In 2017, MI-Permaculture has been expanding and growing by leaps and bounds! Our flock of chickens that spent most of 2016 "freeloading" have begun producing a copious amount of eggs. Perhaps it had something to do with my empty threats to turn them into "chicken nuggets" that enticed them to begin laying eggs...we will never know! Anyhow, they are no longer freeloading and we typically get 2 dozen eggs a day...the lesson to be learned in this situation is, "Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it!"
Earlier this spring, we added 9 chicks to our flock (1 chick didn't make it) and they are currently separated from our larger flock until they grow bigger. We chose a "Mother Hen" to raise them and show them the "chicken way" of life. We ended up with 4 roosters and sold one of them because he was too aggressive with the other roosters, the hens, and my daughter. Personally, I am thrilled he is gone because he was a jerk!
Since getting married last summer, my husband and I have been able to finish quite a few projects around the farm. We dug up and replanted 3 mulberry trees, painted and hung some trellises on the front porch, shored-up the base of the small chicken coop run, fixed the small chicken coop door, cleaned out the large chicken coop, removed dead brush from the property line, and installed the clothesline I have had sitting in my garage for the past four years! In addition, we just finished painting and putting together the pieces I have collected over the past five years in order to, someday, create a property line trellis between my yard and my cousin's yard..."Someday" is very close! We are just looking to rent a post hole digger to make the holes for the trellis posts. I am ecstatic! My husband has also been able to clean out our garage, sell some things we no longer use, and handle the daily house / yard maintenance.
Future projects include painting the living room and front entry room, hanging some things from our wedding, and beginning to dismantle a tiny upstairs bathroom. Have I mentioned how I LOATHE painting? UGH!!!
Outside, I am happy to report that most of my plantings have come back this year. My black locust flowered for the first time, this spring, and it is BEAUTIFUL! ALL of my fruit trees currently have fruit on them...even my "Methly" Plum tree which has NEVER produced fruit in the decade since I planted the dumb thing. I am hopeful to get fruit from my plum, pear, apple, and peach trees, this year. The blueberry bushes also seem to be doing well...so far. Of course, we haven't even hit summer, yet, so we will see how they fare. I have begun digging up my comfrey and planting it in areas of the yard where I am looking to attract pollinators. OMW...you should see the diversity in pollinators attracted to the comfrey! We get honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies, and "new" this year is HUMMINGBIRDS!!! They are all attracted to the comfrey. I just love it!!!
I can't wait to see what the rest of 2017 holds for MI - Permaculture!