We started a new project - it’s a fun one!
It’s time for another new project!
There are a lot of projects we do around here that are what I consider “essential” or “necessary” projects. Things like - fencing, building infrastructure, putting in new spigots, or upgrading processing facilities. The main motive for doing them is for their functional purpose & increasing productivity.
However - sometimes you just need to do a “for fun” project. One that doesn’t necessarily increase production - but it helps to build the beautiful and enjoyment of our property.
Our first year in (2020), we did a massive overhaul of the barn exterior - we had a new roof put on, repainted the majority of it, cleared loads of old brush and vines, replaced windows, etc.
Though the paint and roof will definitely help the barn last longer, it doesn’t really change it’s function. But it really brought us joy to bring it back to life & preserve it after decades of neglect (Though we still have a lot of work to do on the interior… more on that later)
Our barn before restoration began in early 2020… after we had already cut down several trees and vines that covered the entire right side of it.
And our barn again late 2020. New roof. Patched wood and fresh paint + windows. And the pasture of sumac was reclaimed!
In 2021 we didn’t do any fun projects. We fenced the majority of the property that year plus made some expensive investments in running electrical to out buildings and a generator hook up (and we bought a tractor!)
I felt the drag of not having any “visual improvements” to the property that year. So in 2022 we update the fence around my main (or “kitchen”) garden. I had an inexpensive wire fence up there already, but I wanted something that was a bit nicer and matched the era of our house (which is a late 1800’s victorian).
Kitchen garden in 2021 with it’s wire fence.
Kitchen garden in 2022 with it’s new picket fence! Fun fact: There were nearly 800 pickets and we made every single one ourselves! it was a labor of love for sure.
So what’s the “for fun” project for 2023!?
Well it all started with the mountain of wood chips I received back in January.
I knew I needed them for my main garden, our chicken run, and a few other spots. But even after using them everywhere I intended AND sharing multiple loads with friends - it still seems like we’ve barely made a dent!
So we’re creating an orchard garden.
What’s an orchard garden?
Well, if you’ve ever read much on permaculture farming - you’ll definitely hear often about “fruit guilds” or “food forests”… which is essentially what we’re making.
If you aren’t familiar with those terms — imagine an orchard, but underneath filled with other various plants (some edible - some medicinal - some for pollinators or pest repelling - etc).
I actually really love the look of commercial orchards - I always enjoyed driving past them as a kid and seeing the rows of trees with freshly cut grass go on for miles. But the reality is - monoculture isn’t natural. Diversity is our goal here - it’s better for us (not having one type of plant to rely on producing), and as organic growers - it’s better for the plants too! Also, interplanting multiple types of crops together saves us space overall and on our small acreage - being efficient with every square foot is key.
If you are interested in seeing more of this project - I made a whole video talking about our plan (and show some of our progress so far!)
You can go watch it here!
(Also.. I do have plans for one more “for fun” project this year… but we’ll have to talk about that later on!)
This week’s FREE homestead handout!
The FREE homestead handout this week is all about Garden Management.
I’m a lover of lists and any excuse to make another one! But hear me out if you aren’t — Managing a garden - whether you have 5 raised beds or 5000+ sf - can be overwhelming.
5 or 6 years ago I was introduced to the idea of separating your garden into 7 different areas or zones.
Each zone get it’s own list - and each day of the week you tackle one area for whatever amount of time you can commit. Right now - my goal is only 20 minutes a day. I sometimes get 30-60 minutes in, but not always because - kids. Specifically a very hungry 3.5 month old baby. So 20 minutes in my minimum.
Pick how long you’re willing to commit based on your circumstances and when you are working on one space - put blinders on to all the other zones. I promise, you’ll get more done when you aren’t fretting about all there is to do in your entire space! And bonus - this forces you to touch each space of your garden at least once a week (and not neglect it for weeks in a row like I have been known to…)
The free handout offers you a space to draw out your plot and plan your zones as well as make your lists for each one.
Download it free here! I hope it’s helpful!
What projects are you working on to finish out the month? Is your garden all planted yet? It’s crazy to believe we are approaching JUNE already!
Blessings from our little homestead,
Beth
