Welcome back!
Worry not. This blog will be shorter than the last (sarcastic grin).
It’s been a strange winter here in the hamlet of Oxford Mills. We very nearly had a green Christmas, but then got walloped by a huge storm. Only a day or two later, it rained and washed away the snow. I’m not complaining, I’m just concerned. The specter of climate change keeps me up some nights.
Nonetheless, I’ve started planning for the Spring; not the plants, but rather, what if any infrastructure improvements I will make this year.
The first thing that came to mind was the chicken coop; it needs an overhaul. I will be replacing the floor with ½” wire mesh, building a second perch for them to sit on, and putting the entire thing on skids so that I can easily move it with my tractor. Since it, like so many things on my farm, is built using recycled materials, weight can be an issue. The wood is often very dense, for example: recycled pallet materials. When you add up the number of pieces that are needed to build a solid, predator-proof enclosure, it gets heavy.
Version 2021 was 4 feet tall inside, standing 4 feet off the ground. This was the very definition of overkill. Version 2022 saw a reduction in height to become 2 feet tall inside and 3 feet off the ground. While it was more than sufficient, it still weighs a great deal. Version 2023 will have skids to help with the portability.
I also made mention of the possibility of building a second hoop structure. It will be more of a high tunnel concept, but I still haven’t finalized those plans.
I plan on mapping out where and what I plant in the Spring, but likely not for another month. I will not be starting any seedlings indoors until late March, so I have plenty of time to review my seed inventory.
Until then, I’ll keep watching YouTube videos of my favourite homesteaders and seriously consider starting a YouTube channel of my own. I’m not expecting a million subscribers, but I hope to entertain and possibly educate those that do tune in.
Until next time
Louis
I’ve launched a YouTube channel for the homestead that you can find at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYhZ1s_14TaPZvGkd6qiauA
If you could, please stop in, view the video, select ‘Like,’ subscribe, and share the link. These things will really help the channel get off the ground.
Please visit my farm’s Facebook page for more: https://www.facebook.com/BlueGypsyHomestead