(Avian) Love Is In The Air

The last two days on Prince Edward Island have been completely, abnormally, climate-changingly, delightfully warm.  And both yesterday morning and this morning, as I stepped outside, not only was I amazed by the unseasonably warm weather, my ears were filled with the sound of bird song.  Robins, grackles, chickadees, blue jays, trilling and squeaking and whistling and chirping.  Singing the songs of love.

So as we wait, here on PEI, where we can't plant cold-weather plants until May and everything else must wait until June, James and I started a backyard project of a different kind.  We gathered together some nest-building material for the birds as they embark on a new season of courtship, nest construction, egg laying, and chick raising.

I've seen a few websites and blogs suggesting this idea to backyard birding enthusiasts.  And I'm always looking for things to do with James while Susannah is napping, so I thought this would be a great, quick little project.

Some people build (very cute) nesting material pouches made of wire but I wanted to use something that I already had in the house and wouldn't have to buy supplies for.  So I followed the example of some other websites, such as this one and used an empty mesh onion bag.

You can enhance the leaves and twigs and other nesting materials available outside by putting the following items in the bag:

• human and pet hair (dog, cat, horse, etc.)
• cotton balls that have been teased apart
• thin strips of cotton fabric
• broom bristles or mop string
• shredded paper
• string or thread
• feathers
• moss/lichens
• cattail fluff
• pine needles

However, dryer lint should be avoided.

I used the following:

Cotton balls, strips of cotton fabric leftover from my mom's quilting project, strips of an old, soft, cotton facecloth, and hair that I stole from my sister's brush!  It seems to be in short supply at our house! :P

James putting the facecloth strips in the onion bag.

Teasing apart the cotton balls so that it's easier for the birds to grab little bits.

We used the blue yarn to "sew" up the edges of the hole that I had cut originally to take the onions out.  I lifted him up and he hung it on a little twig in a horse chestnut tree in our backyard.

The finished product.  Now to get some birds along to use some of it! 

What kinds of spring activities are you doing with your children to get them outside, use up items already in your home, or enhance backyard habitats?

Beginning a New Chapter

I'm a conservation biologist.  I have an intense love of nature, two degrees, and a number of work experiences that are woven together to create this facet of who I am.  I love:

I always wanted to work as a conservation biologist, carrying out field research, restoring habitat, writing reports, helping to change policy and educating the public.  Somewhere along the way, a couple of things happened.

1. It was extremely hard to find secure, long-term positions in this field on PEI.
2. That part where I educate the public about conservation and biology and how this beautiful world works?  That became the best part of my job.

So this coming September, at the ripe old age of 30, as a mother of two children, aged three and one, I'm going back to school.  I officially confirmed my attendance today in the BEd program at the University of Prince Edward Island, where I will study to become a French Immersion, high school science teacher.  

And I am absolutely thrilled to be going.  I'm going to be a bread-baking, no-till gardening, chicken-chasing, conservation-minded mommy-turned-student and it is going to be crazy busy and awesome.  

I'm starting down a new path in my life, and I completely feel that it is the one I am supposed to be on. 

I'm going back to UPEI.

Signature obtained!

I just (as in 5 minutes ago) obtained the last signature needed for my permit application.  I'll get that all together tonight and hopefully officially submit it tomorrow!  Keep your fingers crossed for me that some fine feathered ladies will soon be ours!

Chicken Update

I've been rather absent the last few days because it was a crazy week for us, with my husband away, planning for birthday celebrations for our boy, going to meetings for the community garden, and taking care of some other responsibilities.  But I'm back, with a quick update on the chicken front.

I am really hoping to get my application in this week.  I left it for a few weeks after first meeting with our police chief but as spring approaches, I want to take care of the paperwork and red tape and start figuring out where I am going to get my hens.

As I mentioned in my previous post about the chickens, I need to get the signature of every neighbour within 200 feet of our home.  I was worried that this would be difficult, because there has only ever been one other applicant so it isn't as though this is something that suburban residents are regularly requested to give their opinion on.  However, it has been immensely easier than I thought.  Almost everyone has been very positive about it, with one woman living nearby thrilled and actually asked if she could have eggs, another man told me that I could keep a cow in my backyard if I liked and he'd support it, and someone else said that as she grew up in the country she loves the thought of chickens living up the street.  The two homes where the owners were a little leery came around very quickly when I respectfully addressed their concerns, answered their questions, and gave them a modified version of this great handout from Little House in the Suburbs.  I just have one more signature to get, which is proving to be the hardest as I have now gone to this house five times without once catching the owner at home.  But I'm almost there!

I also have to submit a plan of the chicken coop that I hope to build and I have settled on this one:

I got this free hen house design from Purina, and the link to the handy pdf with a materials list and more details regarding building is here.  A great resource is www.backyardchickens.com; this is where I found the link to this design and a whole thread on the message board with comments, changes and modifications made to this plan, and photos of the end results of different chicken aficionados.  Since the chickens have to be contained for my permit application, I'm hoping to put this in some sort of modified outdoor kennel type enclosure with wire on top, so that they can come out, peck and scratch around, and go in at their own leisure without getting loose or being at the mercy of the neighbourhood foxes.

