Time to get busy..

Yes....it is time to get outside....and start the cleanup from winter. I walked around yesterday to take mental notes on everything that needed to get done, and where to start. Lets start with the barn.....first and foremost, it needs cleaned out. There is one stall in there that over the winter, became the area to put the dirty bedding. There is about a truckload of garden greatness out there. I am going to be building a wall in there....to make a walkway where I can maneuver without being trampled by the sheep. Every day at both feeding times, the two new sheep get so excited that they literally run circles around me as I try to put their feed down for them. Several times I have been almost knocked to the ground. I have come up with a plan on how to get them fed, and not get hurt, this will involve building a wall and putting in a "feeding station" for them. Then as we move to the outside of the barn, there is another area that I have been shoveling the dirty bedding from the goats into a heaping pile out in their yard. There is at least another two truckloads of bedding for the gardens. I also have some major fence repairing from the little buck, Fred. Speaking of gardens, we have decided to start a new area for the thorn-less blackberries. This new area will be about 10 x 30 and will require us to turn the soil and lay several layers of cardboard down to smother the grass and weeds...then top with the bedding from the barn. We are also planning to build 2 new raised beds. One for herbs, another for Broccoli and Cauliflower. These areas will of course require us to get started soon! Then over to the rabbit house. I am planning to rebuild the inside pens and build outside yards that will let them get exercise and be safe. Over to the pig area...all of the electric fence needs to be reworked and I need to shovel all of the fence line and move the dirt that they have pushed up. The small garden needs to be worked and get ready to plant the beets. The big chicken coop...oh boy, THAT is going to be a BIG job. ALL of the outside runs need to be torn down and rebuilt. Yep, I think I have enough projects to keep us busy all summer....along with cutting firewood, the gardening and later the canning. Having a homestead means there will be something to do around here, every day. This will keep us young, and mobile. So, what are your projects? Planting fruit trees or maybe mending fences?? Get out there...the weather is letting up. Time to get busy!!