Summary of This Year's Projects Before and After Pics as Well :)

Today is December 6, 2014 and I have settled in for the winter. I have found a use for those landscaping bricks that I showed you in one of my first videos. I have made them into a fire pit for my back yard. I have also made a rabbit cover for this winter and it's an all seasonal so it can be used all year round. It opens on all sides but the back and can be opened however I choose at any given time. My chickens are doing well. They are not laying as of right now this is the stage that they "rest" and will be producing eggs again very soon :) We have stored up on them enough so when they rest, we will still have enough eggs to last us. There is a leak some where in the chicken coop and I thought maybe it was coming from the ceiling so I took some of that spray rubber that comes in a can like spray paint to fill in the tiny pin holes and even though it filled them in nicely, it still gets wet in there. I then thought maybe it was their water dish so I replaced that and it still gets wet in there. So that will be this coming springs project as well. If anyone has any ideas please feel free to let me know. This is a learning blog and I'm learning just as much as the next person. I have also learned how to pressure can chicken noodle soup a few different ways. Some with the noodles in all ready cooked, some with the noodles in but not cooked, some without noodles at all, and some where I put all the ingredients in the jars evenly and then put just the juice in last then pressure can. We like all the ways however, having the noodles cooked and then pressure canned, turned into more of a thick gravy that we pour over mashed potatoes and the kids and I just love it!! One of our favorites. Then where the veggies are raw and I put in the juice last and can is another of our favorites as when we just want a can of soup, we head for the pantry of home canned goods and nothing tastes better on a cold day than a homemade canned jar of chicken soup. :) The pressure canner is my new best friend. lol I have found that the two flats of peppers this year is going to be close to what I need for a winter however, I am going to plant three total flats this coming spring and I know then, I'll be right on key. I am also going to plant more corn as we just didn't have enough and it didn't grow evenly so I need to figure out a new placement for that. Our tomatoes did wonderful and I ended up with 78 quarts for the winter. :) I also need to cut a few branches off of the tree that is over top of my carrot raised bed because even with the new late planting, those still didn't take off. No sun I'm guessing. My potatoes did wonders and we have enough for the winter as well. I planted a total of 30 plants in a raised bed but only about 20 actually came on. Not sure why but I'm not going to complain as we were provided with a plentiful pantry for this winter. So I still need to make a few adjustments but as you know, I'm new to gardening on my own and making the most out of the little space that I have. My little land sure is landing big for my family and we couldn't be more blessed. I no longer have the truck that was shown to you for my outings of finding resources, so I'm in the process of figuring something out for that. Maybe when I find resources I can barter something to have them deliver it or make them a great deal they can't refuse. I will continue to blog throughout the winter. Just because it's off season, doesn't mean there isn't things to be done. As my father once told me, next years planting and projects starts the fall and winter before. As always, I'm still growing and thank you again for following me in this process.

Below you'll find projects that I've done throughout the season (not in order) but I don't have any pictures of the fire pit so I'll add those at a later time. Some pictures you can see the start of a project, during a project and the finished project. I have added a couple things I've made out of pallets including a coffee table for myself and one for a friend. His has an old shotgun shell as the handle to the cubby hole underneath ;) A nice country touch. His I personalized with pictures and such but not all that I've made are like his, though I can make them to anyone's specifications. I have also made a few chairs and next spring I'm going to make a swing that hangs from a tree, a swing that sits in an A-Frame and a few other ideas, all out of pallets and a few other choice materials. I'm even in the process of thinking of some ideas for a play house for the grand kids all out of recycled materials.

What's been happening around Ayres Acre Advice: Little Land, Landing Big

I just wanted to touch base with all of you that are following me by either Google + or email, YouTube or what have you. The past few days I have been checking on my garden, pulling weeds, I ended up having to pull up my carrots because they just weren't growing properly so I went to Meijer's and for $1.37 a packet I bought some new seeds that are for August planting season. This will give me carrots around September 28th or so, which will be good because most of my canning will be completed by then and this will give me some time to can these new carrots. I will have a video on that coming soon to show you what I found when I went to check on them. I will be planting the new seeds next week and I will be adding that into my video that I've taken already. I have also been having some great luck with my chickens and the new coop that we built. I am averaging 3 to 4 eggs a day! The feed only cost me 13 bucks for 50 pounds and will last me for months. Considering eggs are around 3 dollars a dozen, looks like it's all going to be well worth it! I have also rearranged some landscaping bricks because my drip edge on my house isn't up tight against the house so it always washes out the dirt with a hard rain. So I laid those down one day and we had a hard rain the other day and...NO WASH OUT!! :) Now, my sunflowers are finally growing steady! Problem solved. However, I do need to get a ladder and tack that drip edge back up there right. But the landscaping bricks look nice and really added a nice touch. I also bought some late season cucumber seeds and planted those a few days ago as well. I have 4 new hills so lets cross our fingers because cucumbers is something that my family eats a lot of. Well that about sums it up, thank you all for your continuous support!! I love what I do and I hope that my tips and videos so far have helped you and your family save some money and helped you to find new ways to do things that perhaps you may not have thought of.

