Some things are noted... First it was warm winter, by our measure, meaning there was no 2 weeks of solid snow. And there were some wired 75-80F days... As a result some of the orchard trees are in bloom, regardless of the mulch blankets.
We had to throw water there in March and did water the trees. We did a it in February. It was bone dry everywhere, orchard did hold. We also got water rights estimates and our water ditches were full, but we see 30-40% less water compared to the last year.
Having that we did put in some good measures in place, but we obviously do not know if it is enough.
Therefore some observations and such.
Summer food need preservation, wasting good food to rot is no good, therefore...
1) I did learn how can a lot more things compared to my old Russian land stewards heritage.
It is mostly about protein, low acid foods. Why is it? Because when there is no solid cold in the air it's either freezer (limited space) or shelves in cold room... meaning nope do not have root cellar and really want to (dream of apple and fruit storage and roots and carrots and potatoes storage... that would be so nice and maybe a bit of a wine cellar too...). So... what does one do... Trying on small about $100 worth scale to store my winter squash and some pumpkins in my garage. Half open plastic tubs. I can see what is happening (because my old cedar chest went caput, one squash I did not notice and there was mold infestation I could not take out in food safe manner... and my pumpkins are well off the floor on industrial wire shelf). Also I set thermometer there and I'm above freezing there, most of the winter. Ans it was warm one. Second, my pantry is reorganized.
Staples are soups, kinchi, soup and stew bases, proteins, beans, corn and such... pickles granted already have being there, and it turns out my green tomato-carrot-vegetable canned base goes into canned soups very nicely (it was used only in stove top soups cook and freeze style because I do long cooking things on weekend only... pressure canning saved me lots of time actually).
As a result I learned how to save my food without preservatives and commercial additives and can that in raw pack form my soups (proven safe recipes and formulas exist) and it turns out nice and has nothing to do in the taste and the quality of the store bought stuff. That alone freed a lot of my freezer space. Also I have dehydrator which extends my winter dishes prep into that area. I can can soup ans stock and have decent equipment to do so in large batches and do a lot and be done which does work with my work schedule. Do bulk, stash and ho about my other things.
2) Water conservation is still the priority and will be in high mountain desert
We will get less water it was dry winter in the mountains, it was dry here as well. It means we mulch, for raised beds we use logs because I get them free. I watch my logs because I do not want the bad bugs it takes work and here is my bug crew if I see any bug larvae, when they are hungry they go
Logs that I suspect have bugs inside do this
3) Orchard and wind block got spring additions
Orchard got mulched last winter-spring and is not mulched this year, I seded there good bit of wild flowers and hoping more will come this year.
Wind block got new wood chips rings
this way I'll have more bio diversity, and will control weeds around my new wind block. I found that most of black forest pines I lost, red cedar is a usual picture boy and got much much larger. Supporting tree is caragana. I do not have deciduous tree line on my wind block... I do not think I can get enough water and not fan of cottonwoods (canker). I still I can get another species there but... it's thinking time now and looking at not so near neighbor property red cedar works...
I'm testing bates in single pot indoors on my tear up seedlings... so far rolly-polly demolish anything from tomato seedlings to whatever. Nasty bugs...
Important observations made: warm winters can cause lice and mites outbreaks. I've never seeing black mites before, they look like black compost dirt and one can see those moving only at night. so watch your poultry during warm winters. I got hen I examined and on sellers site I did not see anything, had mites all over it in a week. Entire flock is treated with elector psp (spinosad) and all taken care off, I do spinosad preventative now in coops and in runs if I suspect any dirty bottom. Turns out mites cause diarrhea and that is seeing before hen becomes lethargic. Now I watch things a lot more.
Side observation indoors on seedlings... spinosad applied on soil and directly on rolly-polly does nothing to them. Kills earwigs so...
I'm trying to test rolly-polly spinosad bate. Commercially available, but very expensive.
For my amounts chickens ... perimeter garden clean up is the best, only they go for worms first. So I have them on perimeter duty. And I see less of rolly-polly where chickens work. I garden when radish and some other things are seeded chickens do more damage then bugs. I sooooo need more rolly-polly hunting spiders.
So far collecting these on bate scrap squash worked most effective... will try potatoes as well , cheap sale potatoes...
5) Warm winter means early chicks and early broody...
In not heated coop that's a no-go, she set on next 2 feet of the coop floor, gave her the box and moved with the box... she is 'want THE EGGS' kind of a broody and not 'what THIS SPOT" kind of a broody, those do not move...
These are all russian orlofs and 3 half orloff half olive eggers (mix of show maran and show americana and show legbars), therefore mix is lighter and has feathered legs (and painted purple with bluecotte legs so I know these darn sure...)
set up next to the broody (she started purr-ing as soon as she hears chicks, so that's a good sign)
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