Solar Electric Fencing

4:45 pm 61°F, cloudy, W 7 mph wind, trace rain

It’s been sprinkling today but not enough to really register on the weather app. It was certainly damp when I was finishing up the electric fencing this morning. Other than the yellow poles, we already had the netting and I had the solar box from the farm that I had made sure I brought with me. Yesterday the poles arrived so I was able to get it all straightened up and ready to charge.

Being in the woods, we have a heavy presence of predators. It’s their home so I really can’t blame them. But I can do what I can to help prevent losses.

The netting had to go around fruit trees and things like that so it’s kind of crazy but there is a lot of room for when the new chickens arrive. (6 pullets 3 months old and a rooster plus the 3 ducks now being raised in Gary The Naked’s basement next door.

I’m not opposed to adding a goose eventually as a warning system but other residents on this shared land might not agree to that. I was surprised they agreed to a rooster. But I believe we may need to be able to hatch our own chicks just in case.

I’m glad I have experience with doing this kind of thing. I had to do it all myself for years on the farm with no help. And bless Jay, but she’s clueless but tries her best. It’s just easiest to do it myself sometimes. She’s lived her life having men do more physical things for her. I don’t begrudge her that but I’ve always had to do for myself. And don’t have the mentality that there are male and female jobs, only that there are jobs that need to be done. I’d rather not think I had to cook and clean after another grown person all the time when there is the outdoors to be out in.

I am so tired of the floor in the camper. It’s ugly and gross and the only rugs that fit are generally brown and ugly too. But I bought a pretty runner rug set at Costco. Of course my little floor was too narrow. So I said screw it, I cut slits to make it fit where needed. There are no rules here and it turns out I really like it. Adapt. That’s what I’ve had to do. And I will continue to do as needed. The set of two rugs fit perfectly over the entire floor with slits for where the benches are.

What else? Oh yes. Some duckweed arrived for my little pond. It stunk really bad but I think it will be ok. It’s now floating around. It’s supposed to grow really fast. Extra can be harvested as a treat for the ducks and chickens and it naturally cleans the water, and helps shade it and prevent algae. I tried to find it locally- it is native like the starwort, wapato, and native cattail, but hadn’t been able to get to any ponds that had it. The pond, like my worm composting bin, is one of my latest experiments. The pond started as a way to try to grow some native perennial foods that grow in wet areas.

Speaking of experiments, I received some (used) new books to work with my microscope. And I finally ordered a decent weather station for myself at last. That should arrive later this month. It’s also solar.

What else? Oh yes I’ve been working on making a decent first aide kit and such.

Slowly but surely prepping for things to come.