Homesteaders

[Raech]

I made progress today with Dad, it is all for the future, but I talked to him about getting a couple of Babydoll sheep. Failed to say I want to breed them in the future, but he is at a "maybe" right now. I told him that sheep would help cut down the hay we have stored (filled the hay barn and the barn with this last cut) and they will eat the grass that the horses aren't wanting to. I figure with a portable paddock(?) or pen of some sort, to get the grass cut down to a reasonable level. Between a couple of steers(he doesn't want to deal with babies) and the horses, I think a couple of sheep in the future would be a nice addition to the property and would help with the hay consumption(we can never sell or use it all) and keeping the pasture looking nice. He even agreed to me getting a couple of chickens out there, not sure where to put them yet, or where to have the main sheep area. But there is progress going in the idea and planning department for the property, he even agreed where the old chicken house is would make a great spot for a greenhouse since it is right next to the garden and the creek, plus there is a concrete pad down there already. All that is needed for the greenhouse to be put in is 1: MONEY 2: the chicken house ripped out and 3: the black walnut tree removed. Sounds simple right? The chicken house is already 3/4 of the way down and the walnut tree is dead or soon to be dead. Only problem is, the chicken house is still filled with stuff since it was used as a storage place as well, and it is almost in the creek with the way it fell over. I want to go out there and start hauling stuff out of there but there is still one wall hanging by an electric wire and having 3 extra babies is not helping with my schedule any. Maybe after school is out this week I will get a little bit more time to go out and get some stuff done.

 

[rancher hicks]

Do you have a plan? Start there. What is the end result you hope for?

When we did our bathroom remodel we bought as we could afford the supplies and when we got all that we needed to do the remodel we began.

I'd like to do a green house made of recycled windows and doors;. CL would be my go to place.

If you've got a frame, you could start there and frame out the wallls according to the sized windows youu can acquire for free or cheaply. Like this.



Here in Alaska we stopped at an antique store and in back was greenhouse similar to this one. The had tomato plants growing pretty good. Theirs had some solid walls but seemed to be working just fine.

Here where I am I'd opted for a slanted roof so the snow will slide off.

My plan is to convert one of my unused hoop coops to a green house with clear corrugated panels.

Nearly for got why I came on.

DOES ANYONE HAVE PICS OF THEIR GARDEN SO FAR?

I can't of course as we're still in Alaska. We did plant flowers in the front of the condo today. DL went and got free soil today, we dug up and weeded a bit and I laid a layer of newspaper down and soaked it while she went and got the soil. We covered the paper with the soil and planted flower seeds. They can't have a food garden because it will attract wildlife.

I can't wait to see how my garden at home is doing. DD has said she's been watering and mowing the grass.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Please excuse the weeds i havent been able to get into the garden for a week.

Garlic

Winter onions

Kitchen herb garden. It is more then i need but i am trying to grow a pretty/functional area

Potatoes, i planted them before i put up the garden fence and chickens ate several, i mean to try to replant

Peas
I also have lettuce, swiss chard, radishes, and onions planted, but pictures will not load. I cannot get my carrots to grow and my green beans look awful because we had a late cold snap.
Still need to plant my tomatoes, corn, and peppers.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll try to get pics this week.....everything is still kind of small, so nothing much to see. Corn is only up a few inches, as are many of the seedlings for watermelon, pumpkins, etc. Onions are still thready looking and potatoes that were replanted are just peeping above the straw.

I like taking pics throughout the season as it shows the progression of the garden.

 

[beautifulpirate]

Harvested some of our broccoli today!

 

[Serenashome]

Not the best picture, as it was getting dark. We have 15 raised beds on a 5 year crop rotation and a perennial bed closest to the barn. To the right you can see the beginnings of the chicken moat. The pvc hoops aren't covered yet in this picture but they look like little covered wagons now. They are covered to protect our broccoli and cauliflower from cabbage moths. The bamboo stakes are for the beans and tomato cages are for the tomatoes of course.

 

[GardenNut]

Not the best picture, as it was getting dark. We have 15 raised beds on a 5 year crop rotation and a perennial bed closest to the barn. To the right you can see the beginnings of the chicken moat. The pvc hoops aren't covered yet in this picture but they look like little covered wagons now. They are covered to protect our broccoli and cauliflower from cabbage moths. The bamboo stakes are for the beans and tomato cages are for the tomatoes of course.

Awesome layout!

 

[rancher hicks]

Please excuse the weeds i havent been able to get into the garden for a week.


Garlic

Winter onions

Kitchen herb garden. It is more then i need but i am trying to grow a pretty/functional area

Potatoes, i planted them before i put up the garden fence and chickens ate several, i mean to try to replant

Peas
I also have lettuce, swiss chard, radishes, and onions planted, but pictures will not load. I cannot get my carrots to grow and my green beans look awful because we had a late cold snap.
Still need to plant my tomatoes, corn, and peppers.

Well seems to me more is better. you can always give away, sell, the excess but you'll have to spend money to cover a shortage.

Too it's not necessary to irradicate EVERY weed. That's why all this stuff about chemicals is so appalling. Sure it looks nice but removal of every weed isn't necessary.

You could however save newspapers and cardboard to cover most of them. A good soaking after laying them down will help keep them in place. Next year just roto till them in.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Please excuse the weeds i havent been able to get into the garden for a week. Garlic Winter onions Kitchen herb garden. It is more then i need but i am trying to grow a pretty/functional area Potatoes, i planted them before i put up the garden fence and chickens ate several, i mean to try to replant Peas I also have lettuce, swiss chard, radishes, and onions planted, but pictures will not load. I cannot get my carrots to grow and my green beans look awful because we had a late cold snap. Still need to plant my tomatoes, corn, and peppers.

Well seems to me more is better. you can always give away, sell, the excess but you'll have to spend money to cover a shortage.

Agreed, and hopefully it will be pretty, if I can get things to grow and keep the $%&-#$% morning glories from taking over .

 

[rancher hicks]

Not the best picture, as it was getting dark. We have 15 raised beds on a 5 year crop rotation and a perennial bed closest to the barn. To the right you can see the beginnings of the chicken moat. The pvc hoops aren't covered yet in this picture but they look like little covered wagons now. They are covered to protect our broccoli and cauliflower from cabbage moths. The bamboo stakes are for the beans and tomato cages are for the tomatoes of course.

Very nice.