new wine cellar under construction

Here we go.  I am building a dedicated wine cellar in the basement of the "new house".  I want a place where I can keep the carboys, barrels, bottles, cappers, presses, washing and the other endless supply of equipment I use to try to make good wine.

 

One corner of the room includes the well water tank.  Ground water contained therein will help cool the cellar.

 

 The other end of the cellar includes a sink (which will be upgraded at a future date)

 

 

So the cellar will not be huge. I don't have enough room for that.  It will be long and thin and two walls will be concret walls that are completely underground.  The other two walls are framed and will be insulated.  The whole idea is to keep the temp low and cave like.  I am hoping for about 60 degrees year round.



new ground

Right to the side of the house Barbara is planning a plot for herbs and a sort of kitchen garden.

Breaking ground

Every gardener needs a mule

 

 

 

 

The mule's best side

down this slope we plan to plant blue berries

Lots of saplings and weeds need to be removed.

Summer Living

We are really enjoying living out here on the land, it's really too good to be true!  Here are some of the things we get to enjoy on a daily basis!

Home grown tomatoes, there is nothing like it!

A beautiful view with a beautiful sunflower

The hops

loads of cucumbers

Tomatoes!  These are the Roma tomatoes, but we love them all!

More sunflowers

Our first apples from the orchard

Matt and Landen enjoying the view

Grapes from the vineyard (yes, we have a vineyard. Crazy, huh?) And they are DELICIOUS!

Fresh picked produce.... zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, apples, and peppers 

Hanging out at the shed

The men of the land...

Not bad, huh?

A turtle we spotted on our way back down

Off the path

The first apple ever picked from Kinnaird orchards...hope it's delicious!

So many cucumbers....making some pickles

Score Update

I stand corrected.....Bear-5, Kinnairds-0

Bear vs. Kinnairds

So, the bear visits again.  She has gotten in our trash about 4 times now.  After the first 3 times, John came out and built this little trash/tool shed against the house.  We thought we were in the clear, but the bear tested it out last night and after a few tries (it was very loud), she successfully broke it by ripping of the board with the latch on it.  I came out on the stoop to attempt to scare her off so that I would hopefully have less trash to clean up this morning and realized she also has a cub...so I promptly came back in and locked the door.  The cub climbed a tree and was adorable.  Mama Bear ran to make sure her cub was ok, then came back to drag off more trash.  I'm pretty sure there's another bag out there somewhere a little farther up the driveway.  

Must bear-proof out trash bin!

Score:

Bear-4

Kinnairds-0

Spring cleaning on the land!

Lots going on out on the mountain.  John just finished our chicken coop and brought 4 chickens, Matt finished the rain collection system at the shed, and I gave our porch a makeover.  

 One of many beautiful sunsets!

Chicken coop construction

The men...being manly!

Red waiting patiently for the chickens to come out and meet him.

 (He's trying to look harmless.)

 Almost finished, just needs some fencing.

The lovely ladies

Inspecting their new palace..

 Bribery with a tomato to keep the chicks around.

I love the white one!

Finishing touches

Our lettuce patch

 Delicious!

Rain collection system

 Dog house to the right

the cherry bushes now...Mmmmm!

now..

back when they first bloomed.

Our porch makeover (I'm creating an oasis....come on summer!)

Ready for some company!

Landen likes relaxing out here too!