Spring projects....anyone cooking up new ones right now?

[justusnak]

Ohhh. Spring plans!!! I have been getting the seed catalogs already in the mail. I have made a list from each one...then I will go back and shorten each list!
This year...we have to build a new hog pen. Had to move the last one for the perimiter drain on the new septic system. He assured me the pigs wont dig it up...but I know how deep a pig digs. I dont want to take a chance...sooo...the old hog pen...will be a garden area. That rich soil will NOT go to waste!! I am thinking peas...beets, and onions. It gets some shade..so I cant put maters in there, or corn. I have picked out the apple trees I am going to order, and the peach trees. Already have the spot picked out..and can't waite to plant! This will give us 3 of each, apple, peach, and cherry. Along with the grapes and various berries...I think we will be set for fruits. ( in a few years) I also want to fence off the 3 acres of woods behind the house...for the sheep. I need to get a few pens set up for wildlife rescues...something I have volunteered for this spring. I have the cages...just need to build them up off the ground. ( My luck I will only get coons or possum rescues.) YUK!
Put in one more set of drainage ditches on the south side of the property...and hopefully get the pond dug out more. ( thats pretty far down on the list because of the $$ involved)
I have been collecting windows to build a greenhouse. I have 10 windows....so far. Hopefully I can get that done this spring/summer.
Guess thats about it...but I am sure I will come up with more later!

 

[Woodland Woman]

I am planning on expanding my garden. It did very well last year using chicken poop compost. I will rotate my seeds, planting what I got last year and replacing my seed stash as needed.

I am going to put a roof on my chicken coop run and improve drainage. Last year we had so much rain it was a giant mud puddle.

I am going to paint my banty coop. It just has primer on it and I barely got it winterized on time. I will build a pen with a roof for the banty coop also.

In the fall I got 2 varieties of blueberry plants and I am going to get some 5 gallon buckets for container planting with acidic soil.

 

[pioneergirl]

well, since I'm going to be in and out all year, and since my SS plans have rearranged themselves a bit, here is my list:

Open the space between the den and kitchen (where the laundry and 1/2 bath are) for the wood stove

Put in new bath under the stairs

Build a new permanent fence on OUR property line for the garden

Plant a few grape vines

Build fencing for the goat, chickens, and sheep

Insulate the garage

Clean up the shed for better animal shelter

Work on getting our own power

Start cutting firewood for the future

This seems like a long list, but I'm only able to work a weekend here and there, then I'll have 2 weeks in July. The fencing projects can be done in a day or 2, the insulation in a day, and then the inside construction is just that "inside" so it can be a little at a time since its protected.

I have to start all over so the list is long.

 

[Beekissed]

Final thought: I am so sick of sitting around. I need to DO something.....

me too. I'm finding I'm actually kinda going into a depression. I'm thinking it might be due to all the white on the ground and so SICK of cleaning. I'm getting cabin fever big time, but with this being our slow season (and by slow I mean SSLLLLOOOOOWWWWW!!) we don't have any "extra" money to get out of the house. I hate to even spend gas if I don't have to.... ok... I know... wahhh, wahhh, wahhh

man, I can't wait for spring.

Getting a little antsy myself...nothing quite as depressing as dirty snow.

It helps me somewhat to spend time in the sheep barn watching them eat and giving them dry bedding, good food, communing with them.

But...the real pressure valve is those seed catalogs and the gardening books from the library. I am so doing things differently this year and will keep a careful log of everything and how it did....I really need to start keeping track of all things: expenses, garden production, egg production, etc.

I bought myself a journal!

Yep...spring fever in full swing.....

 

[gettinaclue]

Hummm - little question - big answer.

Thinking we will install a "Cool and Save" or something similar. Thinking of installing "Solar Screens" - we just ran across them tonight, so more research is needed there.
Going to build something to shade the AC unit.
Build raised beds - I'm hoping to get a better yield from them than I did my regular "in ground garden" . I don't know if it's because I'm not an experienced gardner or critters or whatever - but I didn't get near out of it that I wanted to. I'm guessing a little from all the above. LOL

More than likely we'll go in on part of a cow to be butchered. Much cheaper than buying meat from the store.

Don't know if we will have the money to build to chicken coop or not...that may have to be put off for YET ANOTHER YEAR!!! That is really killing me. I've been dreaming of eating my own chickens for a while.

Initial plans for the garden include - planting lots and lots of 'tatoes. I ran into a woman the other week that lived in Idaho for a while. She said she knew many 'tatoe farmers - and not ONE of them would eat the potatoes they grew for commercial use. That is just SCAAAAARY It definately reinforces my ideals of becoming more self sufficient.

The debate between hubby and I will go on and on and on about which fruit trees we want to plant and where to put them It's an age old arguement at this point I'm afraid, but I'm optimistic.

There is a hooch factory down the street - it's legal - thinking of asking for some oak barrels for rain catching to water the garden.

 

[Beekissed]

Whiskey barrels make the best pickled corn in the world! Also seems to make the rain water softer for washing hair. Remember back in the 70s and 80s when they were selling beer shampoo? We had whiskey barrels for rain barrels and had our own "beer shampoo"!

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I want a 5 gallon stoneware crock to make some hooch! I guess Im gonna have to make a trip to Lehmans, can't find a good used one.

 

[gettinaclue]

Pickled corn? Never heard of it. Do you have a recipe you could post? I wouldn't mind giving that a whirl. I love pickled everything.

 

[Beekissed]

GAC, you are the second person who has told me that recently and I was dumbfounded! I didn't realize that pickled corn was a regional thing until now. Everyone I knew growing up had a crock of pickled corn and even canned it up in half gallon jars.

It's the same as brining kraut, same method and everything. Best if you use yellow corn, as the white corn seems to remain too sweet and ruins the taste of the pickling. It's making my mouth water to even type about pickled corn. I don't like homemade pickles or kraut, but pickled corn is a delicacy to me!

One year we did a whole whiskey barrel and, since it wouldn't fit in our cellar, it had to stay out in the yard. The whiskey gave it an extra bite that was delicious!

The brine keeps the water from freezing, so your hand becomes instantly numb when you reach into the water to extract the corn. The corn is usually left on the cob but I've known folks to cut it off and can it up after the process is complete. Some just brine it in the jar.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

OMG Bee,..pickled corn! I haven't had any of that in years! My grandmothers all made it and it was on the cob. Yumee! They did theirs in the stoneware crocks and left them setting in the kitchen. Kind of smelly at times, but it was good!