Progress and Simple Pleasures

Progress

Robb and I spent the day on Monday getting our row cover up for our cabbage and broccoli. I am done dealing with Cabbage worms. They are the sneakiest most destructive little suckers, and the squish squish method just isn't doing it anymore... Its easy to get them out of the broccoli, but the little worms borrow inside the inner leaves of the cabbage and its impossible to get them. I have had some gorgeous cabbage over the years , only to be destroyed...
So this cover will keep the moths from laying their eggs on my plants ( which eventually hatch and turn into little worms that munch away on my Brassicas.
It was a bit of work and dealing with frost cloth in wind, I forgot but was soon reminded that it is nothing short of aggravating.. I also managed to really smash my finger.. But I am sure it will all be worth it when I am opening a fresh jar of kraut this winter!

We have also been working on some new chicken tractors for our meat birds. This year we did not skimp on materials and made them the "right" way so they will last us many seasons. We just got tired of weathered rotting wod and things falling apart because we decided to use recycled items. don't get me wrong, recycled is great, but the maintenance and time we spent on these older tractors for them to just start falling apart made us realize we need to use new treated wood. These are some nice tractors!
Robb managed to get 2 done this week! Ill have more photos soon, they are pretty nice. Each one will fit around 10 birds. We will move them around the property as needed, giving them a good life of bugs n fresh grass!

I have planted nearly all my seed potatoes! 40 lbs!  I am glad to have gotten them in the ground, just in time for a much need rain, forecasted for tomorrow.


Simple Pleasures

In between all the work, there are always moments of simple beauty in spring that make my heart sing. I am so happy another season has arrived! The first bouquet of the season, our girls pollinating the peach tree, and some baby chicks are truly life's simple pleasures!

Happy ( almost) Spring!

Blessings

The Cool Family

and just like that, Spring has Sprung

 

Getting ready for life in the Fast lane, so to speak, here at our Homestead! It looks like Spring is jusssst about here. Now I am quite sure we will get another frost or 2, and probably one in late April ( Ya know that one that always makes ya freak out, because you have everything planted in the gardens). But for the most part it looks like temps are steadily rising.




The bees are out! and dang happy too! We have been feeding them some pollen substitute . A good source of protein for them before the Alders and Maples bloom( which are in Fact in bloom right now!)

Ive started all of my seeds. Some are being transplanted now, and other have a ways to go before that happens...
A lot of my cool weather crops are going  in now. I have 4 pretty good size gardens, and like to take my time getting stuff in ( instead of doing it all in one day) so I started planting last week and hope to  have all my cool weather plants in , in the next week or so.

Norah has been busy Fishing, Playing in her Tree House, and Bringing insects into the house ( the first sign of spring around here.. hahaa) ..  She even found some Frog eggs in the pond, that we are going to raise up and release, when time :)

It feels good to be outside with hands in the dirt again!

How are Temps In your Neck of the Woods???

Blessings
The Cool Family