Saturday Prep Post--Jamming with the Chicken Coop

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When I last filled you in on the chicken coop project we left it like this.  And it stayed this way for about three weeks due to Jeff and Jordan's crazy work schedule.  Jeff was, however, able to take a couple of days off and I am so glad to see some great progress being made.  We have one hen who is laying one egg every day in the chicken tractor.  I am sure she will be happy to have a real nesting box and a little privacy in the next few days.

Thursday and Friday the guys headed out back.

It's been bright, sunny weather with mild temps so sunshades were required....At least if you are a cool 15 year old!

The roof work is almost completed.

The doors are finished and the trimwork just needs a coat of paint.

Jeff is sharpening a carpenter's pencil ready to mark some wood.

Jackson is happy to be working with his dad!

Caedmon has already learned we measure twice and cut once!

This is my BABY!!  Can't believe he will be three this next week!

Aaron is cutting some board while Jeff watches on.

My boys have learned so many skills with this project!  Some mistakes have been made and corrected as they have worked all together.  This hasn't been a cheap project, but you can't put a price tag on the skills they have learned or on the time that they have been able to spend with their dad.  Priceless!!

Measuring for another cut.

Jordan putting on the shingles.  I think the older boys did all the shingle work themselves.

And Jackson was there to make sure they did their work well.  Or else!

Digging holes for the fence posts to get started on the chicken run.

Jeff is checking out the work on the shingles.

This is what it looks like this morning.  Lots of progress in the last two days!

Today the plan is to trim the shingles, finish out the inside with nesting boxes and a screened-in wall, and to get the chicken run completed.  Lots to do out there!

And while they are busy outside the girls and I will finish defrosting and taking stock of the the last of the freezers (I did two smaller ones yesterday) and making muscadine jelly.  Jordan has been foraging in our woods the last few weeks and has collected a huge amount of muscadines.  He has been bagging them up for the freezer and yesterday I cooked them down, strained them and got a gallon of juice. 

I wonder how many jars of jelly or jam I have?  No matter what happens we will have a great variety to spread on our fresh bread.   We'll all be busy today so I better get hopping!

Wild frozen muscadines with a few fresh on top

A gallon of muscadine juice

Linked up at homesteadrevival.blogspot.com

Photos courtesy of Kaelan Elizabeth Chamblee