enough cold already! give me 32 degrees

Status of the Farm

      I know it’s been a while since I have written but it has been awhile since much has changed. It is cold and continued cold here, our usual February meltdown has never occurred and in its place a continued covering of white reflecting any heat that may have helped warm things up or moderate the temps. Instead we have seen subzero wind-chill factors equal to any already set, or worse setting new records all the time. The snow is good though as it insulates the ground and allows any moisture in terms of snow or whatever to enter the ground at a slow rate increasing the ground water retention. This should help all of our springs and reinvigorate, and flush our water aquifers. This is something other parts of the country could only hope for. As well reduce the insect population for the next year.

      I have been pretty much confined to the insides this year, choosing to expand my culinary skills to offset my boredom at times, resulting in an increase of anxiety at my monthly doctor visits as I step on the scale. A quick glance at the sliding scale reminds me to make sure the ornery nurse doesn’t have her foot on the scale also. Unfortunately it is all me whether I think it is or not. Unfortunately my trip to the pond and to the greenhouse daily is a poor substitute for exercise, although walking on the snow and ice can be quite engaging and breathtaking at times. It still hardly qualifies for a good definition of exercise.

    Greenhouse temps have been climbing but still lacks the ability to keep nighttime temperatures above freezing. I have been able to work out there some listening to the radio and talking to the chickens as I go about planting bulbs I scavenged from my aunt last year. I have crocuses, Easter lilies, and lilies in general to plant from clustered clumps of frozen soil. I should have a wide assortment of perennials to plant this spring. Some I will sell and others will go in borders along paths in the backyard. The chickens especially the red one jumps up on my potting table and cackles at me as I go along planting, I guess she is trying to tell me if I happen upon a bug or a worm by chance to toss it her way as she could use some new variety of feedstuffs.

      The ducks have done well this winter in spite of their ignorance or mine in thinking they don’t know better. Even in this subzero freezing weather they insist on spending time grouped in one end of the pond. This is where there is a spring and the water I would assume is around 50 degrees or better even on a cold day. This allows them some heat and the high sides of the pond provide cover for them even when the winds blow raw. Somehow with the food I provide they seem to be doing well including the goose.

    I recently attended a bee keeping class and I am now an official bee keeper, I have been watching the bees and have seen very little activity except maybe some more dead bees shoved to the door. I need to be able to inspect the hive to see if I need more bees but have been unable to inspect the hives due to low frigid temps. A few minutes of a hive being exposed to this cold would kill them instantly. It is best to wait till the temp is above 50 degrees, hopefully soon. I still have time to order new bee packages if I need to.

      I still have a lot of trees to clean up and utilize the wood but again, everything is on hold as well as finishing a carving I said I would for my friend. It is too cold to even think about starting a chainsaw. In fact the church pews I picked up weeks ago still wait to be unloaded buried now behind a pile of snow still on the trailer I brought them in on. I really believe that is the price of free nowadays. The fact that all of northeastern Ohio has come to a grinding halt as a result of the bad weather induced by me being able to get something for free. I can understand punishing me but still why is it necessary to take it out on everyone else. Such is the price I must pay.

   Still it is giving me time to catch up on other things except my writing while confined inside. I have ordered a lot of non-GMO seed and will have seed and plants available this spring and will write more about that later. Plans for my house are coming along and will get into full swing soon after my open house this year with more about both of those also to come later on. Looking at going to a couple of seminars yet,  one on grafting trees, and the other on planting ginseng, and hope to have more information on both of those later also.

      I need to get back into writing and push myself over the 30000 hits barrier I have come up against. Anyhow hope all of you out there are doing well also.