Let 2025 begin....

So many pokers i the fire. I try to address several each day and stay, not ahead but on top of them. This weekend I did trails now in years past I would grab the 30# back pack blower after either mowing of pushing the DR over the trails. Literally 2 miles of trails. Pushing 68 with lets say compromised joints that's not happening. I realized half the harrow drag with a 10 in dia. log cut to width and tied to drag would work. So I took an hour drive around and around a few trails. Not only killing and pulling up brush, but removing rocks and breaking toe catching roots. Also loosening soils. That's important on two fronts. One for possible seed and foot prints. I can see travel route and what trails they use or where they cross them.
Work efficiently not harder.

 

Well lets see besides preserving the garden which includes watering and some weeding I picked my late peach tree and put those up.





Now to the green house coop. The one I started, hhmmm... a year or two ago. Hubby helped set base and square it up. Measured for the roofing panel siding then...abandoned me. So I swore I'd finish it myself . I can not cut that metal so......
I cut and fit the hardware clothe to bury all around outside edge. Then to protect from big animals I cut and tight attached chain link to each individual section. I line all that on the inside with heavy greenhouse plastic left over from original greenhouse build. I then took all the landscape material I had pulled and stored, dbled it and attached that to the out side.
Today the frame went up. I had a couple of hickups due to being alone but nothing major. I now have to frame steel door to end and install the 10'2" center and end brace so a real pole ridge can go in. The frame needs a fencing snow load cover over frame that will get a bubble wrap lining before the cover is installed.
As for the base finish, hubby has renewed intrest after seeing what I got done. I'll give him just 2 weeks before putting a tarp finish on the bottom. All the years of doing tarp blinds....never had the actual tarp chewed. The entire area around coop is the chain link garden fencing.
It is a 10' x 20' space for them to have winter warm space to keep them health with light. The cover is green and has 5 screened and covered vent "windows" for summer heat on each side. That will also be protected with hardware clothe

 

Well I got the roll of bubble wrap barrier/ slight insulation over half the roof. Now yes I know it's not uv rated nor will the poly be I put on second half. The cover itself is uv rated. And the next replacement cover will be. I did this in the other greenhouse as well and it's worked great. It keeps the main cover in very good condition. I also noticed less condensation issues. I have solar fans in the other greenhouse and will install bigger ones in this as well. Bracings go up today along sides. This is also base for the roosts. Hubby got framing to install the steel door. Once that's framed in The main cover gets put on and I can put the ridge support in.
Winds and snow are rough here. This frame isn't the best but supported in main areas it will work great. The curved roof where a snow fail would definately happen is fenced tight with metal tie wraps. No sagging so night snows can't sag between "struts". The liner over that is also pulled tight to prevent snow catch. Headed out now. I just may have this done by end of month..which will be perfect for the garden is winding down and will be a secure fenced area for birds to run in winter. I still have a bit more chain link to install against fox and coyotes. Not much though. Raccoons can climb and have, corn showed me that. though that's always been a night thing and why I made the coop walls tall 4ft, the screened windows are at 7 ft and will have hardware clothe lining. Nearly all materials save the frame and cover are used or material I had on hand for years. Out of pocket cost,200 to 250. 10ft x 20ft x 10 ft..not bad.

 

Dang that second half was a chore but in place and secured. No bracing done, because I got waylaid.
Decided to check a trail to a blind and stand. Good thing because what a stinking mess. I ended up cleaning about a mile of trail. Of course that completely screwed up my sciatica and my knee..
To that, worth it for the oak tree infront of the stand I shot my bow buck is dropping a ton of acorns. Now there is a crazy amount of deer droppings and a ton of turkey sign all around the stand. Depending on wind Saturday morning I will be there.

