We finally ordered a 2 acre perimeter fence from Premier 1 Supplies. We were happy with the quality of supplies from them in a previous order and would not hesitate to recommend them for any fencing equipment. We are again using our freight forwarder, American Fast Freight. Premier will ship for free in the continental […]
Equipment
Electric Fence & Chick Update
We have a high tunnel on its way in approximately three or four weeks. Our next project is to enclose the field where the tunnel will reside and our general living area. We have a little over 2 acres but will start with about an acre. We considered a variety of fence possibilities but settled […]
Thumbs Up for the ChickShaw
We said that we would get back with a Justin’s ChickShaw review in a few months. No need. We can already tell it’s a winner. We loaded it up with our chicks and set up a small perimeter for them to free range. They loved their new mansion (compared to their Rubbermaid bin). It took […]
Useful Tools & Accessories
When we decided to start up a small farm, we realized there were going to be a number of varying sized construction projects. Having the right tools can be a tremendous time saver. If each project can be tackled without too much frustration, it goes a long way toward ensuring all the others get completed […]
Chicken Drama
Since we picked up 14 chicks about four weeks ago, we have been on a time clock. We knew that we had about a month to get a coop ready for them. Of course we waited until last week to build it. After considerable back and forth, we decided on the Justin Rhodes ChickShaw. We […]
BCS 749 Tractor First Impressions
We picked up the BCS and four implements. The tractor and three of the implements fit in a 10′ x 5′ cargo trailer. We had to go back for the fourth implement, a utility trailer. The tractor and the implements are all equally heavy-duty and good construction. If you are not familiar with the BCS, […]
A Homer Potpourri
We have had to move a variety of gear from Anchorage down to Homer which took longer than expected. With summer roadwork on the Kenai Peninsula, we have been averaging 5 hours of driving per trip. The upside is that the scenery is spectacular all along the route. Covid-19 As we expected, tourism is almost […]
High Tunnel Decisions
The NRCS conservation planner came out to our place to check the location and the soil. The visit was useful as we walked the majority of our property and realized we can setup two more fields for production. We will be using 30″ raised beds with 15″ walkways on either side. Each bed will be […]
Multifunctional Trailer Purchase
We are in the “setup” phase of pulling our small farm together. With a goal to be in production by next summer, we have to hit certain milestones this year. Land prep is our highest priority but close behind are simple needs like equipment storage. A barn is another project for later this year. Until […]
BCS Tractors & Soil Prep
A tractor is arguably the most important machine on a small farm. It is also one of the larger purchases (land aside). We wanted something that would be reliable and trouble free. After considerable research of Kubota and John Deere, we ran into BCS tractors. These Italian tractors are top sellers throughout Europe. We have […]