Plans for the Year

The land is a frozen tundra, but inside, it's warm and full of dreams for the new year.  Here's some of my plans for life on the Farmlette:

• Make more efficient use of the hoop house, which is a perennial project, really...Anyway, I'm thinking tomatoes in the summer, followed by an overwintered crop of cold hardy greens.  This will mean figuring out some sort of insulation and/or minimal heat source to reduce the effects of freezing.  I think it is possible to do this, it's just a matter of figuring out what might actually work on my small scale and miniscule budget.
• Speaking of perennials, continue to add to the Perennial Vegetable bed.  I'm leaning toward something vining or fruiting...a little fruit corner in the back garden would be lovely, don't you think?  Maybe an espalier fruit tree or a trained grape vine.
• Devise a plan for saving water.  I'm envisioning a series of rain barrel containers, possibly with a low voltage solar pump attached to a length of hose.  This would be such a nice addition to watering needs around here.
• Invest more time in acquiring firewood.  If the winters are going to continue to be this challenging, working in the warmer months to get more of a stash is critical.  I'd love to have three cords ready by the time cold weather rolls around, which should be more than enough for one winter in my teeny cottage.
• For the first time ever, I plan to hatch out some chicks born and bred on the Farmlette!  I am in love with my gorgeous Buff Orpingtons, and since Dickens the rooster is happy in his fatherly duties, I'm rounding up a couple incubators and plan to start hatching eggs in the next month or so.  With any luck, I'll wind up with more beautiful hens to refresh the layers in the Big Coop.

There's a host of other projects to do, including retraining the black raspberries and pruning the fruit trees, not to mention completely overhauling the herb bed (again).  But, these are my big plans for 2014.  I guess we'll all find out if they get accomplished!