Our patch of earth

[Lazy Gardener]

At least you are camping during the summer months. When hubby and I were "roughing it" we started in January. Yes, it CAN be done, and kudos to you for moving forward with your plan instead of whining about it. However, I caution you... Hubby needs to be extremely cautious about doing that hard labor with this oppressive summer heat. Have him do that tough stuff very early in the morning, and in the evening when the air is cooler. Be sure he stays well hydrated, and he may need some electrolyte solution to keep him stable.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Plan it right, Marianne, and your coop cleaning would be minimal. I envision a couple of raised beds. Your coop could sit over one raised bed, predator proofed from digging critters with 1/2" hdw cloth. Open floor. Deep composting litter management. The only bedding maintenance involved: toss in any weeds/yard debris/grass clippings/leaves. Let the chooks turn it into lovely black compost. Once or twice/year, it's a simple matter to rake out that black gold and distribute it where it will do the best good. You could easily keep 4 banties in high style in a 4 x 8 footprint. Now, if your raised beds were of a configuration to match the coop... it would be a simple matter to slide the coop from one bed to the other at the end of a growing season. Then, you wouldn't even need to rake out the black gold, EVER!!! And, you would have a perfect raised bed available for your planting pleasure every spring. You'd never have to amend the soil. Likely, you'd not even have garden insect pests to deal with. Your biggest worry would be this: You must be able to move fast enough to get out of the way when the seeds hit that soil. B/C they will grow with such vigor, that you just might get sucked into the jungle!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Time for a new thread re: gardening and managing the homestead while dealing with physical limitations. I'll see what I can set up.

 

[Reice]

Not a ton to report. Finally almost done with the digging of the 120ft trench for the electric line, a bit slower going in this heat (yes, hubby is keeping hydrated ). Once that line is in we can get my nephew to come hook us up (he works for the electric co and has hooked up many). Then it's move time baby!

Was able to switch phone carriers from our AT&T prepaid of $45 a month for 2 lines to Unreal Mobile for $20 for two lines. Still get unlimited talk/text, but now we get data (didn't have any on AT&T), 1gb each a month and then it's throttled. And, they use AT&T towers. Same towers, same service, plus added data and still saved $25 a month, heck yeah!!

Got approved for SNAP benefits, sure needed it right now. We are about to the point hubby is going to go find any job, as funds are running low. It'd be nice if current house sells quickly, but we aren't betting on it, so he's out to pound the payment first thing in the morning. In the mean time, he's doing a handy-man type thing today that shouldn't take to long and will give us a bit of cash.

Have already started the purging. Removed 3 bags of trash and 5 bags that went to thrift store donation. That was just my room, bathroom and closet. Not too shabby.

 

[baymule]

You are getting closer!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Great progress!

 

[Reice]

Here it is over 3 months later, still kickin'.

Finally got moved out here last month. The air is different out here. The sounds are different out here. The sun and moon and stars are different out here.

Right now we are a few notches up from camping, but it's working. Playing musical extension cords but it's meeting our needs. Able to cook, clean and keep warm. Water hose and jugs for water needs. Solar shower with a bit of help from frydaddy to heat water keeping us clean. Bucket toilet isn't the horror feared by the hubby.

Still lots to do but we're here! This 5 acres already my sanctuary. Things still to come: attach power, rework plumbing, install kitchen sink, replace water heater, skirt the outside bottom, and rework a few windows.

Still no steady job for either of us. Hubby works a day or two at a steakhouse a few miles away for cash, and has been enterprising finding alternative ways to earn cash. Me, I'm able to help daughter by babysitting grandson, he loves it out here. It works for now.

Sorry for typo's or formatting, typing on phone. Still trying to figure out internet out here.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Welcome back!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Awesome that you got moved!

 

[flowerbug]

progress!