Hoping...Planning...Dreaming...Hoping...Planning...Dreaming...
I feel like we are doing a lot of hoping, planning and dreaming and not so much on the doing. Doing takes time and money, both things that are hard to come by when I work full time, Mark substitute teaches full time and we are just a few weeks past Christmas...meaning the after Christmas catch up has begun. Not to mention, we've been struggling to keep our heads above water for a bit. I'm hoping that we'll be getting a decent income tax return (it won't be as much as last year, nor am I getting my bonus this year *ahem, another story) - if so, it will likely be enough that we'll be able to breathe a little bit. That, along with Mark's long term teaching job should allow us to start getting some of our simpler projects. So we've transitioned into actual planning. we went through our catalog from
Dadant (a beekeeping supplier) and put together a wish list (set into different phases of ordering) - below represents the first round of ordering. I'll print out this form and bring it, along with the catalog to our next beekeeping meeting. We'll walk through it, together with the group leader - to make sure we have all the necessities. What is amazing, is that the beekeeping association that we belong to supplies everything necessary for the extraction of honey (for free) - we'll need to sign up to use it, but totally worth it. Since our beekeeping school is scheduled for March 23rd and our bees our scheduled to arrive April 17th, we'll put the order in for our supplies and request that they bring the order to the school and we'll save a bit in shipping. WOOT!
The baby chicks are scheduled to arrive between April 9th and 11th - so next I will make a supplies list and make sure that we have everything necessary to keep them safe and warm. I'm hoping that our income taxes will help get these two things prepared - if the coop isn't quite ready for the chicks, we'll be able to keep them in the basement for a bit until it is ready. I'm not too worried.
I look so forward to getting the barn completely done - we need to put up some additional siding and then paint it. We have the paint, just need to get the siding pieces, get them installed, make the doors and windows and it's done. Slap on some paint and WaaaLaaa.
This weekend, we fixed the plastic that we put up on the barn to shield the insides from the snow. It's been pretty windy here and it pulled up one full side. So, yesterday we put a 2X4 up that would hold a good portion of the plastic down and put tons of staples in the rest. I'm hoping this will keep our flock nice and dry...well dryish :-)
Drake's English Angora rabbit should be delivering her babies some time between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8th - I'm hoping for a nice, calm, happy delivery (for Luna and for Drake to experience). He's really hoping to make a business out of this and I hope he can make it happen.
Mark's birthday is coming up on Feb. 2nd - YAY! Time to celebrate the birth of one of my favorite people in the universe. Hmmmmm....what cake should I make him!?!?!?
We've been working to keep up with oil this winter...but boy, I cannot wait for the wood burner - just to have that extra warm space in the house to warm your soul by.
We're needing another delivery of hay - hopefully we can get that ASAP.
In addition to everything else we have going on, we've decided to start tracking farm costs and keeping notes about what we do when. We think this will help us track the highs and lows of small scale farming.
On that note - I will leave you with photos from the farm...
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| Moo says - hey! what's going on in there? |
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| Nom nom nom says Jester |
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| Mabel wondering why I keep pointing the camera in everyone's face. |
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| Mabel and Jester sharing a bite. |
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| I love Lockhart. |
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| Snuggles for Jester |
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| I love that although he is really just trying to eat my zipper, Jester looks like he's smiling. |
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| Steve getting in on the action. |
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| Winchester - my new bunny. LOVE him |
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| Another view at Mr. Handsome |
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| Aww - look at Steve's handsome face |
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| Jester has very sincere eyes. Cutie! |
Good to see you are planning well. It would be so easy to get caught up in the excitement and just spend spend spend. Not so self sufficient with big credit card bills. So Cheers to you. I love the snow photos. Just cannot imagine it. You look very happy.
ReplyDeleteWe're getting there :) Spring will be a very busy and productive time for us! I love you and enjoy planning our future together. We'll be admiring all we've done soon enough <3
ReplyDeleteHi! I popped over from SouleMama and am bookmarking your blog b/c you are getting bees:) I hope to do the same, though we aren't ready this year. Not sure why they seem so overwhelming but I feel like I have a lot more to learn before we take the leap. Enjoy your chickens-we have had ours for three years and we love having them:).
ReplyDeleteHey guys, i did it - i posted. Check out my profile LyndaD. Is it OK. I dont know how to set it up so that i can have followers. I dont want to ask my husband as his Aspie answer would take 2 hours and it would be over my head in 2 minutes. Advice greatfully accepted. I probably should find someone local to have a look. EEEEEEK! I hope im not boring but i promise to post more than Mark. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim! Thanks for posting - I would suggest getting involved in a local beekeeping club. They have been amazingly helpful for us. Even though we don't have our bees yet, we've been going and taking notes and learning. Another great thing is that they have tools for us to use at no cost (extraction materials and are hoping to get a solar wax melter this year). It's been a great thing for our whole family. The bee keeping school is going to be awesome too. A full day of bee keeping 101 and 102 (includes all information about setting up and keeping the hives for beginners)!!! Let us know if there is anything that we can help you with.
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