Our First Real Project Almost Done!

Yes, can  you believe it?  

Now just to tell you a little about our situation.  We just moved into a very nice gated community  here in Southern California.  We were fortunate to have a good year last year in our business.  We also found a renter for our other house.  Woohoo!  So we moved to a house that is quite bigger (I won't say how big), but the lot it is on is 2 1/2 acres.  That is unheard of here in Southern California.  Seriously.  

So we moved.  We were not sure why we needed to but we felt like it was time.  You know that whole 7 year itch thing was going on too I guess.  I don't know really.

This first picture here is my husband working away.  He is Santa Monica Surfer and we can call him a city boy he doesn't mind.  So he is learning just as long and hard as I am.

Well, this is me.  I was working so long and hard to get the already made shed ready for our chickens.  It took me days to get what I have gotten done done.  Did I mention I have 6 kids? My youngest is 2 and I have to wait until he is taking his nap to do anything.  My 5 year old is not in school yet and he is more dangerous than anyone else in my family so I really can not leave him alone long either.

Here is what I have been working on:

Here is the outside.  I first drilled holes from the inside out and then used my jigsaw to cut out the holes from the outside.  Then using redwood (because it is strong and lasts long-I know it was not necessary but oh well it is done!) I made a frame.  My mitered edges are not perfect but what do you expect this is really the first time I have ever attempted such a feat!  So I got the outside done!                    

Then there was the  inside.  That almost took as long as the outside.   We did finally get some makeshift laying boxes.  I know they are probably called something else but do you know what I really am not a big farm girl at all!  But this is the finished product.  They are using them I know that.  There is a door at the left side of this picture but I will show you what that is for some other time when that project is finished.

I have to say that my husband has been excited about this from the beginning.  He has been skeptical at times but so have I sort of.  Well, after we got them out of the house into the garage we were relieved.  Then finally getting to the point of getting them out of the garage now is just fabulous.

I think he is really starting to enjoy having chickens.

Daniel my 5 year old helped get the chickens from the garage to the chicken shed.  He thought it was funny!

And here are my beautiful chickens.  I think they are just such a pretty red.  

Just below are our first eggs.  They just love to lay in the corner of the shed and not in the nests.  Silly birds.  We now average 2 dozen a day.  Woohoo!  That is amazing since we only have 23 chickens.

A new blog about my little triumphs of farming in the city

Hello, my name is Janeal.  I grew up on little acre farms around the country.  First it was Idaho, then Central California, then Minnesota.  Well, I am back to Southern California and I have not had any success on doing much of anything to do with farming until now.  

First I read my most favorite books on gardening a few years ago :  Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.  I loved it and then I just found out that he had a new book out.  It is a totally different concept!  Oh, my goodness!  Heaven sent I must say.  It is called the All New Square Foot Gardening Book by Mel Bartholomew.  His concept is to not use your existing soil but to use compost, vermiculite, and peat moss.