We are getting our groove. But the days still end up running out of hours sooner than I’d like. My mornings used to consist of breakfast, coffee with my Ipad, then slowly getting ready for work. Leaving home late morning, noonish. We work late so this worked well.
Now the days consist of getting up earlier, quick breakfast and coffee followed by barn check. Then we try to get ahead on projects before heading off to our day at the music academy. I knew that this first spring on the homestead would be hectic but I didn’t anticipate the girls getting so many turkeys and chickens so soon! We are trying to build a permanent coop and then get some temporary fencing up until we can afford the permanent fence. Lizzie is in her high school graduating year and is very busy with that. Katie and I are producing a show in support of autism and that is just eating into our days.
So the coop is taking way longer than it should. Of course, when we do find a little time, we don’t really know what we’re doing! Thank goodness for friends! We have had the amazing luck of having friends who are wanting and able to help. So we have two framed walls and a base. Hopefully this week we can find more wood and on the weekend finish the other 2 walls. I want all the poultry outdoors in 2 weeks. If I don’t set these goals, things will just not happen.
On another front, I have received information from Agricorp, a government run program that gives tax breaks to Ontario farmers. I will need to fill out a bunch of documents to receive these breaks, but it is well worth it. Because I have missed deadlines for this year by 5 days (because of our moving date) I need to first apply for an exemption. As a start-up, this exemption means I don’t have to wait another year before I can apply. The government will give you tax breaks while you are trying to build the farm business. If I get exempted as a start-up, then my municipal taxes get a 75% rebate. I then have a year to increase revenues from the farm to $7000 annually.
This seems totally unachievable and at the same time, I think we can somehow get it done. Planning, planning, planning. That’s what needs to happen.
So while I was working on filling out those forms (seems easier than done!) I also managed to plant all my seedlings, save for the Swiss chard, this weekend. I had way more plants then plots so at the last minute I had to carry over a few more tree stumps, dig and prepare a 3rd bed and plant quickly before the rain. I love planting on rainy days. If you get your timing just right, you plant when the sun is not too strong to burn your delicate plants and then the rain takes care of the watering. My timing was perfect this year ! A friend brought me a yard and a half of garden earth! 30-30-30 mix. Perfect and what a treat. You know you are a homesteading girl when a load of earth makes your heart skip a beat 😉
3 beds and climbers along the fence posts. By the way, I don’t know how I would survive without my Jolly clogs! They were a gift from students years ago, and I still love them. It’s so easy to go in and out of the house quickly and they are comfortable enough to walk around all day. I wear them barefoot as they have a nice insole. Easy to wash and lots of support. Just saying.
My beds don’t look like much but I hope they grow into beauties! Although I have great ambitions for this pasture, it will obviously take me longer than I anticipated. I think next fall, after harvest, I will invest in a tiller and turn everything over. Then cover for the winter with cardboard and mulch so that come spring, the beds are ready to accept plants. These beds were so hard to dig up. The muck went down 15 cm and the ground is compacted from the weight of the horses.
But I realized that in using the greenhouse porch as the floor for our coop, we automatically found me the bed I need for the rest of my plans for this year! I will simply add good garden soil, mix it well and direct plant my carrots and beans. I also want to plant lots of kale and lemongrass. Being that the bed is directly in front of the greenhouse, I know the sun exposure will be spectacular!
On the poultry side of things, we now know for sure we have one rooster. He started with the voice changing sounds a few weeks ago, but now, it’s a pretty sweet CockleDoodleDo. LOVE IT!
On a side adventure, I got to see a man make a horse shoe. I have to say, it was pretty impressive. In less than 30 minutes he had turned a piece of metal into a work of art. The girls will have to come watch with me next time. They’d have loved the workmanship.
Unruffled Farms 