Good morning everyone!
Seems somehow I have stirred up a mass amount of confusion & drama with my earlier blog I did a while back on the New York trip to see the farm....so after lots of headaches have decided to try & clear this up so my friends & family won't worry as much.
I have a few people who looked at the pictures & thought the falling down buildings/trailer was where I am going to be living in...Well ease your minds I am not.
The shed I mentioned, but forgot to add pictures cause I got so excited about seeing the truck camper for the chickens is where I will be living.....Know that this was built a time back when sheds were built well not the cheapo metal ones you just slap up in a day. It has very thick walls, a heavy duty roof & from what I saw inside no mold.
Yes, it has dirt floors but I found on the web a house made out of pallets & they even put in the diagrams & so on for how to build the walls & floors using the pallets. so I will not be putting in traditional floors but the base will be pallets with wood over it....if I can swing it I would like to get some gravel for the dirt floors before I set the pallets in place for better drainage.....but will be putting on top of all of that tarps before I set the pallets in place & the wood floor as a precaution.
This is the diagram to lay out a pallet floor with extra 2x4's used at the open ends to make it more secure...I will actually only need 5 pallets per room instead of the 7 shown here.
So what would take weeks to do with a regular floor will take only days to do instead.....The other thing I am going to do is since the windows were removed completely from the old trailer I will use one to put in the shed so I can look out & watch the rain, snow & sun........that's another day job since I have the saws, power tools & so on to do it.
I will also be tarping the inside floors as well...this way it will be easier to sweep, mop & stay clean plus be a extra cold block from the ground during the winter.
Many seem to be worried about all the work before the snows come, now please understand the trailer coop & the shed are the only things I will be working on until they are done...the trailer coop will take maybe 2 days once I get there cause my little sister & I will be striping it & cleaning it when we go up to see it when they are here....
I also have metal posts for putting up the fencing so that means no big hole digging to make the chickens runs around the shed.
The out buildings I put up one my one blog were just to show what needs to be done on the farm, I can tell you right now I can not in one year do it all...but I can try to do a few of them for Mary that are important for her to have. Mainly the buildings I showed were for tearing down & reusing the wood elsewhere for repairs & building things like new chicken coops, firewood storage near the main house & so on.
Even though they (pictures) show them in falling down shape, the wood in most is not rotted & still beautiful.....I am talking about hand cut 2 inch thick boards from way back when.
In my mind I see them in a newly built coop or extra garden shed or even small lidded bins inside the barns....or for using on rotted damaged boards inside good buildings....Some may not understand this, but being able to use a part of history when wood boards were hand milled excites me to no end......
Now as I said above I can't do it all but I have decided the important things building:
1) A new large coop for up to 50 chickens
2) Cleaning out & repairing the 2 story horse barn since it has stalls that can be used for wood storage, hay & so on.
3) Repairing the attic apartment in the main house...it needs the stone floor re-done, walls sanded & painted...a few cabinets added & the bathroom expanded wall wise.....plus it needs a small pantry area with shelves added, windows caulked.
Since its one big room I would like to make a wood screen area to hide the bed that will go in there eventually..........but if I don't do that its alright.
4) Put in a large garden for me to use while there & to have ready for when they move there.
Now that should keep me very busy but in my down time I plan to use my petal sewing machine to sew some aprons to sell, make a few light weight clothes for me with all the muslin I have, read, write & draw my chickens with my cool colored pencils.
There will be days when I have a migraine like I do today, where any big work can't be done........if it can break, needs my concentration or is noisy it will have to wait til the migraine is gone.
I am not a work horse even if I would love to be, I know my limits most of the time...or feel it later, lol.
The things I will also have with me are a wood stove, composting toilet, 100 gallon collapsible water container & a big plastic bin to bathe in. I also got a nice air mattress with a soft top to sleep in & have a hand pump to air it up with.
I am also at this moment drying lots of veggies, fruits & meats to take with me & have figured out what I need food wise. I am not a big eater so even with all the work I still eat about 1/4th what most people eat. But I am planning for as much as I can.
I also know my hubby will be up to see me ever so often so if I need something, I can have him bring it or we can go get it while he is there. So I will not be totally alone & trying to deal with things by myself. Also Mary says she will come up more often with me there so I am sure I can ask her to bring something I need also.
I do have health insurance & am only 3.5 miles from the small town center, they do have a small hospital there if I need it. As well as a drug store.
For those who do not know me, I could be a mountain woman easily so this is not going to be tough or hard on me. I do have a huge tent that is going up the day I get there to sleep in until I get the shed floors in, since its domed I may leave it up until I get the heavy plastic greenhouse up since it will have my 5 gallon lidded buckets of grains, sugar & so on in it...then it will all be put in the greenhouse while I am there as a storage area, warm weather bathroom & so on.
So once again, I am sorry I worried so many friends & family by not being more detailed in where I am going to be....that blog was more on how funny I found the farm than anything else...I wanted you to laugh along with me, not worry.
The hardest part of all of this is moving the chickens safely & comfortable...I am sure they will not be happy campers for the first few days, but will have many treats for them to help them adjust. Thank goodness for all the crates, cages & so on that I have to move them in. At least they won't be flying all over the place & can rest while we drive there. Plus I will take a few breaks to check on them & give them water. Even though its a 5 hour or so trip I want to make sure they are alright.
Baby Girl helping me pick peppermint to dry
As I write its another beautiful sunny cool day so they are all outside enjoying the day. Moonlite is growing & looks like some more yellow is starting to show up on her back & wings. since she has fluffy cheeks she is either Zelda's or Gingers baby so there will be more oranges or gray feathers coming in as she grows. will be fun to see what she grows up to be....Either way she will later be a good Momma as both of the hens & think she is from are wonderful Momma's.
