May 2, 2016

My Chicken Coop

A few weekends ago, I planned with my in-laws to build my chicken coop.  I want to get everything ready for when I bring my girls home.  I had to work that morning and was going to meet my in-laws back at my house after work.  When I got home, my in-laws were just finishing up the build with my husband.  YAY!!!!  It's all done.

Look how cute it is?

This is the box from the coop.


This is the box to the attached run.

I love this coop.  It's perfect and I hope my girls like it.

There's three nesting boxes.  I can't wait to come here in the fall to see eggs in the boxes.  The black tray in the middle is what will catch their poop while they are sleeping on the roosting bar.

Don't you love it?


My husband and in-laws tried tricking me.  The ladder wasn't in the coop.  I said "Where's the ladder" and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.  I said "how are the chickens going to get to their roosts and nesting boxes if they don't have their ladder" then I pointed it out on the box.  They all were like hmmmm.  I ran into the house to grab the instructions and was just about to call the 800 number and my father-in-law pulls out the ladder.  They all laughed at me and said it was a test to make sure I knew there should be a ladder and what it's used for.

Now I wait to bring home the girls.  :)

2016 Garden Update #9

Another garden update....I'm still trying to catch up all my posts.  :)

I have potted a lot and put the pots outside my greenhouse.  I haven't decided if I'm going to put my plants on my back deck this year or leave everything by the greenhouse.  I like everything in one place so it might be staying here.  It gets a good amount of sun and some shade at certain points of the day.


My mother dropped off these yellow marigolds for me.  I like how big they are.  She also gave me some snap dragons which I potted too.

More flowers....

I planted 3 tomato plants that my mom gave me in the ground.

I filled up my watering can.

My gnomes were moved from the tree I had them under to right in front of my greenhouse.  My husband is glad I moved them because he hated having to watch for them when he trimmed around the tree.  haha  I need to fill this area in.  Maybe some cute rocks and a little gnome fence.

I had some random packets of flower seeds and I decided to plant them here in the ground.  They are a mix of seeds to attract bees and butterflies to the garden so yes please.

I made myself a bee watering station.  Bees need water but you don't want them to drown.  The bees land on the little stones or rocks and then are able to drink water.  I just use a pie pan and some flat rocks from the dollar tree.  It's cheap and it helps the bees and looks cute in the garden.

Inside my sprouts are getting bigger and bigger by the minute.  Well maybe not the by the minute but it sure does seem that way.

Here's the peas.

Here's the green and purple beans.  The leaves are so healthy and big.

I might just leave the peas and beans inside to produce.  They are doing so well.  

Do they need to be pollinated by a bee though?  I came across this site that had some good information.

What veggies need pollinators all the time:
• Cucumbers
• Melons and watermelons
• Berries
• Tree fruits
Melons and cucumbers can be hand-pollinated, but it is a somewhat cumbersome task. In the case of blueberries you also need some cross-pollination. This is easy to do just by planting two different varieties.
What veggies can be pollinated with human help:

• Squashes, both winter and summer types—by hand
• Tomatoes—by hand or wind
• Eggplant—by hand or wind
• Peppers, both Hot and Sweet—by hand or wind
Squashes, with their rather large male and female flowers, are easy enough to hand pollinate. Just remember to get as much pollen on the female plant as you can. The more there is, the better the chances the fruit will develop well.
Wind-pollinated veggies, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, are fertilized by the beating of bees’ and other insects’ wings. You can likewise give the plants a little shake, or hand pollinate using a small paintbrush or cotton swab. In the greenhouse you can help these veggies simply by adding a fan to move the pollen.
What veggies do not need pollinators to produce:

• All leafy greens
• Brassicas: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kohlrabi
• Below ground root veggies and tubers such as carrots, parsnips, salsify, potatoes, sweet potatoes, horseradish
• Ground level root veggies such as beets, turnips, rutabagas
• Most legumes including peas and beans
• Corn—like other wind pollinated veggies, giving them a little shake helps distribute the pollen.
• Herbs, like the lemon balm pictured
• Celery
• Onions and leeks
These veggies will all grow by themselves when planted from seed.
source

May 1, 2016

Backyard Chickens Update #5

My friend, Melissa sent me a picture of the littles.  They are growing up.


Soooo fluffy.

I picked myself up this adorable welcome mat.  I got the last one at my andthat! (Christmas tree shop) store.

It's on my front porch.  Isn't adorable?  :)

2016 Garden Update #8

My sprouts inside are doing great....


Lots of green....


These green beans have really taken off.






Peas are doing really well too.

My plant babies make me happy.  :)

2016 Garden Update #7

I have lots of sprouts.....

Peas....

More peas....

Beans.....

My mother also gave me some eggplants and tomato starters.  Here they are in the greenhouse so I could get some more dirt and get them potted.

DIY Mulch Path

On this garden update, I mentioned I wanted to make a mulch path.

I was sitting on the couch bored after a judging competition I did and I figured I'd get off my butt and go make my mulch path or at least start it.

I took a shovel and drew a line for the path.  I did not measure anything.

I used a shovel, garden hoe and garden claw.  I have so much chick weed.  Too bad I don't have my chickens.  They would wipe all this out.  haha

I pulled up the weeds with the garden hoe, claw and my hands.  Some of it pulled up so easily like it was sod.  It was so weird.

I found a lot of earth rooms.  haha

I got the path all dug out.  I still didn't do any measuring.

All clear...

Look at all the weeds.  A wheelbarrow and a box full.

I picked up a weed barrier from the dollar tree.  It seems pretty durable for something that's only a dollar.  But I guess we will see later on if it holds up and keeps weeds from growing through it.

I took the weed barrier out of package and kept it folded in half.  It was a perfect fit.  I was very happy.  haha  It said you had to nail down the weed barrier, so I got some nails from the shed and the hammer and nailed it down.

I then busted the bag open on the path and started spreading it all around in the path.

Here's what the path looked like.

I walked on the path to test it out.  It was good.   I know over time it will pack down better.

My mother had hand sewn a sunflower for me.  I decided to hang it up in my greenhouse.


Here's the after.  The sunflower looks cute hanging up.  I liked the path but I wanted more of the weeds in front of the greenhouse pulled up.  I pulled and I kept on pulling.  I cleared most of it out in the front.

Here's a long shot of the corner.

Is it complete?  No.  I want to get the other weeds pulled and out of there.  I have plans to eventually plant more things in the ground in this area.  But that might wait until next season.  We will see.

I'm also thinking about fencing off some of the area so I can protect my garden from my chickens.

Judging Radio students

I was invited by my high school radio/tv teacher to judge in the SkillsUSA Virginia competition for radio.  (produced and pre-produced)

I met an awesome fellow radio person from a DC station.  Her name is Megan.  She also took the radio/tv class that I did but many many years later.  haha

(I'm not sure what that dot is on my chin....lol)

I also got my friend DJ2MUCH from work to judge with us.  We had a great time and we heard some great talent from the students.

Gift from the bestie....

My BFF- Kristen, knows how excited I am about getting chickens.  I only wished that she could get them too but they aren't allowed where she lives.  Maybe it's time for her to move to a place where she can get chickens? hmmmmm  But for now she can enjoy my chickens.

I got an awesome surprise in the mail one day from my BFF.

In the box was a chicken tea towel, a gift card to tractor supply, a chicken toy, fresh eggs daily book that I love and some mealworm treats for the girls.

The little chicken I knew just what to do with.

Thank you Kristen!!  :)