Helpful Free Plants

One of the things I love about gardening is how it doesn't have to cost alot. Sometimes it's even free :) I have been waiting for Thornless blackberry plants, to fill a spot. And my dad was able to pass on some plants that have started to sprout. They had to be removed from an old garden, and instead of them going into green waste they are blessing our garden.

A little garden that was once a bare fence. Will hopefully be a fruit harvest,

Cute little blackberry sprout.

 Now I'm keeping my eyes open for a Tansy Plant. Reading up on Blackberry plants they are suppose to be great companion plants.
Dad also passed on another free plant. He had brought a Scallopini in a pot, and there was 2 plants. So another plant in our veggie garden.

Scallopini in our veggie garden. Will have to move the chickens soon to start on the next stage of the garden.

New Chickens and The Trouble with Momma Hen

Our new chickens Caramel, Milkshake and Babe

 When we have had extra eggs, with have shared them with others. And they have been very popular. So we were asked if we could have more hens. We are aloud a total of 6 hens before we have to get a permit for more. So only 2 more hens we were aloud. But then we have had some trouble with Momma hen (will tell more soon). And the opportunity came up for 3 Brown Shaver Chicks, with their food provided we just had to provide a home. We jumped at the chance :) It will be awhile before they lay any eggs, but they have settled in well. And they are not that small, but they do love to be held by the children.

Shadow is hanging out with the chicks. They are getting on well.

Momma Hen is in Shadows cage, and here is her story.

Momma has been a good hen for us for awhile. But lately her mood has changed. She has become more grumpy with the other chickens. Not letting any come near her. She is not laying any eggs, but will spend long periods on the nest. And we have had her escape twice into other people's properties.Not good when some of our neighbours have dogs. The cage is near the others, but not close enough to have her peck the others. And what a change with the others. They are looking better and easier to look after. They happily let the children and me pick them up. They are eating and laying well. So we are thinking what to do with Momma Hen?
Right now we are happy to have 2 small flocks :)

Trouble With Cats

Our new veggie garden is growing well, but for one problem CATS
I do love cats and appreciate their help with keeping rats and mice away.
But after planting some carrot and spring onion seeds, and having a cat dig up the soil (through the night). My poor seeds and soil is in a mess.

I had planted the carrots and spring onions in front of the chicken tractor.

So how to keep cats off our veggie garden?

We have another raised garden bed, with our colourful chard is planted. Have had no problems with cats with that bed. Wonder if it is the mulch we used? If it is the mulch, then after we add it to this garden we should have no more problems with cats.
But will have to investigate other ways to ensure cats don't go on our veggie garden.

Spring Planting

Our first Crab Apple blossom, so excited

Our peach tree is in full bloom :)

Have begun planting our seedlings and a few head start plants.  Also added some $8 veggie soil. Now just need to get some mulch :)

Still have some more garden to prepare, for more planting.

Chickens checking out my work, and enjoying some sunshine.

They have already started on the soil, and still laying us eggs. I do have another roost to make.

I'm loving getting out into the garden, and digging into the soil. Watching things grow, snacking on what has grown :)

Our New Chicken Tractor

It's almost finish :)
I'm so pleased we were able to use the PVC pipe we had under our old deck. Here are some photos of us making the chicken tractor.

PVC pipe all measured and cut. We had to buy some more pipe, and the cheapest was orange. Colourful

Adding the wire netting after DH glued the pipe together.

It stands, we decided on the door being on the side. So we can reach in while it on the raised garden.

Almost finished, on the raised garden, where we want it.

We are working on the roost now for the chickens. Have the nesting boxes and food and water containers.

After we have the chickens in there, I can get ready to plant our seedlings :)

Holiday

Today we are having our 1 Day Holiday :)
Each one of us today are relaxing, and doing whatever we feel like doing.
And it's been wonderful :)
Everyone is so relaxed. DH been hardware shopping. Just getting bits and pieces, but having no kids or real work to do, its been a break for him. DS13 is out spending his pocket money. DS12 is playing games with friends, same as DD10. DS7 has loved having time on the PlayStation without others having their say. Me well I have been working on the chicken tractor, just bits here and there.
We will all be back to work tomorrow, but for today PEACE :)

Wet Spring

Slowing the progress of our raised vegetable bed.

Raised garden almost completed.

Chickens helping in the garden. Have got everything we need to make their Chicken tractor, just need a fine day to finish it.

Started to get the netting up. Free netting so still a cheap garden :). Momma Hen checking the progress, inspecting the quality of workmanship.

The netting up, will be great for our squash. Nearly every squash seed I have planted has sprouted. So hope to get a good harvest this year.

Did get a bit of our compost out, lovely rich soil that it is. With some help will get more on to the garden where we are going to start planting. Splitting the garden into 2 metre sections. Will plant the first section and have the chicken tractor on the second section. Then will move the chickens along to the third section, and we will plant in the second section. When the chickens have finished this whole garden we have the other raised garden bed that will be ready for them to work on by then. Im very excited :)