I mentioned previously that I was going to use landscaping fabric to keep down weeds and manage water loss. I am ALMOST done with the planting and transplanting.

I thought I would share what the beds look like now. I am putting in a weeping hose system that I have cut to length. Its not done yet as I need to get some regular 1/2 inch tubing to span the gap between the beds.

My going back to work full time resulted in our indoor started plants being VERY meek. The other day, when we were shopping at the farm supply store in Spencer, MA called Klems, I bought some of their conventionally grown plants for transplant. Such is life.

The process is: I lay out the soaker hose, I cut holes where I want the plants, I dig out the soil, plant the little guys deep (in the case of the tomatoes), cover, and then water in.

Some weeds grow under the brown paper fabric but not many and they are not hard to pull.

Our carrots are growing as are our beets. I will be finishing the main beds this weekend and then the squash (to be allowed to vine throughout the blueberry patch behind the main bed area).

I will write soon about the latest additions to our animal menagerie. I can say that we are closer to my personal dream of getting the jersey cow .. cant wait to make butter and cream! Pigs will come after that.

Two weekends ago we got a few things done that I will share here. It was a sunny day on saturday so KD, Q, and I sat in the sun (tho a bit chilly) and started making hay-based baskets. Above you can see KD playing with one in progress, great place for an egg.

These wont last long but it was nice to sit in the sun and play with it. Above you can see KD holding the egg basket with the unfinished rope hanging off to the side.

I grabbed some garden stakes and such and cobbled together the nest box frame above. Darn chickens love to roost on it and lay eggs UNDER it.

Ed and Q took some other left over used garden lumber stuff and made a chicken tractor. Didnt take them very long. This is just one for our backyard. If you want to do this for the field then it needs to also have a covered section for when it rains, chickens dont like rain much. (neither do goats!)

Chickens, eating clover and grass, in the tractor. Hawks flew overhead but never tested the tractor. Nice to be able to control the grass and then get even more beautiful eggs!