It's a bit late, but then again we tend to do most things a bit late around here. Thing is, the finances were finally there that I could order a bit. It's going to mean another week light on the groceries from the store, but that's ok. That forces me to be creative in the cooking.
Most everything I ordered this year was restocking seed that the FIL used up last year. The onions, for example. He planted heavy, and yet we got very few (and only "pearl-onion" size at that). Which left me without a…
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Added by Kati on February 27, 2009 at 3:46pm —
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I haven't posted in several days because I've been busy. I got the drafting software working last week and have been alternating between the tutorials and help screens, and some plan drawings I've started working on. I have a very draft version of the site plan done and a JPEG of it posted on the photos page. This plan is in the very early stages and will change a lot over the next few weeks. The house and garden footprint are on the plan roughly where they'll end up on the site, but their direc…
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Added by 7 on February 15, 2009 at 4:38pm —
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I finally got the drafting software installed. I have a few tutorials to get through the next couple days before I start the drawings, but I hope to have drafts of the site plan and floor plan started by week's end.
Also, I downloaded and printed plans for building several types of compost bins here.
http://www4.uwm.edu//shwec/publications/cabinet/html/compost/Bin%20Plans.htm
You'll see links to plans for seven types of bins. The plans are complete with directions, materials lists, required t…
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Added by 7 on February 10, 2009 at 10:54am —
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The weather here is spring-like with warm temperatures and a strong south wind the last few days. The soil dried out enough to collect samples so that’s what I did today. We decided to sample only two areas this year. They’ll be the areas we work on first and manage most intensively. I divided a roughly one acre area into two rectangular collection zones, north and south. I collected about fifteen core samples with the auger in each zone, first the north, then the south, for a total of two compl…
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Added by 7 on February 8, 2009 at 5:45pm —
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Yesterday Eli and I placed some of the major features of our farm on a rough sketch, (photo posted). We paced from known points and located things like power poles, large trees, major breaks in slope, etc.. The CADD software arrived yesterday and I had hoped to start our site plan from the sketch today, but I'm having issues with the installation. Hopefully they're worked out soon and I can get started.
Although the soil was too wet yesterday to collect samples it's very warm today with a stron…
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Added by 7 on February 6, 2009 at 1:00pm —
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Yesterday I checked out the soil collection auger from our local extension office. I posted a picture of it on the photos page. This afternoon my son and I are going out to the farm to map the site into zones based roughly on topography. Then, either today or tomorrow, we'll collect 10 to 12 soil cores from each zone and mix them in a 5 gallon bucket. Then we'll put each mixed sample in a plastic ziplock and drop all of them off at the extension office. The analysis costs $15 per sample, but I c…
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Added by 7 on February 5, 2009 at 11:01am —
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It's cold here again today even though the sun is shining. The weather forecast says this is the last day of the cold and starting tomorrow we'll have warmer weather for a awhile. But it's still cold and it's a good winter day to stay indoors and focus on some household chores. Somehow things like laundry never seem to stop. Oh yeah, and taxes. And today is also a good day for a short post.
As far as the farm goes the only thing I plan to do today is go the the extension office to check out the…
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Added by 7 on February 4, 2009 at 8:36am —
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Yesterday I wrote about how and why we’re here in southwest Missouri getting ready to build an earthen cottage and start growing food. From now on I’m going to focus on what we’re doing day to day to realize our dream. In other words, the small, direct actions inspired by the dream, which add up to the larger changes we want.
The main things we hope to accomplish in 2009 are:
Complete an overall site plan for the entire farm.
Complete the cottage floorplan and construction documents.
Stake the…
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Added by 7 on February 3, 2009 at 7:05am —
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Hi. My name is Rick Clemens. I’m a forty-nine year old, married, white man, with two sons, ages 18 and 21. I live in southwest Missouri. Up until six months ago I was an IT project manager working for big banks and other financial institutions. I quit last May and moved here to the Ozarks with my family. This year I hope to become an organic farmer and natural builder. My first projects will be our own cob/timberframe cottage and the first phase of our gardens. I talk about these things like the…
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Added by 7 on February 2, 2009 at 8:53am —
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I tole the brothers in the lodge last night I was gonna ride Tsarvich (14 1/2 - 15 hands green broke Mammoth Jack jack) today… couple of them said what about the calf (calf kicked me while I was unloading her the 30th of November, and had to have Arthroscopic surgery to repair the damage she did, and the damage I did to it about 6 weeks before when I was cutting wood, and twisted and fell at the same time)… tole em it don’t matter! Wanna buy tickets?
Got him in the corral, and shoed everybody e…
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Added by pat on January 21, 2009 at 4:39pm —
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Here it is the 14th of January (and I’ve finally marked in a number 3 pencil my seed catalogs)… And it’s supposed to be 10 in the morning… and 5 Friday morning (sure sounds like dead of winter to this poor dumb Mountain William)… but this morning as I walked to the post box, I saw the first dandelion bloom of the season! Actually starting last Thursday or Friday, our egg collection has doubled… and today, when I went to gather eggs I had 10 in the “feeder” portion of the horse trailer still warm…
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Added by pat on January 14, 2009 at 4:46pm —
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Pictures of other peoples gardens really help get me motivated to try new things in my garden. I am sure that I am not the only one. So this is a call for pictures of your gardens, whether they are a patio container garden or a large market garden. We want to be inspired with what you are doing! So get out there and take some pictures already!
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Added by Chris on January 14, 2009 at 7:41am —
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This weekend I must do something about potatoes, I keep hearing that
now is the time, though I'm not exactly sure what now is the time for (if you see what I mean?).
Guess this needs more research. This is my first year as an urban farmer, so much to learn!
Now back to my 'real' work
p.s.
anyone else here on Twitter? if so, I'm at www.twitter.com/martinxo
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Added by Martin on January 14, 2009 at 1:30am —
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In the past couple of weeks I have planted, along with some assistance from the kids, several fruit trees and shrubs. Working for a nursery sure has its benefits. I bought an apple, plum, cherry and a fig along with some blueberries. Of all the fruit we have acquired I am most excited about the fig. I chose the Brown Turkey variety.
Hardy in USDA Zones 8-10, however with winter protection the Brown Turkey fig can be grown successfully in Zone 5. Even if frozen in the winter it will die back to…
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Added by Chris on May 2, 2008 at 11:00am —
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Just ordered my seed for the year
AutoSketch, Site Plans, and Timber Framing
Thought about selling tickets
Pictures!
Panic
