by Heidi Madsen | May 16, 2017 | Off-Grid Living, The Homestead
On April 10th our apprentice Hallie picked up our seventeen day old chicks from the local farm store and got them situated with the water, food, and warming cave!
Since we live off-grid with just a modest solar panel system, we aren’t able to use a typical heat lamp for brooding. Instead, we figured out that we can use 2 heating pads to create a little cave. We wrap both of them in a towel, place one on the floor of the brooder, and then use a bit of hardware cloth to make a little bridge arch and put the second heating pad on top. It has been working great!
They settled in quite nicely, but wow! They grow up so fast!
Today, just about 6 weeks later, the chicks are just past the “awkward teenager stage” so we decided to move them out to the coop.
The girls stayed out there for awhile, making sure the rooster and other hens don’t get too mean. (Pecking order can be brutal, but is a necessary way they keep the flock safe.)
So far they are doing great integrating into the coop with the rest of the flock!
by Heidi Madsen | Apr 30, 2017 | Gardening, The Homestead
We had the pleasure of hosting two wonderfully synergistic permaculture apprentice groups this month and they helped us make HUGE progress on our medicinal garden beds!!
The process of building these raised beds begins with gathering brush from the land to form the base. More brush is woven in until the bed has three “walls” making it level with the hillside. Then we layer more brush, leaves, and straw to fill the beds. Topped off with beautiful composted horse manure (from my dad’s horses over the hill) and we are ready to plant!
by Heidi Madsen | Apr 4, 2017 | Gardening, The Homestead
Here’s an aerial view so you can see how we hope to expand the gardens this year!
(The blue outline is our existing “kitchen garden”…the yellow outline is space we hope to fill this season with terraced beds on the south-facing slope.)
by Heidi Madsen | Mar 31, 2017 | Gardening, The Homestead
The girls and I spiffed up the garden paths today with some fresh straw. ❤
(The cardboard is to smother the brambles that have started to poke through.)
This is our “kitchen garden” that we actually started before we were even camping here on the land. In the first couple years we expanded it and then trenched in the crucial fence for rabbit control. It had produced a ridiculous amount of food in such a small space, and I do love this little garden.
by Heidi Madsen | Oct 12, 2016 | Off-Grid Living, The Homestead, The House Build
It’s been a big day around here! We still don’t know if we will be able to stay in the house all winter, but we are a giant leap closer today.
Jonathan spent several hours building the chimney and prepping the wood burning stove for its first fire!
And our devoted apprentice, Margie, was out in the cold with me stapling up a wind and rain barrier to help seal up the house and get it ready for some insulation.
So at 8pm tonight, our 8 year old Maggie lit the fire for the first time and we have a warm hearth! We are so thankful. And truly lucky to even be here living this life.
And so…hauling firewood begins!
by Heidi Madsen | Jul 5, 2016 | Everything Else, Nature, The Homestead
The blackcaps and blackberries are going off right now! It’s seems everywhere I turn there are scrumptious berries to eat!
We’ve been hearing of several bear sightings in the neighborhood these days, so I think we aren’t the only ones enjoying the bounty…
