Happy Easter

Spring Garden

Yesterday,  I was finally able to get into my garden. Usually, I have all my early spring garden crops planted by now but the weather has just not cooperated. I heard the weather man say last night that we will be in the top 10 coldest March's in history here in the Bluegrass. Yesterday, I started putting together my raised beds and putting down lime. We have our chickens on the garden all winter so I always put down lime before I start planting each year. I also went and bought the first round of cabbage and kohlrabi plants.

Today and tomorrow, I am hoping to get my first spring crops in the ground. This will include beets, onions, spinach, lettuce and cilantro. We will see how things go today.

Happy planting!

Baby Chicks First Day Out

Buff Orpington Chick
5 Weeks Old

Today was moving day for our baby chicks. They are now five weeks old. Normally we attach the run somewhere between the third and fourth week but the weather has just not been cooperative. Today, it was finally warm enough to give it a try. It is always fun to watch their first little, timid, explorations in the outside world. First, there is a brave one who sticks her head out. Eventually they move out into the open. Soon others cautiously join them. They run back and forth and do not venture out too far. Eventually, they will make it to the end of the run. After the first day, they will be waiting at the door to get out each day now that they realize that the big outside world is not so scary. We all sat around, watched and took pictures of this venture for over an hour today. As I have said before, "Who needs TV when you have chickens to watch?"

Baby Chicks

We were able to pick up our baby chicks from our friend on Saturday. Because it is still quite chilly out, my husband put a remote thermometer in coop so we could monitor temperature. Jokingly, I asked where my remote cam was going to be placed. My daughter and he immediately set about installing one for me. It has been so much fun to turn on the computer whenever I want and see what they are doing. Their antics are so cute at this age and they grow up so fast. I am hoping to share some pictures with you soon.

Tree Pruning

Today, Chuck and I spent the day pruning trees. We are a little behind schedule this year. I try to get it done by the middle of February but the weather and our lives were not cooperative with that schedule. Last night, as I was telling someone what was on the agenda for the day, I heard once again someone tell me that they are "scared" of pruning. Basic pruning is not that hard to learn and is essential to tree health as well as good "looks". Here are some basic tips.

1) First, use good quality, sharp hand pruning sheers. Cuts need to be made at the tree collar (see illustration). Cuts should not be made randomly along a limb. Never prune more than 25% off a tree each year. Do not "top" the tree.

2) Look at the overall shape of the tree. Remove branches that do not fit in with the trees shape.

3) Next, remove any dead branches.

4) Look for branches that touch and/or cross over each other. When branches touch each other or cross each other, it sets up a perfect breeding ground for disease.

5) Cut out "suckers" including branches coming near the tree bottom near the ground and those growing straight up.

The best time for pruning is late winter before the sap starts running and leaves begin to appear. Pruning a tree from little on up, saves a lot of headaches later on.

Sweet Home Spun

My friend, Jo, gave me a spinning wheel over a year ago. I have tried to make it work and do what I say to spin yarn for a while. Finally, I got frustrated enough, I put it back in the bedroom and that is where it has sat. A couple of weeks ago, I was watching the KET show called "Kentucky Life". They did a segment on a fiber place in Henry County named Sweet Home Spun. After the segment, I quickly looked up their website and e-mailed them to ask if they did yarn spinning classes. I received a prompt replay and found their price very reasonable and affordable with our limited budget. We set up an appointment for today.

I brought my spinning wheel with me. The class was one on one and was with the owner JoAnn. She was patient and a great teacher. At the end of two hours, my feet and hands were much more coordinated with each other and I came home with a small skein of usable yarn. It will still take some practice to build up my consistency but I am well on my way.

