Year End Wrap Up

 I've been awful about keeping this updated, but here's the skinny.

The barn, though not completely finished, is in use.  There were some kerfluffles along the way, but those will be ironed out come spring.  I ended up going with a 4 foot frost wall foundation, which was what I had first planned on.  I'm glad I did, because it feels more solid overall than if it had just been set on sonotubes.  It needs painting, some finish carpentry, and the main aisle needs to be matted properly.  The biggest problem so far has been that after all the site work excavation that was done, the building now sits lower than expected.  Run off has been a huge issue and some flooding has occurred.  I've temporarily created some trenches and attempted to swale the ground to divert rain water and snow melt, but the ground is pretty well frozen so it's been difficult.  Once spring breaks I can hopefully get someone in here to build up the low spots, lower the high spots, and then I can get some grass seed planted.

The other issue I hadn't anticipated was the stone dust paddock.  While it worked perfectly at my old barn, it's been a huge disappointment here.  The only thing I can think is that at the old barn it went down on well packed ground, whereas at the new barn it was put on top of newly excavated soil.  Instead of acting like a sponge and allowing for drainage, the stone dust has held the water on top of the material, which has caused some icing issues.  It also doesn't self level like at the other barn, instead it acts like mud and holds hoof print shapes, creating uneven ground when it freezes.  Unlike muddy paddocks it's not as pronounced, so it's not ankle breaking ruts, just small divets.  I hope that in time it will provide the same kind of level, cushioned surface that I had at the other barn.

So far the hay storage section of the barn is working well.  I had to nix the wood floor because I would have lost square footage.  I ended up leveling the dirt floor, putting down tarps, then wood pallets, then screwed sheets of OSB board to those.  I ended up with a makeshift floor that was only about 8" tall, versus the over 1 foot of space I would have lost with a traditional framed floor.

The mules are very happy to have all that room inside.  We've had some wind events that drove them to the interior stalls and I was relieved to know they were snug and warm inside.  I haven't put a gate between Flea's stall and Fargo's stall yet.  If Flea's health declines to a point where he needs to be closed in a stall at night, then I'll go ahead and do that.  So far they've been quite happy with the open set up, with Fargo sleeping in the run in section and Flea bedding down in Fargo's stall.

There probably won't be any updates until things start to get going in the spring, so have a Happy New Year, and enjoy the rest of winter!

the foundation hole

exterior footings

interior footings

frost walls

fill and a water hydrant

more top fill

framing begins

siding begins

interior - from the hay storage room

exterior shot

the run in shed, looking into the hay storage, stalls on right

the aisle

trim work

trenching the electric

stone dust paddock

stone dust and road pack

Mom starts painting the trim

paddock fencing is up

back of paddock

interior - Fargo's stall looking into the run in

interior - run in, Flea's stall with ladder

looking out of the run in section

the aisle (aka tack and feed room)

filling the hay storage room

just add mules!

in time for winter

Slowly now

Slowly but surely, it's moving forward.  First leveled, then a little road pack to define and rebuild the driveway, then a trench for the foundation.
I've decided on a contractor to build the barn, but we're running into some issues with my design.  Seems I have too many doors and walls for the space and the type of foundation that will be used (large concrete blocks), so my dream barn may not be what I dreamt of.  We'll see what happens.  I'm just happy things are happening, honestly.

The gardens are doing well.  We've had a good, rainy spring, and it's started to warm up enough that plants are beginning to thrive.  My tomatoes and peas certainly have responded well, and my strawberries are crazy this year.  Amazing for being in the same pot as last year.  I've harvested all the radish and don't plan to plant more until later in the summer.  The only thing that's really having issues are my pepper plants.  I don't think I'll see any actual peppers this year, but I have a hard time giving up on them.

 Finally, the Queen Jack-in-the-Pulpit is still happy in her pot, and the clematis is growing nicely.  So far the only plants I seem to be missing (read: passed away over the winter thanks to insensitive handling on my part - Savage Gardener, indeed) are the Queen Anne's Lace and one or two hostas.  My little primrose lilac shrubs are struggling, but I think they'll make it.  The Pagoda Dogwood isn't doing well, but I won't give up hope.  It's been through a lot, and lost a good amount of its roots in the digging up process.

 

And that's that.

The Barn Site, An Update in Dirt Movement

It's really coming together, and I'm ridiculously excited.  I have a few contractors working on building quotes now, and the town's code enforcement agent was out yesterday to do a site walk.  It all looks good to him, so we should have a permit soon and be able to get started.  My mules will be home soon!  It's been weird not having them right in the backyard where I can look in on them any time.  It will definitely make this winter easier on me and hopefully them.  I'm super excited about how great the site work is looking.  It always amazes me how the right equipment run by a competent operator can bend the land to its will.  In this case, making a level area out of a lumpy, granite infested chunk of pasture.

I had planned to put a small fruit tree orchard to the right of the driveway as you come in, but that may be where a power pole has to be planted, instead.  The other day I worked on mowing and cutting the brush and weeds back on the other side of the driveway, and now I'm thinking I may just use that side for raised beds.  Eventually I plan to replace the old run-in shed with a greenhouse, so having the gardens near that makes sense.  Plus that area gets full morning sun, which is nice.

The well is hidden behind the jungle of bittersweet, weeds, excess perennials, and small trees on the bank.  I plan to clean that out and create terrace gardens here, once the water has been piped to the barn and the addition.

I definitely have my work cut out for me, and I can't wait to get going.

The Universe Must Have Been Listening

Well now.

 

 

I love a good beginning.

Mid June

Here it is mid-June and I am still waiting to break ground.  The whole construction thing is an exercise in either patience or frustration, I'm not sure which at this point.  It seems that every available contractor within a 30 mile range is out straight busy, which is great for them.  Not so great for me.  It will happen, I need to remain positive.

At least the gardens are doing well with all the rain we've been having this spring.  It's still unusually chilly for this time of year, so veggies aren't exactly exploding with growth.  Slow and steady is more like it.

My cucumbers are poking through, and I've planted bush beans in some flower boxes that my mom had on hand.

I found something new at a local greenhouse - a peanut plant!  I didn't know these could be grown here in our cooler climate with short summers, but apparently people have great luck growing them in containers.  So of course I'm going to try.

My perennials are doing well in pots and spare beds around the property.  I lost a few over the winter, but I wasn't surprised given the indelicate way I tend to transplant.  I was happy to discover the clematis I thought was a casualty was merely hiding under the Bachelor Button plant.

And while I was thrilled to find 3 small pitchers in my pot of Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants, I was a little sad that I seemingly missed my "queen" plant when I dug them up.

 Oh, happy day!  She has arrived, fashionably late.

Bonus - a moth that resembles a bird turd.

You're welcome.