It was time to get dirt-y

I finally gave in and had some quality soil delivered so that I could complete some of the projects around here.

Ten cubic yards of compost-soil mix was dumped.  When the truck pulled up I was a bit scared about how much ten cubic yards would be, but once it was dumped I knew I could use it all.

The first project was to finish the raised flower bed.

The second project was to raise one of the flower beds so that it was level and would help hide the foundation better.

It took a few more boulders that we brought over from the goat pen and several loads of soil, but we finished it.

I weeded the other flower bed and then we raised it so that it is almost level.  I'm thinking another wheelbarrow or two full of soil will finish the job.

There is still plenty of soil level for the next projects.

And then I took a quick break to repaint the rooster for the summer theme.

The building of a shed - alone

Today I was determined to start making progress with the shed/chicken coop.  I got these pieces to my yard two months ago and they haven't moved since because the person who said he would help me, has disappeared.

It took two people and a child to move some of these pieces the first time and we had been talking about using three people to rebuild the shed, but I figured I could get everything done except for the roof by myself if I took things apart so they weren't as heavy and hard to handle.  It wouldn't be ideal, but at least I could make progress.

Besides, I'm hard headed and stubborn.

The pile that's been sitting in my yard for two months

The first step was getting the beams for the base of the structure out from under the foundation of the shed.  And then I knew I was going to need to lay them out in the goat pen, raising one end, and making sure everything was level and stable.

I had to pry the plywood off from the base, saving the nails as I went.  I carried all of the 2x4s and 4x4s into the goat pen, found bricks behind the house and hauled those around, and then moved this final piece, to the gate with a little help.

Thank God for this cart, it's been a lifesaver

Once I had it in the pen, I pushed and pulled it standing upright back to where the coop is going to be.

Getting the foundation put back together

Foundation done!

I started working on this project at about 10AM and finished the base around 2PM.  I did stop for 30 minutes or so to go inside, but otherwise I was working the entire time.

My goal for the day was only to get the foundation set up, but once I got close to finishing that task, I knew I wanted to get more done.  So I started taking apart the longest wall of the shed.

The paneled siding from the wall

I did get it taken apart but I will either need to take some of the 2x4s off, or I will have to cave and ask for help to move the wall.  

I still have 3 other walls to work on taking apart, although I know they can be moved as they are if I would just pick up the phone and call a friend to come help.

I'm thinking the roof may have too much damage from the rain and snow to salvage since it's been sitting on the grass for so long.  The good news is, the 2x4s looked good so I'm hoping at the most I will only need to buy a pack of shingles (an extra pack came with the shed but that wouldn't cover the entire roof) and some particle board/sheathing.

I may cave and ask for help next weekend, especially since I think I am hosting a BBQ for the youngest son's classmates on Saturday afternoon and I feel like I could get this done next weekend IF I had an extra person.

My back is a little sore.  I think I will be hurting tomorrow morning.

I think it is official....

Perhaps I shouldn't correct people when they say I live on a farm anymore...

farm  

/färm/

Noun An area of land and its buildings used for growing crops and rearing animals, typically under the control of one owner or manager. crop   /kräp/ Noun A cultivated plant that is grown as food: "the main crops were oats and barley".

Progress

I forced myself to get up and go finish at least one project.

So the youngest son helped me put the dots on the strawberry rocks after I painted the green stems and I finished painting the vegetable rocks.  I set them outside to spray the clear coat on top and got a picture.

Then I decided to try to brush the goats when I fed them.  I did manage to get a bit of extra fluff off them.  Trust me, you don't want to see it.  I did a quick clean of the chicken coops and then measured the garden so I could make my official planting layout.

Unfortunately either my measurements are off, my brain isn't working, or my garden hates me because I just can't seem to get an accurate diagram going...

I think I can now do anything

The temperatures were dropping below freezing and the animals weren't able to get any water.  I could easily  find a water heater for the goat's water because it is a big tub and finding a heater was simple.  But finding ways to keep the three smaller water dishes for the chickens from freezing was looking too expensive, each new water dish was over $40 because they were new water dishes with built in water heaters.

And then I found information on another chicken blog that told me how to make a water heater for a few dollars...

Yes, I bought two tins from the store for a couple dollars.  Then I took the light bulb piece from two lamps and attached them.  I put them out there immediately to test them out, and sure enough that little 40 watt light bulb heats up the tin just enough to keep the water dish on top of it from freezing.

I also bought an outlet converter that only turns on when the temperature goes below 35 degrees, so the water heaters will all turn on when it gets too cold, but automatically turn off when the temperature warms up.  

I felt like a genius this day :)

Just a Little Landscaping

Last year I built 3 raised flower beds in an attempt to hide the foundation of the house and to add color to the front of the house.