I haven't yet typed up the formal letter of application, but the chief told me I can pretty much just doctor up the original email I sent him:

Good afternoon Chief _______,

I am getting in touch to ask about the possibility of applying for a permit for 3-4 backyard laying hens within city limits.  A few months ago I contacted City Hall and police services and was instructed to contact you directly regarding this request.  I put it off for a little while as I feel sure that you have more pressing issues to attend to, and that my request to apply for this permit would fall pretty low on the priority list.  As it gets closer to spring, however, I wanted to make sure to get in touch with you in plenty of time for this spring season when I hope to obtain the hens.

I live in the ____________ subdivision in Ward 8 (Wilmot), and would like to build an attractive and secure coop in my backyard behind my shed where the chickens would be out of sight and protected by trees and shrubs.  I have no desire at all for a rooster, so there would be very little noise to be heard by the neighbours.  I have good relations with my surrounding neighbours and plan, if all goes well, to deliver fresh eggs a few times a year to the households immediately adjacent to our property and offer compost to those who garden in order to keep up a friendly and positive outlook regarding the hens.  We currently do not own any other pets.

I am not sure whether or not I obtain the permit application from you directly or if you have to help me apply, but I wanted to make sure to be above board in this pursuit and I really hope that you will be able to help me and that City Council will approve my request.

If you could please advise me as to which steps I need to take from here, I would very much appreciate it.  Thank you for your time, and for any help you can give me in this regard.  Sincerely,

Rosalyn  ______________

I'll play around with that tomorrow perhaps.  So I think that will cover the paperwork needed on my behalf, and I'll have to wait for city officials to do their inspection of our property.  I plan on putting the compost pile, as I mentioned in this post (where I coloured with crayons), in the back corner of our property hidden in the shrubs.  I don't think it will bother anyone there at all.

I've already started getting excited about my hens, and I want to have three.  I'm considering getting one each of three different breeds, because I think they'd look pretty in their feathered diversity, depending on whether they are all locally available:

Barred rock: has been my favourite since I lived with them in Costa Rica

Buff Orpington: who could resist this lovely strawberry blond?

Rhode Island red: perhaps not quite as lovely as the other two in looks, but a pretty colour nonetheless and a great layer!

I'm hoping that I can have an update soon with a picture of my permit! 

Shared with Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #19 and Simple Living Wednesdays.

The Community Garden Makes the Paper Again

The article that I posted here on the blog last week was also published in The Guardian, the Charlottetown paper as well.  And just a few days ago, the Journal Pioneer published an editorial cartoon about the garden.  I'm so glad it's getting this attention so early!  We're still in the process of forming a committee and getting the planning properly underway, so hopefully we can keep up the momentum.  Here's a photo of the Journal editorial:

Fair Island of the Sea

While most of the people who loyally read this blog are friends and family, I've noticed that since I started participating in blog hops, some weeks I actually have more blog visits from our neighbours south of the border.  This is exciting to me, because it means that I am starting to branch out a little in the homestead blogging world and make connections with other people who share a similar vision for simpler lifestyle.  I love connecting with people, and blogging has become a little addictive because it is such an amazing way to form new connections and learn new things.  Consequently, I thought that it might be interesting for some visitors to this little blog to know a little more about me and where I come from.

For those of you that aren't all that familiar with eastern Canadian geography, you might still have heard of Prince Edward Island if you read Anne of Green Gables as a child or if you are ardent fans of Live! with Regis and Kelly (I think it might just be Kelly now though?).  It is a beautiful island nestled in the Northumberland Strait where beaches, pastoral scenery, fantastic food, and friendly people can all be found.  It has its flaws, to be sure, but there isn't another place on the planet I can imagine calling home.  It's a land of red soil, white dunes, gentle, forested hills, rolling fields, and old wooden farmhouses.  This island throws community fundraisers when someone is in need, leaves doors unlocked, says hello to every passing face, and lets you turn even if you don't have the right-of-way.  It is also a place where finding a job in your field can be challenging, where we haven't looked (and aren't looking) after our beautiful environment the way we should be, and where we are learning that initial welcomes and friendliness aren't always enough when we meet new people.  We have a lot to learn on PEI, but we have an awful lot to give and share.  And I'd like to introduce you to a bit of the countryside.

My sister, the very lovely (and most loyal of readers) Rebecca of Lot 65, took these photos of PEI when she was here visiting for the summer, a few months before she gave me the tear-jerkingly happy news that she was moving home permanently.  She generously told me I could use her photos for blog posts any time I like, and so I thought I would share them here to give you just a quick idea of what my home looks like. (I love that these photos were taken on a cloudy day, it makes our gentle island look a little more mysterious and grown up!)