JoAnn and her husband have their own sheep herd from which her fiber comes. She has processed wool roving that is dyed or natural available in her store to buy. Here is the link to her website: Sweet Home Spun 

El Rancho Tapatio

Last night, our women's group from church sponsored a Ladies Night Out. We went to a local restaurant that someone had read good reviews about. We dined and caught up with each other and enjoyed some delicious, authentic, Mexican food. We ate at El Rancho Tapatio which is located at 144 Burt Road here in Lexington. The food was delicious and I especially liked their salsa which tasted of roasted tomatoes and peppers but was not too spicy. The prices were very reasonable. If you are looking for some great Mexican food, this is a great place to go. Here is a link to their web page which includes a menu and pricing. El Rancho Tapatio Restaurant

Baby Chicks

The new baby chicks are here! The hard part is we are keeping ours at a friends house a couple of days until the weather warms up a bit. We have to keep them outside due to allergies and even with a heat lamp it would be stressful for them. We are hoping to pick them up on Thursday though. In the meantime, we are getting things ready for their arrival. I love baby chicks. They are so cute and fun to watch grow. I can't wait until ours are here so we can watch their antics.

Do-it-Yourself Classes

A friend and I are planning on some do-it-yourself classes that we will offer through our church. We are simply going to gather some people in one of our homes and talk/demonstrate a topic of choice. We are not doing this to make money or to be the expert but to share the skills that have been given or learned by us in order to live a more sustainable life-style. Many of our friends have asked us it we could to teach them how to do many of these topics. Some examples are canning, food preservation, cheese making, wine making, gardening 101, composting and others. We will gather, everyone will bring a simple appetizer to share along with a beverage of choice and we will spend an afternoon or evening learning how to live a more sustainable life style while having a nice social time with some friends.

Have people been asking you to teach them how to do something? Gather a few people, make it a social time and help spread the sustainable lifestyle.

Happy Valentine's Day

Earthworms

This week in the homeschool Biology class I teach we talked about earthworms. Earthworms are a valuable member of our ecosystem and a great garden help. You can always tell healthy soil by how many earthworms you turn over in a shovel scoop. Earthworms can be called nature's little "rototillers". Their feeding habits enrich the soil and their movements aerate the soil. Here is a basic description of how these things work.

Earthworms suck in soil through their pharynx (mouth). After the soil is sucked into the digestive track, it then is stored temporarily in the crop. From their it travels to the gizzard where it is ground up into smaller bits. Next, it goes into the intestinal track where digestive enzymes are added and the organic materials it needs for its nutrition are absorbed into the body. Like our digestive system, waste products then continue through the intestinal system and are excreted out the anus. Yes, worms poop and that is part of our soil make-up. They also have small organs which act like kidneys. They take the waste products from the food being digested and excrete it through the skin (yes, worm pee). This process helps the soil break down matter into a substance that plants can then use for their energy production (photosynthesis or biosynthesis).

By "eating" soil, worms loosen the soil in front of them which makes it easier to dig forward in their movement. It also loosens the soil's particles which allow it to absorb water and oxygen that plants need. Worms don't just tunnel in one layer of the soil. They are always moving up and down between layers. This mixes the nutrient rich soil (where plants and other things are decaying) at the top with the mineral rich soil deeper down. This makes an ideal mixture for plants to continue to thrive. Without earthworms in the ecosystem, soil would no longer be fertile and able to support plant life.

As you can see, earthworms are a valuable member of your healthy lawn, compost, flower beds and garden. Without them, soil fertility soon disappears. They are a very important gardening friend.

World Hunger/Clean Water

A friend of mine shared this video on facebook today. A must see for all. It will make you think.

First World Problems being Read by Third World People

Cold Weather

I have to admit that I enjoy a little cold weather. Kentucky seems to get just the right amount for me. I love the cold and snow but not for months on end. The best part of the cold though is the fact that it kills off the bugs and weed seeds to make the next gardening season a little easier. The past two winters have been unseasonable warm around here. In fact, last winter the season forgot to show up. The downside to this is that the summer bugs have been more abundant because they did not die off during the winter. So enjoy that cold snap, spend some time with your family or doing that task or hobby you seem to never have time for during the growing season.

