Playing in the dirt

This month has been flying by for us! We’ve been keeping up with wintertime chores and trying to tackle new projects. All while completing our schoolwork on time and marking off a few extra things on our to-do lists.

The boys and I have spent a couple of afternoons exploring, checking out the flooded pastures. This winter has been really wet. It makes farming a little more difficult, but in our case, wet weather is preferred over extremely cold temperatures.

We found this critter on the creek bank. Great for an impromptu science lesson!

Wintertime cattle feeding continues. This time of year, Dustin is eagerly counting down the remaining weeks of feeding. He spends his spare time prepping the hay equipment for an upcoming harvest season.

I came across this old girl while feeding with Dustin recently. She’s an old friend; a bottle calf that I raised while Dustin and I were engaged, many years ago.

The boys and I have been working through our school assignments. We’re also looking forward to summer break. An occasional field trip is tossed into our schedule. We recently toured a new natural science museum with friends.

Our insect loving boy thoroughly enjoyed this section of the museum.

All farm kids complete their homework wearing hats from the local farmer’s co-op, right?

We’ve also started a brand new project on the farm this month! I’ve always loved gardening and growing as much of our own food as possible. My earliest memories of gardening involve sitting under a shade tree while my Granny worked in her garden. And watering tomatoes with my brothers, in my mother’s garden. We hauled buckets and buckets of cold spring water to that garden and loved doing it. I spent many years enjoying working with my mother in her extensive vegetable gardens. This year, I decided to attempt growing with a different method, using a small greenhouse. We bought a kit, hauled it home and began assembling it. Assembly happens as spare time allows, so it has been a slow project. The heavy rains have slowed us down, too, but that’s okay. The main goal of our greenhouse project is to extend our growing season.

We currently have the frame completed and an above ground vegetable bed built.

Dustin brought me some composted soil for the greenhouse. He delivered it during Valentine’s Day weekend. He knows what I really want!

These guys gladly helped me fill the vegetable bed. It’s quite large, so I was grateful for their help.

Seeds have been started on heat mats, under grow lights. They are coming along nicely and we’re all enjoying watching their progress. We can’t wait to add them to the new vegetable bed in the greenhouse!

How’s your February going? Got any new projects going on? How has the weather been in your area? We’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for catching up with us,

-Ashley