Getting the summer garden going

We've had to buy seedlings for the first time in years this time around. The partner is most displeased.

We lost 2 trays to the flying bugs last year, but the third managed to come up alright. This year, both the first trays of capsicums and tomatoes. The second trays only had about six out of 28 come up.

So, we went and spent about $20 at Bunnings and got some of each, about 30 plants in all. The soil was easy, and we planted the lot out yesterday. Just have to baby them for the next week and we should have a good crop of both in a few months.

So that's taken care of. Now to get back to building the chook pen.

Painting all the day long.

For sale: One used male Human, 50 years old. Chasis needs work, engine reasonably well functioning, has to be kept clean or won't work. Spine is gone, eyesight on way out. Probably best broken down for the spare parts.

Why, you ask?

Because for the last week we have been shifting sheds, laying large cement slabs, digging ditches, filling cement into said ditches - and yesterday, we spent the day painting the shed walls, the entire coop in and out (twice), the shelter roof, poles, and underside of the shelter.

It was hot, the flies were everywhere, the paint sticky and being blown about by the wind, and we were both in a bad mood.

Still, it's done. Now to start getting the topsoil for the garden in and make the fence, then the chooks will be ready to go.

Preparing for the chickens

Well, the tool shed has been moved, with much sweating and swearing, and the large cement slabs have been laid in preparation for the chook shed. Said shed has been purchased from Bunnings (large fowl house, 1.5mX1.5mX1.9) and now merely awaits building and painting.

Hopefully, we can have the chooks installed by christmas, but that depends on us being able to fence off the mini-orchard, something that will require a large outlay of money - again. It would be easier if we could track down the fencing and posts via a local household disposal run, but councils are reluctant to encourage such things. Unless you drive past a verge and see the stuff actually put out, you'd never know it was there.

So, at long last the end is in sight, at least for the chooks. And having tracked down a local supplier for the birds, who'll also clip their wings for us, it looks like fresh eggs are on the horizon.