 

New tank (propane...fu NYS). They're filling it now. Lets see how long the old company leaves their tank at the end of our driveway. It's literally a rusted, moss and mildewed pile of crap. It had best be no later than a week or I'll rain living hell down on management. Of course they owe us for 30% plus a 1000.00+ pre pay from last year.
I got the greenhouse end ridge line brace up. Not secured to frame yet, for adjustments may be needed for the door end framing. That thought has nixed the side bracing as well. If hubby just gets the base set I can finish the rest of door. Once center ridge pole support is up the ridge pole will be easy.
Well dug rest of tators to find some sort of rodent ate 2/3 of them!!! Still got 20 #'s today. So that takes out my red tator raised beds. I will switch to a hot peppers there next year. They even got a bunch of my onions as well. Seriously a million summer squash not one chewed. Beans were attacked as well. I'm thinking voles they have been a long time issue here since our beloved Bear passed. That shepard was a vole eating machine !
He'd grab them them toss them up in the air and swallow them whole as he caught them on the way down. Funniest thing to watch, him tossing back voles. Though we spent a lot getting him wormed every year...lol

 

That's quite the garden! Nothing beats fresh, homegrown vegetables, and fresh laid eggs no less. Eating good in the neighborhood!

 

Thanks I love saying everything tonight came off our place....

 

Usual garden stuff. Then hubby has committed to installing the steel door. He cut and bolted the 4x6 base and is getting the pressure treated for the framing. Tomorrow I install the middle 4x6 ridge pole. This will also act as a higher perch for birds. This I'll attach to the side bracing and a bottom 2x4 bracing. It's not going to be buried much so will need the bottom and mid support bracing along with the attached ridge pole. The cover should go up by Wednesday. A finished project. It won't get birds in until I finish chain link around the rest of garden. Not much more to do on that. Hhhmmm need to find my roll of hurcane strapping....

 

Today I spent 2hrs mowing lower field before rain finally arrives. I had to bring the leaf blower and fire extinguisher for the lawn tractor as safety measures. It is so dry we feared fire from seed "fluffies".the ground is rock hard and looks like a giant jigsaw puzzle .
Then came up and helped hubby start the wall framing for steel door install in coop green house. I installed side frame bracing and dug hole for the center ridge pole. That will not only hold the center roof bracing but also connect to the side bracing to form roost poles for the turkey. Shorter roost will be for the chickens. The cover should go on by end of month.

 

Well just as all my garden tomatoes are about gone due to finally ripening but mostly blight, we have crazy large patches of patio tomatoes coming on all around the outside areas of the garden. One plant is now 10 ft wide 5 ft high and 3 ft deep with more flowers than I've EVER seen on a tomatoe plant. Lol maybe this is how I should garden now. Just go out and throw seed here and there. My jalapeños are absolutely loaded with both fruit and flowers yet are not producing bigger peppers. I pick every single day. To keep them producing but get very few for they aren't getting to even the small stuffing size I like. It has been a very strange growing year for sure. Everyone I speak with are having the same results across the county.

So yesterday I finaly remembered to ask hubby if he would cut the woods "chicken coop " door into a dutch door for me. It took 10 mins and worked great! I can now have a very good shot view from that side. It had just enough room for a narrow window when I converted it. Dummy me not taking in the steepness of ground rise, cut it WAY too low. The rest of the narrow wall was the composite door which I used 4 tiny hinges to install. Two top and 2 bottom, perfect to cut a dutch door. This is the blind I shot my 24# turkey from this spring. I watched 2 doe ,2 fawn and 2 spike walking to it just at close last night.

 

2 wks no rain and no rain due for another week. Is what it is and I am not watering. Letting it wind down....though my jalapeños are just packed and still flowering like crazy. Still picking zucchini and beans. Pumpkins are dying but I have ripe orange ones and one mature and starting to change.

 

6 more days of mid 80's then a little rain in forcast. Then the cool down begins. I have the garden to put to bed the coop to finish. Hubby got new a door screws and I got the new auto coop door. I have 5 more sections of chain link and a gate to make.
No hunting, well for real. I'll be out doing some watch sits and if an actual monster shows, well....
Son stopped for the doe heart last night. Called and told hubby I may have jumped the gun. On his way home he watched two " Huge" buck walk straight into our woods. Then said man there's a lot of buck up here. Duh, I've been telling him that all summer. Ruts coming and I'm sure there will be even more. Once every 5-7 years we get a crazy number of buck then it is hit and miss for a while.