Hi friends! I’m back with another “The Good Things” list! This week I’m linking up with Natalie over at Natalie the Explorer and her weekly Weekend Coffee Share. I have some favorite things that I’m either using or that is happening here on the homestead and I am excited to share those with you!
Festive
- We had a couple of friends over last weekend for taco night. It was nice to have something that resembled ‘normal’. We had tacos, homemade empanadas, guacamole, chips, salsa! Oh it was so very nice.
Chicks
2. There’s all sorts of chicks lately! If you recall, I’m incubating eggs and today is day 17. That means that tomorrow is ‘lock down’ day and we should have some baby chicks by the end of the week. This will be our first batch of chicks ever hatched on the homestead. And I can’t tell you how excited I am! I also went to Tractor Supply yesterday and chick days are here! Look at how cute those babies are. And they changed their chick set up. They used to use those big galvanized water troughs but this year it appears that they have these chick towers. Interesting…
The Garden
3. It’s still too early to be working on the garden or seed starting, but I did get my seed starting station set up. I have my lights hanging and my soil blocker at the ready. I need to wash my 1020 trays. I’m still trying to decide if I want to use a capillary mat or spend the money for the 1020 mesh liners. On the one hand, the capillary mats are perfect and the price is reasonable ($21.95 plus shipping) and they are reusable, but I’m not sure on how many uses I’ll get out of them. The mesh liners for the 1020 trays that I already have are $1.50 per tray, but I would have to buy them in sets of 50. They’re reusable ad nauseum, but they are also pretty cheaply made. There are far better ones out there. Same goes for the 1020 trays that I already own. So. The decision to be made is: do I just fork over the money for the cheaply made mesh trays and just live with them until they can’t be used anymore. Or do I buy the capillary mat this year, use that set up, and then explore a better system for next year?
Upstate Wanderings
4. If you recall from my last post, I’ve started a new series, called Upstate Wanderings. I’d intended to make them be their own stand alone blog posts, and sometimes they might just be that, but I’ve also found myself too excited to keep things under wrap long enough to make them be stand alone posts! So here are a few more pictures from my wanderings. The first two pictures of are the Fishs Eddy Bridge in upstate New York. The bridge crosses the East Branch of the upper Delaware River. It was so moody and I just had to snap a quick pic or two. The other picture is of a fish mural on the side of a real estate office in Hancock, NY. If you aren’t familiar with the area I live in, it’s very well known in the fly fishing community, hence the trout on the side of the building. Anyway, that’s just a quick snapshot of some of the things I found yesterday while I was out and about.
Fun Things
5. So the weather is definitely on the upswing towards spring! We still have a lot of snow left, but we’ve lost at least half of it over the past few days. The sap still isn’t flowing all that great. yet. It will come. And I’m ready for it! I went yesterday to the local Mennonite store and stocked up on spices, nuts, and dried fruit. My friend texted me and asked if we could make the trip up there. And since it’s been on my to-do list for forever, I dropped everything so I could go with her! And I moved my Misfits box delivery to Saturdays because that just makes way more sense than getting it in the middle of the week! Today is prep day and meal planning day. I hope to come up with some new recipes to try.
I hope you all had a great week! I look forward to hearing what you’ve been up to and what’s been on your good things list this week.
’til next time
-k
xoxo
Anne Somerville
It was nice visiting. I am in North Central PA and went to school in Rochester. I like your description of the day as “moody” and the picture of the bridge reminds me of one in Perry County, PA. Blessings for the day, Michele
chickenlibrarian
Welcome Michele!! And I’m happy that you are so close to me. We could be considered neighbors! I love the bridges in NY and PA. This bridge is in NY but there are plenty around me here in PA. One day I’m going to visit all the covered bridges spread throughout the region Anyway, I’m happy to have you here in my little space. xoxo
Natalie
Looks like you had a good week. Taco night with friends sounds great. We’re still under lockdown here so no indoor social gatherings with people outside of our household. I like the mural with the fish and the bridge. Look forward to reading more about your chicks and garden. Thank you for linking with #WeekendCoffeeShare.
chickenlibrarian
Oh goodness. I’m sorry you guys are still in lockdown! We have restrictions in place so we adhere to those, but it’s mostly no large gatherings and must wear mask at all times. We’re happy to oblige while waiting for our turn in line waiting for the vaccine.
Taco night was a nice reprieve. I remember last winter when we had all of our friends (about 5 couples) over on a regular basis for gatherings.
I’m excited that we are at least moving into spring so we can be outside more.
Thanks for stopping by. I’m loving the weekend coffee share. It gives me an excuse to go visit all the lovely bloggers out there in blogger land! xoxo
Tracy
I have never heard of Capillary Mats! Very interesting, Kristin! Thank you for sharing that resource. I use a lot of those plastic trays during my seed starting as well, but I really hate them. LOL! Cheaply made, always cracking. I have to make the decision on what I’m doing for “seed starter soil” this year. Usually I buy some organic brand, but I’d really love to dig under to the bottom of our compost pile in the oldest bin and go from there. (I did pick up some tomato and vegetable food for a great price off of Amazon this year.) We’ll start our seeds at least a good two weeks after you start. I think we’re about 2-3 weeks behind you guys in gardening time? When is your target for getting things into the ground (if the weather is “normal”)?
