But
Spring will not wait for the snow to melt and seasonal changes are already
being felt.
Our 35 hens
are the first to feel the swing of the pendulum for daylight. Their egg production has quadrupled in the
last week! We chose not to use artificial lighting during the winter and just let nature take its course. So after a nice winter rest the hens are producing heavily and we are again delivering eggs in the Lawrence area. I love our eggs- they just make me happy!
In six days our first batch of Spring chicks
will arrive! We built a new brooder for
them (though it is snowed in at the moment down the hill in the barn). Plans for the second chicken house have been
made and supplies being collected. As
soon as we can clear the snow we are digging in the supports.
Ducklings
have been ordered as well and will arrive May 20th. Just in time for the chicks to move outside to
their transitional housing. These will be our first ducklings on the farm. Their eggs are wonderful for baking! Of course Andy is more interested in eating
the ducks than having them. Sigh.
That is the downside of being married to a Chef. Birgitte & I name as many as we can of our
new arrivals, because if we name them we can’t eat them (at least that’s our
argument). I have never said I was the most practical
farmer, just a soft hearted one.
Strawberry
starts have been ordered and vegetable seeds are on their way. The new garden beds have been composted &
prepped throughout the winter. Two beds
are ready for lettuce, swiss chard and kale to be sown in with a cold frame to
protect them from the hard frost.
Spring
art classes are ready to go and filling up fast!
The kids at
Autism Works will be creating Easter Egg bouquets. We did these last year in Lawrence and the kids had a blast creating designer eggs! Can't wait to see what the kids come up with this Saturday!
Our Lawrence art class will make Easter Bunny
Puppets that also serve as a Springtime Centerpiece. Our class will take place March 23rd with two class times; 1:30 and 3:00 p.m. Thanks to my daughter Birgitte for helping me "test" our class projects with her completed works above and below.
Our Market
at Dragonfly Farm is a mere 8 weeks away;
May 3rd through the 5th! That sounds far off, but when we are making
everything ourselves, it doesn’t leave much time for everything we have on our
to-do list! The early morning/late night work schedule has begun! Coffee, lots of coffee and chocolate- that does the trick!
So the
"Studio" has spread beyond one dining table to another. Colorful fabrics and
paint have taken over the house as our spring line of home & garden
accessories take shape.
Pillows have
been blooming!
Signs
are springing up!
Whimsical Birdcages are taking shape!
Unique
cloches are ready to showcase treasures.
We will be test marketing our lines at the
Lawrence Spring Craft show on March 9th. The Show is held at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in the front buildings from 9am-4pm.
Next up
on the to-do list for the May Market is furniture.
This time I am experimenting with painting upholstery! Yes, painting! I will share the before and after story
here.
Well,
the hens are complaining and I need to clear their yard of snow so they can get
outside and scratch around. (They are afraid
of the snow, chickens...lol!)
Susan
How exciting! So much happening, even I am feeling overwhelmed by you list. <3
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