Any Homesteaders here?

[FathertoFeathers]

I’m really interested in homesteading and would love to hear your experiences about it. What animals do you keep? How many of each? How much does it cost? What plants do you grow? Just anything like that. Id like to get a general idea of what I can expect or to prepare for. Thank you!

 

[chickenlittle21]

I keep chickens, ducks, and sheep. They are all pretty much easy to care for. I have 18 sheep, over 40 chickens, and 7 ducks and their feed isn't that expensive and is especially cheaper at tractor supply.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@FathertoFeathers

First thing first - everyone homesteads/farms/is self sufficient differently! The comparison trap is hard to get through; you may not think one person is doing something right, or another person is perfect. This guy may be in the mountains with heavy machinery to build his cabin while another quiet soul is in Alaska doing it alone with a chainsaw mill. You're going to hear different stories all over the place - take it all in and make your journey YOUR OWN.

We've been at it for 5 years. No we aren't 100% self sufficient but we have made alot of steps to earn our income multiple ways including passively. We enjoy what we get to do- we've took that income and invested in things to not only sustain us, but to continue to make money. This includes the initial investment of our sawmill years ago. Our old antique tractor that pulls its weight for sure. Our vehicles.

We've had terrible luck with animals- and we are down to three hens and two ducks and we are lucky to get one egg every few days. Our garden normally does great, but seed in the freezer went bad and out of about 300 to 400 corn kernels planted - two stalks made it up. One watermelon plant survived. The only thing we got to grow was accidental birdhouse gourds that came up on their own. So right now we are not food sufficient.

We repurpose alot and pick up hides and other parts from a deer processor to tan hides and make other crafts/sell. Tanning has been an important, valuable, and rewarding hobby. Trapping is also a valuable skill. We cut our own firewood as well.

Our biggest pride...we built our first home by ourselves - a timber framed from trees we cut ourselves and milled ourselves! We drug it out to the build site behind the tractor and put alot of work into it. Though lost to an accidental fire a few years back, we are almost done with a log cabin (home #2) built ourselves now too. It's been a challenge due to injury, weather, and lack of machinery. BUT so rewarding. Next step is porch and squared log addition, then A-frame. We also plan to build a big workshop.

Does this help any? Can I answer any questions, explain anything, give more info, share experiences?

 

[FathertoFeathers]

@FathertoFeathers

First thing first - everyone homesteads/farms/is self sufficient differently! The comparison trap is hard to get through; you may not think one person is doing something right, or another person is perfect. This guy may be in the mountains with heavy machinery to build his cabin while another quiet soul is in Alaska doing it alone with a chainsaw mill. You're going to hear different stories all over the place - take it all in and make your journey YOUR OWN.

We've been at it for 5 years. No we aren't 100% self sufficient but we have made alot of steps to earn our income multiple ways including passively. We enjoy what we get to do- we've took that income and invested in things to not only sustain us, but to continue to make money. This includes the initial investment of our sawmill years ago. Our old antique tractor that pulls its weight for sure. Our vehicles.

We've had terrible luck with animals- and we are down to three hens and two ducks and we are lucky to get one egg every few days. Our garden normally does great, but seed in the freezer went bad and out of about 300 to 400 corn kernels planted - two stalks made it up. One watermelon plant survived. The only thing we got to grow was accidental birdhouse gourds that came up on their own. So right now we are not food sufficient.

We repurpose alot and pick up hides and other parts from a deer processor to tan hides and make other crafts/sell. Tanning has been an important, valuable, and rewarding hobby. Trapping is also a valuable skill. We cut our own firewood as well.

Our biggest pride...we built our first home by ourselves - a timber framed from trees we cut ourselves and milled ourselves! We drug it out to the build site behind the tractor and put alot of work into it. Though lost to an accidental fire a few years back, we are almost done with a log cabin (home #2) built ourselves now too. It's been a challenge due to injury, weather, and lack of machinery. BUT so rewarding. Next step is porch and squared log addition, then A-frame. We also plan to build a big workshop.

Does this help any? Can I answer any questions, explain anything, give more info, share experiences?

This helps A LOT. Makes me feel better at my garden not doing great. I just lost all of my melons and squash plants except for one wimpy watermelon plant to a bug infestation.
Whats happened to all of your animals?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@FathertoFeathers - Freak accident to goat, waking up to let ducks out and over a span of a few months it appeared as if three of them had choked overnight somehow? This has been years ago. Dec 2017 a dog attack cost basically the rest of the flock as it killed all but a handful. Since then we've beefed things up and grew/learned from it sadly

 

[Tre3hugger]

Hello @FathertoFeathers
My wife and I stared our homestead journey 2 years ago on 5 acres. We are totally off grid, meaning the power lines do not come to my house. We run off a solar/battery bank system that I installed myself with my brother in law. We heat with firewood, making us ALMOST energy self sufficient(we use propane stove and refrigerator.) My wife and I's system is she is mostly in charge of planting/gardens and food preservation(canning, butchering). I am in charge of animal husbandry, construction projects, and all culling/slaughtering. We help each other when needed of course but these are our strengths so we play to them.