Recycling Church Flowers

At our church when altar or other flowers are past their prime and not wanted by the person who donated them, I recycle them for the church. Our Pastor saves them; I bring them home and then add them to the compost pile. The containers are saved and used by me at a later date or donated to Good Will. This helps divert things from the landfill and adds to my compost pile. This is an easy thing people with compost piles can do and help reduce, reuse and recycle. Find out where "unwanted" altar and other flowers go at your church. Volunteer to take them home and recycle them yourself.

Last Frost Date

One of the big things that affects gardening in the spring (and fall) is the last (and first) frost date. I found this great tool on the web for figuring it out more specifically for your area in the United States. You simply have to plug in your zip code and it will tell you this information. Give it a look when you get a chance.
Last Frost Date United States by Zip Code

Nitrogen Cycle

I teach a small home school Biology class. Yesterday, we covered the nitrogen cycle. Many people assume our air is made of mostly oxygen since that is what we breathe. The actuality is though that it is mostly nitrogen. Our air is made up of about 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and then some carbon dioxide (0.03%) and argon (0.93%). Nitrogen is very important to life on earth as living things need nitrogen to perform the very functions of obtaining energy for themselves.

Nitrogen from the air is hard to obtain. As I told my students, it is very stingy about who it will mix with and how easily it will do it. Nitrogen fixing bacteria in our soil take the nitrogen out of the air and convert it to chemicals that like to more easily react with things. These chemicals are then used by plants and other photosynthetic organisms for energy. We then eat them to get nitrogen from them. Some nitrogen is returned to the soil naturally from our and other living things waste products. Most of the nitrogen is returned though to the air to start the process all over when they die and decomposing bacteria break them down.

In order to help my students understand this cycle more, I found this animation on the computer that explains it a little better. The only thing I do not like about it is that it shows a sprayer which would normally be associated with conventional fertilizer. Conventional fertilizer are unnecessary if we treat our soil properly in the first place but otherwise it does a good job of explaining it.  Nitrogen Cycle Animation

Learning about the how the natural process works helps us grow better gardens. Hope you will take a few minutes to learn about the nitrogen cycle.

Living and Dying

This week one of our friends was put in hospice and died after a very long illness. I spent the week going back and forth to the hospital to be with his wife during this difficult time. One of my other friends posted on facebook this week that death is not necessarily all about the dying but the living who will be left behind. My friend was in a coma for several days before dying. Although we were there for him to hear us and for him not to die alone, we were mostly there for his wife. We spent time with her to support her during this difficult time.

The other observation I made this week is how many people did not come. I am guessing they felt uncomfortable, did not know what to say or feared being around death itself. We seem to want to neatly pack it away in hopes that it will never happen to us. When I was growing up, our Pastor used to say that we all had 100% chance of dying some day. Although it is sad for those who are left behind, for many like our friend it is the end of suffering here on this earth.

If someone is dying, remember there loved ones. Sometimes just sitting with them helps pass the time. If you don't know what to do just listen or reminisce about the dying person with the loved ones left behind. When my Grandma was dying in hospice many people came to tell us the wonderful ways that she had helped them over the years. Many of them even her children did not know. It was a wonderful way to celebrate her life.

Baby Chicks

The McMurray chick catalog came in the mail this week. It gives me a sense that spring is only a couple of months away. It is so much fun to gaze through the pages and pick out our chickens each year. I always go in with others who are only ordering a few so we can all get the chicks and breeds that we desire. The minimum order without having to pay a heavy shipping fee is 25 baby chicks. If you cannot order this many chicks, other options would be looking or asking your local farm supply store. I know that Rural King and Tractor Supply all have baby chick days in the spring. You can usually get as many as you want. However, the minimum you should get is 3. These are flock animals and should always have company. There is nothing sadder than a lonely chicken. We always look forward to baby chicks. It is so much fun to watch them as they grow up.  

Roof-part 3

The roof on the house is about 3/4 complete. Hoping to get the rest of it done this week if the weather cooperates. Here are some pictures of the front of the house where they worked on Saturday. They started on the back of the house first to get the hang of it but it looks just as nice.

