Time Flies By

We are quickly approaching the middle of October, and the end of the first nine weeks of school. WOW! What can I say about school now? It is exhausting. That doesn't mean we don't like it. It just means we are very tired by the end of the week.

The kids seems to have found a groove, and our school days and evenings are going much more smoothly. Some still have a lot of work to do outside of classroom time, but time management and attitudes have certainly improved. The kids are making friends, and enjoying the school activities. This week was spirit week, and the kids enjoyed dressing up for the various themed days. I had to laugh though when they asked, "What is a pep rally?!" 

The elementary classes have a character trait award every week in chapel. Last week's trait was obedience. Lydia and Nolan both won the award for their class! I was so excited for them. Surprised for Nolan, perhaps, but still excited and proud. We were pretty confident he would respond well to the structure of school. We were right. He is doing very well academically too. Math is the only things he isn't doing as well as hoped, and that is because he needs to memorize his multiplication tables. 

And in the meantime on the farm.....

Things still happen on the farm, though mostly on Saturdays. We recently were awarded a grant from the Fund-a-Farmer Project to improve our pastured poultry production. We have set up phase one  with electric net fencing, a portable shelter and new outdoor 50lb feeder. This is going to be a great set up that allows us to keep the poultry on fresh grass, and get them to parts of the property we were unable to use before. We are finishing up our last batch of broilers for the season on it now. We also have some roasters in that pen too. And you may notice a laying hen or two in there. Those girls adopted the roaster chicks. They've been good mommas to them. One even chased a hawk off one day. We decided they could stay.

In the garden, we have set up our low tunnel. This tunnel was part of grant program organized by The Wild Ramp. This cover is just a heavy row cover, but we also have plastic to use for colder weather. Now, if I could just get it planted.... I plan to start various greens and am considering trying a few other things yet this fall. We will have this set up, and will hoop house our raised beds also. 

We've experimented with season extension before by riggin' together our own hoops. It has worked fairly well. I really like the set up on this made for the purpose tunnel. It should be easier to use and more sturdy. We'll see what we can grow!