Below is a picture of my garden only a few weeks in and then a picture of it just taken the other day. Lookin good!!

Sara Ayres

Video: DIY Chicken Coop for Under ten bucks (No Music)

DIY Chicken Coop

 (No Music)

Thank you for the responses on my latest video of building your own chicken coop out of recycled materials. Some of you have expressed in certain countries that the video isn't available because of copyright pertaining to the video. So I have made one that is exactly the same as the original however, it doesn't contain any music. This should solve the problem. Thank you for the feedback and happy watching :) Just follow the link below. 

http://youtu.be/ta7jnUVACiw

Sara Ayres

Video: DIY Chicken Coop for under 10 bucks

DIY Chicken Coop

Cost: 10 Bucks
Time: 3 Hours

Today with the help of family members and a friend we were able to build this chicken coop in roughly three hours and around ten bucks. Most materials were either given to me or left over from previous projects. The money invested was to build the feeder and the latch for the gate which was around five bucks. This simple do it yourself chicken coop with proper ventilation, will provide a nice nesting place all year round, and food for the table. Thus, cutting my family's food bill. Below is a materials list and a link to the video to see how it's done on YouTube. If you like what you see don't forget to follow me on my blog and to subscribe to my channel on YouTube. All this is possible because of all of you. So thank you for your continuous support and I look forward to all your comments and questions either through blogging, YouTube or my email. 

Direct YouTube Link: http://youtu.be/X2eKY1rsb1I

Materials:

An existing shed

26' fencing

3- 10' wooden posts

2- Fence posts

3- Pallets (1 is for the gate)

Heavy duty wire

2- Floor vents (ventilation)

Handful of nails or screws

1- Gate latch

1- Bale of straw

Then of course your chickens, roost, nests, water, and feeder.

Extras but not necessary:

*I used 2- 2x4's screwed to the shed floor for extra stability of the fence but it wasn't necessarily needed. I also added 2 old wire sides of cages to the pallets on the end just to make sure the chickens couldn't get out but probably wasn't needed either. 

*Use materials you have on hand or barter with a neighbor, family member or friend. You can look on craigslist under the "free" sections too. You'd be amazed at what you'll find.

Tools:

Hammer or drill (depending on if you're using nails or screws)

Sawzall

Wire cutters
Tape Measure

Video: Chicken Feeder for Medium to Full Size Chickens

 Chicken Feeder

for 

Medium to Full Size Chickens

Today I created a video on how to make a chicken feeder for medium to full size chickens. The link is just before the step by step instructions. It is a simple project and will save you money. All it takes is your time (which took me roughly 20 minutes), and if you have the materials on hand (from previous projects or scouting), use those or you can purchase the items at any hardware store such as Menards, Lowe's, etc. I ended up purchasing the boards from Menards because I had already used what I had for something else. I walked out of Menards spending under 5 bucks and that included my water I bought :)

Materials:

1- 1x6 Base
1- 1x4 Sides
1- 1x1 1/2 spinning top
A hand full of nails (I used trim nails)


Tools:

Handsaw
Hammer
square
carpenters pencil

http://youtu.be/tbSN-5Z029k

Directions:

1. Cut the 1x6 in half so you have two 3 foot pieces and set one piece aside for later use.
2. Cut the 1x4 in half so you have two 3 foot pieces.
3. Nail both 1x4 pieces to each side of the 1x6 making sure it's flush on both ends.
4. Now take the 1x6 that you set aside and cut two pieces 8" long. These will be your side pieces.
5. Cut a notch in the ends of both 8" piece so a nail can freely spin inside it
6. Tap each 8" piece into the ends of the feeder and nail those on firmly.
7. Cut the 1x1 1/2 piece into 33 3/4" long and tap in a nail into both ends. Tap it in there firmly but not all the way.
8. Put the 1x1 1/2 piece with the nails in both ends into the notch that you cut in the 8" sides.

WOE LA you have your chicken feeder for medium to full sized chickens made. Congratulations!!!

Introductory Video Part 2

Part 2 has finally uploaded. It's direct link is:

http://youtu.be/e9sW2xDdYm0

or you can find me directly through YouTube....Ayres Acre Advice

Introductory Video Part 1

Introductory Video

Part 1

Today I have done my introductory video. Basically I am showing you around the homestead, showing you what I have done, future plans and some of the materials that I have picked up for free. First project that I will be videoing is the making of a chicken feeder and nests. Followed by many other projects for the homesteader including canning, pressure canning, building projects, and out scouting the neighborhood for resources that are free or little cost. You will be surprised at what people are willing to give away, if you're willing to haul it. With the nice weather that we have outside today I'm going to get my lawn done and get right to making the feeder and nests because come next week, those items will be put to good use once the shed is turned into a chicken coop for six laying hens. Thank you for following me on this journey. All videos will be uncut and unedited and completely in the raw. However, the only cutting that will be done is putting them in part 1 and part 2, for uploading. A long video would take too long to upload and who has time for that when there is so many other things that can be done. In other words, it would be like standing there watching your laundry in the washer when you could be playing a game with your child or doing research on homesteading. You get my drift. lol You can watch through the YouTube link and if you want, you can subscribe so you don't miss a video and a chance to learn something new. I encourage comments, tips, trick, ideas that you have learned along the way because I am always up for finding new ideas and new ways of doing things. And if anyone can give me any tips on uploading video to YouTube that would be great. I would like to welcome you again to Ayres Acre Advice....Little Land, Landing Big...or more importantly...Welcome to my home.