I’m going to try and limit my trips to Tractor Supply. The Chick Days will just kill me. I’ll start fantasizing about bringing some home… and Mr. Gordon is NOT up for another coop build! 😉
Having friends over for taco night sounds like fun! We haven’t had anyone over in well over a year now. I’m hoping this summer we can have our annual family + neighbors picnic. But, I also know that might not be possible (again). *sigh*
So, what’s on your menu for the Misfits Market box? Always looking for new ideas! 😀 Have a great day!
chickenlibrarian
I just learned about the capillary mats this year. They’re used when you do soil blocking…they help keep the blocks watered. But the plastic mesh trays will do the same. I’m thinking I am going to do the capillary mat option and see how that works. Then forward focus on next year’s set up (hopefully. I mean, I do get very distracted…out of sight, out of mind).
I tend to look at planting outside in mid-May, but it’s really more towards the end of May. I still haven’t updated my spreadsheet, but will do that after the Master Gardener class this week. Then I’ll have a much better idea of what I’m planting, when I’m planting, and what I need to start and when!
I would highly advise you to not go to TS if you are avoiding bringing chicks home! They’re so darn cute! Hopefully we’ll have our own fluffy chicks by the end of the week. I kept second guessing myself on what to do and when, but I figure mama hen isn’t always 100% on the nest all the time so hopefully they’ll be okay.
As for the misfits box, I’m making Greek meatball mezze bowls for lunch, but using ground chicken instead: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/274587/greek-meatball-mezze-bowls/
And for dinner one night, I’m making a pasta dish with sausage, butternut squash, and spinach: https://www.skinnytaste.com/pasta-with-butternut-sauce-spicy/
Everything else are the normal dinners we make: venison stew, roast chicken, and the such. Happy planning!!
Steph - Elder Oaks Farm
Your seed starting station looks great!!! We are soil blocking for the first time this year and I started the first blocks a little over a week ago. I’m loving the process so far but also nervous since it’s such a new thing for me! Have you soil blocked before? Also, our TSC has those same chick towers! At first I was like what the heck is this but then when I went back and there were chicks inside I was like OMG I love these! Because I could get up close and personal staring at all the chicks that I don’t need haha. Ohhhh chick days!
chickenlibrarian
I haven’t soil blocked before. I’m planning a rather big garden post this week (in between studying for my Master Gardener final and a class I’m teaching) and I’ll go into more details about what I’m doing and also my new seed starting set up. I’m really excited to be more productive this year. Although I still haven’t sat down with pencil and paper and planned it all out! I will though! I have to. hehe
Chicks days are so fun, but confession-I’ve never bought from the chick days before! I think it’s a total slippery slope for me. Once I buy chicks one time, I’ll want to keep going back and back and back…you get the idea.
Steph - Elder Oaks Farm
Oh yay! Looking forward to reading all the details about your garden planning for this year! And I’m totally with you, it is so hard to not keep going back and buying chicks once you’ve started haha. Chick fever!
chickenlibrarian
Keeping my fingers crossed that a) I get some chicks from the incubator and b) I can get to that garden post in a timely manner!
CoCo
Such a great list! I know it felt good to get back to some sense of normalcy and celebrate the change of the season. It’s been raining a ton in Florida lately so I’m hoping that means extra vibrant flowers and lots of fresh veggies this season. Can’t wait to see what you decide on your trays and the chicks too. They’re so cute. Hugs, CoCo
chickenlibrarian
Thanks Coco! I’m excited about starting seeds and seeing what happens with the eggs. I keep checking on them hoping to see some sort of movement (from the eggs, not the seeds. I haven’t started the seeds yet. But I’m no less excited to see green growing!). Anyway, thanks for stopping over. I, too, hope the rain you’re having will lead to lots and lots of colors very soon for you! xoxo
Joanne
I had been getting my Misfits box mid-week to cut back on my trips to the grocery store but that hasn’t been working out so well for me. Your fiesta night sounds like it was fun.
chickenlibrarian
AH! That’s a good reason to have it delivered midweek. I don’t think I was that resourceful in my thinking when I first signed up. I’m definitely liking the weekend delivery, meal planning, meal prep idea so far, but it’s only been one week! Time will tell. thanks for stopping by!
Joanne Tracey
I love that bridge – & those chickens. How cute are they? And your veg looks good. My mind is blown at the thought of 1020 trays!
chickenlibrarian
that bridge is nice right??! And baby chicks are the best! I’m curious why your mind is blown at the thought of 1020 trays?!? There are several scenarios playing in my mind on what it could be. HEHE. Thanks for stopping by! xoxo