When I first posted this, I meant to include a PEI Tourism video of aerial video footage that was used to entice the royal couple to visit when they were touring Canada in the summer.  It gives a really good idea of what PEI is like!

This post is linked to Farmgirl Fridays at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House, and Homestead Barn Hop #54 at Homestead Revival.

Building a Grow Light Shelf for Starting Seeds

Although there is still snow on the ground and a chill in the wind, spring is inching its way ever closer to this little corner of the world and as it does, I get more and more excited about getting my hands dirty.  There is no way any of our seeds can even dream of being planted at this point, as the soil is still frozen and in some cases covered in snow and ice (and that is in the planter on my deck--I still don't have a garden space confirmed yet!).

But a few weeks ago, I started preparing to start some of my seeds indoors, in anticipation of blessed spring.  I just needed somewhere to put them and a light to get them started.  So basically, I still had nothing.  I checked the prices of grow lights at our local gardening supply store and they were way out of my budget.  Then I saw this post about building a DIY lighting system and I thought, I'm sure I can do that too!  I went out to find an inexpensive shelving system but there really wasn't much around these parts for me to get at a low price.  I didn't really want to buy anything new, and the used options were limited.  Actually, I'm sure I could have found something appropriate if I combed the online classifieds, but I was in my car and wanted to get moving on this project.  I mean, there were seeds without a home sitting on a bench by our door!  However, setting out with my sister and son in tow to go shopping on a weekend after the Habitat Restore closed for the day didn't really help on my quest for a strong but low-priced shelving system.  I was back to square one for the time being.

This was just until my dad suggested we build a shelving system for starting my seeds.  A good idea, dad, but that takes the "easy" out of the project somewhat.  I needn't have worried, though, because my dad is as free with his help as he is quick to think up ideas for projects and he recruited himself to my cause.  So he told me to go out and get four six-foot lengths of 1x8 pine boards.  He had a picture in his head of how it would work, so I went with it.  He said to get the lowest quality pine they had because I didn't need it to be pretty, and it would keep the costs down.

So I headed to our local lumber yard and started asking about this wood.  It turned out that all the 1x8 pine was the same quality, and it was pretty expensive ($1.32 per foot, and I wanted 24 feet).  I have never been someone to haggle, but being a mom and living on a budget has changed me to a more assertive person and  I told the guy that I had $20.00 in my pocket and I didn't want to spend more than that if possible.  He said to head out back and ask the guys in the warehouse if they had any pine that had defects and perhaps they'd give me a deal.

I dragged my reluctant sister and enthusiastic little boy (he wanted to see the warehouse) out back and started putting on the charm in my no-fail "I don't know anything about wood but will give you a super big smile" technique and was given my four 6' boards, one at the regular price, and three seemingly fine but discounted at 50% off.  I think he was trying to give me a deal and the wood might have had a scuff or some dirt on it, but I was thrilled.

So the blurry photo (sorry!) on the left is my sales order with the unit price, $1.32/foot for the one "good" piece of pine, and $0.66/foot for the other 18 feet.  With tax, it came to just over the $20.00 I had in my pocket, so I had to use my debit card for the other $2.87, but I definitely wasn't complaining!

I had to wait a while before starting it as my dad was busy with some other commitments, but finally, after what seemed like a very long wait, we got started!

So these images show the beginning of the process, cutting the boards to get them the lengths we needed, sanding them down (one of my important contributions to this project!  The other was sitting my bum on the boards while my dad cut them to keep them still), and gluing/screwing the ends together to form the outside of the shelf unit.  Note my son's cheesy face while he holds two of the pieces--that is the face he currently makes when I ask him to smile.  We're going to work on that.

And here we have a few more steps in the process, including reinforcing the corners with brackets and triangle supports (my brilliant idea), James helping his Grandad screw it together, holes for an adjustable shelf, hooks to hang the grow light on with an extra hook to keep the cord out of the way (love you Dad!  You think of everything) and a piece of extra wood fastened to each end of the shelf to keep it from being a little tippy.  Now a quick note about this picture.  For those of you with keen enough eyes to notice, that supporting piece of wood is made with (gasp!) pressure-treated lumber.  I am currently educating my dad regarding inappropriate uses of pressure-treated wood, among other environmentally sensitive subjects, but he still has some leftover from deck-building projects and it fit the criteria for this purpose.  So we decided to go ahead and reuse/recycle/upcycle this dastardly piece of spruce, and gave it a new home where if would help support the promotion of new, green, beautiful, photosynthetic life.

Finally, the end result (I can't wait to get growing on this custom-made-by-my-lawyer-dad piece of equipment!):

So, it has a fixed bottom shelf, an adjustable/removable middle shelf, and an adjustable light that hangs down from the top.  I hope that my beautiful little seedlings will love it, feel comfortable here, and grow forth vigorously and with enthusiasm!  Will post pics as I get started planting.

Do you have any great homemade systems for starting your seeds indoors?

This post is linked to theHomestead Barn Hop #53 and Simple Living Wednesdays at Our Simple Farm.