Monday, August 31, 2009

New home is on it's way!







We should be receiving our new mobile home on Wednesday or Thursday. Today the trucks came with dirt for the pad. One made it up the hill, the other didn't. Here's a picture of the stuck truck. They had to wait for a friend to bring a chain to pull him out. Now it sits at the bottom of the hill until the tractor comes tomorrow. Last week I had the same thing happen to the truck that brought our port-a-let. It took two tractors to drag it out of the sand. Needless to say, our driveway doesn't look like a driveway anymore.

The part I'm really excited about is that the RV is going to be my art studio. Our wonderful neighbor Brian came with his big tractor and moved it like a breeze. He put it to the side right where I wanted it nestled into the trees. It's going to be so cozy. For now, though, we only have on extension cord coming through the window, one fan, and no toilet hook up. (Hence the port-a-let) It's a 500 ft walk to the toilet at the bottom of the hill. I was riding my bike down the driveway to get there faster, but now, alas, no driveway.
The third picture I just had to add. This is my laundry room. It's right beside Micah's room. (The tent) He's been sleeping there since we arrived three months ago. He's got electricity, a fan, alarm clock, and now he just set up his tv with video games. He says he wants to have a party in there after we get the house.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

New batch of chickens in the tractor!







If you ever wanted to see the happiest day in a chicken's life, it would be when they leave the woodshaving floor of the brooder and go out on the ground for the very first time. They aren't sure what it is they're standing on, they they start all their chicken movements--scratching, pecking, eating bugs and grass and weeds. This bunch was so excited that they didn't want to go to sleep when it was getting dark. I think they thought they were in chicken heaven.






Our new chicken/turkey tractor is taller than the model Joel Salatin uses. Because of our climate we made it 3 feet high to let the air flow better and the heat rise above the chickens heads. They look small inside now, but they're growing by the day. The turkeys are especially curious. Every time a chicken picks up something the turkeys try to grab it from their beaks. They take on the biggest of the bunch even though they are half their size. It's better than watching TV!