If I happened to be looking for monthly tiny farming themes, this particular January is clearly all about chickens and tools (and thinking about stuff!). It’s not the usual January routine around here. Normally, I’d be hanging the lights back on the light racks, checking out my seed starting gear—plug sheets, trays and the like get hit by a certain amount of damage and destruction each year—and generally cleaning up and rearranging the Milkhouse for seedling production. This year, with the move to the new farm, there’s nothing much to do on this end, until the new seedling room is built. So, it’s been back and forth—this weekend was there. The tools in the photo, a fairly small part of my ever-expanding collection of essential farm maintenance gear, aren’t what’s mostly being used, it’s mainly the chop saw, sawzall, cordless drill, and a lot of measuring and marking as we frame and insulate the lower barn space. But I’ve been lugging this chest each way, just in case I need tools at either end… As for the chickens, well, it’s water, feed and eggs every day!
There is always stuff to do :-D, I’m running round trying to do repairs, fencing, tree planting and cooking! But it’s so wonderful seeing even the slow progress and feel you are moving towards your goal.
Your new project looks daunting but I’m sure your last 6 seasons will guide you well. Looking back through the posts I don’t seem to have wished you a Happy and Prosperous New Year (my comp kept locking up and I kept loosing posts and eventually gave up), so I have now, better late than never.
When do you think you’ll have your first market – have you anything in the fields at the old place or are you only growing at the new?
I really do hope your new venture goes well for you and thank you for all the time you’ve put in with this blog and answering queries, it’s been a joy to read and so full of information.
All the best,
Deborah
The new farm sounds like it is taking on its own life. I am very excited for you, this year will be like none other with the new addition. Can’t wait to read more :-)
It’s going to be interesting! Fun!! I’ve been spending at least a few minutes every day lately, thinking about ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE in the next three-four months. That’s totally apart from the lists and specific plans, just going over a kinda mental checklist of what’s totally set up here, from the garden and the buildings, to the farmers’ market, CSA, certification, and on and on, that’s totally not set there. It’s a mad amount of work. The way I look at it, this is a test of the modern new tiny farmer’s version of the old school farmer’s unswerving focus and resolve: it’s not like you can just stop growing food, you have to work things out and keep things rolling no matter what, or EVERYONE STARVES! Well, hardly literally, in this case, but it’s kinda the thought that’s driving me… :)
Thanks for the good wishes. It’ll be cool to cover it all on the blog!
Deborah: I’ll be taking some herb transplants, maybe rhubarb, and Jerusalem artichoke out of the old garden when it thaws up, and some parsnips to eat, but nothing for sale. It’ll be all new stuff!