Winter Homestead Happenings

 There has been no more snowfall this very chilly day, and by chilly I mean a wind-chill of 14 degrees.  Snow is on the ground, but no more snow in the forecast for now anyway.  It's slippery out for sure.

My lovely ladies have started to lay again, after a much shorter (but still long) molting hiatus, compared to last fall.  They love their new coop.  They have more room, more roosts, more light and more protection from the predators.  It only took us 3 years to complete it ha ha!  Photos to share soon.  We are actually considering on keeping the old coop and using it for the actual "brooder" now.  We'll be adding more ladies to the clan, so we'll figure that out sooner than later.

I have not made all of our gardening plans for 2026, but I am putting in an order for some herb garden seeds.  

The rosemary and chive plants I brought indoors are still alive, but the rosemary is looking iffy (crossing my fingers, saying a prayer).  

I needed to purchase more amber bottles, as I have gifted so many of my own over the years, that we were completely out.  They will be used for strained extracts, tinctures, and infused oils.

I have added one book to our homesteading bookshelf.  I have a few more in my sights.  I'll get a photo of it for you soon.

I put out an offer to barter with anyone local that cans jelly.  I have the ingredients and a recipe, but due to doctor's orders, I am unable to can right now (lifting restrictions, which will seem forever for me, but temporary for a few months).  I had hoped to barter the ingredients for the jelly, but even one nearby acquaintance said "no" to the offer.

Prayer requests. . .

I typically do not share something like this, but I know there are many prayerful blog followers here, so if you don't see a post very soon, I am having surgery soon.  Lifting will be restricted even more after that during recovery.  I may drive my husband crazy, because if you you follow my blog, you know I do not "sit" around.  I will not be able to make or take a grave blanket to either of my parents graves this December, but will plan to go in the spring with new flowers.  Our other dilemma is how to get the snow shoveled and plowed.  We'll figure it out.

Also, prayer request for a friend Lisa B, who her husband just lost his job so they have no health insurance.  She is due to have a surgery next Feb.

Winter Homestead Happenings  ©  December 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Whew! Crazy Hours End! ~ Extreme Clean/Renovations Update ~ Garden

 

We made it through it!  My husband had to work 14 days straight, with a switch to 2nd shift, and that was hard for the both of us.  It has finally come to an end.  Now we can get back to our home projects and have the evenings to ourselves. 

I literally have several lists going right now.  I figured, when this schedule is back to normal, I have options on what we do next, ha ha!

I have been painting the upstairs sub flooring with odor killer paint, and have one room more than half done.  We are super excited to get this job done, so we can install flooring.  I should the larger room's flooring painted in 3 days, 4 tops.

We have purged many boxes in the last two weeks, donated quite a bit, and our trash bin filled up as fast as it was emptied.

I have just a few more boxes to go through, but they are larger boxes.  The bedroom/closet are almost done.    We haven't talked much about door paint color yet.  We'll pick up paint swatches next trip to town.

On the garden updates:

- planted 16 new asparagus root starts, put short fencing in around to hold straw in place (for now)

-planted about 10 new rhubarb (temporarily in a grow bag)

We are to get 5-6 days of rain starting today.  I wanted to get these planted before the rain.  

What needs done in the garden:

-dig randomly growing red raspberry sprouts and re-home them, they are coming up in over in the vegetable garden where I have the original asparagus bed.

Gardening indoors:

-planted a basil and cilantro plant, because I have been terrible with seed starts with everything going on here lately.