Raised Bed Covers.

Hubby tackled another great project in the past few weeks that put his carpentry skills to work once again. The first day we let all thirteen chickens out to free range after we got our second set of seven, we found out the hard way real quick that chickens WILL destroy your garden vegetables. They just would not stay out of the raised beds and they kept pulling chunks out of the leaves of the lettuce and cabbage plants.

So for a temporary resolution we would cover the plants with towels and drop cloths... but, then that was a pain and we thought if we came up with something permanent... that could keep chicken AND other animals (deer, raccoons, etc.) out of the raised beds... then we could take down the perimeter plot saver fence around the summer plot all together for the Winter! And so the designing and constructing began...

First one complete! Now to make four more...

Measuring for the two smaller ones.

All five finished!! Protection from the animals and easy to water. So creative!

Accidents Happen.

Poor TT-Girl managed to hurt herself a few days ago. She ripped her ear somehow on the farm and Hubby had to rush her to the Vet. She had to be sedated and stitched up along with an overnight stay... Just glad she still has two cute little floppy pointer ears!!

Removing the bandage proved to be quite the task especially since part of her hair came off with it! See missing hair in the photo?

Close-up of her artwork. Will have removed later this coming week!

New Street Address!

It has been a long and winding road to get our street number for the farm... Can you say over a year? Holy cow, the mountain of rules and regulations this county has to build a house on your property. Finally, we have a street number and a building permit. So, of course, Hubby built us a mailbox...

Farmer Wilson.

Did I forget to blog that Hubby is growing a beard this month? Well it is "No-Shave November", isn't it? Looking good if I say so myself!

Stripping Forms and Waterproofing Walls.

Forming & Pouring Walls.

According to Hubby, these residential concrete workers blow any commercial/industrial concrete workers out of the water. They are super fast at what they do. They came, they saw, they formed and poured in less than two days.

Plot Prep & Lime.

Once the tree clearing for the house and tree burning was done on the large plot next to the well, Hubby started harrowing up the plot for planting a winter cover crop. We intend on planting a field of corn in this particular plot during the Spring... so there is no time like the present to harrow, fertilize, and plant vegetation for the Winter. The cover crop will be tilled back into the soil once we prepare to plant in the Spring... this is good for the corn planting. We are harrowing it now because the soil is hard red clay according to Hubby. Hard clay will make it hard for us to till up, build rows and plant seeds in later. Of course, if it wasn't so dry these days, it would be easier to work the soil.

All that being said, we submitted soil samples to the Extension Service a few weeks ago for each of our planting areas including the area around our new house for grassing. The results came back and lime was in order.

So Hubby lined up the ol' lime truck to come out and spread lime on our planting areas around the farm. They arrived on Thursday and took care of business.

Harrowing in the lime and fertilizer.

Dragging the soil before spreading winter grass seed.

I did forget to mention that Hubby did move several loads of good top soil to the main garden plot just before the lime truck came by... this soil came from the area where we cleared for the house build.

Garden plot next to barn looking good!