Cécile Stelzer Johnson

All great suggestions, R. Ransom. The best one for me is making sure that in 1 trip, I accomplish as much as possible and I make a list. I found that making each trip pay off also lowers the number of trip total that I take, and, BONUS : I plan exactly what I'm going to buy and can find the cheapest option online. So I reduce my expenses and do a lot less "impulse" buying.
I plan to make a "Victory garden" of sort. Plant maximally, harvest and share maximally. Planting for my chickens is something I have not done reliably (they only got all the kitchen scraps), but I didn't go out of my way to grow something for them. This year, I will, as chicken food is getting more expensive too.
Another, but maybe that's what your meant when you said "bike" is a motorcycle. I have a Spyder with 2 large saddlebags (that I would not be able to fasten on a bicycle (which I don't have anyway)).
If you don't drive like a jackrabbit, you get a decent mileage. In the winter, in Wisconsin, my option is still limited, but as soon as good weather comes, I will be using my Spyder for everything (except large lumber).
Hubby loves his big Nissan Titan that barely fits in the garage, but because I don't have a cab separated from the cargo portion, I can haul 14 ft lumber, which he can't.
I had an employee follow me in the parking lot saying :"this, I gotta see". I lowered that passenger window and introduced the lumber that way, with the passenger seat laying down (my back sitting is always down, to max storage). I had the board sticking out of the front a bit, but not illegally.

Genevieve Lisa Pearson Coleman wrote:Something nobody ever mentioned to me, but which has been very useful on several occasions, is to have a secondary pen/holding area nearby - so, an area for ill/injured birds and plan an area next to the birds you already have for 'new' additions.  I have found that over the years birds die and you want to build up your stock - but when you introduce new birds to your original flock, they can be aggressive, so time spent next to each other, but with a fence between, can help the old birds get used to the new birds. After about a week or so, they usually have got used to the newcomers and can join without getting pecked on.

That's a very good point. I thought I mentioned at least having a "winter run" so they can step out of the coop but in a secure area while I'm cleaning the coop, but I did that before their first winter, so I didn't think of it as a correction.
But yes, and that is something I did later. I didn't do it exactly as a correction, but first, as I had a brooding hen, I built a small enclosure, covered, inside the coop where she could tend to her new babies while still being in sight of her friends. Moving a broody hen is always tricky and you risk her abandoning the clutch. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't; that's why I bought a brooder to finish the job if she quits.
But I also built another coop, in the second orchard and with a common fence because I wanted some ducks. Well, ducks are a pain to clean, but now that the secure coop is built, I used it to place the new chickens that I incubated, knowing that it might be hard to mix them later.
The 2 enclosures do, however, have a common fence, and while I was nervous opening that fence, it turns out my fears were unjustified: They had just a couple of days of mild "tiffs" to figure out the new pecking order when I first put them together (after about a week of looking at each other through that fence).

I have no experience whatsoever in this domain. My grandma told me that a good team of oxen can work wonders, and for a long time, especially in hard to access terrain, can turn better in tight corners, so I assume that they would be better suited for small properties.
But as has been mentioned elsewhere in the thread, working with oxen requires special skills. It is not just the handling in the field, but raising, training, feeding etc. as well as all the tools of the trade, the yoke, the leather harnesses...
If someone is interested in doing this, I would suggest approaching our friends the Amish, and paying them handsomely to do these chores for you before attempting to wrangle a team of oxen on your plot.
Tomorrow is the Spring Equinox, so it's a bit late to try working your plot this way for this year anyway.
The Amish have always been of sound advice in my experience. That would be the way to go in my humble opinion.

Coming from "the old world", my mindset has always been on "setting money aside". I thank my parents for teaching me to be a squirrel. Perhaps it's because when they lived under the Occupation in France, they had to make do with not much, so my mentality has always been that of a miser: I can live on "not much", so I've been able to manage fairly easily and never feel deprived:
Maybe that's what happiness is...
My tastes are not extravagant, especially now that I'm retired and in my late 70s.
I hate numbers, so I've never made a budget, but except for my first car, I never bought on layaway or installments. I think of layaway as a scam: It is a luxury, a convenience that we pay dearly for
Perhaps it's a cultural glitch in this country where we are constantly tempted to buy this or buy that: these commercials are a veritable assault on us (and on our wallets).
You know the "Never a lender or a borrower be"? Well, that's my mentality, and it has served me very well. I'm almost physically ill at the idea of owing money.
Not every decision of mine was good: I remember my twenties and how I felt it was "cool" to smoke cigarettes. For a couple of years, there, I smoked close to a pack a day. When I learned that the tobacco companies had been aware of the connection between cigarettes and lung cancer, I got really upset and felt that the only way to "punish" them was to not purchase their products. I quit cold turkey. (Well, in all honesty, my fiancé at the time helped. He said he really loved me, but kissing a chimney stack did not appeal to him..) That was an easy decision.
The most important expenses go to my health: fixing my teeth, my knees etc., that's priority #1.
I've bought cars and motorcycles, (maybe just shy of a dozen of each over the years) never on credit. As soon as I bought one, I'd start a fund for the next one, and I didn't buy until I could just buy cash.
Even for my homes, I was parsimonious in how I used credit: I put up front all the money I could and made sure I repaid the principal first. The home I bought in between 2 marriages all by myself cost $120,000. I put $60,000 up front, which lowered my payments (a lot) and paid the other $60,000 in 2.5 years. It was work, (don't buy much, no restaurants or cinemas, no travel). But for those couple of years, I worried. "What ifs" were on my mind constantly. I celebrated with cake the month after I paid my final installment.
I made mistakes too. I was young and in love when I bought my first timeshare. I tried to cancel it. It was very hard. but the second time I fell in love, I did it again. I ended up getting rid of the second one but I was hooked pretty hard on that first one and they didn't make it easy to cancel that share (It's a real sinecure for these crooks!). I ended up walking away from it. I still get bills and I throw them regularly in the circular file: I told them I felt hoodwinked and I gave it all back to them (They refused to hear me, so now, I refuse to hear them).
My advice, if you can call it that , is to examine what you are getting for all these "conveniences". You may be appalled at what you pay for it

