Lazy Gardener's Little Town Farm

[Lazy Gardener]

Work continues on the duck tractor. I'm thankful for hubby's brain power. Needed a trip to Lowe's to pick up more lumber to complete the project today. It's been a work in progress, designing from the ground up... starting with a very solid 1/2 pallet and an axle and wheels scavenged from the town dump.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I'd like to share this song with my friends: Hallelujah

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Busy day. Many aches and pains to add to yesterday's aches and pains, But, they are happy aches and pains. Hubby helped me: put together the 2 frames that were treated with shou-sugi-ban. Each frame is about 75 x 31" with a 2" wood tab that sticks up at each corner. So that... when the next frame is set on top, it is held in place by the tabs. We made the frame for a chicken tractor that will fit on top of either of these frames. I have hdw. cloth that was saved from the other tractor to finish the new tractor. (which will be painted white) Next, I'll make frames that will hold patio door screens or glass. And a frame with curved top ( 2 x 4 welded fencing) which may be hinged.) That frame will require some cogitation, b/c I want to be able to cover the fencing with either greenhouse plastic or remay/shade cloth.



I also started digging up one of the new beds in new garden area. Unfortunately, the TroyBilt is buried at back of the garage, and I can't get it out b/c the chicken brooders are in the way... Though... I'm re-thinking that idea, and actually may be able to move the chick brooder to get the TroyBilt out. That would save a LOT of work! And... time is in such very short supply right now.



Tonight, I cooked BBQ chicken, broccoli with cheese sauce, and Gary added Tater Tots to the meal. Such an ambrosia of flavors!!!

 

[farmerjan]

I'd like to share this song with my friends: Hallelujah

That was beautiful.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Busy days continue. Hubby put a gutter up over the pass door to the shop.

I finished priming all exposed wood on the duck house and chicken tractor. Need to give them the finish coat before I put hdw. cloth on them, and make the doors.

I moved the chicks and ducklings out of the garage for a little while today. They thoroughly enjoyed it. The ducklings went swimming in one of the chicken's rubber feed dishes. At one time, there were 5 of them in that dish! I was a bit concerned, b/c it was only 60* today, and they have not developed any oil on their down. But, they seemed to not get too chilled. Bee, it's been getting down to mid 30's in the garage at night. Since the ducklings have been sleeping on top of their MHP, I flattened it to give them more room. Should I be concerned about it getting wet? I'm still unsure of how to manage "all things duck". I've been giving them a sprinkling of nutritional yeast on top of their feed almost every day.

The weather is still unsettled. Supposed to get an other snow storm tomorrow afternoon. So... we'll be tackling the broken chicken run frame before then. Hope to get the repair completed. B/C an other load of snow will completely collapse the structure.

I was so hoping to do some tilling today, but the day just ran away from me. Weather too unsettled to plant right now, anyways.

I cooked a sweet and sour veggie stir fry to go with last night's BBQ chicken. That stir fry recipe was a "flyin' by the seat of my pants" meal, and it was pretty awesome. I love it when a meal actually falls into place like that!

 

[baymule]

I love the recycled wheels for the duck tractor. You will enjoy your tractor. I am fertilizing a pasture with my CCX tractor ATM. You could take the duck tractor through the garden to fertilize it. Or use their duck water to your advantage and water plants with a diluted solution of duck water.

 

[henless]

Thank you.... @henless . I do hope you didn't read the whole thing! Welcome! Pretty dog. Tell me about him????

Sure did! I love to read.

That's BlueBell. The pic was taken a few years ago. She's pushing 14/15 now. She's almost deaf/blind, but she can still spot those buzzards & hawks flying over head. She'll take off running & brarking when she sees them. She's been such a good girl, we'll miss her when she's gone.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Fox attack last night. I'm thankful that we saw him before he got any birds. Gary and I put up the electric fence today. We also worked on finishing the CP around the garden. Next up: finish the deer netting around the garden. Still have duck and chick tractors/houses to build. Get them moved out before next hatches in early May. Time to till new section of garden, and get to planting.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I'm brooding chicks and ducklings in an unheated garage. They are in side by side brooders, each group having their own Mother Heating Pad caves. Today, I was cleaning the brooders, and the chicks kept flying out. On multiple occasions, several flew into the duckling's brooder. Mind you... those ducks are about 4 x the size of the chicks, though they were hatched within a day or two of each other. I was interested to see how they would interact. I thought surely that the tiny little chicks would be picked on. NOT so! Truly amusing to see those tiny little puffs of fluff standing on their tip-toes to go beak to bill with the ducks and push them around!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

After more than a month of trying, I picked up 2 cases of canning lids today... Also got 2 doz. pint jars, and 20# of chicken breast to can. Hubby and I put 10# of chicken breast in the freezer this morning. I intend to go into the fall with a full pantry of home processed foods. Also got more supplies to make laundry detergent.