Reclaiming a Small Homestead

Reader Contribution by The Historic Foodie
Published on November 24, 2014
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There is an expression in the South, “Too many irons in the fire,” and we currently live up to that sentiment with continuing to update and upgrade the place (outbuildings, fences, porches, etc.), raise and house a lot of chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, plant a small orchard (along with things like Jerusalem artichokes and asparagus) while trying to reclaim some old existing fruit trees, etc. The list is almost endless.

There is an L-shaped privacy fence around the back patio and we decided to hook on to the back side of it, adding three sides, to create a larger chicken/duck/guinea pen. That sounds like a simple task except that, like everything else, you have to fix something before you can fix what you actually want to work on. The end post on the wooden fence was rotten at ground level so that had to be dug out and replaced first. That is done, and now we can start putting up the pen. I’m sure the birds will appreciate a larger, permanent enclosure and house.

A while back when I tried to dig a hole I discovered there was concrete underneath the grass down the side of the potting shed so, being a classic type A personality (or obsessive compulsive, whichever you prefer), it bugged the crap out of me until I could uncover that concrete pad. The grass is so thick, tough and tangled, I literally had to cut it then lift it out, which was more than I bargained for but it’s done and it looks awesome. At some point we can install the outdoor sink we want there and have a nice concrete pad to stand on when using it.

Said potting shed had tilted forward over the years before we bought the place so that there was a 4-inch drop from the back wall to the front. We used 6-by-6-by-16s as leverage poles to raise the front of the building up enough to level it. I climbed a couple of steps up a ladder, then carefully and slowly turned and sat on the end of the 6-by-6 while Martin wiggled concrete blocks underneath the front of the building until it was level all around. Now I can walk upright inside without tilting like a grazing mountain goat.

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