2022 has been the year for us to really get things rolling here on the Homestead. As we begin April homestead planning, we reflect back on all we’ve done -and we’re quite happy with how productive we’ve been. Not only did we set aside a new garden bed and carefully prepare the soil, we also purchased some citrus trees and berry bushes. Oh, and let’s not forget our most exciting development: we welcomed Nigerian dwarf goats to the homestead. With all this behind us, we’ve got some excited things planned for April too.
Planting Season Is Here
It’s not April without considering the season: Spring. To be honest, spring was never that special for us when we lived in St. Petersburg. sure, we had some herbs and grew our share of peppers, but there wasn’t much to do based on the season. The way we saw it, there were only two types of weather: hot, and unbearably hot. So, there really wasn’t much of a season for planting.
Up in north Florida, while it still may be warm by northern standards, we actually get some good freezes and a far bit of cold weather. So, as the weather becomes more temperate and the forest around us explodes with new life, it’s a sign that we are ready to start planting. As part of our homestead planning this year, we want to take a big leap forward in how we go about our garden.
Getting Our Seeds Started
OK, we’ll admit that we might have been a couple weeks late in getting our seeds started. But, we did take some time to setup seed starters and fill them with some of our favorite vegetables. This includes: jalapenos, red and green bell peppers, chili peppers, grape tomatoes, roma tomatoes, spinach, romaine lettuce, squash, zucchini, and an assortment of different pollenating flowers.
Since this is our first year getting serious about gardening on the homestead, we recognize not all of these are timed perfectly. We should have started some sooner as some do well starting in the winter. But, as the saying goes “…the second best time to start is today.” So, we’re charging forward and focusing in on planting. On top of these plants, it’s also worth noting another part of our homestead planning in April will include picking up some more trees and bushes to get that fruit production started.
Where to Go From Here?
Beyond just planting, it’s important to consider another big development here at the homestead. Victoria did her homework (and continues to do it) and we are welcoming bees as part of our April homestead planning. She decided to purchase bees from Mountain Sweet Honey company. And, we picked up a ready-assembled hive box to get started from Rural King. We debated our best option on this front, but since this is our first time diving into beekeeping, we figured we’d be best off with it all ready to go. With that said, we’re excited not just for the eventual honey these bees will yield, but also for the the pollenating they’ll be doing on our land.
Finally, the last part of our preparation this month is to extend our operation with the goats. No, we’re not ready to get bucks quite yet. But, we are looking to begin our setup of the buck pen (which is going to be on the other side of our home to keep them separate from the does). While we doubt we’ll finish setting up fencing/shelter for them, what we are doing more urgently is setting up a new shelter for our Gabby and Izzy. So far, these doelings have been sharing a shelter with their mother. But, as they get older, we want them to have a space of their own, so we’ll be building a pallet shelter to help them sleep comfortably.
Starting Your Homestead Planning
That just about covers our major plans for April. I will note, especially since I mentioned it previously, that we MIGHT still work on building a new pallet brooder and getting additional pullets as well. But, with the big avian outbreak right now, we’re on the fence on whether we want to move forward with that. If we do, we’ll definitely be posting an update when we decide. Either way, we think we have quite a lot planned for this month and we’re looking forward to seeing it through.
If you’re interested in homestead planning, make sure not to delay. Now is a great time to start and we’re here to help you along the way if you can. Let us know in the comments below if you have any questions. Until next time, we’ll see you around the homestead.