March!  Winter is nearly over. Not much snow this year but plenty of mud. I think the mud will be with us for months yet. No time to waste tho and Muck boots are well, good for slogging through muck, so here I go!  
While the house is getting a much needed facelift with new siding and a metal roof, I have plenty of smaller projects going too. Over the course of last week I built a new smaller chicken/turkey coop and I'm in the processes of building an additional pig shelter for the main pig pasture. This one is 10x5 and can be moved with the kubota. I'm hoping to get it finished up this weekend if the rains give me a break. I'm going to situate it on a couple pallets so it will be off the ground and keep the pigs drier in wet weather. If the pallets rot out, no problem. Pallets are easy enough to obtain. 
Now let's talk on that new coop. It's small, only 8x5 but it will hold the batches of meat birds I'm raising this spring and hold brooding turkeys and Dominiques before and after just fine. I built it with the 10x13 coop pen in-front of it, so they have room to stretch and can go into the area in which the corn with be planted in late May. This helps me take full advantage of the space I have plus the birds will do the "corn patch" good tilling and fertilizing it. 
Farmsteading on one's own is tough enough. Then toss in a building project. Especially when you're 5'3" and top out at 115#.  There was a few times I had to sit and think on how I was going to lift and hold those corner posts in place or the roof supports over my head. I know my physical challenges. My core is strong, but my upper body less so. Add in the building site wasn't level and I had to account for that. I managed even tho there were a couple times I wanted to tap out and ask for help. A strong mind and a stronger desire to do it on my own, saw me through. I've got a few bruises, a few tired muscles, but satisfaction. I'm thankful long ago I learned from my Dad how to build with recycled materials, read a tape measure and a level and how to just Keep Going. I'm thankful the Lord has given me the gifts He has that makes this all possible.
Until next time, stay strong, stay safe, stay salty.