YouTube: Ayres Acre Advice

Introductory Video Part 1 http://youtu.be/hNK3QwFL2aY

Today it has been sprinkling on and off and making it hard for me to get out there and make the chicken feeder like I need to get done. I am excited to get the video rolling. And with the rain, can't mow my lawn either. So to take advantage of the day, I went and did some grocery shopping and took the scenic route home. On days like this, I take advantage of getting those "other" things done that are good rainy day things. I am also doing some research on some new places that might hold some available resources. I am always looking for new ways to save money, and perhaps, time. One place I like to look is on craigslist. There is a "free" section and today, I have found several nice items, including a free house!!! Just have to move it. However, I won't be doing that, but it just goes to show that there ARE free things out there, you just need to know where to look. One thing to always remember, if you do buy something from someone whom you don't know, never go alone when you go to conduct your business. With that said, I have found some free lumber, just need to go pick up. :) Even if you find something that you don't need right now, go pick it up anyway, because I'll show you how things that I've picked up a year ago, are being put to good use this summer. And, if it's a great item, and you know you won't ever use it, such as say a free couch or what have you, if you have the room, go pick it up, and then you can use that to sell for money, or barter with and get something that you  need. I have bartered to get things that I've needed. It's just another great useful way to be self reliant! And that's always a plus!!! Happy hunting and pray for sunshine tomorrow so I can get out the power tools and get started on making videos.

Watch for upcoming videos in the next few days. They will include everything from step by step instructions on how to build a chicken coop and furniture out of recycled materials, to gardening, canning, pressure canning, storing canned goods, and more. Stay tuned because there will be something for everyone. First project, chicken feeder and nests out of free materials I inquired one day just by taking the long way home (scenic route) and with materials I already have laying around from other old projects. You will be amazed at what you can make from things that are laying around your home right now. Others see junk, I see a new project and another opportunity to be self sufficient. :)

This is one magazine that my father introduced me to that I find, I really don't want to live without. It is packed full of information and there's always something new inside. Every reader that picks this magazine up will find something useful to him or her. I have gotten many great ideas from this magazine and have learned some of the dos and don't of gardening and canning. Very helpful and a must recommend magazine. I hope you'll find it just as useful as I do. Of course this is only ONE magazine that I subscribe to. I will be listing others soon. 

These are a few of the things I have made from free pallets. The two chairs you see together are ones that I sold for 100.00. My total cost: 3 1/2 hours of time and approximately 3.00 in screws.

Biography

I recently decided to leave the busy lifestyle of being a corrections officer to start enjoying the simpler things in life. I am a country girl at heart, born and raised in Michigan and the outdoors is where I'm meant to be. I never enjoyed the hustle and bustle of alarm clocks, deadlines, meetings, training, watching the clock, not ever having enough time in a day, and just simply missing out on what's important, like my kids. Sometimes we get caught up in a lifestyle and think there isn't any way out. For some, they love this busy lifestyle, for others, it's just not working. So I decided to take a leap of faith, and jump into a life where I don't have an income (with the exception of royalties from two previous published poetry books), no time table, no alarm clocks, no deadlines or meetings, and most important, where I don't have to "find" time for my kids. I now enjoy the simple things in life. It was hard at first, and sometimes it still is. I paid off my house, sold my car that came with a payment, paid off my credit cards, knocked down all my bills to the lowest they could go, such as cutting the cable bill in half, lowering my phone bill, and most importantly, I started to search for resources that are available to us everyday, we just need to know where to look. I took advantage of the internet, hit Google's homepage, and started searching. I live on .5 acre of land and with the use of books bought through Barnes and Noble, or those given to me by family and friends, I have learned how to grow enough food to feed myself and my two boys for the season, and well into the winter months. Last summer my mother taught me how to can my own food and how to freeze certain vegetables. This year, she is going to teach me how to pressure can which I am extremely excited about. My father has taught me how to make compost for my garden, how to properly raise chickens (this year I am building a coop with recycled materials), how to plant food and utilize my resources. Not only am I learning how to be self sufficient, I am teaching my children how to be as well. Plus, the time spent with my parents and children through this process is priceless. I hope that you will follow me through this journey as I show you things I've learned along the way and things I'm still learning. Everything from creating a garden, utilizing resources, to recycling old pallets and turning it into furniture. So far I have made 4 chairs, two tables, a fence, a fence gate, raised garden beds, a front deck, all by using free resources and only investing my time and a few boxes of screws. It's amazing at what one can accomplish when you take a leap of faith and start searching for resources that are here for the taking.

You can also follow me at:

http://www.facebook.com/ayresacreadvice.com

http://ayresacreadvice.blogspot.com