UPDATE on VINE Happenings!

I am so sorry for the delayed blog! So much has been happening these days that it’s insane. Let me recap, in no particular order since that would take far too long. CHECK OUT ITEM TWELVE BECAUSE WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

1. Pattrice Jones just spent three weeks here on a writer’s retreat. I won’t tell you anything about her latest project, but it’s phenomenal. It was also just great to see her — it had been far too long.

2. The new barn is up, which included 22 concrete-set posts buried five feet deep, and the construction of a series of trussed hoops that ain’t going nowhere.

3. New culverts have been dug to help drainage up on the hill, and the duck pond has been tripled in size.

4. A run-in shed has been built on the hill that can hold up to 10 cows and horses.

5.A new chicken coop has been built down here in preparation for our complete re-organization.

6. Kimberly Roemer came for an entire week to help us with so many projects! She helped Aram put up one of the small hoops we are attaching to the coops here (giving chickens more grassy room in the winters, and a shaded place in the summers; she painted the inside of the new coop; she cleared out the inside of another coop we will be reactivating.

7. We had the top cut off the coop we are reactivating so that the structure is much lower, thus better able to hold heat in the winter.

8. We planted our summer’s garden, complete with a whole greens section for the chickens.

9. We filmed the third version of our cooking show with a very special guest chef! You will meet her as soon as we make the episode live.

10. We planned out the entire reorganization and have all of the fencing, gates, and posts we need on order; that work will be done within a couple of weeks.

11. We have planned to have the back pasture cleared, and a pipe installed to circulate the water from a flowing brook through the duck pond.

12. We have a Volunteer Day planned — June 18, 2011, from 10 AM to 3 PM — to clear the pasture of sticks so we can reseed; paint the coops up on the hill; and reseed if we have time.

13. We’ve been taking care of special-needs chickens who have bumblefoot, arthritis, and other ailments.

14. We took in a pigeon from New York.

15. We adopted 56 hens and 4 roosters (they were all supposed to be hens) from a “happy egg” place in Massachussetts.

16. We did our daily chores and worked our jobs. So, we are beat almost every night, but the day doesn’t end until about 9 PM these days, and one has to unwind! Which is what I”m going to do right now — so you all have a good night and I’ll be back soon!