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lindalouly

Grd Ctrl 2 Major Tom
8 Years
Jul 8, 2015
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The great northwest!!!!!! Washington state
Im just a small town girl. (Now who read that to the tune of don't stop believing??! Lol) no but seriously, a small town girl living an extraordinary life with four boy children (6-16) two dogs Oly Girl (pit bull) and Rocco ( chimixedmutt) and my two very lazy tortoises and my beloved 8 pullets and 1 cockerel.

Here is where my story begins... After the birth of my last child, I got hit hard with failing health and depression... An abusive work environment and felt hopeless lost and sick... But enough of that... Cause that is not my focus!!!!

Let's forward the clock six years.... 4 doctors later... Walking out of my job and for the first time in my life being put in the position of stay at home mom, friend and animal keeper.
This is the beginning of my new and improved life. With every struggle grows appreciation and finally at the age of 38 years old I know what I want to be when I grow up.

I desire the farm life. My dream is to have a small plot to house my entire family of seven and all my precious animals with the addition of goats and gardens... Needless to say I am far from that.... But the changes I have made in my life have brought me happiness and better health (not healed but feel oh solo better).
This was the year that my boyfriend and I decided upon our chickens. We created a coop out of scrap wood (with zero carpentry skill between the two of us) lol and retrained our dogs to accept and protect our free ranging/freeloading back yard suburban flock. This has truly been the best thing that has happened to us a family. Next step in all this is working out a compost heap so I can start learning about gardening come spring!!!

This year has been quite the adventure-- new and improved doctors. Procedures that scare the day light out of me. Smiling and getting out of bed everyday!!!!! And the start of planning a fun filled back yard wedding for my boyfriend in I in the next few weeks. Lots to be grateful for, lots to look forward too and lots to learn!!! Have a great day!!! Until next time... Egg total so far is two.. First one yesterday and a tiny one this morning... Off to rake the yard!!!!
 
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Oly girl!!!! My big mean pitbull!!!!
 
The morning chores are ones I enjoy. I wake up and make coffee.... Read through articles until I wake up fully. I head outside to say good morning to my birds and wash their dishes and stir up what ever concoction comes to mind for them for breakfast. Today the dined on all purpose feed mixed with boss... Left over Kraft Mac and cheese the four trumpet heads (aka boys) left out all mixed with water. The birds loved it and so did Oly girl the pit who I caught later on cleaning out the rest of the dish. I usually then put my efforts to cleaning yard furniture and raking yard waste in my new compost pile, all the while praying I am doing it right. Really hoping it will turn to compost before next spring!!!! I then spend a few minutes spraying and playing with Oly! She loves the hose. Then the dread of another day hits me fast!!!!! Today would be what a lot of you would consider a Monday for me.... The last two days everyone was home. Weekends full of random teenagers in and out of the house... Using five billion cups as they pass through but winning me over with a kiss and a smile... I walk around and see that the linoleum is two inches thick of boy mess and dishes galore... So for now I better get to it!!!! And try and figure out what I can stretch to feed my brood!!!! Maybe I will be back when I decide I need a beer instead!!!!! My hats off to all of you living and loving life!!!!
 
If you would care for some advice on your new garden, If not, just don't give this no mind.

This will work so easy, you will hardly believe me, but you won't need to till or dig, or at least, a bare minimum.

Decide where you want to put the garden, put as much old bedding as you can, chicken bedding, horse bedding (maybe the neighbors), grass clippings, any thing that you would put into the compost pile, spread it out to cover the area you want for the garden. Do not worry if there are grass or weeds there right now, just cover it as thick as you can get it, but spread out evenly.

Then water it very well. Cover the whole thing with wet cardboard, you can get cardboard at any store. Large appliance cardboard works really good, but if you have to mix and match no biggy, just make sure the whole is covered. You do need to soak your cardboard, a kiddy pool, or a wheel barrel, or a big 33 gal garbage can will work, and sometimes you can't get it to fit, so soak one end, then turn it over and soak the other. Until the cardboard is soft. if it tears it is not a biggy, just make sure when you spread it out, there are no gaps.

Place boards, or rocks or bricks on it to anchor it down, and wait till spring.

Most of the cardboard will be mostly gone, your compost will be perfect, your garden ready to plant. Now when you plant, do the same thing, around each plant, cut a hole in the cardboard, plant , and this time cover the cardboard with the new mulch, again making sure the cardboard and mulch are soaked. It makes it meld together, and you will have very few weeds, and need less moisture.

Mrs K
 
That is very good advice!!!! Quick question... I plan on taking the dirt from (fingers crossed) my compost and doing a potted garden because we rent and I want to be able to transport... Can I do this on my compost alone or does it need to be where o garden a bed??? Love that you offered good advice!!!! I'm learning by error!!!
 
So it's dinner preparation time at my make believe homestead... I'm sure our landlords love us... Going to try a random put stuff together dinner.... My second son says, why mom why?!?! We have everything for a normal potato casserole.
I'm just thinking I can spread the goods out for another day... They usually end up liking my made up dishes but we will see.
You know that saying my get up and go got up and went.... Well regardless the only ones that pay are my trumpet heads as I try to create an easy breezy meal. Onward and upwards is what I always say... Better than starving.

Checked on my flock and dogs are all asleep upon my bed... Gonna pick dandelions for Luis caliber and delirious the tortoises. Got a little done which is fine with me. I am now of the persuasion that putting together the corner of the puzzle is better than trying to rush the whole thing and end up losing a piece or two. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm pretty sure that I have a coors light waiting for me to help me along the rest of the night. God bless and hope someone is reading!!!! Lol
 
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Great start on the thread. I'll be watching your progress for sure. Funny story, it was actually someones thread here that got me to share my own experience. @birdman55 to be specific. Talk about a busy guy.
Its nice to see yet another pit bull that loves chickens. Compost will always take time have faith it will turn out well and with the right amount of work and love it will. Best of luck in the days to come.
And as always
onwards and upwards.
Attimus
 

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