I am getting unbelievably impatient with the final drag of winter. This weekend was less productive than last weekend, which in case you missed it was all about Processing Pork. I planned this weekend to plant my cold hardy plants, put up some chicken wire at the base of my garden fence and to revive some of the solar lights in the shed.

I brought up my artichoke and Brussels sprout starts as well as the two hardy kiwi plants I had purchased. Two weekends ago I prepped my garden beds with a cold frame and large clear plastic tarp to help prepare the soil.  I thought surely the ground would be thawed and moist. Unfortunately my cold frames and plastic tarps were covered by about three inches of snow. This made them absolutely useless. I cleared the snow so that they can hopefully begin to do their job. This had me pretty bummed out as I had to return my plants to the over crowded bathroom green house I currently have going. I will be sure to start my plants a little later next year.

I went ahead and used a little DIY trick on the solar lights I have in a shed. I found out of pinterest if you paint the solar panel portion of your lights with clear nail polish they will revive and charge again. I went ahead and tested it out on a few but didn’t stick around another night to see if it actually worked. I might also need to replace the batteries in them so I will let you know how that turns out in a later post.

As for adding chicken wire to the base of my garden fence this was another feat the snow thwarted me on. I did not want to install the wire to only have to come back later once the snow melts to readjust it to touch the ground. The plan is to allow my chickens to free range during nice weather but I do not want them in my garden so hopefully this added layer of protection can keep them out. If not it will be a culling of the chickens and I will add in ducks instead. I have been told ducks will not jump or fly over a garden fence, and if they do they will not harm your vegetables like the chickens. I will live it and learn it I suppose. No two homesteads are alike and what works for some may not work for me.

On the bright side, some places in the horse pasture were completely clear of all snow! The soil was warm and moist and the pasture grasses I planted last fall were making their presence known in bright green pops under the protection of the old cut grass! I cleared away the dead grasses from last season and sat down to bask in the sunshine, I couldn’t help smiling watching the grass grow. Who knew the simplest things in life could make me so happy and so at peace.  Hopefully by next month the pasture will all be lush and green. 

As I laid there in the young grass my dogs joined me and we all spent a good two hour session soaking up the rays of sun. The weather certainly does feel like Spring but yet somehow the homestead is still encased in snow!  I am optimistic that the next two weeks will bring warmer weather and soon all the white snow dissipating will sound the alarm to the awakening of Spring.