The garden is in :)

I've been watching these seedlings kick butt for the last two weeks. We finally got them in the ground today.

Carrots, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, peas, green beans, Serrano chilis, bell peppers, and the blueberry bush from last year.

I. Have. Dirt. Everywhere.
❤

The New Coop!

Well it took about 2 weeks longer than expected, and was far more difficult, but it's done.

And all the planning paid off, because the interior design is fantastic. The roosting ladder is hinged and folds flat against the wall so that during the day when they're not on it, there's room for us to move around while cleaning, feeding them, etc.

The huge capacity feeder and waterer mean that in the winter, we won't have to scramble out here through four feet of snow to make sure they're not starving.

And the deep litter on top of linoleum flooring (instead of just wood) keeps it fresh inside, without any moisture problems, smell, or rotting wood.

It was not easy, but the hard work now saves us a lot in the future.

Now to get them all fully accustomed to free ranging, drinking from the spring, and munching on all the gross spiders I keep seeing. Ahhh, spring. 😯😨😅

Loooove ❤

I love them! They're so sweet. Messy, and stinky, but extremely sweet. ❤

Under construction...

The new coop, under construction. Can't wait to design the interior. Just a word of caution : never try to do things "the easy way". We thought getting a diy kit from the big box hardware store would save us some time. 😒

A week later, we're almost done. Would have been faster and easier to build from scratch.

Things just got real.

Soooo here's the guys, building the new brooder for chicks. We're going to have fifty chicks in a matter of days, so we needed a quality, permanent home for them before they're old enough to join the ranks of the free range flock. I'm not sure how it'll fit in anywhere in my house, but I'm sure I'll find a way.

Spring, and new babies!

Our thirteen eggs in the incubator 22 days ago have become twelve tiny chickens. One little egg is still waiting to hatch. I love spring!  

Laundry Detergent day (recipe included)

I made laundry detergent today. We were running low from the last time I made it, which was like FIVE MONTHS AGO. It lasts a long freaking time, and seriously costs me about fifty cents a batch. So yeah, it's pretty boss. I don't use chemicals or other unnatural substances in our home if I can help it, so my laundry shelf consists of vinegar, peppermint essential oil spray for scent, and this awesome laundry detergent, which I learned how to make over at Wellness Mama, because, well, she's awesome. So if you want to take a stab at it, it's super easy. I make the liquid, because I prefer liquid detergent, but there's a recipe for powder as well. Here's the post - http://wellnessmama.com/462/homemade-laundry-detergent/