So nice to be out today

The weather was nice today and I got to get out and do a few things that I wanted to get done before it was too warm. I had the task of defrosting freezers today. It was cold enough that I could set things out and them not thaw and warm enough that I didn't freeze to death. I got all the food out of the biggest chest freezer and used a pancake turner to get the frost off the walls which only took a few minutes. The trick I use to keep the frost from really adhering to the freezer walls is to wipe it down after cleaning with a cloth that has a bit of cooking oil on it. It makes the interior surface of the freezer slippery and the next time I defrost the ice comes off easily just like it did today. With all the frost and ice in the bottom of the freezer I use a clean dust pan to scoop it up and take it out side, wipe down the walls with hot soapy water, dry and then wipe again with the oiled cloth. Turn it back on and load it up. Easy and fast. Got all the freezers cleaned and somewhat organized and then moved on to the summer kitchen to sort that out. I had a 25 lb bag of flour that needed to be vacuum sealed for storage and I got that done. Now I have to locate some of my good buckets with tight fitting lids to put the bags in to store in the cellar. Still have one more bag to go. But I had to bring it in the house to come to room temp first, so maybe tomorrow. When I was in my outbuilding I did locate some more half gallon canning jars and I think I might use those to store the other bag of flour in so there is not a problem of where to put vacuum sealed bags.
  While I was doing this Rodger got the brooder house cleaned out, all the used bedding from the last bunch of chickens hauled out and piled up so it can compost. Then he started the weed eater with the brush blade to cut some brush in preparation for he and Jason to cut a couple trees that are shading the grape vines out back. I worked  a little bit on weeding my strawberry pyramid in the back yard till my fingers got too cold and I had to give that up. Not to mention the back don't allow the bending over to do those task to well right now.  When Jason got here he took the wheel barrow and hauled some limestone gravel from the pile near the back drive way to out building where the mower and 4 wheeler are kept and spread those in there to keep the equipment out of the mud. It does get quite wet in there with any amount of rain or snow. We still need to work on the back drive to get the ditches to drain the water away and that building will stay much drier. That will for sure have to be a project for warmer drier weather. It is mud back there right now.
The primary thing on my hit list tomorrow is to get the greenhouse ready to recover with plastic and get some soil in some seed flats and ready to start some plants. As I was looking at my calendar from last garden season I had several things started by the end of February and we are fast approaching the end of this month.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.

Stella