Best close for now. have a wonderful chicken day!...M' & crew
Seems somehow I have stirred up a mass amount of confusion & drama with my earlier blog I did a while back on the New York trip to see the farm....so after lots of headaches have decided to try & clear this up so my friends & family won't worry as much.
I have a few people who looked at the pictures & thought the falling down buildings/trailer was where I am going to be living in...Well ease your minds I am not.
The shed I mentioned, but forgot to add pictures cause I got so excited about seeing the truck camper for the chickens is where I will be living.....Know that this was built a time back when sheds were built well not the cheapo metal ones you just slap up in a day. It has very thick walls, a heavy duty roof & from what I saw inside no mold.
Yes, it has dirt floors but I found on the web a house made out of pallets & they even put in the diagrams & so on for how to build the walls & floors using the pallets. so I will not be putting in traditional floors but the base will be pallets with wood over it....if I can swing it I would like to get some gravel for the dirt floors before I set the pallets in place for better drainage.....but will be putting on top of all of that tarps before I set the pallets in place & the wood floor as a precaution.
So what would take weeks to do with a regular floor will take only days to do instead.....The other thing I am going to do is since the windows were removed completely from the old trailer I will use one to put in the shed so I can look out & watch the rain, snow & sun........that's another day job since I have the saws, power tools & so on to do it.
I will also be tarping the inside floors as well...this way it will be easier to sweep, mop & stay clean plus be a extra cold block from the ground during the winter.
Many seem to be worried about all the work before the snows come, now please understand the trailer coop & the shed are the only things I will be working on until they are done...the trailer coop will take maybe 2 days once I get there cause my little sister & I will be striping it & cleaning it when we go up to see it when they are here....
I also have metal posts for putting up the fencing so that means no big hole digging to make the chickens runs around the shed.
The out buildings I put up one my one blog were just to show what needs to be done on the farm, I can tell you right now I can not in one year do it all...but I can try to do a few of them for Mary that are important for her to have. Mainly the buildings I showed were for tearing down & reusing the wood elsewhere for repairs & building things like new chicken coops, firewood storage near the main house & so on.
Even though they (pictures) show them in falling down shape, the wood in most is not rotted & still beautiful.....I am talking about hand cut 2 inch thick boards from way back when.
In my mind I see them in a newly built coop or extra garden shed or even small lidded bins inside the barns....or for using on rotted damaged boards inside good buildings....Some may not understand this, but being able to use a part of history when wood boards were hand milled excites me to no end......
Now as I said above I can't do it all but I have decided the important things building:
1) A new large coop for up to 50 chickens
2) Cleaning out & repairing the 2 story horse barn since it has stalls that can be used for wood storage, hay & so on.
3) Repairing the attic apartment in the main house...it needs the stone floor re-done, walls sanded & painted...a few cabinets added & the bathroom expanded wall wise.....plus it needs a small pantry area with shelves added, windows caulked.
Since its one big room I would like to make a wood screen area to hide the bed that will go in there eventually..........but if I don't do that its alright.
4) Put in a large garden for me to use while there & to have ready for when they move there.
Now that should keep me very busy but in my down time I plan to use my petal sewing machine to sew some aprons to sell, make a few light weight clothes for me with all the muslin I have, read, write & draw my chickens with my cool colored pencils.
There will be days when I have a migraine like I do today, where any big work can't be done........if it can break, needs my concentration or is noisy it will have to wait til the migraine is gone.
I am not a work horse even if I would love to be, I know my limits most of the time...or feel it later, lol.
The things I will also have with me are a wood stove, composting toilet, 100 gallon collapsible water container & a big plastic bin to bathe in. I also got a nice air mattress with a soft top to sleep in & have a hand pump to air it up with.
I am also at this moment drying lots of veggies, fruits & meats to take with me & have figured out what I need food wise. I am not a big eater so even with all the work I still eat about 1/4th what most people eat. But I am planning for as much as I can.
I also know my hubby will be up to see me ever so often so if I need something, I can have him bring it or we can go get it while he is there. So I will not be totally alone & trying to deal with things by myself. Also Mary says she will come up more often with me there so I am sure I can ask her to bring something I need also.
I do have health insurance & am only 3.5 miles from the small town center, they do have a small hospital there if I need it. As well as a drug store.
For those who do not know me, I could be a mountain woman easily so this is not going to be tough or hard on me. I do have a huge tent that is going up the day I get there to sleep in until I get the shed floors in, since its domed I may leave it up until I get the heavy plastic greenhouse up since it will have my 5 gallon lidded buckets of grains, sugar & so on in it...then it will all be put in the greenhouse while I am there as a storage area, warm weather bathroom & so on.
So once again, I am sorry I worried so many friends & family by not being more detailed in where I am going to be....that blog was more on how funny I found the farm than anything else...I wanted you to laugh along with me, not worry.
The hardest part of all of this is moving the chickens safely & comfortable...I am sure they will not be happy campers for the first few days, but will have many treats for them to help them adjust. Thank goodness for all the crates, cages & so on that I have to move them in. At least they won't be flying all over the place & can rest while we drive there. Plus I will take a few breaks to check on them & give them water. Even though its a 5 hour or so trip I want to make sure they are alright.
As I write its another beautiful sunny cool day so they are all outside enjoying the day. Moonlite is growing & looks like some more yellow is starting to show up on her back & wings. since she has fluffy cheeks she is either Zelda's or Gingers baby so there will be more oranges or gray feathers coming in as she grows. will be fun to see what she grows up to be....Either way she will later be a good Momma as both of the hens & think she is from are wonderful Momma's.
Best close for now. have a wonderful chicken day!...M' & crew
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