Planning is Over - Now the Real Work Begins

Work on the farm is never over. Some people see it as a chore. A friend of mine at my full-time job recently divorced her husband. She stated that when she was rid of the albatross of the farm, she was so relieved.  It was a constant burden.  I have mixed emotions about that. Yes I agree it is constant, yes it is a financial drain, yes it is challenging.  On the other hand it is rewarding, healthy (when you avoid pesticides, chemicals and unnatural solutions to nature's challenges) physically beneficial, mentally stimulating, bountiful (in the sense that nature surrounds us with so much!) and enjoyable.

The chicks were ordered last week. Slow growth meat birds, White Rocks, Hatch Day Choice for layers. It should be a big order.  I need to develop a brooding/hatching area to protect the chicks.

We are going to see a couple of goats this Thursday.  We are hopeful that they will work out here at the farm as workers.  I want some animals to start taking on the chores of cutting grass and knocking back brush. Goats are great for that, but the challenge is trying to keep them in!!!  More on those adventures as we move ahead.  I am looking toward it with trepidation.

Also, as we move more into livestock we need to have some guardians. We are torn between a donkey and a large pair of guardian dogs. With the goats so small my wife is worried about coyotes. We have lost a few chickens to predators in the recent weeks and we think it is a fox. Well I want a donkey and Rachel is leaning toward a pair of digs. I see the donkey as a natural addition.  He would fit into the feed schedule well.  They work the fields with the animals and I think it would be enjoyable to have a unique animal.

The bees will be split next week. New queens are coming in from Australia or Hawaii and I will be placing them in the nucs with the other bees. Next Thursday.  I have one colony that is really bursting and the other two are a little slower to respond.

Trees have been tubed and are mulched, new Hazelnuts are due to arrive this week and so it will be extremely busy.