Week 21 - Dirty hands, happy heart...

The last week has been exhausting yet satisfying. We put a huge dent in #plant16 and if the weather cooperates next week the greenhouse will be empty. 

While there are some plants that we plant every few weeks, to
keep a fresh supply (lettuce, spinach, peas, beans), the first round of seeding is done and plant are popping up after this weeks' rain. Transplanting of broccoli, cauliflower, onions, squash, zucchini, artichoke, and cucumbers is done. 

We tackled the strawberry bed this week and moved over 400 plants.... pretty good as the bed started with 12 free plants we got from a neighbour a couple of years ago! Their original generosity was paid forward this week as we invited anyone who wanted to come and dig the remaining strawberries up to come and get them. Six or seven households will enjoy a taste of strawberries this year.... never under-estimate how much one simple kindness can multiply and touch many others! 

Mid-week we discovered that a skunk had killed almost a dozen of our young hens we hatched in early spring. The skunk dug under and into the chicken tractor that they were in. Put the temporary electric fence and set up the trap and caught him the following night.. but where there is one, there will be others.  

All the rest of the critters are doing well, our broiler chickens are almost ready to go out onto pasture and we are expecting another batch of broiler chicks and our turkeys to arrive this Friday! The geese are huge and act like godzilla among the smaller chicks. Oliver (the baby goat) continues to thrive and is now down to two bottles a day as he is eating more and more vegetation as he grows. Finally the piggies are doing very well. They are a riot to watch especially when they wrestle with each other. 

We end the week with dirty hands and happy hearts... we are truly blessed to live in a place so beautiful and nourishing. 

Preparing for more little ones...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 147

Part of today was spent hauling some gravel to refresh the bottom of the greenhouse/chick brooder in preparation for the goslings, turkey and broiler chicks that are coming on Friday. 

The experiment of using the greenhouse as a chick brooder on the bottom with seedlings growing on top worked well except for the part when our Plymouth Rocks (layer chicks) started nibbling on the seedlings! 

Definitely need to move them out before they become upwardly mobile! 

Undercover...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 141

Our peppers and eggplants have done well under our cold frames despite the storm on the weekend. 

The cold frames are made with reclaimed lumber boxes with old windows on top. 

We cover the windows with shade cloth or row covers to diffuse the sunlight so the seedlings don't burn. So far, so good! 

Plants are in the Penthouse

FFF Photo a Day - Day 125

In previous posts, I've alluded to our plan to use our new greenhouse addition on the barn as a multi-level space. Chicks on the bottom and seedlings on top!

The birds need warmth which in turn heat the soil and roots of the seedlings speeding germination and growth. 

With our unseasonably warm spring days its taken a bit of adjustment to keep the temperatures even throughout a 24 hour period, however I think we have a system that is working well now and everyone (plants and birds) seem to be doing well in the space. 

New addition!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 112

Our greenhouse addition on the barn is almost done! Our plan is to house both chicks and seedlings in the same space. Both need consistently warm temperatures for a period of time. The chicks will be on the ground while the seedlings will be on shelving above. 

Our chicks come on Friday so it won't be long before we get to try it out! 

Transplant day

FFF Photo a Day - Day 93 

Today's chore is transplanting seedlings. These tomatoes are going to be huge if we don't get them in the ground soon! 

They will move out to our high tunnel (unheated greenhouse) shortly. I'm drooling just thinking about garden fresh tomatoes again! 

Growing strong

FFF Photo a Day - Day 89

Our seedlings are growing strong, leaning towards the sun and the warmth. They can't wait either! 

Spring is coming up!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 79

Happy Spring Equinox everyone! Basil is coming up...

Dirty Deeds!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 64

We have a heavy clay soil in the Red River Valley. We have worked hard to cultivate a more welcoming soil for our veggies on our farm but this takes many years. 

For our seedlings we take our soil and mix it with Peat Moss. We generally mix a 50/50 blend. This helps the plants get off to a good start. 

Working harder or smarter?

FFF Photo a Day - Day 48

This is a bucket of our soil, well sort of. Usually in the fall we fill a number of buckets for us to use when we start seeds indoors when the snow is still on the ground. 

Someone neglected to fill all the buckets needed! Once in a while, Farmer Phil's follies is to work harder not smarter. Thus he will be out with a pick axe this week getting soil and a good upper body work out. 

But hey, who doesn't like a farmer with a muscular upper body??