2013 The Year of the Squirrel
Our farm squirrel was painted by Susan Hemann http://susanhemann.blogspot.com/
At least for us it is the year of the squirrel.
We feel like we have started over a million times. This time we are taking a slightly different approach in starting over. We are going slower so that we can make long lasting changes that really matter. Rushing in headlong as I am want to do from time to time usually backfires somewhere. So here is the plan!
We had decided a long time ago that we wanted a viable, sustainable farm that can support us. We have done a lot of different things and learned a lot of valuable lessons. The time is here to put it all together. I know I have talked about 2 and 5 year goals but beginning this year we are going to create a working business plan.
Here is the basic outlook of 2013 for us:
January
- Writing Business Plan
- Drawing layout of garden(s)
- Organizing seeds
- Setting up for seed starting
- Reorganizing Crowd Source Campaign
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
February
- Converting dining room to greenroom (aka indoor greenhouse)
- Starting seeds
- Getting workshop ready for crafting
- Avoiding the winter blues and cabin fever
- Setting up online store and converting to paid wordpress account (I miss a lot of the plugins that make wordpress so awesome)
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
March
- Turning the ground!
- Direct sowing cool weather crops such as peas, spinach and other greens not started indoors
- Purchasing upright freezer (let’s keep our fingers crossed)
- Purchasing canning supplies
- Ordering berry plants and fruit trees
- Opening up the workshop so that we can start manufacturing some cool things
- Did I mention playing in the dirt?
- Ordering Authentic Haven Manure Tea
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
April
- Hardening off seedlings and getting them in the ground
- Direct sowing green beans, radishes, onions, garlic, potatoes, etc
- Playing in the dirt and getting all the new berry plants and trees in the ground
- First harvest from early plantings should be ready
- Online store should go live this month
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
May
- Planting, harvesting, preserving
- Digging in the dirt
- Ordering more Authentic Have Brand Manure Tea
- Shipping, delivering crafts
- Keeping up production of crafts
- First eBooks should be ready
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
June
- More planting, harvesting, preserving
- Construction of the hen house and run should begin this month
- Construction of cold frames and portable hoop green house should begin as well
- Craft business (creating, shipping, delivering)
- Painting the inside of the house
- More eBooks should be ready
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
July and August
- Pretty much look like June. Fall plants will be going in starting the middle of July.
- Construction of mini barn for goats will begin
- If all things come together fencing will go up
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
September
- Planting for early winter crops
- Harvesting early fall crops
- Saying good bye to summer and all its deliciousness
- Complete summer construction projects
- Prepare the workshop for winter so we can continue to work
- Get the house ready for winter
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
October
- Planting more fall/winter crops
- Harvesting, canning, preserving
- Getting ready for winter
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
- Cutting Wood
November
- Final fall harvest
- Cultivating winter crops
- Planning the holidays
- Cutting wood
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
December
- Missing spring and warm weather
- Spending time with family
- Planning 2014
- Cutting wood
- Writing/Web/Social Media Stuff
An Irish Blessing for you all!
May the frost never afflict your spuds.
May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms.
May the crows never pick your haystack.
If you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal.
Light, Love and Peace
