11/11/2011 - 6th Day - Mid-Afternoon. – Greetings y’all. We're still moving forward on all of our projects, even with new projects looming on the horizon. Generally, we have about 10 or more unfinished projects going on at any one time. Above is a picture of our first new "cold frame". So many people saw it on Facebook and asked about it, that I thought I'd give you a quick rundown. It's all fairly simple. We are building a new large garden area that will include some permaculture ideas, trying to include some micro-climates, perennial vegetables, raised bed gardening, etc. This area is a bit larger than 1/2 acre...
This whole area used to be covered with mesquite and scrub brush. It has been cleared and is being prepared to be a little watered oasis on the land. We are designing it to be an off off-grid food production area as well as an area for personal enjoyment. So this area will include some traditional raised beds - the first 3 of which you can see at the top right of the picture. Each bed will have it's own drip watering system. The raised beds are 10' x 5' and the first five will also have cold frame covers for winter gardening.
Here you see the materials being painted for more raised beds and more cold frame covers.
These will be replaced with screened covers in spring and summer to protect greens from grasshoppers and to help keep the temperature down. Here is a pic of the cold frame cover after it has been removed...
The cold frames are lightweight and are covered with 6 mil. plastic. Two of my children can remove the frames in the morning when the temperatures get warm. Last night we were in the low thirties, and today will be in the 70's. So the covers are removed when it is in the high 40's to low 50's.
We are getting started with some seedlings in our greenhouse. Most of these are cold weather plants that will (DV) be planted in the raised beds with the cold frames.
Primarily we are starting Cabbage, Collards, Mustard, Lettuce, Brussels Sprouts and things like that for the cold frames. One of the current three new raised beds is planted in rye grass, which will be a cover crop and green manure for spring. In our older garden, the garlic is doing very well...
In addition, our wheat fields are coming up nicely. I hope we get more rain soon, but for this day in November, the wheat looks very good.
In the meantime, work on the "test" Mass Rocket Stove continues. The bench is starting to take shape. I hope to have a Mass Rocket Stove, Part 2 post to show you sometime next week.
As many of you know, we had a Jersey bull calf born to our Jersey mama cow (Greta) the other morning. Meet Gus...
We've had a few health problems with Greta and Gus, but they seem to be doing better. We'll try to keep you up on all of this once we start milking for ourselves.
For right now, Greta and Gus are being kept over at the Sustaire's place because they have a milking shed. We hope to get started on our elaborate milking shed sometime next week
So all of the projects continue around the ranch here. Danielle and the girls are still processing meat from our two bulls we had butchered.
DECEMBER PROJECT
Ok, so we're only 20 days from The December Project. If you don't know what the December Project is, then go read the link. This means that after 20 days, your host here will go "dark" for two months. This blog will not be updated. No Twitter updates. No Facebook updates. The only "tech" thing that will keep going, DV, will be The Michael Bunker Radio Show on Sunday and Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. Central Time.
The December Project mailing list is being compiled as we speak. So far there are about 5-6 people on it. Those will be the people who receive snail mail updates from me during the two month December Project. To get on the December Project email list you MUST snail mail a request to:
M. Bunker
1251 CR 132
Santa Anna, Texas 76878
Alright, I'm out.
Michael
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