Homesteading Update

I can't believe it's the end of October already!This year like last year has zipped by.

One wood shed is almost bare

Here on the homestead we use wood to heat with here at the Cockeyed Homestead. We'll go through about two cords of wood each winter which isn't bad. Mel volunteers at one of the local churches who provides free, split firewood to the needy in the community. As a result, we receive two cords of firewood free of the umpteen dozen cords she helps cut and splits.

 Yes, we have a chainsaw besides the little 14" electric one you've seen in our videos. What homestead wouldn't along with axes and mauls? We save the latter to use it the chainsaws go down or the area is too inaccessible on our

homestead. There's quite a few areas like that now. The problem with the big chainsaw is that Mel lacks the upper body strength to pull the cord to start it. While I have the upper body strength, I'm also paralyzed on my right side, so balance is an issue. You want to have great balance when operating equipment that can easily cut off limbs. I'm taking about arms and legs versus tree limbs. So most times, the big chainsaw is useless on our homestead. Mel does use it on church firewood days. There are other men folk who can pull that cord for her. No other women from the church are present. Go figure. I guess the church has different ideas on what woman's work is. But on a homestead, there is no such distinction. And for us, two women alone creating a homestead, it's all woman's work. Everybody works and does what they can.

The chicken run is complete. It's completely fenced in top and sides. It would have been faster going up if I could have helped her, but I've had some medical issues and couldn't help much. No, predators allowed. We've even extended the fencing two foot out from the bottom and have concrete blocks and rocks on top in case a predator decides to get frisky and burrow its way in. Now we just have to sort through the scraps of plywood to find pieces that are big enough the cover the one and a half open sides. While we have a full sheet of plywood we can cut to do the job, we also have a rack full of pieces leftover from other building projects. We might need that full piece in the future like for an additional coop that's in the overall plan.

What's been the delay in doing this? Well, Mel's workshop in the barn was a disaster. Stuff pilled on top of stuff.  Overflow from the house, my stuff, and tools and such dumped wherever. It had to be cleaned and reorganized. That took a few weeks with Mel being side tracked with her ADD tendencies. The weather hasn't cooperated with two tropical storms blowing through and temperatures higher than usual. The barn becomes hell in a few short hours even with the huge fan in there. The lack of a current source of electricity and lighting in there also hasn't help. Hopefully this will be resolved shortly when the electrician can get out here. I've purchased the additional ceiling fans for the house and four florescent workshop lights. Now I'm waiting on him.At least now we can get to the plywood that was stacked against one wall. Now, if she could only find her other cordless drill,  circular saw, and electric staple gun. Not that we don't have spares. She's been using mine, but that also means I can't help her.

The garden has officially been put to bed until spring. All it needs now is another covering of cardboard and manured straw on top. It will been nice and tucked in for a long winter nap. We have to recover the greenhouse. The knock-off version of duct tape, Mel used when she recovered it last, peeled off like cheap wallpaper leaving gaps in the plastic. It's an easy fix. We'll be growing our fodder, salad greens, and transplants for spring in there this year too.

We are still picking up after the brush by of tropical storms Irma and Nate. Sometimes I wonder if there will be a shortage of kindling this year when looking at the huge pile of sticks and twigs. I know I'm tired of picking them up and this is only from walkways and driveways. We started three piles 4x6x4 and there is still a lot more where that came from. We still have not broken out the electric chainsaw to chop the smaller limbs into more manageable pieces. But it will get done eventually. I much prefer doing this ahead of time instead of when I need it. Plus we still have all the piles that were made when Bobby cleared the driveway and orchard for us. That another six piles (think small foothills like where we live). There's never enough time for all the work on the homestead that needs done.

Although we've been blessed with an unusually long Indian summer, the cold weather is coming and we can't dally.

Y'all have a blessed day.