Obviously, the upgrade of the server here went better then planned. I forgot for a few days to re-populate the gallery, but have most of the pictures back in there. The updates make this site much more user friendly, on my side at least.

I’ve gotten to the farm for a few quick visits. During one trip, we constructed a workbench with supports for boards coming out of the saw. Then on another 2 trips (1.5-2hours each) I was able to work on building a new wall. This one will frame in the staircase and support the edge of the floor above it.

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The weather was cold, but Sunday here looked to be above freezing.  My goal was to get to the farm, add a few last boards done before winter and hopefully clean the windows in order to take a decent picture.  I did far more then that.

If you were busy while outside, it was a good temperature.  I stood around waiting for my go-fer once and felt a slight chill.  So, what got done?  Windows.  8 more of them to be exact.  I ended up stripping most of the other side of the greenhouse back to the studs and started slapping windows in.  I had tried to save some of the larger ones from the first half to make sure we had enough for both sides and I might have saved a couple too many.  I simply placed all these in, and had the perfect fitting windows to take up the last bay.

However, the right side looks far more organized and symmetrical then the left.   And actually, we like it.  There is a small window or two I can replace in order to get these to match up better.  In any case, I think these are destined to last for the winter.  We might switch out a few, and there is a top row to do along with fill a few holes that are currently plywood.
I said before the greenhouse effect here works well….I mean it.  Every time the Sun came out, I neared a sweat and almost took my coat off.

Mason was a big help today and helped load and unload tools, supported non-hanging windows, swept, took pictures, other go-fer activity.

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After the earlier cold snap, it warmed up again.  I write this, as it is near freezing again.  With warm weather comes farm work.  I got out to the farm a few times for quick sessions.  I even got Grampy out there to help for a bit too!

Grampy still does not get the window idea.  The greenhouse is getting covered with random old windows from the barn, and possibly the original farm house.  We had a few from the house in town, and I bought a few windows from yard sales and Habitat’s ReStore.  With all these random windows, we figure out how to get them to fit together in an eclectic mosaic.    Everyone else thinks it’s a cool idea and I managed to get quite a few installed so far.  I hope to take pictures tomorrow.

Will the greenhouse work?  I think so.  On a few cool days, the greenhouse with 1/3 of the total windows done, it was 20 degrees warmer in that room then in the center of the crib.  I’m experimenting with hanging a black shade cloth behind the windows to absorb more heat.  I’m thinking of getting some solar pool heating panels and seeing if they will add heat to the radiant tubes in the floor.

Besides that, I’ve been fixing weak spots, loose boards, and any other things that will help it last over another winter

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Brrr!  We actually have turned on the heat here in town, and Facebook posts count the many others that gave in this week.  I hope that’s not putting too much of a close on farm work.

The gardens got re-tilled for Fall, but need a little clean up.  We created a new compost pile and put garden waste, potted plant dirt, and a slew of nitrogen rich coffee bean waste in it for now.

I’ve gotten some of the crib work done, but again it’s invisible.  I have 3 of the 4 windows framed out on the inside, but there are no holes cut in the siding.  I managed to build a quick scaffolding out of 2×10′s from the barn floor and have this attached to the front of the crib.  I need a full day to cut holes, remove the small pieces of siding, replace with plywood, wrap in tyvek, then install windows.

Besides the framing, I’ve been rebuilding some of the structure of the West wall.  I’ve added extra supports to turn ‘bin wall’ into house grade code grade framing, and the top of the wall was done in 2×4′s, not 2×6′s like the rest of the place.  Those got doubled up too add the depth and strength of the rest of the wall.  Wiggles are gone.
It’s time to wrap up tractor work, change the oil and replace the mower and tiller for the snow blower again.  I don’t count on seeing that white stuff anytime soon, but might as well be ready.

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Actually, a whole bunch of work.

Mason has been a big help in the past few months.  He has taken to driving the tractor, so he has mowed a few times now.  I also had him clear out and mow down the garden remains and he hauled everything to a new compost pile site.

He still helps out on construction too.  We got a few pieces of siding installed under the greenhouse, and added the first half dozen windows to the South wall.  The original plans called for 6′x12′ plexiglass sheets, but we had found a huge stack of original farmhouse windows, a few other random windows, and several I picked up at yard sales for $1-20 each.  So, the wall will become a mosaic of old windows.   All the doors are finished, and have locks.  I built the staircase landing out of reclaimed barn beams.  I’ve been cleaning out 14′ 2x10s that are straighter and harder then anything I’m buying.

Upstairs is getting some work.  I’ve started framing in the staircase, and have done a lot of prep and fixing up on the West end wall.  I think one more good day of work should see Windows getting installed there.  They will look out over the farm and to the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

The before Winter plan?  I really want to see the windows go in.  I think I need to place a few more windows on the greenhouse and put siding on the SE corner.  That’s where the snow seemed to blow in the most.  Once it starts getting chilly, I can finish work on the staircase framing until it gets real chilly there.

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