Roofing-Part 2

I received a comment on the last post that made me want to further clarify something because he is absolutely correct. Before attempting to do a roof yourself, try to find someone who knows what they are doing to consult with or even have help you. Offer to pay him or her to consult with you if it is not a close friend or relative. This gets back to my point that we need to be sharing our skills with each other. Many of the "old" self-sufficient skills are dying with older generations. We need to learn these skills once again. Not only has Chuck learned to put on a roof but we have had three teenagers plus our daughter helping who now have that skill to pass on and use themselves.

I grew up in a family of farmers and "do-it-yourselfers". When someone needed a roof put on, windows, doors or siding replaced, everyone went to their house a day or two and got the job done. The family who was doing the project fed everyone and made sure they had plenty to drink. When they needed help we returned the favor of free labor. My Grandparents and Aunt/Uncle's homes were pretty much built this way.  We also shared large tools and equipment. I grew up thinking that this was how everyone does it. There is nothing wrong with hiring a contractor or professional do these things. We have done this a few times for things we did not know how to do or were beyond our capabilities or time. Unfortunately, we do not have the money for this so we have to get these things done differently. Learning new skills gives you the option to do it yourself or to have someone else do it.

Family Memories

We did not have time before Christmas this year to make our form cookies so today we took the time to make them. Yes, they taste good but mostly this is a fun family tradition that I have done with the kids since they were little. This year, Mary even rolled out the dough and cut them out. This is always a fun time that the kids look forward to. We set out sprinkles and frosting along with the cookies and let them create. We do not try to make masterpieces or "perfectionistic" cookies. We use our creative juices and just have fun. Of course, we eat a few along the way. Family traditions are an important part of growing up and creating positive childhood memories. What are your family's traditions?

Roof Do-It-Yourself

We found out a week before Christmas that we needed to put a new roof on our house. Needless to say we did not have the money to pay a contractor to do it for us. Besides who wants to spend that kind of money when you can do it yourself. My husband had never done a roof before and it is something that you want to make sure is done properly. Luckily, my Dad has put on several roofs in his lifetime. He no longer can get up on a roof but he still can supervise from the ground. I ordered the materials with his direction. A great way to do this is to go to a major home improvement dealer and talk to their contractor sales person. They were able to help me figure out the amount of shingles and other supplies needed. In order to get an accurate shingle amount you will need to know the square footage of the outside of your house, the number of peaks (ridges) and the slope of your roof. Most homes are either a 4:12 or 5:12 ratio. If your attic area is about 6 feet high like ours you are a 4:12. If it is about 8-9 feet than it is probably a 5:12. In addition to shingles you will also need edging if it is not already in place, roofing nails, good box knife cutter with lots of extra blades, roofing nail gun, regulated air compressor, extension ladders, roofing square and a 2 foot x 2 foot (or so) piece of plywood to cut shingles on up on the roof. You can rent roofing nail guns but we found it cheaper to buy one at a pawn shop which we will later resell. We also already owned the air compressor.

My Dad came the first couple of days and showed my husband how to do the starter row, valleys and ridge caps. From there, My husband and his helpers have been able to do the roof themselves. My advice if you have never roofed before is to find someone to help you get started. There are also a lot of you tube videos available on how to do each of the above sections. I have to admit that I help with a lot of the projects but my help with the roof has been getting supplies and cleaning duty on the ground. My fear of heights does not make me a good candidate to be on the roof.

Putting your own roof on is a great way to save money but only if it is done properly. We were able to do a 3 bedroom ranch plus our small shed for less than $2000 in materials using 25 year shingles. Make sure to save your receipt. If somethings happens to the shingles, you will need the receipt to get them replaced. A friend of mine learned this lesson the hard way. Find someone who has done it before and is willing to help you get started if possible. Even paying him for their time will be cheaper than hiring a contractor.

 

Happy New Year

I apologize that I have been neglectful of my blog during the past month. We have had a lot going on around here along with the normal holiday festivities. I will be writing a little more about that later. Hoping all of my readers will have a Happy New Year and had a blessed Christmas season.