Sending off March....with a BANG.

Today....30 March 2016...The weather is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL. 74 degrees however, the storms are coming. Yes...Tomorrow evening there are threats of severe weather. Today however will be a great day to get out there and get a few more things done...things that will make my daily chores a bit more simple. For one...the small chicken coop. There are 4 separate "coops" in one building. This helps keep the breeds separate as well as all of the "extra roosters" As it is right now, each "coop" has a typical swing out door to their yards. These little doors are about 2 1/2 ft tall...and NOT very easy to open in the winter when there is snow on the ground. In the evening when I go in to close them all up, it never fails that a rooster or 2 will run outside....forcing me to clamber my way through that tiny door to chase them back inside. I am getting to the point where this is almost impossible for me to do. My plan is to remove all of the doors and make them "lift style" doors that I can control from the inside with a rope. I will then have to go in the coop area to latch it closed. This will make closing the coop much easier...and it will be safer for the Bantam chickens. Yes, I believe I will work on this today. The sooner the better. I also need to build a grow out pen that I can put the Bantam momma's with their little hatch-lings, until I am confident that the wee ones will be safe around the others. It will be a pen within the pen, with a yard within the yard. This needs to be finished soon since I already have a mother hen with 6 wee ones, ready to be moved from the raised brooder, soon! Daisy is growing with leaps and bounds. Her personality is that of a ornery preteen. Every few days, I will put her lead on and walk her around the pasture. Just a few laps to teach her to lead, and behave on the lead. She is really coming along with this. Her little stubborn stops, where she puts the brakes on and refuses to move, are becoming fewer and fewer. However, now when I am ready to turn her out we stop and I give her extra scratches and praise before I unhook her lead. Once I unhook her, I have to be careful to get out of her way quickly. She will take off running, kicking up her heals, tail up in the air. Her obvious joy in being turned out could end with me on the ground, wincing in pain. I am pretty sure she will outgrow this....I just hope it is soon.

I am also hoping to get the potato's in the ground today. I only have about 20 pounds of seed potato's, but if I plant them properly and keep up with the weeding and adding soil....we should get quite a few to at least get us through most of this next winter. Every growing season I try to add something "new to us" in the gardens. This year I would LOVE to plant a raised bed of Asparagus. Since my husband is not a fan of Asparagus, I will not need to plant a large area. First I will need to build the raised bed. I've only a few more days off from work so I need to get busy, making sure to utilize every bit of good weather I can. As I sit here this morning, with my cup of coffee, waiting on the sun to come up, I plot out my day. Springtime is a very busy time on the homestead. Planting, clearing, and repairs from the long winter. I have to remember to stop...and take in the beauty of Spring. Oh, and I was just reminded of another of my favorite things about Spring....Morel Mushroom season. Yep, It is just about time to go on a little "treasure" hunt. I am excited!