Monday, January 21, 2013

Frugal Compost Holder and Container Gardening

What does it say when you choose the big mug this morning for coffee?
I mean it is like drinking out of a bucket. My husband was laughing saying I must really need to wake up to use the big mug. 


I love heading out to let my girls out in the mornings. No eggs yet. Waaa! This girl should be laying anytime again after her break from a molt, when they loose feathers and regrow new ones. I am waiting Flower Muffin.


This is Rocky. Look at how scrawny she looks. She is in the middle of a molt. You can see where she is growing new feathers on her neck. Usually she is so big and fluffy.  No eggs from her for a while.


There's my gorgeous compost pile and you can see how to make this super frugal compost holder here. I gave the chickens this pumpkin to pick at and then threw the whole thing in there to rot and make gorgeous soil for my garden. I did this before. One day it will just collapse in there. Whenever I move around the wire frame, the chickens go crazy for the abundance of worms underneath. The soil smells so good and rich. Anyone like me? I love the smell of rich soil.

Frugal compost holder, DIY compost holder

The girls are off for MLK day so no driving. Yeah!!!!!! I shall work in the yard. I am pruning and cleaning out planters. The pansies I planted in the fall are still going strong. Loving our warm days and cool nights.

You can see my tips on container gardening here.

29 comments:

  1. i love your grumpy mug. so cute!! enjoy that big cup of coffee.

    wish the hubby was off today - to get some stuff done around the home here. but another day will have to do.

    i love your chicken name. so cute!! i love that you are out working in your yard & here in VA it is freezing temps. so cold. i want to get outside but would need long johns to feel comfortable. ha. ha!!! this world is just too amazing & odd at the same time. ha. ha!!! ( :

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lucky you to be working in your garden! It's very cold, windy, and snowy here in IN today.
    I also love good soil and compost is the best! I just love it when the soil in our gardens is so rich and loose. Weird, huh?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I am jealous of your mug!! I sure feel that way sometimes before coffee!

    I bought a book from Tractor Suppy a few years ago on chickens. One thing it said was to install lights in the coop and set it on a timer. In the shorter days of the year, they need more sun light (just like us). Our light comes on 1 hour before daylight. This helps greatly with the egg laying! I told one blogger about this and she said it was unnatural but that's not true. It should make sense that if humans need more sunlight in the winter than so would chickens.

    Let me know what you think. tinastone1971@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Elaine, my eyes were glued on the orange hanging down in one of the photos. I can just imagine the fragrance and taste. Going over to check out your container gardening tips. xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. It does our hearts good to see something growing...what fun to have flowers all year round.

    The chickies are so cute, molting or not.

    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  6. Enjoy this beautiful day Elaine! Hope your girls start to lay soon!!!!
    xo Kris

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is my kind of coffee mug. No small ones for me either sweetie. My pansies make me smile every day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Those pansies are beautiful! Such pretty colors. Yesterday 2 of my girls started back laying after their molt! Now we have 4 in business, 6 still on egg strike ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have that grumpy mug. LOL I bought it at Disney. I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. OH! You have growing things- flowers and fowls- Love it all- xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  11. If you crack the pumpkin open the girls will go nuts over the seeds and insides, or did they get it already and we just can't see it?
    You may have to wait for longer days for some eggs, but that first one after a long time without is priceless:>)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your Grumpy mug. I had coffee this morning from my new Disney one. It's nice not to have tokeep refilling it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That mug is a hoot! I drink my coffee so slowly it would be cold in a big mug like that! Love your compost! I do love the smell of good earth!
    hugs, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  14. Funny, when I was a kid we had chickens (lots, like 20) and I hated them as I had to feed them and clean out their pen. Now I would love a couple but hubby would never agree :) We live on a pretty small lot. I love a big mug, in fact have gotten rid of almost all my small ones. I keep an eye out at garage sales and the thrift stores for the big ones.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You must live in California, working in your garden! Your hens are beautiful! It's so nice to read of your enjoyment of them and the whole egg process.
    We're not outside doing anything here, we're experiencing a real January, typical for us, but still cold!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I wish I could see my yard:( lts of snow and more coming to night.
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  17. Takes a big mug for me too and I empty the first one pretty quickly.

    Your pansies are so pretty. We used to do compost at our last house. It is so gratifying to be able to spread it around the flower beds. Are you going to be growing pumpkins all over the place? :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your chcikens are beautiful!!
    I really need to make myself a compot pile! I feel guilty everytime I throw out my coffee grounds. Nice mug too!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I hope the girls give you some eggs real soon! My dad had a chicken named Rocky too!! He named all is chickens. He'd walk around the property with his girls following right behind. We had a compost too...I need to get my act together even though we live in the suburbs! You are so inspiring!
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  20. Love all the pictures...I gardened today too...it sure felt good out there! Have a great evening!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love your flowers. your fruit, your warm weather!!

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
  22. Our house is so chilly in the mornings when we get up...I have to use a bigger, insulated mug. Extra coffee...staying extra hot!
    Your chickens look great. Our chickens haven't been giving as many eggs lately...some of them are getting new feathers (surprising for winter, I think)
    I've been letting them out again, since the 2 small chickens have been integrated into the flock...they all go inside the coop at night; like good little chickens.

    They do love the treats like pumpkins, cabbages, and cornbread crumbs,too!

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  23. The only thing better than smelling garden soil is having it all over your hands. That's a few months away for me.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh Elaine...you have given me spring fever. There's nothing I enjoy more than working in the yard. Your flowers and chickens are lovely. Thanks for posting..:)

    ReplyDelete
  25. How lovely to have fresh eggs...when you finally get them. Your container looks great, and you have oranges, too. Love it. Visiting from Table Top Tuesday.
    Babs

    ReplyDelete
  26. That coffee mug is awesome!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. The coffee mug is wonderful! The hens looks so cute too. Hope they start laying soon.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I like these type of posts :) Thank you for sharing your morning.

    I hope your chickens lay some eggs soon. We are getting plenty from our girls. We even managed to hatch thirteen baby chicks from four hens :)

    x

    ReplyDelete