Winter 2020
We planted 6 fig & 2 pear trees. Also 6 blackberry plants.
February 8, 2020- Learned about planting blackberries and asparagus. It’s supposed to rain for the next few days. Raked (with the 4’ tractor rake) around the trees and piled up 6’ of “organic” mulch. Transplanted 6 blackberry plants by the southwest side of the pond.
Spring 2020
Built a movable skid based chicken coop and added 8 pullets and 1 rooster (Lexi named it Hey Hey)
Planted 300 plus sunflowers and a bee mix of flowers down the fence line
We met with the NRCS agent about a rain water system, high tunnel and clearing, then planting native grasses on the remaining 10 acres.
March 16, 2020- Some sunflower plants are resurrecting. NRCS applications for the rain water collections system, high tunnel, land clearing & grass seed planting completed. We should know by July 2020 what/ if we will receive anything. We chose not to utilize the NCRS/ USDA because we could not use our dwelling as a rain water collection system.
18th- We went to New Braunfels to buy eight 20 week old laying hens. We left early to be able to get in line before the rush. They said the chickens would arrive from Gonzales Tx after lunch, we finally got them at 5:50 pm. Glad to have them. 8 chickens and one nervous rooster for $130.
We have prepped the fence line and the top of the dam for a Bee pollinator mix.
April 7, 2020- Well- I got the metal roof on the chicken coop, drilled 4 post hole for the second garden spot, changed out to the mower deck, mowed the yard, feed the chickens, we got 2 eggs today. 8th- Lexi helped me open the chicken coop at 8ish, She then named all of the animals on our farm. I checked out the short at the gate. The wire from the septic tank to the first connection has shorted out somewhere underground. I switched the electricity on the gate and added a metal cover to the chicken coop. It is hot and humid today. I enjoyed our “first fruits”- a fresh 3 egg omelet. I have begun the bee vacuum. We got one more egg today, Lexi got to gather it. 11th- Awoke at 7:30, Lexi up shortly thereafter. Lexi asked what is the difference between a chicken egg and a food egg? And thanks to nanny, how do chickens lay eggs? Looked up “explain where chicken eggs come from for kids”. We added post to north garden & plowed rows. Added pieces of insulation to the bee vacuum, explored various bee feeder options, counted 250 sunflowers along fence line, 60 on the hill, the corn and okra have broken ground and Lexi collected one more chicken egg.
April 20- Transplanted 45 heirloom tomato plants, okra & cucumbers in the North garden. Added wheels to the chicken coop. Checked on the 2019 hives, 2019.1 is ok, 2019.2 is starting to get full in the bottom box. Strange thing- a (small) swarm or just a ball of bees were on the back of one hive so I pushed them into a nuc. We will see if they stay or something else is going on. I also removed all of the entrance blockers on the 3 new nucs and the swarm I brought home.
May 4, 2020- We were all awaken by a rooster crowing in the screened in porch at 1 am. Whaaaat? Why are the 5 chickens not in the pen? Close your eyes, I’m going to turn on the lights and transport them to the coop. Got all of the chickens in the pen before dark, all the hens went in and then the rooster called them back out, I chased him and one hen for a while then they went in. 7th- Only 5 hens in the coop this morning, IDK where Hey Hey and the 3 others spent the night. Maybe they will show up today. I found a small pile of feathers but no other evidence of where the rooster and 3 chickens may have been caught. 9th- Lexi counted 5 chickens, she keeps looking for the others. I told her they were living somewhere else.
11th- I planted a row of chard/ collard greens, carrots/ onions, yellow squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, giant pumpkin, radish, a few okra.
28th- Nice rain last night, hot and humid today. NCRS told me that they could not fund the rain storage since it was connected to a residence. Well boo!
June 14th- Today I moved the chicken pen, watered the fig trees & blackberry vines and garden. Picked an acorn squash and 3 okra. I began working on the piping across the bridge (2: poly & 1” pvc for water , 10/3 for electric) I tried to put all 3 into a 3” grey conduit but they are too stiff.
December 2020- I was using my tractor to clear brush on the pond and it died. The bucket was almost at the water’s edge. How will I pull it up off of the steep grade? What happened? A small branch cracked the fuel filter and the pump sucked air. I placed some electric tape over the hole, primed the system and got my tractor out of the precarious situation. Time to find a fuel filter online. 22nd- I purchased a Echo WT-1610 with a 40 tooth carbide blade. It eats weeds well. I also ordered a 6’ tiller for my tractor. I cut the brush around the chicken pen with the 14” saw blade on the Echo. It cuts smoothly but the wheels get stuck on the stumps that are left. After I piled up the branches I realized I will still need a chipper if I am going to clear the property. $3,000-4,000 for a pto driven chipper. 26th- I went to Bastrop to buy a fuel filter for the tractor. $60 b/c it says Mahindra. Bosch filter is $35 on amazon but won’t arrive for 2 weeks. Yea- the tractor works now. Clearing brush on the North side of the property. 27th- Cleared property for 6 hours. I love my tractor.
