A Spring Move
We are in crunch time getting the farm ready for our big move. The last details are being addressed to make sure that we're ready and the transition will be as smooth as possible. Additionally, we're planning all of our spring events, like seed-starting and chicks arrivals, around the big move.
We now have electricity running in the barn. We were hooked up last week and can do things such as charging batteries without having to run a generator. Our plan is to keep one room in the house (which generally needs a complete re-model) liveable, and put our bed and bureau and a few other items there. The majority of our living will be in the barn, as that's where the power and water are. We'll have a "kitchen" area set up, and an outdoor shower, as well as a makeshift dining room table along one side of the building. Spending the majority of time in the barn helps us keep an eye on the animals as they adjust to their new home.
As livestock go, poultry are relatively easy to move as long as they have enough space to be comfortable on their journey. With only a forty-five minute drive to get them to their new home, they should adjust quickly, but a downturn in egg production is to be expected.
Our goat kids and puppy are both due to be born in the beginning to middle of April, right around the time we're moving. We'll be planning plenty of visiting time with both, but neither will be coming home to the farm until June or July. We will be getting goslings in early May, chicks in mid June, and ducklings come July.
We're staggering our arrival of baby birds in order to utilize our brooder space most effectively, since at the moment I only have one good brooder box. There are a few things I've decided not to put on my plate this summer, and one of them is a full vegetable garden.
I intend to plant a pretty extensive collection of tasty veggies in pots and containers, so I can reap some harvest. But the large vegetable bed won't be tilled out until the fall. This is partially so that I can stay sane with all of the changes we're going through this spring, but also so that we can do soil testing and watch how the areas we're thinking of for the garden fare in various weather. How much sun will they get with the clearing we're hoping to do, how wet do they get in the spring, and thoughts like that are all things to consider. Similarly, we intend to set up our beehive next year so that we have a full run of the seasons to find a warm, sheltered spot for the hive.
It's a little stressful packing up your life for a move, especially when the place we're going to is not fully complete, but it's also a great opportunity to do some downsizing and organization. Because we'll be living out of two rooms, essentially, the rest of the house will be packed away in very organized boxes and brought out when the home is done.
Now the countdown is truly underway, watch this space for updates on our move and all of the spring additions to our farm!
Linked to The Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Homestead Blog Hop #76 and the Our Simple Homestead Blog Hop.