Hot Weather!

Posted on 2008-May-17 at 08:20

The hot weather has kept us working a lot in the mornings and evenings and then resting in the middle of the days.  I almost feel guilty.  We got some baking done this morning and a couple more loads of laundry.  I love when we can dry the laundry on the lines outside. 

I am so pleased with how the garden is doing.  The lettuce and spinach that I was so worried about because I thought it never came up, is there under the weeds.  I have been weeding them every day.  Most everything is up and looking really good.  I started tomatoes from seed, but still need to get a few more from the store to round out the 40 plants we need.  Every year we come a little closer to figuring out how to start all of our plants from seed.  I think the tomatoes would have done better if transplanted one more time to the larger pots so that the stems would be stronger and the plants more vigorous.

This time of year we are always busy looking for animals to add to the farm and outlining our summer projects.  This year we need to add a cement area to the pig pen so that they can stay dry and we can feed easier during the bad weather.  We have to have some work done to our outside wood boiler that heats the house.  I am pusing DH to build a wood shed so that we can make sure we have a couple of years supply of wood on hand and cured.  We have been doing a lot of cut as we go.  DH already took care of the additional run for the chickens.  This new area is smaller but provides nice shade during the hot summer months and lets the soil rest in the other area.  Of course we are letting them out a lot right now.

In terms of animals, we would like to add a billy goat and some sheep.  I also just looked at some turkeys on line.  That would make a nice addition.  I have heard you can not raise them in the same areas as chickens.  We have a divided chicken coop that we use for raising the baby chicks until they are big enough to join the regular flock.  I was wondering if I could raise a few turkeys in there.  Any thoughts?  I might have to wait awhile to get DH to build them their own place.

I love homesteading and all the thoughts and plans.  There is always something to be working on and doing.  My mind is always busy with the next project.  But I was telling DH that I have had to learn patience.  You can't do everything today or even this summer.  You have to prioritize and be willing to learn.  If you think you are going to move to the country and the first year enjoy the self-sufficiency of homesteading, don't be disappointed when you fail.  Even growing up in the same circumstances, both DH and I have had to learn through trial and error and have had to use funds to cover the gaps.  I hope you are enjoying the learning process of you homestead. . .