Completing Chores and Projects
The weather has been pretty mild for this time of year and perfect for getting lots of chores done around my farm.
While I was in Milan for the Olympics my crew completed numerous projects, including pruning various trees, chipping branches, starting more plants from seed, harvesting vegetables from the greenhouse, and all the regular daily tasks of caring for the animals and keeping everything clean and tidy. What's on your to-do list this weekend?
Enjoy these photos.
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- Once trees and branches are taken down, they are placed in various piles near the carriage roads. We try to keep all the piles as neat as possible so as not to block any roads or damage the ground beneath them.
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- Then, manageable tree limbs and branches are put through the chipper.
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- The chipper is pointed back toward the woodland, so chips can top dress the remaining healthy trees.
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- This is my stable barn where I store hay equipment and feed for the animals. In winter, sometimes varying temperatures can cause these sliding doors to bind and stick making them difficult to open and close. Pete makes adjustments to the door system to address the issue.
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- If this happens to your sliding barn doors, first lift the door manually off the track.
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- Then look above – the hardware should be adjustable. Pete unscrews the cover plate.
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- He does this on both sides. Check to see what tools are needed to loosen and tighten the hardware before starting the project.
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- Barn doors usually have large screws that help raise and lower the positioning of the doors. Pete adjusts them until the doors slide easily and smoothly.
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- And that’s it. Pete checks all the doors to ensure they are in good working order.
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- Meanwhile, Cesar works in the bird enclosures changing out old, wet bedding. We’re still under several inches of snow – some of it has melted, and rain and possible snow are expected this weekend.
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- Inside the stable, Helen grooms Banchunch, my Fell pony. This time of year, the horses are out during the day and in their warm stalls at night. And every day, each one is well-groomed.
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- After a good brushing, Banchunch likes to drink warm water from the large stone sink.
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- In the greenhouse, my gardeners are busy preparing for the next growing season. It will be here before we know it. Matthew fills trays with potting mix and brings them in the head house to be planted with seeds.
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- And look what was just picked from my vegetable greenhouse – fresh, perfect radishes…
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- … and lots of delicious, organic arugula. Both will make a great salad.
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- Enma polishes these silver cups. I use vintage silver and brass containers for holding my desk essentials.
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- As with all my silver, items are first washed, then wiped with Wright’s Silver Cream, and then rinsed thoroughly.
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- And in minutes, the silver cup shines beautifully.
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- And don’t forget the doggies – here’s Luna Muna getting groomed after an active day at the farm. Her paws are cleaned and her coat is brushed.
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- Lilium, my brown Persian longhair, watches from the rolling laundry basket.
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- And here’s Luna with her little baby, Half Moon, who doesn’t seem quite ready to take a nap just yet. There’s always a lot going on at my farm to keep it in good order. What tasks are you taking on this weekend?
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