Another year has gone by, and now that the new year is here, it's time to plan for the future!
Will we be able to achieve all of this in 2022? Who knows. However successful we are, it will be fun to take a look at this list a year from now to see what we achieved in 2022.
Pasture field for the goats (March-April)
As soon as the snow melts, the first job of the year will be clearing an area for our goats to graze on. At the moment there is some rubbish that needs clearing and some old plants that need removing (e.g. burdock that produces seeds that get stuck in the goats’ fur). To secure the area, we will be building a new wire fence, which involves taking down some of the old fence and putting up posts. We don’t want the goats to get bored, so as well as providing them with pasture, we want to include some features for them to climb and play with.
Demolishing old buildings (April-October)
There are several old wooden buildings on our plot that are past the point of being useful or safe. The plan is to gradually take these buildings down, which includes taking off the roof, taking the wood apart, and removing rubbish inside, among other things. We hope to reclaim as many building materials as we can for future use. Items that can no longer serve as a building material will be reserved for firewood. Although it’s not the most fun job, you come across some interesting artifacts, such as old oil lamps, scythes, or cartwheels.
Build a greenhouse out of reclaimed windows (March-May)
At the moment, we have a lean-to greenhouse where we successfully grew some tomatoes and even a watermelon last year! However, to extend the growing season and to have more space for warmth-loving plants, we plan to build a greenhouse out of reclaimed windows. We have been collecting old windows that were thrown away locally. Since the windows are of varying sizes, the greenhouse will have a non-uniform look to it, and designing it will be a challenge. But like with our other projects, it’s a challenge we look forward to.
Develop forest garden (ongoing)
Our homestead has an old apple orchard, but many of the trees are either dying or in need of serious maintenance. To get a head start, we are in the process of establishing and developing a new orchard that will function as a forest garden. As well as planting fruit trees, we want to populate it with perennial and self-seeding native plants to mimic the natural environment. That way, the trees, plants and fungi will interact in a system that sustains itself.
Planting trees (March-May)
As well as using some of our land to grow fruit and vegetables, we want to dedicate at least 25% of it to wild areas. Our plan is to plant 600 trees, starting in 2022. You can learn more about the rewilding project here. So far we managed to raise funds for over a hundred trees that will be planted this spring.
Woodland management (early spring and late autumn)
It has been many years since anyone lived in our homestead before we bought it. Over time, parts of the old orchard became a small woodland. Although we want to keep it as one of the wild areas, it still needs some management, including pruning diseased trees, making sure no trees interfere with the electricity cables, etc. This will need to happen at particular times of the year to make sure that the wildlife can still use the trees as a habitat throughout the summer.
Outdoor sitting area (May-June)
Over the course of last year, we gradually cleared the overgrown space in front of the house. Our next step is to turn it into a lovely area with a table and chairs where you can eat, socialise, or even work. The plan is to build the outdoor furniture ourselves, so we’ll see how that goes!
Workshop (March-November)
Among the many wooden buildings, we have one made of brick. It was built to serve as a storage cellar but we think it’s time for a makeover! It’s a lot of work, including demolition of certain parts, installing a new roof, bricklaying and clearing the items that have been inside the building for over a decade. The plan is to turn the building into a workshop that can accommodate woodwork, metalwork and other smaller projects.
Rabbit house (March-November)
One of the rooms in the main house is currently occupied by our rabbits. We want to create a separate house for them, specifically designed to accommodate their needs. The design is still in the works, but we hope to create a building using old tyres and other discarded materials. Another idea we hope to incorporate into our bunny house is a living roof.