2010 plans that grow

With the new year sprung and feeling cold...  I figured I'd warm myself a little by thinking of all the projects that may lie ahead this year.  See, I'm not that big on resolutions because that's too "congressional" - resolving to do something is a long way away from actually doing something.  Anyhow, here are some of the highlights we are expecting to accomplish this year (if we get them all done - I'll be impressed - and some of them are wishes more than expected):

• Build a fixed chicken coop for egg laying birds.
  
  
  
  • This one needs to start sometime in late February or early March to get done on time and beat out the spring seed planting rush.  I WON'T survive another spring like last one with the leanto project AND the gardens going in.
  
  
  
  


• Get laying chickens and increase our broiler chicken production again this year
  
  
  
  • It's not to early to sign up for emails regarding 2010 broiler availability - here
  
  
  
  


• Get 4x fence posts sunk for future pasture fencing
  
  
  
  • Using the loader on Big Blue and some sharpened 4x4 posts I hope to get some pasture spaces roughed out this year for hogs, cattle or goats
  
  
  
  


• Increase garden plots
  
  
  
  • This is where we may offer a few very inexpensive "learning" shares in a CSA this year.  Still researching it all and determining if its something we should take on as opposed to selling market garden items on their own...  stay tuned!
  
  
  
  


• Field and swamp work


• Get the 12' ceiling installed in the barn and the rest of the lights hung
  
  
  
  • Yes - this sounds simple... ugh - when do I find the time?
  
  
  
  


• Cover crops in the garden plots for weed control
  
  
  
  • Got a terrific book (available over in my Amazon Store on page right) about using cover crops to control weeds and build the soil.  For instance - use a clover mixture in the corn paths to keep down other weeds but to also add LOTS of nitrogen fixation to a crop that LOVES nitrogen.  We will see how this goes.
  
  
  
  


• Do "something" about the sides of the barn
  
  
  
  • The weathered look is looking more run down than weathered - so we are either going to have to stain the barn or put metal sides on it.  Pros and cons both ways
  
  
  
  


• Build a field implement storage shelter.
  
  
  
  • Nothing too fancy - but I need something to shelter the array of tools we are accumulating
  
  
  
  

You know what - this is about half of the projects I think I have in mind for 2010... which means it's obviously going to be a busy year around here.  I think I need to resolve to have fewer projects...  (broken)

Comments

[~Faith]

Nice list! I never got very far on my list for last year, seemed everything popped up in the way. But I've got high hopes for this year.

I'm glad I don't have swamp work, though! Doesn't sound fun. :oP

~Faith

[Andy]

After this got published - Kelli and I started talking... this is the "short" list :(
Well - here's to hoping we BOTH get our lists done this year!

[~Faith]

Last year was the first year I'd hardly made any headway on our list. This year it is all about priorities. What did we not have done that really increased our labor and time to ridiculous proportions.

Not having a greenhouse finished. That probably added a good 20 hours of labor a week to our load. I'm really focused on getting that done.

Having to do everything with handtools. For the two of us and almost 10,000 feet of garden... wow. Still, we'd have been able to do it if nothing else had gone wrong, but something ALWAYS goes wrong. I hope to find at least a used rototiller this year.

I figured that had to be your short list. LOL You've already got your priorities listed, I'm guessing. :)

~Faith

[Andy]

Our time sink last year was the leanto on the barn... hours upon hours while other things backed up - or so it seemed. That resulted in the passing of the "No Spring Building" Doctrine - basically that means when it's time to be putting things in the ground... that should be just about ALL that's going on!
And that's a crazy amount of ground without having machines to help out!
Listing priorities is one thing... sticking to them as seasons and data changes... now there's the trick! ;)