Covo Hills Farm

June 26, 2010 Rain good for the crops

Summer Rain has been good for Covo crops,

those for cash like corn and

those for fun like pumpkins.

Inside, the mud room is taking shape and the a new window was added above the decorative glass.

June 18 - 19, 2010 A roof over their heads

Welcome to Covo Hills

Jeff and Dan drove out to Covo Hills on Friday afternoon, passing through the worst storm of the season, fraught with tornado force winds and driving rain, thunder and lightning, power outages and downed trees. They arrived safely, glad to have a secure building to sleep in - instead of the tiny camper under the trees. Jeff said the sound of the rain on the metal roof was so loud, they could barely hear each other talk - but at least they were safe and ready to work the next day - which was nice and sunny.

The drywall throughout the whole building is nearly completed.
The front wall was a huge accomplishment.
The drywall is notched around every beam,
which took extra time and effort - but looks so custom.

Jeff looks safe on the scaffolding, but at one point, he and Dan
tumbled off together.

Looking towards the mudroom and loft.

Interior window using Deena's glass blocks

Another glass block window between the mudroom
and garage

One of Dan's finds - Cabinets installed in the equipment barn

There's gotta be a story behind this photo. Dan?

Garlic

Pumpkin

Grapevine

June 6, 2010 Planting time

Sisters at work

One of those rare summer days when we all get out to the farm together. Deena and Charlene are beautifying the lodge area by transplanting hostas and
other perennials from their home garden.

Dan lends a hand

Charlene

Deena


Covo gals - Marianne, Deena and Charlene

Meanwhile, Dan and Jeff are drywalling the lodge loft, as Marianne paints window frames.

No day is complete without seeing Cash, our friendly neighbor farm boy, who thoughtfully brought over a snake skin for Mitchell.

Cash

May 23, 2010 Racin' with the wind

Jake and Katie

People, other than those named Cortopassi and Voellinger, either make up excuses for not coming out to to the farm, can be arm twisted into coming out for the day or love coming out to the farm (Uncle Palmer for one, Jess's boyfriend Tyler is another).

Then there's Jake, an avid summer camp kid who took to the farm like a natural.

May 14, 2010 - What a view

New Bench

View from the bench

The initial CRP plantings in the south hayfield includes 8.5 acres of shrubs, white pines, cedar trees, clover, little blue stem, Indian grass and forbes (wildflowers). We also planted a food plot with three types of milo, a great cover source in the winter with seeds for food.

Neat rows

Back at the lodge, progress continues with some finishing touches already going in. Window and wall moldings really stand out against the green drywall. The shower is a tease as we have no running water now but maybe in the future. And the back door separates the living area from the garage.

Shower

Bedroom

Door installation

Side wall

Our back door, complete with stairs and a stoop

Equipment Barn

Corn is sprouting

May 2 - 3, 2010 - Conservation Reserve Program Begins

Dan looks at home in his camo

Dan enters Covo Hills Farm into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this spring as a way to attract wildlife, mainly turkeys and pheasants, for hunting. CRP grasses, shrubs and trees are native prairie species that once thrived in the Midwest and give wildlife areas to rest, feed and take cover from predators.

Scott Schaffer is our Department of National Resources (DNR) contact. He's the expert who plans and helps us with planting grasses, burning fields and getting some of the bare root trees for free. Woodland Forestry sprays for weeds and plants grasses and trees for us.

Ladder looks a little precarious up there

A new purchase this year is scaffolding found on Craig's list and purchased from a defunct clothing boutique in downtown Chicago. Every season, the owner had artists paint full wall murals that accented her new clothing designs. They will greatly aid in insulating, drywalling and painting the soaring front wall.

April 10, 2010 Covo Springs into Action

Going to new heights

The lodge looks pretty finished from this view but there is still much work to be completed in 2010. With the framing done for the most part, it's time to begin putting in the insulation and drywall.