Spirit's Freedom Farm 2017

This year was a busy year of clearing. We had a bunch of honeysuckle cleared along the driveway and around the garage, as well as some on the east side of the big barn. Ray also cut down and cut and split some trees along the east fence line that put the garden in the shade nearly all day. The trees were large, but not really in good shape and the dogs have shade from the trees on the west fence line, so cutting them down wasn’t a loss.

 two before and after shots of the eastside of the farm:

All that wood has provided some heating for us and several other families with this cold weather we’re having. Before fall, we marked a few more dead trees that can come down to be cut and split if needed over winter.

Having the area around the garage cleared, gave access to the dilapidated “half barn,” which was razed and the cellar of that building emptied of all sorts of junk (enough to fill a 40-yard dumpster). Our hope is to eventually rebuild another building there, including new walls for the cellar. I have a picture in my mind…. We’ll see how it comes about.

We spent months trying to find someone to hire who would plow the area for the garden or even equipment for rent. The ground was much to compacted for a regular tiller. We eventually started looking for a tractor and plow to buy and actually found a super great deal for a 1949 Farmall Cub from a man just around the corner. He bought it from a neighbor just a few doors from him, making us just the 3rd owners! Frank drove it home. We eventually got the garden plowed and planted. Our best performers were yellow wax beans, swiss chard, beets and radishes. And tomatoes, once they decided to ripen. The gardens are now sleeping under a blanket of straw and the small garden has a couple rows of garlic planted and waiting for spring.

The chicken coop was finished with a great amount of help from Ray and Adam. We used some of the wood from the razed “half barn” to build it out as well as new for framing, roosts, and nesting boxes. Frank built a new window which will be the chicken door, once the access ramp is built. The dropping temps only gave us time to limewash the interior so the outside will be done hopefully in spring or early summer. It will probably need a good hosing out by then anyhow. Again with great help from Ray and Adam, the covered run is nearly complete – just need the gate and a ramp from the new window.

We picked up our new little chicks from Mt. Healthy hatchery and boy did they grow fast! Six Easter eggers, two black australorps, one barred rock, one silver laced Wyandotte, one gold laced Wyandotte – all beautiful, and so far it looks like all are pullets. The chickens are loving their coop and run and love being spoiled with cabbage and greens.

In December, we had new metal roofs put on the coop, shed and garage. When the weather warms up to over 40 degrees, the roofers will continue on to the house. Eventually, the garage doors and windows will be repaired and the junk removed so maybe we could park a car on one side. And hopefully we will get the shed in order so things can be easily found. For now, we don’t have a planned time to take down the large barn, though it does need to come down. We are slowly working our way back to it.

It was a great year on the farm. Besides the fun outside, we continued hosting a home group of families we love, enjoyed big family meals & celebrations, and a bunch of sleepovers including the joy of having my 3 nieces over when their new little brother was born.

Our winter projects will be mostly indoors – rebuilding the pantry interior, reorganizing the basement and planning next year’s garden. If outdoor weather and time allow, build the chicken run ramp & gate and building the compost area.