Canesisters 2024 journal

[fuzzi]

I picked up a partial roll of coated (welded?) wire fencing at Habitat for Humanity. I used some for the door to my hoop coop.

(during construction)

 

[Baymule]

I picked up a partial roll of coated (welded?) wire fencing at Habitat for Humanity. I used some for the door to my hoop coop.
View attachment 111929
(during construction)

Yes and you also used hardware cloth, reinforcing the welded wire. Nice looking hoop coop! I am currently using 2 hoop shelters covered by tarps, for my sheep!

 

[fuzzi]

Yes and you also used hardware cloth, reinforcing the welded wire. Nice looking hoop coop! I am currently using 2 hoop shelters covered by tarps, for my sheep!

Thank you.

The entire structure is covered with hardware cloth, including an 18"-24" apron. We have every predator here except bears, wolves, and bobcats.

The tarps don't last long in zone 8a, so I put woven shade cloth over the tarps. It's keeping the back area dry, even in tropical storm conditions.

 

[Baymule]

I’ve built those for chickens, put tin on top to keep it dry. It takes 2 people. Use 1x4s for slats on inside and screw the tin on outside. When finished, cut off screws on the inside so you don’t snag yourself.

 

[SageHill]

Nice set up!

 

[canesisters]

.... fine I won't waste time, money, effort & possible heartache putting 300' of cheap welded wire where I will surely regret it.

Seriously though, I ALWAYS appreciate the honest advice I get here.

So, going back to my resolve to try & make peace with night shift by working out a schedule where I can do something other than work & sleep. I got home about 8am & have decided to stay up till at least 10:00.
It's raining, so no outside projects. Cup of coffee made & cuddles with Chaos. He has gotten SOO CLINGY the past few days.
Got dishes washed. Started a load of laundry. Next up, cleaning out the litter boxes & vacuuming, tidying up the den & living room.
Habit to 'gain' in Oct - keeping the 3 open rooms that are visible from either door 'company ready'. Not that I ever have company ...

 

[farmerjan]

Had to "laugh" at the "tantrum" over the welded wire. After meeting you in person, I can now feel comfortable with a few little "jibes" like that, knowing you will be okay with it. It is hard to put things on paper without being able to see a person's reactions....and not offend them.

A friend of mine years ago told me they to try to think about their "normal habits" when working days and apply it to nights... So they started trying to stay up after working, doing chores and jobs, then going to bed and getting up in time to go to work... just like when on day shift, they would go to bed and get up in the morning to go to work. Come home and do things then go to bed, to get sleep in order to get up and go to work. It was easier the 2nd day off they said.

I imagine it would be harder on the way your days off happen... and wanting to get things done when it is daylight out...I admire you... I was never a night person.... so it would be nigh on impossible for me to work through the night... I do much better getting up and getting going in the morning..... early... even when it meant going to bed at 9 at night.

 

[canesisters]

OMG!!!!! Who knew it was SOO LONG between 8am & 10am!?!?!?
List checked off.
Going to bed

 

[canesisters]

5am & tired of trying to sleep.

IF it's not raining this AM I'll be prepping the site where I'll be building next seasons garden.
Pictures of progress to follow.

 

[canesisters]

Full sun. Tends toward slightly damp soil except in the driest of dry seasons. Close to water source. Close to electric (tiller & weedeater). Close to house. Fenced in to discourage deer. Close to paddock & chicken yard, for weed & damaged produce disposal. Has grown some of the best, thickest, greenest grass (weeds) on the property.

Future site of the garden.
Eva's extra paddock. She's done a petty good job of mowing it this week.

Step 1: remove the paddock, remove the hidden over-grown elec. wire & posts, mow.
.... sorry.... I can't ever take a video without getting my finger tip in it

There's a stack of 16' old rotted oak boards that will contain the beds.

And 4 plastic rings (each 1/3 of a barrel) behind the wood that I'll use to grow potatoes. I'll be moving them! I wouldn't stand a chance trying to fight the weeds .... and the TREE that have currently taken them over.

The plan:
Use the old fence boards to build 3 beds. Each one carefully setup to be just a little bit wider than my wheel barrow and 2 mower's width apart. The 1 closest to the fence will be about 20' long I think. Then 2 shorter ones as you move farther from the fence, maybe 16'.
They'll be open on the north end (right side) so that I can push the wheel barrow into them.
I'll lay down cardboard from work first to hopefully suppress the grass & weeds. Then - slowly - I'll be bringing loads of manure & rotted hay from around Eva's hay feeder; which is just across the driveway. I'll also be dumping the litterboxes over the manure. Before anyone freaks-out, I use pelleted pine stall bedding (for horses). The poo is removed daily & once a week I dump what has by then turned into a pile of loose, fine sawdust with no pee smell. It'll help add 'brown' to the very 'green' heavy compost that I'm building in the beds.
As I fill each bed, I'll run the tiller through to mix the manure with the pine bedding.
My HOPE is to have at least 1 bed full of good compost by next season.
But I'm going to expect to do more fighting weeds than harvesting produce as that's usually the nature of a first year garden.