Monday, February 23, 2009

Waiting for Spring

This year winter seems to be staying rather longer than usual, and I know I'm not the only one who would like to see it gone. I am tired of snow (have had my fill, living in Saskatoon, WI, and northern MN.) We have a boatload of things to get to around the farm, and doing so when it's too cold or too hot just doesn't work. Spring is our big push when it comes to projects, and the list is long this year!

The big storm that we had two weeks ago did a number on us in several areas. I am waiting now to hear from the insurance adjuster who is supposed to come out today to look at our roof (we need it totally redone!) As well, the high winds blew away and destroyed two of my hoop houses and smashed one of my tractors - my favorite, two stalled one, about which I am very sad. So we have new pens to build, on top of everything else we need to do this year.

Our main project this spring is going to be the driveway, and with luck, the barn. We need to get a big load of gravel and lime sand in; gravel for the driveway, and lime sand for the barn. The iijits who built this place in 2000 put the barn in a very low spot in the yard, and the drainage is terrible. So we need to add probably a whole truckload of stone to get the water out, plus perhaps some French drains.

To top it off, when they put the driveway in they didn't run it past the front door at all, just straight back to the garage and barn. Now that was stupid. So we're going to put a loop in that will go past the front door, which I am quite looking forward to. Need to get these major projects done before Colleen goes off to college in '10! ((grin))