Open for Business

from Psalm 62, Deus, Deus meus: O God, my God: to Thee do I watch at break of day.......if I have remembered Thee upon my bed, I will meditate on Thee in the morning: because Thou hast been my helper.This psalm is part of my prayer at Lauds, the first thing in the morning. It was break of day. I had to do the usual - feed the barn cat, check the bird feeders and water some of the potted plants, gather in the morning paper, feed the dog and make my coffee. THEN I pray my Office and other prayers, check the morning news, relax with the puzzles, throw on my jeans and get to it!

It was relatively cool this morning, in the low 70s with a slight breeze. That will change to 90+ by 11 a.m. or so, up to 96 if the weathermen are correct.  The mist system is already on for the chickens. I don't have to check for eggs the first time until about 10 a.m., then two or three times a day after that.

It is now important that I dress early in case we have visitors at the gate. Our Open for Business signs are out. The hens are finished with their molting, the fan in the hen house and misters cooling the air under the outside canopy are contributing to more egg production.  Plus, we are now advertising our veggies for purchase.  I had my first egg customer at 9 a.m. this morning. Thank goodness my 20 pullets will be laying in about a month. There will be 30 hens working. Eggs are the big sellers right now. We can't keep up. I may eventually go to 50 hens. Whew! The four guineas are going to be a big help in the bug department. They will devour the pesky grasshoppers and squash bugs that plague us. I can't wait to get them all out to free range in a week or so now.

Currently we have some cherry tomatoes, onions and garlic ready to sell. Bell peppers and full sized tomatoes will be ready shortly. Butternut squash is almost ready to harvest.  We are starting small and trying to determine how much we can expand.  The 1/2 size fridge in the laundry room for eggs and baskets of produce will need to be moved. That we are in the process of remedying.

What was the brooder room in the large shed is being turned into a cold room. We have had new lights installed and a window air conditioner. The room will be sanitized and one of our old refrigerators put out there for eggs and miscellaneous. Shelving has been purchased. A table for business will be set up in there, as well. The containers for chicken feed will be moved to the outside shed.  The front part of the shed will be our sales area. Besides eggs and produce we intend to sell "findings," some of our own white elephants, crafts, and whatever else will seem profitable.

The raised bins are in the process of being cleared, will be tilled, de-bugged and will be ready for our fall plantings, probably greens and okra (which are big down heah in th' south). We plan on growing some things just for ourselves in containers to leave the bins free for the commercial venture.  As to the pasture area, we aren't sure yet what will be there. There are a lot of ifs and more research still to be done. There is only so much that three not very physically strong women with limited stamina can do without help. We have ideas ------- but?

Well, I've spent enough time writing this, checking facebook, my favorite religious and political websites,  and my email. It's time to check for eggs and put some onions in baskets for purchase.
Sing joyfully unto God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness.  from Psalm 99, Jubilate Deo.
7/5/12