March 11, 2021- I planted the garden today- the wheel seed planter works well for some seeds. I like it, saves my back. Hot, sweaty & tired by 1pm.
12th- Planted sunflowers in the bee yard and on the hill. I worked on the fence for the garden and went into the 96 degree hot tub. 15th- I received a knock on the door- Sir your wood chipper is here. So the driver backed his 18 wheeler right into the drive and unloaded the wood chipper.
April 6, 2021- . I planted tomato plants & potatoes. 16th- Bid of $6,000 for the 20×40 plus $5,000 for 3 walls and $2,600 for 2 roll up doors. Yuck, I think I’ll buy a welder and do it myself. Checked on steel prices in Seguin & San Angelo.
May 26, 2021- The weeds are now taller than the tomato plants, so I got the weed eater out and attacked the garden.
June 29, 2021- A raccoon was found eating feed in the chicken cage at dusk again, all the chickens in the coop were very quiet.
July 26, 2021- . I completed the rabbit pen/ hutch. After sweating through several sets of clothing and lots of Gatorade, it is finished. Rabbits are moved into their new home.
30th- I went to purchase a 3100 gallon water tank but was unsuccessful.
October 15, 2021- Caught raccoon #4 last night. 16th- Finally- a nice cool morning. Drove to Bastrop with Brenda, one roadside vendor had turkeys, chickens, dove, quail, parakeets, miniature pigs, baby pigs, and a lot of other chickens. $15 per hen & $25 per rooster. $150 per turkey- ouch.
October 22, 2021
I placed 50 quail eggs into the incubator, 18 days from now we should have baby quail…
The 4 older chickens are really mean, bullying the 6 new chickens. New ones won’t come out of the pen.
November 8, 2021- I moved 16 baby quail, the size of a quarter, out of the incubator this morning. Already drinking and looking for food. 9th- 9 more baby quail hatched- 41 out of 58 eggs hatched- 71%. Foggy this morning. Finished electrical on porch and chicken pen- ready for cold weather. Stiff and sore today. 43 total quail hatched. Prepped and ready to move to the brooder in the bunk house.
One okra in Lexi’s garden. 10th- Moved the quail to the brooder, they are so fun to watch. Cleared more of the large oak tree that fell. 13th- Sharpened the chainsaw blade and cut up more of the oak tree that fell.
18th- Connected water line, quail are getting their feathers and one flew out of the brooder, they are very skittish. Going through 2 quarts of water per day.
December 5, 2021- I gave the quail a small bowl of sand and you would have thought I built them an amusement park. They devoured, dusted and fought over the sand baths. As soon as one would get in, 2-3 others would push it out. 8th- Today I began to plan the hoop house/ quail pen system.
10th- I hooked up the tiller and tilled the garden then began building a 12’ X 30’ hoop house. 20th- Reworked the hoop house, need one more 2×4. 24th- Worked on the hoop house, redid the end walls and finished the anchors.
January 3, 2021- I worked on the quail pens/ feeders. Quail are 8 weeks old and roosters are crowing.
February 13, 2022- 1st quail eggs showed up
March 3, 2022 I finished the hoop house, complete with a $20 storm door.
March 8, 2022 I processed 16 quail, they are in the freezer. I moved the others into the chicken coop. 15 females and 6 males (in separate cages) I love to listen to the males crow.
Grow Time !
April 1st Spring has sprung !
Asparagus in the ground, starters are not starting. Potatoes are doing ok. I ordered 5 more fig trees.
It has been an extremely dry summer. The pond level is seriously low. (Even after I added 41,000 gallons of water)
We put up lots of okra and enjoyed some squash from the garden.
November 2022- Bobcats attacked and killed chickens in broad day light. Time to set out the traps. One female bobcat, her cub & 3 possums trapped out. I did not catch the coyotes but saw them on camera. Chickens are now $17 each for replacement.
Temperature dropped to 17 degrees on 12-22-2022.
December 2022- Surprised this morning with 2 coyotes, one in the snare and one in the trap. This fits into the wildlife management plan we are working on for 2023-2028