Hurricane Farm

Well, it threatened to rain all day, but only spritzed a little bit here and there for a couple of minutes.  So, my work crew (see photo 1) and I got lots accomplished on the new chicken coop/shed.

We managed to get the end rafters up and we hung the ridge pole.  We had to make a quick stop back to the lumber yard in the midst of the work day as we realized our math was a little fuzzy.  But, one new 2 x 8 x 12 later and we were back in business!  I've been reading a little about building and learned that I need to hang a little of the ridge pole over (I did 8") in order to have a nice overhang that will also serve as a sort of a drip edge.  I'll hang (ladder-style) some more rafters off the front and back to make that overhang.  Stay tuned as we finish up the roof!  If all goes well, I'll be enrolling in Door-Making 101 sometime next week.  (I already have the windows--nice recycled/reclaimed 6 pane wooden sashes.)

Those weather folks keep telling us rain, rain, rain, but today ended up a great almost-summer day.  Not too hot, not too humid, and not much rain!

It's been raining on and off for almost three weeks now here in Southern New England.  The forcast calls for rain and thunder storms for the next 7 days.  This is good for some of our garden but detrimental to tomatoes, peppers, and people who don't like mud.  In fact, the hay fields all around us in towns throughout Eastern Connecticut have been left to their own devices--almost looking abandoned--due to the constant wet.  No one has been able to cut their hay for weeks.  The first cutting traditionally takes place on Memorial Day Weekend here in CT, but it was raining back then, too!  Hopefully the rain will let up for a few days at least soon!

The rain does not seem to bother the large livestock, however.  Here you can see the two Jerseys and Aloysius involved in some sort of race with one of our Black Spanish turkeys.  The turkey seems to be winning this one.

The rain has also slowed down my building of our meat chicken coop/shed.  Here is a photo from a couple of weeks ago.  Liev helped me erect a wall.  Now, during breaks in the rain, and with a little help from my Dad yesterday, we have all four walls up, framed, and covered with siding.  I hope to put up some rafters today if it stays only overcast and does not begin to rain.

Despite all the rain, mud, humidity, and dirty floors that come with living in what seems to have turned into a tropical rainforest environment, good things do come in the end: