This morning I wanted to make a fire. Tossed a log in the fireplace. Plonk. A chunk of firebrick falls out. 😱

Plans cancelled. Took off the door plate to inspect. That brick had been missing a long time and only the final piece fell out, so not terrible but not great either considering its still the middle of a fucking 30 year winter.

Dug up my stash of refractory bricks, found one of the right size, scrubbed off the moss and put it in the oven to dry.

Luckily also had a pack of refractory mix. Did the most awkward bricklaying job ever, through a hole, brick to be inserted from the bottom hanging down, working lamp inside the burn chamber and using the selfie cam on my phone to see.

Seems to have worked, but my day is gone.

#DIY #Repair #Fireplace #MasonryHeater #Homestead

This is why I love rotationally grazing our critters. This path from the chicken tractor's movement is much more green than the areas it didn't touch. Rather than having their manure decimate the soil, as it does in static coops and runs, it has energized the soil for spring growth. The pasture is only just emerging from winter and we can already see a noticeable difference their presence has made. Beyond this, our birds haven't skipped a beat all winter. We've gotten eggs every day all winter and no one suffered any of the common winter issues like frost bite or hypothermia. In addition to a high quality feed, we also gave high protein, high fat scratch in the evenings to keep their little bellies full and warm. It's a win win for the animals, the land, and ourselves.

#RegenerativeAg #chickens #homestead #homesteading #rotationalgrazing #pasturedchickens #chickentractor

This is why I love rotationally grazing our critters. This path from the chicken tractor's movement is much more green than the areas it didn't touch. Rather than having their manure decimate the soil, as it does in static coops and runs, it has energized the soil for spring growth. The pasture is only just emerging from winter and we can already see a noticeable difference their presence has made. Beyond this, our birds haven't skipped a beat all winter. We've gotten eggs every day all winter and no one suffered any of the common winter issues like frost bite or hypothermia. In addition to a high quality feed, we also gave high protein, high fat scratch in the evenings to keep their little bellies full and warm. It's a win win for the animals, the land, and ourselves.

#RegenerativeAg #chickens #homestead #homesteading #rotationalgrazing #pasturedchickens #chickentractor