The new pen is a little bit smaller, but is full of grasses both tall and small and their dogloo (or is it duckloo since ducks use it now?) as well as their little wooden house are in side giving them shade and protection from the wind no matter which way it blows.
The pond is in a location that makes it easier for us to empty and clean and the location of the entire pen encourages the placement of the kitchen garden for next spring. Being adjacent to both the barn yard and the duck pen means that we can use the duck pond cast off water to both water and nourish the plants and the mulched down droppings from the barn yard provide easy access great compost.
I can't even explain how happy I am about this! I am already envisioning the crops - green beans, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, swiss chard, zucchini and yellow squash. It's a small area to start with, so we can't overload it. We can always expand later! :-)
Time for a brief rest while some things thaw for a late lunch, then this evening we may find a bit more to do! Check back this evening for photos!
I don't know what happened to my last comment--I hope this one gets published. I just wanted to say that I am completely in awe of your ability to use every last drop, piece, crumb, etc. to good. since I've been reading you, I have learned how to recycle (not as good as you, but I'm learning) and now I think more about what I could do with things I throw away. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJB, I don't know that we are *that* good yet - but it's a goal. :-) It's so much about reducing our footprint and living more simply. So much is thrown out that is useful - and we're learning to turn down the things that we can't use, and only take what really IS potentially useful for us. Anyone who can do that makes a difference. And everyone who then starts makes a difference. It's worth it - and there is a little bit of pride in being able to say "I made that out of scraps!"
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