hope you don't mind, I think I am going to borrow your idea this year of having one of the kids tend the seedlings for one of their homeschool projects.
Good luck finding your seed catalog by the way.

• Permanent Link

Posted by Alaina

I am soooo happy and ecited for you! I hope this is a good experience for you. I know under the circumstances it can be trying. Call me I want details,
Love ya buddy,
Alaina

• Permanent Link