Right now I keep about 30 layers(sell eggs to a CSA every week) and this year I am trying my hands at broilers(11 cornish x). We also have 11 guineas for tick control. We plan to implement meat rabbits in the spring, and goats(milk and meat) and bees(honey and pollination.) are also on our want list for the next 3-5 years. My wife does some raised garden food beds(tomatoes, peppers, green beans, lettuces) and grows a lot of medicinal herbs and flowers which increases the profit in our Herbal Wellness business. We also devoted about 1/2 acre to legal hemp. Quite profitable. We sell things from candles to tinctures to salve.
Never underestimate the importance of good soil/compost!! It all starts there.

Self sufficiency is a never ending journey. Every time I cross something off the list that I used to buy at the store but now I provide for my self swells my heart and gives me motivation. In a country where only 2% of people know how to produce their own food, self sufficiency is a rebellious and extreme goal. We have been trained for life to consume and checking out of that system is both liberating and profound.

People with this mindset, willing to trade convenience for wholesome hard work/production, if it is to be safed at all, will save the world.

Would be happy to answer any questions. Good luck on your journey.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Hello @FathertoFeathers
My wife and I stared our homestead journey 2 years ago on 5 acres. We are totally off grid, meaning the power lines do not come to my house. We run off a solar/battery bank system that I installed myself with my brother in law. We heat with firewood, making us ALMOST energy self sufficient(we use propane stove and refrigerator.) My wife and I's system is she is mostly in charge of planting/gardens and food preservation(canning, butchering). I am in charge of animal husbandry, construction projects, and all culling/slaughtering. We help each other when needed of course but these are our strengths so we play to them.

Right now I keep about 30 layers(sell eggs to a CSA every week) and this year I am trying my hands at broilers(11 cornish x). We also have 11 guineas for tick control. We plan to implement meat rabbits in the spring, and goats(milk and meat) and bees(honey and pollination.) are also on our want list for the next 3-5 years. My wife does some raised garden food beds(tomatoes, peppers, green beans, lettuces) and grows a lot of medicinal herbs and flowers which increases the profit in our Herbal Wellness business. We also devoted about 1/2 acre to legal hemp. Quite profitable. We sell things from candles to tinctures to salve.
Never underestimate the importance of good soil/compost!! It all starts there.

Self sufficiency is a never ending journey. Every time I cross something off the list that I used to buy at the store but now I provide for my self swells my heart and gives me motivation. In a country where only 2% of people know how to produce their own food, self sufficiency is a rebellious and extreme goal. We have been trained for life to consume and checking out of that system is both liberating and profound.

People with this mindset, willing to trade convenience for wholesome hard work/production, if it is to be safed at all, will save the world.

Would be happy to answer any questions. Good luck on your journey.

Do you have to go into town to buy food for your animals or do you let them just grave and get what they need that way?

 

[Tre3hugger]

I currently buy bird food about once a month. I feed everyone an all flock except my meat birds, who get 20% starter/grower. The egg money I make pays for the food for all my birds. I do however have 1/2 acre set aside for growing some grain/grasses. That is a long term goal though, as my wife has chosen to focus on flower, veggies and herbs first.

I do supplement my chickens diet daily with vegetable scraps. I believe this cuts down on my feed bill. I also measure the correct amount of feed for my chickens daily(about 1/3lb), which helps me calculate my feed cost/needs more accurately and all but eliminates waste. The guineas are free fed in their night coop, but range all day and really don't eat much.

Do you have to go into town to buy food for your animals or do you let them just grave and get what they need that way?

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Alright my parents have found a plot of land were very interested in but I was wondering before we buy it is there anything that you should have on land before you buy it. Is there anything that makes lifer harder or easier on certain plots of land? What would you look for on land?

 

[Pullet Press]

Homesteading (in my mind self-sufficient farming) is really fun (it has hardships, but I won't mention those). There are all sorts of platforms that have homesteading stuff on them. YouTube is the best for this. Two channels in particular are really helpful, Lumnah Acres and Justin Rhodes. Their methods are different, but both are effective and can be used. Also in my signature, check out the book I mentioned. It is 4 inches thick, but it has an abundance of homesteading knowledge.