Juan Roble wrote:Hi!.
I’ve also been thinking about protecting the hive in winter from the outside, using insulating panels like an outer shell or box around the hive. I’m not sure whether this would actually make things more comfortable for the bees, but I suspect that reducing some of the cold exposure might lower their winter stress.
Where my land is, the cold is usually not too extreme, but temperatures can still drop to -12°C (around 10.4°F).

You are correct that reducing stress from the cold will help your bees be more comfortable. You mention "insulating panels". Be careful to maintain adequate ventilation as these panels do not let any air in or out when they are tight: even though bees do not have lungs, they do have "spiracles" through which they absorb the oxygen from the air. They also need to fly out, even in the deep of winter to "cleanse"/ get rid of feces.
I live in Central Wisconsin, and we have severe winters, with temps that can reach -40F (=-40C) exceptionally, and they do survive those winters.
More important is to make sure that they have enough "stores", that they have made enough honey, (so don't take too much for yourself). To insure the bees survive, some beekeepers let them have all their honey and do not plunder their stores until dandelions come back.
Unlike  some mammals, bees do not hibernate, in the sense of going into a torpor. They cluster around their queen to keep her warm. They eat the honey they gathered during the summer for energy, and with that energy, they shiver.

Gordon Longfoot stated: "The problem with the existing pond is ducks and chickens, it's fine for other birds but I want dragonflys laying eggs in an undisturbed area".

Depending on the agility of your ducks and chickens, you can create a smaller pond that's too high for them to clamber over. I've had meat ducks and they never bothered to climb up into that big container that I set up on a sturdy support. I'd love to have dragonflies, so I inquired about what they like and don't like:
Key Tips for Undisturbed Dragonfly Habitats:
Avoid Fish: Fish prey on dragonfly larvae (nymphs), making them the primary reason for low dragonfly populations in small ponds. (But if you don't place fish in the smaller pond, you could use it for dragonflies)
Pesticide-Free Zone: Chemicals harm both adults and larvae. Instead, encourage a natural, balanced ecosystem.
Water Management: Avoid heavy water agitation, such as powerful fountains. Use subtle aeration if necessary, as dragonflies need still or slow-moving water to lay eggs.
Vertical Structure: Provide native emergent plants (reeds, sedges) for larvae to climb out of the water to emerge as adults, and vertical perches (bamboo, tall sticks) for adults to hunt and bask.
Let It Go Wild: Do not mow the grass immediately surrounding the pond; leave this for shelter and protection from wind.
Natural Edges: Create shallow, sloping banks with mud or sand, which allow females to lay eggs safely.
Mosquito Dunks are safe for dragonflies, but if you have frogs or toads, you won't need them. I liked this vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk3z-9vsOkM&t=198s

Fish decomposition is supposed to smell, so there's no getting around that. There may be things we can do to lessen the stench if we understand the process of decomposition better.
I was curious as to how long we can expect the stench and what makes it worse (or better for our garden), so I asked:
A decomposing fish typically smells bad for a few days to several weeks, depending on temperature, size, and location. In hot, humid conditions, a fish can decompose and smell for only a few days to a week, while in cooler or enclosed areas, the odor can persist for several weeks.

Key factors affecting the duration of the odor include:
Temperature and Humidity: Warmth and moisture accelerate decomposition and the release of odor-causing bacteria, shortening the overall duration of the stench, USDA (.gov).
Size: Larger fish create more organic matter to decompose, resulting in a longer-lasting, more intense odor than smaller fish.
Location: If a fish dies in an area with low airflow, the smell can linger longer.
Final Decomposition: The smell persists until the fish is entirely decomposed or dried out.  

