We have moved into our new home, yeah! Most of the unpacking has been done, with a few boxes still waiting for Stella to go through. For the most part the pictures have been hung, items in their place, the kitchen organized. Several rooms have been painted and the others will be soon. There are several projects that will have to wait until winter since now with the weather the focus is outside.
The yard is quite large and I have a rider mower, but still need to figure all of it out and feel comfortable using it. With a couple of steep hills – I have found that I am still not capable of mowing and am thinking I will get a self-propelled walk behind mower for the part of the lawn I can’t master with the rider!
The project list for the yard and outside of the house is long and as I have found out from the start – each project seems to take way longer than thought. One of the first projects was fixing the clothesline. This I thought would take less than an hour, but like I mentioned before – it took longer and is still not done. One post was leaning and being propped by another piece of wood – I dug around the post, but not even with all my Popeye strength could I pull the post out. I am not sure how long the stake is – but I think that one post will have to be a two person project for a future date. I was able to take off the old cord and re-do one section of the clothesline, which fits almost 2 loads of laundry at one time – so that is great! I so love having my clothes dry in the wind and sun – and there is plenty of wind here.
I was also able to start the orchard. A couple of the trees do not seem to be doing well and I will give them some TLC with an organic fertilizer this coming week. The orchard was also my first big mowing of this yard and it was difficult since the grass was very long! In our orchard we have almond trees, apricot, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, peach and apple. The deer like eating the leaves off the apple trees, but they do not touch the peach tree. There was also a couple of opening from our yard to the field behind our house. I was given some black cherry seedlings – so I planted several of those.
I was given some tomato plants so those are planted out behind the house. This is a first for me. I am not a huge tomato fan, but I do like fresh pico de gallo and tomato sauce. I usually just buy a flat at the farmer’s market of tomatoes and then go home and make a batch of sauce. I was given some pointers by one of my co-workers for the second planting – so it will be interesting to see the difference in the plants and the yield. Ran out of mulch, but will line with paper around the plants and finish mulching this week.
The other big project for the summer is getting the one area of the front field ready for gardening next year. I started laying cardboard down to kill the grass.. I have plenty of cardboard from the moving boxes, but I do not have an abundance of rocks to hold the cardboard down, not so I have wood chips, mulch or compost. I have done a very small section and now have another idea to try out. We now have 2 rabbits and I am moving their hutch around by the house – since they eat all the grass under the hutch and leave many dropping. I am working on a set up to put them in the garden area with the hope that they will eat all the grass, dig and leave some great compost! I am hoping to have that set up in the next week or two, but it might be longer since we will be gone the next two weekends.
I love our piece of heaven and the fact that we are homesteading our own land – but it is a lot of work and effort – but so rewarding in so many ways! One of them is teaching skills to Stella and seeing her love of the land grow!
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Great idea to move the rabbits over where you want a garden. Homesteading is SO much work, but you’re right, SO rewarding. (You can see why “community” would be the way to go for the future!) : ) In the meantime, we try to do it alone. I look forward to when I can be home more….at this point, just having two gardens and doing cooking consumes my time. Kudos to you Pamela!! You have a gorgeous place. xox
Oh I so admire your Spirit and energy:) Keep posting!
All sounds delightful, but an almond tree and freshly dried clothes…what a life! Are you planning on a Virginia photo for your masthead?
All sounds wonderful….you are certainly making headway and I was totally impressed when I saw your orchard all planted and mowed…wow, wow, wow. xoxo
I am so exhausted just reading this, that I’m going to have to go out and sip tea on the patio.
It sounds like we need to send Beau up for a couple weeks. !
Pamela, things look like they are off to a fantastic start. I’m glad you and Stella are enjoying your new home. You worked hard to get there.
Congrats!!!
Wish You and Stella All The Best!!
What an amazing venture!!
Good Luck to you!!
congrats.
wow, it is always a lot of work getting settled in a new home but when you add all that property, it is so much more – but of course the property is what you love! So happy for you, I know you and Stella will just love your home more and more as you settle in.
Wishing you so much happiness – and boundless energy!