post holes

We've got some big projects in the works around here. Rory and I are working side by side in the midst of  home school, sales calls and parenting. We are building a fence from the barn to the orchard which will serve as a path for the sheep to follow each morning and evening. So far we have ten posts in the ground with 16 to go. It's a tedious job but it will make our lives so much easier when it is done!

And in the midst of that project, we began what I am calling 'the chicken compound.' This project took priority because our broiler chicks are ready to get out of the chicken tractor. But we can't let them out until the big hens are fenced in (pecking order would leave the little broilers a bit too vulnerable...) We had taken down the chicken yard fence to put around the garden because 1) we needed it for the temporary garden fence and 2) they could fly over the four foot fence anyway. The hope with the chicken compound is that the birds will have to stay in their yard and stop pooping in my yard. We do love our chickens just not in our garage, on our driveway and harassing my babies. (Our rooster tried to grab Alden's big toe when he was in the stroller and I was thinning the raspberries! The rooster thought it was a big worm, I suppose. But Alden was not amused, as you can imagine!) So this will be a good thing all around which means we are working hard to get this project done. It's another tedious task, but the motivation is so great...we can't wait to eat picnics without birds casually flying up to join the meal.

I will say our kids are absolute rockstars. They like watching us work, and the bigs are so great with the littles. We are very grateful for them! I'll leave you with a close up of Miracle, laying with the kids between Ivar's winter boots that he had stuffed with kleenex. That boy is always prepared!