Homesteaders

kentuckychicks said:

Thanks! I appreciate your input! My granddad is in his late 70s and still has beef cattle though he says he's getting too old for much else. He was a hobby animal farmer while working in the coal mines. He never and I mean never throws anything away so we dug through his old stripping barn last week and the angels started singing I swear! I really racked up! I got 12 metal nesting boxes metal hanging waterer and feeder for chickens plus two trailers full of old barn wood! Only found two old windows not broken or rotted so I took them too! That should be almost my whole chicken coop! Happy dance here! My brother in law is a contractor so I have him on the look out for building supplies (most people pay him to haul old windows doors ect to the dump so he gets payed and I get free stuff!) This year I probably got 300+ mason jars after asking on Facebook if anyone had any for sell. Someone's grandmother had went into the nursing home and no one in the family was into canning so I got them all free (well I promised to can them some green ketchup never made it but I have their grandmas recipe)

My next door neighbor is an older lady and she has six huge walnut trees I can have as many has I want as long as I pick up a bushel for her since she has trouble getting around. I need to actually head over there this afternoon....

I buy my kids clothes mostly out of season for the next year when everything goes on clearance.

It is all about finding an opportunity but more people amaze me my moms neighbor had several huge Apple trees when the née neighbors moved in they cut them down because " they didn't want to deal with the mess" sigh

Does anyone find it odd that I'm 30 and that whenever I go in public I always end up chatting with people who are 70 plus?!?! Lol

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kentuckychicks said:

Just wanted to share my canning pantry but I have tons more in my laundry room, my kitchen, hall closets, bedroom closet and under my bed. I really need more storage for food!!!

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ctrymama said:

Well just came from me meeting downtown with the planning and zoning guy, first step is done, we are cleared to have chickens and rabbits. As it turns out we are zoned agricultural and don't need a permit after all, which actually will make homesteading all the more easy. My kids are so happy and are asking to start working on the coop today.

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rancher hicks said:

I'm not 70 but I have no trouble chatting with younger like minded folks.  I'm only old on the outside.  Move it or lose it.  That's my motto.  

So I planted that Apple tree.  Used all the soil from my potted plants to help fill in the hole too.  Plan to order me a Crab Apple to go with it.  Don't need more than two or three I think. 

 Picked some of those pears next door. He's go more but I need to drag over a latter.  They don't ripen on the tree.  Did you know?   

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kentuckychicks said:

Just wanted to share my canning pantry but I have tons more in my laundry room, my kitchen, hall closets, bedroom closet and under my bed. I really need more storage for food!!!

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kentuckychicks said:

Rancher hicks do you mind if I ask where you are from? Western Kentucky here!

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kentuckychicks said:

I didnt


I didn't know that! Haven't gotten around to pears yet I have apples cherries peach and plum but pears are on my next years list! I really want to learn about starting them myself

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RentaPig311 said:

Now that is beautiful! Learning to can is my focus right now. Do you or any one else have any suggestions for a good book that really breaks it down? There are so many topics for just canning that I'm having trouble finding a good well rounded book that will include:

Canning
Recipes
Hot water bath vs pressure canning
Fermenting
Storage

I tried pickles and they turned out disgustingly mushy. I then went to refrigerator pickles which we love but don't have the shelf life. I wanted to get into fermenting for the pro biotic benefit but I find the pressure issue to be confusing and there is a lot of talk about bad bacteria as well that I would like clarified.

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