Greenhouse project

So many projects to finish, but we're making progress.

Now that the weather is finally warming up here in our neck of the Pacific Northwest, we've started thinking and planning for veggies.  We spent quite a few weeks observing light patterns and watching the sunlight cross our property on Google Earth so we could get a better idea of seasonal sunlight. 

We finally decided on the best place for our veggie garden and greenhouse. The final decision was based on what area of the property thawed out from the snow first.  

With that decision made, my sailor and I ordered enough pea gravel to do the foundation of the greenhouse, fill in the paths a couple inches, and still have enough to use for drainage in the raised beds. 




Then we marked out the area we wanted the greenhouse to go and set the cobble bricks around the perimeter. We lined the bottom with chicken wire to prevent moles etc from tunneling into the greenhouse - an ounce of prevention they say. 



Then we started shoveling and leveling. It didn't take too long. Once done, we let it settle and leveled it a bit more. 

Now we are impatiently waiting because the greenhouse is on backorder. Grrrrr!

Getting Ready for Chick Babies

We are also getting ready for some babies - chick babies. After mounds of research and reading, and umteen hours on Pinterest, we've decided to just do it (Thank you Chicken Chick). So comes the mad dash to provide a place for the little bits to live, and more hours of research on brooders. Then, an idea struck - I have what used to be the habitat for my beardie up in the barn.  

I originally converted the display case (that is what it was in it's first life) to a bearded dragon habitat so Sydney could live in my classroom. It sat empty after he passed, and somehow made the move with us up north. Until last week, the dresser/tank was sitting in the barn waiting for a new purpose. 

 

Here's what it looks like all emptied and prepped with Kills. I fully lined the bottom and sides with linoleum for ease of cleaning.   Most of the work was in chiseling the grout off - I didn't make the reptile den to be temporary, that's for sure. 

It's finally finished. The Little Bits only had to spend three days in a plastic container. They are settled and seem happy. I'll post more pictures shortly, as soon as I can get them all together (I took some on a regular camera, some from my phone, and some with my iPad).

BTW: the wires aren't in the tank - they're hanging outside the class. The glass makes for great visibility, but it's harder to keep it warm (hense, two heat sources). It has a glass top and back, and I made plexiglass sliding doors (from the reptile days). It's sitting in the window and I'm surprised how much they try to look out. It's been like a private TV channel for the cats.