AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[AL]

That was pre-BP.. actually a couple of years ago. The sands are mostly still white, but to me they are not nearly as sugary white.

So I am all caught up for the month at work and I have spent way too much time reading the 2011 Farmers almanac (gift from my 90yr old neighbor), the "Country Wisdom and Know -How: Everything you Need to Know to Live Off the Land" book my folks gave me. I am itching to do something more now . I want to plant herbs or something, but I'm afraid my cats will destroy (in so many ways) anything I try to plant inside.
The high winds last night scattered some of my oak leaves and piled them against the privacy fence. Ultimately it won't matter, since I plan to let the chickens in after I put up some combo-panels for fencing. I have some hardware cloth I will try to figure out how to put over the top to keep them in... my terrier mutt would be a terror on a chicken flock, I am afraid.

It is still windy and the wind chill is supposed to be around 15 tonight. I have to figure out a way to close up the chicken house a little tighter - I am concerned about how drafty it is. :/
I'll be making my usual rounds - counting chickens, feed/hay / water for horses, walk the old dog - but tonight I'll have to layer up..... I don't own a heavy jacket. Just one sweatshirt, a windbreaker, and a long sleeved T in my "winter wardrobe". I am so thankful to have heat this year, after 4yrs without. I feel like a glutton when I put the thermostat on 58 and snuggle in under my great-aunt's old quilt and a knotted fleece blanket.
It is always cold (in winter, hot in summer) at my parent's house - particularly in my old bedroom and the connecting den. A friend gave me a 100% wool throw blanket they ordered from Ireland so I cuddle up with that when I watch TV or surf the 'Net.

Sure looking forward to spring - even though I'll cuss the heat and humidity of summer.

 

[Denim Deb]

AL, if you can find a quilted flannel shirt and a down vest, they're great for colder weather-especially if you're moving around a lot. I don't think I'll be wearing them today, it's just too cold, but quite often, that's what I wear instead of a winter coat. Then, if I get too hot, I can take one off. (Which one depends on whether or not my arms are cold.)

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

dont you LOVE that country wisdom book!?!?

sorry its so darn cold there - very crazy for sure. stay warm! and just keep layering on the clothes to be outside. dont forget a hat - of any kind.

re: you drafty hens... have you already wrapped their shelter with a tarp (sorry i cant remember)?? and really, if you straw them in really well they will snuggle in. you dont want it so airtight that they get other problems - but not flapping in the breeze either
;-)

have a great day! are you off work at all or back to the grind?

 

[TanksHill]

Al, I have read that some staple plastic, cardboard, feed bags to the walls. Anything that will block the draft. I thin it was Bee that lined the inside of her coop with cardboard a couple years ago.

I think your winter wiggles are normal. We are all very excited and waiting for spring. Maybe try a new project you can do inside?

Have a great day and stay warm.

g

 

[AL]

Hey Deb... yeah I think our TSC carries those kinds of heavy shirts / jackets, but they are pretty expensive. Our normal low temps are in the 40s this time of year so there isn't much justification in spending the money - but this year we have had several nights in the 20s. Last night the windchill was 12. brrrrr So I wore my workshirt with 3/4 length sleeves, a long sleeve T and a sweatshirt to tend the animals last night.
I have to tote warm water to my old horse or she won't drink , then colics, then $300 vet bill. It is easier to just tote water. At night sometimes use my folks hot water since their house is a lot closer to the barn, but their backdoor is jammed closed (still haven't managed to get it to open).
So I used my new wheelbarrow to haul the buckets full of water!

OFG - I have spent a lot of time looking through that book... It has some great stuff! It is the reason I am all geared up wanting to try my hand at some herbs.

No, I haven't tarped the chickenhouse yet. They have deep straw but they sleep on a roost. I put a thermometer out last night and it only got down to aboaut 38, but there was a draft at the top so I need to get out there and figure out something. I have a ton of feedbags so maybe I can get them to stay (the way the house is built there isn't really much at the top to attach stuff to).

I am back to work. I love my job though, and my schedule (Sun-Thur 430p-1am). There are just days when I would really rather stay home and play in the dirt.

Gina - I am hoping if I get herbs going that will settle me down some . But I am not sure how it will work with 4 cats in the house.... know what I mean ?

 

[Farmfresh]

Don't get the coop too airtight.

You don't want draft directly on the birds but some air moving at both floor and ceiling levels is actually beneficial. Chickens are moisture producing animals with their wet poos and even simple respiration. Moisture is what actually causes frostbite. Having a bit of moving air will keep moisture levels lower and the chickens healthier. They can stand a LOT of cold, just not damp cold.

 

[Denim Deb]

Wait until the shirts go on sale, or see if you can find a used one. I thought it was going to be too cold today for just that and a vest, but those and my flannel lined jeans are what I wore when I was working outside today and I was plenty warm-in spite of wind chills in the single digits!

 

[AL]

FF - I tried to take pics but my battery was dead. The chicken house is built out of old privacy fence. OLD privacy fence. 2 sides of the house are still fence (north and east sides) and the West and South sides are leftover fence panels. So they have those gaps between the boards. There is probably 3-4" between the top of the fence and the tin roof on the north side. There are 2 sections (because I built a small chicken house and then ended up with 16 instead of 4 , so I cleaned out my shed and tore down the wall). The shed part has old vinyl flooring on the north wall. In the "new" part, where they roost, my dad helped me put up a piece of plywood that covers a pretty good section of the northside. I put a tote lid right on the roost / wall on the west side. It is a Clampett job, but it stops wind from blowing directly on them from the North and west. I'll try again for pics tomorrow, since I know this is clear as mud

DD - well, truth be told they don't carry jackets in my size.
I wear a pair of thin cotton pants when I work outside. And old sneakers that the sole flaps when I walk or my crocs that my sister gave me. I have decided I will go buy another sweatshirt though...


I guess it is the crazy cold or something weather wise that contributes.. but we have had some amazing sunsets the last few days. This one on a local news site makes my heart ache...... beautiful.
http://www.northescambia.com/?p=39703

I am going to have to put my herbs on hold. I found out that I have to pay $20 each visit (4) for my physical therapy on my knee. I have to do the PT to see if it helps before the insurance will pay for an MRI. I go back to the ortho doc on the 14th (another $30).
I usually back out of medical stuff because I never get sick (knock on wood) and am really healthy considering my weight (even my doc says I am "super" healthy other than my weight... but that conversation is for another day).
I have a high pain tolerance, but my knee just takes my breath away with pain several times a day everyday. It doesn't matter what I do.. it hurts (sitting, walking, bent knee, straight, stairs, etc). *sigh*
I figure now while I am "young" and healthy and have insurance that hasn't been changed yet, I need to go ahead and follow up to see if I can get relief. If for some reason I have to have surgery, there is like a $200 deductible. (I might even have to pay that if I have an MRI... need to check on that).

 

[AL]

but I neeeeed to grow my own herbs

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/27/salmonella.produce/index.html?hpt=T2

 

[Farmfresh]

Get some started in big pots! I grow most of my herbs in pots these days and they do great.