Well, we moved across the property two years ago and the garden is/was still over there. So I have been working on building a whole new garden by the new house. New (saved from a local fence builder) fence, cinder block framing (from job sites) and lots and lots of seedlings in the back room. Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, onion, pepper, tomato and herbs all grown from seed. Laundry room has overflowed into the dining room and kitchen. Then hoping to finish the new pens for the turkeys, bantams and muscovies. Bought a bunch of moldy lumber when I worked in the lumber yard that has just been waiting for me to use it up. Almost there, have to call the old boss and see if I can find some more lumber cheap. Hatched about a dozen ducklings and one goosling in the last week. Our first turkey poults EVER hatched today, I am SSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO excited. They look like they are Royal Palms. I think our Bourbon Red tom has a fertility problem, so I wlll have to put the other tom in with the girls and hope he does the job. Chickens are laying like crazy here too. Have been for a while. I need to post my ads and start selling eggs so I can help with the feed bill.

sullicorbitt - why will your hens stop laying in the summer? Heat?

Happy Harvesting
Billie

AWWW you hatched a goosie! sounds like you've got a lot of fun projects goine. My hens usually go on strike July-mid September, for a couple of reasons, the heat yes (they are large breeds) and most of them molt during that time.

-Sheila

Yes, my hands are very full. Sold the goose to a neighbor as a pet for her daughter (teen) about two days after he hatched. Now for the ducklings. I am sure that my son is not going to be willing to part with any of the turkeys though.
I'm also going to school, so with all the juggling I am doing, I hope not to drop anything :)

Billie

I have to rebuild the goats fence in the back of their paddock,have seedlings growing indoors now...and I am building a chicken run which will be attatched to their coop because I lost a few hens last fall from predators,so it will be 10x10 and 6 feet high. Can't wait till thats done...also I'm filling in our pond and building a mountain of rock instead for the goats to play on.hmmm,what else.......give me a month and I'm sure I'll find plenty more to do!!

The incubator is loaded with 45 assorted eggs due to hatch on the 26th, plus I stuck 5 eggs under two broody hens (due to hatch today!) because I just couldn't bear to disappoint them. :) The hens are in full gear with laying!

Just finished harvesting the last of the Blood Oranges off the tree in the backyard, now to get cracking making Blood Orange jelly! The white nectarine tree is just beginning to set fruit, they will be ready in July for eating and white nectarine jam. Meanwhile the strawberry patch is open, and it's nearly time to make strawberry preserves!

This year I plan on getting a vegetable garden in, I want to make it a raised bed garden because I can't do the stooping thing.

Velvet ~:>

I have long season seeds started indoors. Some have sprouted already! I'll be waiting impatiently for the others to start, as well.

We are desperately looking for a used tractor with mower, tiller and snow blower attachments. Will keep looking. We don't want to keep using a hand tiller. We really need a tractor, but they're hard to find with all three attachments.

I'm working on the chicken houses, but don't know if we'll have time for it until late summer.

I wanted to get started on the shop building for storing the tractor and implements, but my buddy who owns a skid loader said it is down right now (it has a hydralic leak, and he doesn't want to start a project until it is repaired). I need to replace the fan belts on the tractor, the last time I used it I got a stick caught between the front of the block and the radiator. Shredded the belts up before I knew it. Need to go to the home improvement center and get materials to finish putting together a small chicken coop and run. I'm planning on ordering 15 pullet chicks, just enough for eggs later on. The garden space is too wet to plow, and I need to burn the brush pile the renter's kids put on it over the winter (I'll have to rearrange it before I try to burn it, right now it is too loose to even catch on fire). I guess I am probably a couple of weeks behind where I should be, but our weather here has been so unpredictable. (Tonight's low is supposed to be below freezing!)

Kevin