Some pics of our homemade coop/run (7 photos)

[Mass Mike]

Mass Mike, I love what you've done with the rocks. Your pumpkin patch looks great! Is it your first pumpkin patch? I tried growing pumpkins one year, and wasn't successful. I only grew a few pumpkins, and they went from green to white, but never turned orange and never grew very large. I do have poor soil. Any tips for successful pumpkin growing that you could share?

Also, I love the way you did the rocks and flower bed near your pool. It looks just beautiful!

We've been gardening for years, and we do great with green beans and peas. This is the first year I've planted spaghetti squash and also watermelon, and they're doing great! Our tomato plants are doing well this year too. We've got rocky soil, and each year we try and make the soil quality better. It's truly a learning process.

We've also got a flock of 19 chickens and I just love them. Had our flock for five or six years now......You're right, living in the country is fantastic. We get such pride from having our own eggs and vegetables.....

Take care and thanks again for sharing your pics,
Sharon

Sharon, thanks for the nice words. Many of those rocks that we use for the walls have been cleared from our land when we put in the gardens. It's maybe our 4th or 5th pumpkin patch....to be honest with you, for as much gardening as we do....we don't strategize too much so i'm afraid that there's not much that advice that I can give other than to make sure that your soil is well composted. I should probably test Ph levels, but I don't....We seem to have decent yearly success with our yields of just about everything, and with 2 little ones to care for...and everything else that life brings....I don't put a ton of time into the science of it.

Sounds like you and yours have a nice little setup at your place. I'd love to see some pics of it.

Take care and God Bless,
Mike

 

[Mass Mike]

Mass Mike- Are you in Massachusetts per chance?

Gorgeous yard and coop!

Bethann,
Yes we are...in Southern Worcester County in a little town called Dudley. you?

 

[bethann33]

ah- I'm in Hopkinton, MA- a little further up and over. Nice to see another 'local' chicken owner!

 

[lizm1221]

Beautiful setup!! Your coop and yard are just gorgeous and I love the pics of your family enjoying your flock. Well done! We tried pumpkins this year, we have tons of vines and flowers but no pumpkins so far. Yours look great! We are in MA too, down in Falmouth

 

[bsfarm1]

I love your coop! We are in Webster.Did you build it yourself or have it done?

 

[Mass Mike]

Hey! We're practically neighbors!

My father and I designed and built it together. We had a friend with a Bobcat come out and dig out the footprint.

 

[Going Quackers]

What a lovely property you have! great coop and cute kiddos

 

[Going Quackers]

Good fertilizer grows good pumpkins.. at the risk of freaking a few out i have a gigantic plant growing in my manure pile(horse) i have almost a dozen pumpkins on it right now!

 

[Mass Mike]

Thank you all for the kind words. We certainly feel blessed to dwell on the land that we do, and are grateful to be able to help others out with veggies, eggs, or just a good hang by the campfire. This is such an encouraging forum. I'm still a "new egg" here, but I have a feeling we'll be chatting for a long time :^)

 

[Shanti Marie]

Your coop is wonderful! I love the natural wood look. Clean and blends in with the garden area.