It's open Season

As you guys know it is spring, and you know what that means.... It's Open Season!! But, not the way you might think. Generally most people hear open season and think hunting. But not for us farmers..or hobby farmers should I say. Open Season around here means something a little different. It's a begining instead of ending. It's more than likely due to the time of year a giving of life instead of taking it away. It's Spring! That being said it's baby seasoon. Time to "OPEN" those coops and get to cleaning. Building or repairing new fences,tightening up doors and redoing that roof. Thsi is the time clear the pasture and plant new seeds, to raise those beds..or lower them. And last but definitely not the least of all, it's tiem to take that annual trip dwon to Tractor Supply because CHick Days are here! YeS, finally the birds are back! Baby ducks, baby chicks, guinees, turkeys, and qual. Pretty much any breed you could be looking for is available and if not, well there's always the feed store. This is that time of year when people like myself start itching to get digging. The weather is letting up and flowers are starting to bloom. The stores are full of brightly colored foliage of all types and everyones busy browsing the isles looking for the best deals on thier favorites plants. And that's where I sit, on the fence, trying to decide whether i want to start my own seeds or buy some already started from the hardware store. I must admit i'm a little behind and I myself in the past have been nothing more than a mier dirt farming. Grabbing some seeds from the dollar store, stirring up some dirt and throwing them in the ground with some dirt on the top, is about as far as i have gone with experience. And I have gone there, several times. But to be honest I've never ever actually gotten to see anything flower but my collard greens that I got started and free from my neighbor down the street. Who by the way is a pro at all things gardening, never misses a spring that one. Shen even uses a garden hoe to till her rows but she is 89 or older who knows. It's been about 5years sense i've seen her last. But anyway..the work she put into her little patch of earth is admirable. I always felt so inspired at her place. The chicken coops, the raspberry trees, the citrus and of coarse her garden. I always loved to visit "grandma doris's house". My how time has changed. Now here I am. in the middle of Decatur, a suburb of Georgia I think. Atleast that's how it feels being right off the subway. Filled with sky rises and parking lots, the only gardening space available to a renter who isn't lucky enough to have found a house, being at the local recreation center where you can find a plot for 75$.. the work that goes into that. I mean for real; there's the purchase of the plot, then the soil and the plants, then the fencing you need to "protect" or distinguish your plot from every one else's aswell as the fare it costs to go down to the rec center to take care of it daily or weekly or however you choose to do it. It get's expensive. And now here I am, on an unwarranted, not appreciated,extension of my supposeldy temporary hiatus from work, with all this beautiful happeing around me and I yet to take part. And it's not because I don't have time, that's something i have a plenty. Promise you, if I could bag it and sell it I would. However I think it would be better spent than sold. Now,me being the take charge person that I am , I have decided that any earth can be farmed and with so much around, why not just claim a piece as my own and beautify it for the world to enjoy. I'm going to start me a garden! So i've been checking the hardware stores for clearance or damaged plants so that I can get soem at a discount, and upon purchase that will be the start of my own little Hobby Garden. I will keep you guys updated on the progress, pictures included. Now foe the chicks I do not know. I thought about making a mini portable brooder out of one of those dog cages or maybe even one of those 7$ storage bins with the lids they have at walmart. But with that you have to worry about the transport. And then of course the safety of the birds. Of coarse I could set it up all nice and make it look cute for people to enjoy and then leave, but then once I'm gone, what's to keep the people from enoying them a little to much. Even in the rec center garden I run the risk of them not being safe. I mean it's a public space so there are kids, other gardeners, visitors and just plain people who may or may not agree with them being there. And so, I would have to worried about them being moved, going missing, ,getting "lost", so I don't know if they are such a good idea. Sadly it's them that I want to purchase the most. I really want to participate in all the spring activities going on Unfortunately my circumstances are a little inconvenient. And so there is my dilema. So lets see, am I going to be able to get this garden growing, Is there a simple and safe way to raise chicks in the city while cooperating with your community. Who knows? But for this Spring season I'm definitly going to give it a try. So stick around, follow the blog and watch the youtube channels I list and let's see how far we get with this City Farming thing i've been thinking up. I plan to update the blog once a week with something be it related to the current topic or not, but i will be sure to give you guys the details atleast once a month on how things are going.