The chickens like to use this one for a dirt bath and bed.

We have a big hill in the goat pen.  It's a mix of dirt, rocks, and trash.  Yes, the original owner dumped trash on the property and then they buried this pile.  We've uncovered pieces of a swing set, an oven, and a car so far.  

When we were putting the new goat house into the pen I decided to get some of the rocks and boulders out then, so I wouldn't have to move them around the goat house later.  I knew I wanted to use them to build another raised bed for a strawberry patch.

This is most of the pile of boulders and rocks that I pulled out.

 A few days later I carried and rolled them over to the side of the house.

I've been putting them together like a puzzle, trying to make them fit well enough that they won't fall apart once I fill the area with dirt.  Last year I had a cheap white wire fence and I had planted some bulbs in the ground and in pots.

The pots are still there

I need to get the last few boulders moved over, they are pretty darn heavy and I'm working alone so I'm not moving them as quickly as I'd like.  Hopefully I will get that done before school starts up again, then I need to dig out the bulbs from last year to transplant them before I fill in the bed with dirt.

I'm Just a Girl With a Chainsaw

Nothing seems to be a better distraction for me than revving up the chainsaw and getting some work done.  

Last year a tree that was leaning towards the house slowly leaned further and further.  Eventually it landed on the roof.  It had been held up by grape vines and over time they just loosened.  I got onto the roof and cut the end of the tree off while two people stood on the ground with a rope around the tree pulling it so that it would fall away from the house.

Once it was down I was able to cut it up more.  Unfortunately, the pictures I had of this feat have disappeared.

This is the area where the tree was.  The shed is long gone, but the tree was just to the left of it.

I finally got outside last week and chopped down another tree that had been bent under the weight of the fallen tree and then chopped up all of the trunks and branches into bonfire sized pieces.

The tree I chopped down now because it was ruined by the fallen tree

Crazy vines hanging from trees and holding everything up

Our wood pile

I'm not sure if it is just knowing that I am able to accomplish these "man" tasks... Or the power behind the machine... Or the fact that while it is running I can't hear anyone yelling "Mom!!!!  He touched me!!!  He looked at me!!!  Mom!!!!" so it's a nice break :)

In any case, I love any chance I get to use the chainsaw.

Watch out for falling branches (that your mother sets on top of you for good pictures)

Giving the goats something more

When I picked up all of those shipping crates I knew that I would make the goats an additional shelter.  I started building this towards the end of the coop project.

I've gotten much better at certain things so this was much faster.  I added the roof by using a piece off of another crate and reinforced the corners of the crate with 2 x 4s that would angle and support a roof.

I cut two different size doorways for a reason.  I was trying to give them more shelter from the wind and cold air and a small part of me hoped that the little ones would use the little door and the big one wouldn't be able to.

Kelly was already checking it out

I sealed the outside and the roof with wood sealer and I still want to add another piece of wood across the top of the doorways but I went back to working on the coop after I took these pictures.


The next day I put a piece of wood over the top half of the entry.  I decided (so far) not to cut the doors larger because the two smaller goats were able to get inside.  I'll wait to see if Jenny goes in later today.

Building another coop

Decided to put together information about how our chicken coop was built.  Our first one was made from the same material but was built the original way - horizontally.  I decided to make this one vertical for a variety of reasons.

First I found these huge shipping crates on Craigslist for $10 months ago.  When we went last time we could only fit one in the truck that I was using.

I found the man's phone number and called him asking if I could come buy some more from him and he agreed.  They were about an hour away

 

We were able to fit three of the large crates (they are over 6 feet long, 3 feet and 4 feet tall) on the trailer that I rented.  Then we fit a 3 foot by 3 foot crate at the back inside the last big one.  We also had some extra pieces of wood tucked in on the other side.  

This was the future coop.  By this point I'd removed the huge blocks of wood off the bottom by simply removing the entire bottom of the crate.  I installed some thick pieces of wood on the new bottom with wheels so I can move it into the goat pen easier and then flipped it up horizontally.

Got a new side put on where the former bottom was (took this off one of the other crates.)  And I painted it with wood sealer so that it can withstand the weather.

I added the nesting boxes that I made out of 3 gallon buckets from a dollar store and scrap pieces of wood. And I added three roosting bars.  I am worried about the top row of birds pooping down onto the lower birds so I may add a "poop bar" later.  A poop bar is a piece of wood that I would put under the roosting bar to catch the poop.  If I use linoleum or metal on it then it's easier to clean.

I sealed the floor but I am hoping to raise the floor a few inches.  Either by making the "floor" that they walk on be fencing so everything falls through and I just have to clean out the very bottom, or by actually making the floor higher and thicker than it currently is.