So if the weather is hot and humid, it will decompose faster, but the stench will be pretty strong. If not, the stench will last... and last... and last!
The size and amount seems to be the factor that's easiest to influence : chop it finely and mix it with other stuff and it will decomp faster. The airflow can be influenced too. If you have a fan on, you won't suffer as long, or conversely, you can bury the fish pretty deep where you won't smell it, but if and when you turn that pile, that fish may still reminds itself to you!
Mention was made of critters visiting. That's where a bin is useful as it can prevent them from 'investigating'. A tight wire fence (1") is probably the best as it will keep critters (racoons) out while not restricting airflow too much. Buried in the garden, it can be unearthed by critters. Having cats around may prevent rats and mice, even our field mice, although they typically don't have rotting fish on their diet. But if cats to the investigating, we may not be better off.
If only the fishmeal they sell in stores wasn't so expensive!...

Jay Angler wrote:

Cécile Stelzer Johnson wrote: I heard that Native Americans used to bury fish under corn. I don't know how that turned out, but it should add *some* fertilizer.

I heard the Native Americans learned to do that from the European settlers. Prior to that, if soil fertility dropped, the Natives moved to a new location. Since they grew corn as a polyculture, it was less of an issue. Usually, easy firewood was getting scarce by that point also, so moving allowed trees to recover also.

I was curious about that, so I asked which cultures have used fish as fertilizer, and then, immediately, I knew: to use fish as fertilizer, fish has to be abundant and close. This is what I got:
Various cultures throughout history have used fish as fertilizer to improve soil health, most notably Indigenous North Americans, who buried fish to nourish crops like corn. Other cultures include ancient Egyptians (using Nile fish), ancient Romans, and traditional Indonesian farmers (rice-fish culture).
Key Historical Uses of Fish Fertilizer:
Indigenous North American Peoples: Often cited in lore (e.g., Squanto teaching settlers), they used fish, such as menhaden, to fertilize corn, beans, and squash by burying them under mounds.
Ancient Egyptians: Utilized fish carcasses and liquids from the Nile River.
Ancient Romans: Used fish waste to fertilize crops.
Japanese (Edo Period): Used commercial fish-based fertilizers derived from by-products of oil extraction.
Indonesian Farmers: Employed "rice-fish culture," where fish in flooded rice fields acted as both pest control and fertilizer.
Modern Applications: Fish emulsion is used today, developed from techniques dating back centuries.
Fish are used as fertilizer because they are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, providing necessary nutrients for plant growth.

Timothy Norton wrote:The spring melt is on and my chicken run is a giant sloshy mud pit. My poor hens!

Observing the run area, the farthest end is holding a small amount of water as the ground is semi-frozen/semi-thawed. The woodchip that has lasted much of the winter is at its water handling capacity and gives a bit of a squishy slosh underfoot. The lovely odor of avian livestock can be smelt if you are in the run so I need to do something.

I'm running low on on-hand carbon materials outside of some straw but that doesn't do much when it comes to water handling. I've thinking of getting my hands on some sawdust for the especially wet areas and then obtaining a bale or two of pine shavings to spread through the run. While the coop functions a a dry safe area, I'd feel better giving them a dry spot in their run.

I'm going to have to look at getting  roof established because that will help mitigate future water away from the run.

How do you deal with muddy runs?

1/If you have yet lower land nearby, you could trace a narrow channel (With a hoe) so it runs even lower. It doesn't need to be very deep, just so it removes a good part of the moisture.
2/ In an area that is constantly wet as soon as it run, I'd consider making a deep hole (Like a 55 gallon drum) and install a submersible pump. (Yeah, I know. If the ground is frozen, that's quite a chore... and it assumes that you could run a pump and the electric that far from the plug in).
3/ Yet another option is to plant thirsty trees. Those suckers drink! and for the oaks, you will (eventually) get mast!) but they will take a while to get established...
The river birch tree needs a lot of water, like 100 gal/day for an established tree.
Willow Oak Tree needs 50-100 gallons/day in the summer
Swamp White Oak Tree over 100 gal/day
Weeping Willow Tree. 10 gal per diameter inch/week
4/ Depending how long you expect the crisis to last, you may want to keep them locked for a day or two?
5/I don't suppose you have the option of running your chickens on higher ground...
6/ If that's not an option, you may have to go to Tractor supply and get some bales/ sacs of chips. I can cover the inside of my coop and also most of their winter run with 5 of those .At $5-6 a pop, it adds to the cost of eggs, but the health of your hens may be more important. That, and the fact that if their feet are full of mud, they'll track it in and their eggs may all have to be washed.
Day after tomorrow, we are expecting 2ft of snow in Central WI. ,so I'm looking at something similar.
Good luck with your project.  The roof is a great idea too: you can use a water barrel to keep them watered when summer arrives...

Gray Henon wrote:We've had good luck composting mammal butchering scraps in 55 gal drums using wood chips to absorb the stink.  Gave it a try with some carp carcasses.  Holy stink!  Anyone else compost fish?  How do you do it?

If you can bury it (deep!) immediately, there is a plus. If not, hope racoon, rats etc. don't come at night to unbury it... Or cross your fingers they won't come and deal with the stench as best you can.
Odors, a putrid as can be, do not hurt. I heard that Native Americans used to bury fish under corn. I don't know how that turned out, but it should add *some* fertilizer.