Cute Spring Happenings

Hi all! I just wanted to share a few snapshots of some cute little spring happenings here at Edgington Farm.

Nothing says spring like daffodils blooming.

Our 8 wounded and picked birds were doing well enough that I decided to combine all of our new chicks (except the still tiny little bantams) in our handy brooder box. 

We've been letting Bacon bunk in with our older chicken flock, and judging by this picture, everyone is adjusting well. This was bedtime, and everyone seems comfy and cozy!

These were some of our Easter colored eggs. We had lots of fun doing them.

Toby had a nice upsetting faceplant in a puddle. 

These little bantam chicks are like feathery little ping pong balls. They love being held too. So cute!

Thanks for reading!

Spring/Easter Wreath

Hi all. I just wanted to share my latest project. I made a wreath! I gotta say, I impressed myself on this one. Hehe. I'm sure, like me, you've seen all those wreaths and nests people make on pinterest. I looked at them drooling and finally decided "Hey, I can do that too."

So, I did.I started by gathering some vines and young saplings from our woods. (In the rain, during a flood warning-yeah sometimes my eagerness outweighs my common sense.) If you plan on replicating this, I suggest using wet saplings and vines. Mine had been rained on for a couple of days, but if you're not getting rain you can soak them in the tub or a bucket. It sounds crazy but they're much easier to work with this way.  Making this wreath (it's about 12" across) used an armload of twigs. That is no lie. It takes a surprisingly large amount of wood to make this thing, so be prepared. Once you get your stuff together, you can start weaving everything together. Start with the most flexible twigs first.

I made the flowers with my Cricut paper cutter. As for the eggs, we poked a hole in the bottoms with a pin and just sort of scrambled the contents as best as we could. The key is to poke a hole in both ends for free flowing egg goop. Carefully wash them out and allow to dry for 24 hours. Now just glue it all together!

Happy crafting!

Thanks for reading!

Growing in Small Spaces and Containers

Hi all! Spring is winding up and winter is winding down. Since writing this blog and charting my own personal experiences, I've begun to wonder about the gardens of my readers. Some may be like my own, but for many others space may be limited. Some may only have the desire to plant a few things instead of a huge garden. At any rate,  this blog post is for you.

Just wanted to share these pretty little flowers I found in our yard. They're only about 2 inches tall! So cute!

The key to successful gardening, especially in a small area, is to maximize and utilize what you do have. Below you can find what I've come up with after scouring the world wide web in search for answers.

Get vertical! This is really great for using that space.  You plant vertically instead of horizontally.  It may sound a little challenging, but it's not too bad. This feat can be accomplished a number of ways including using pallets, gutters, and raised tiers to name a few. Trellising is the most common way to accomplish this.

Source: Easy Homesteading

Use Containers. Don't limit yourself to traditional gardening methods. You can plant many things successfully in a container. Lettuces, herbs, greens, peppers, and dwarf vaieties of plants are just some of the things out there to grow. Your container can be anything. You can use butter bowls, buckets, coffee cans, etc. Just be sure there are some drainage holes poked into the bottom.

Dwarf Tophat Blueberry-perfect for containers. Only gets 1 1/2 ft tall!

Think Outside the Box. Plants can be grown in a variety of ways. Plants want to grow, and if given the proper care, they will! I've seen tomatoes and strawberries grow upside down in hanging pots. I've seen potatoes grown in a leaf bag.

Reuse and Recycle.  Before you throw something away think about it's potential for your garden. Your water bottle could be used as a mini-greenhouse. That milk jug could be modified as a gentle watering can. The parmesan cheese container can be filled with naural bug killers/deterents to sprinkle on. 

Have fun! Most of all, enjoy yourself. That's what it's all about. Don't get bogged down in the details. Just grow!

Thanks for reading!