Unwrapping one’s art work packed eight months ago feels like Christmas; our chickens must have experienced similar such joy upon their first trot around the new digs. I know that in their preliminary unwrapping of new pads of soil, shriveled red potatoes from previous growers’ garden forays have surfaced. And just as we consider the various weed control options for a particularly steeply sloped hill, these scratchers-o-dirt appear to have begun the process for us already.
The ladies have found a temporary home in the old barn’s corn crib. Soon we’ll insulate and close in a stall in the barn’s bottom floor, as well as cut out a hinged door for them. We continue to discuss the various attributes of sheep and goats with anyone who has a liking for these hoof stock; one or the other will likely be responsible for grazing one paddock . . . and then feeding us some winter meals.
Michael and I continue to explore the open agricultural and preserved spaces beyond our 7-acre border; multi-flora proves a worthy opponent in woodsy underbrush as well as meadow (see photo). And with two fields beckoning to my shovel and knees (back, eyes, thighs, you name it), I’ve sketched a garden plan that I’ll try in each. Not sure yet where exactly the sun and shady spots will fall, so I figure this first year of food growing is a good one to do trials.
For those interested in backyard gardening, I recommend the New York Times article on the food garden being put into the White House’s south lawn. The first family and area school children are involved already in it’s creation, and I assume tending. Certainly they’ll be eating from it! But for plant ideas 
and a general schematic, this is a good basic starting point.
Finally, for those who will be starting seeds inside, you’ll need a germinating mix of soil. So far I have mixed several bags of Organic Mechanics potting soil (a soil making product made within 15 miles of me, which is high in coconut fiber, not exactly a regional source of water-retaining substance, but better than peat until I 
can come up with a soil from this property), a 1/2 bag of leaf compost, 1 cup of crushed eggshells, and 1 or 2 cups of equal parts greensand, and kelp, plus 2 parts rock phosphate.
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