ATTN homesteaders!

[WVDoug]

I'm trying to go solar, at least as a back up for my chest freezer. It's small and only used 20W/hr in the winter and maybe 30 in the summer. A couple of deep cycle batteries and a 250W panel should be enough.
I do have solar in the barn because it's cost prohibitive (right now, anyway) to run electric out there. I have a 5W panel going to a combination 7AH battery/charge controller box with 2 12V lighter sockets and a USB outlet. It powers 2 2W LED lights hanging from the trusses. These could be on for over 10 hours and use less than 50% of the battery capacity. Bright enough to check on the chickens in the late evening, and the one over the workbench is good enough to work under. The light is omnidirectional, so I added customized aluminum pie plates for reflectors to aim the light down instead of illuminating the roof and trusses. The solar will also be providing the power for my automatic coop door, which I'll show picture of once finished.
I also have a 7W panel that keeps my mower and quad batteries topped off. Eventually I'll set up my 45W Harbor Freight system out there with a couple of batteries and and the inverter I have so I can run some power equipment once in a while.
I thought of wind power (and still do when it's windy), but between all the moving parts, the tower, and average wind speed only being about 4-5mph, I can't see it being worth it.
If I had a stream running through my property I'd definitely be using hydro power. It's doesn't have to be a large system because it's running 24/7.

 

[RichnSteph]

WVDoug you just reminded me that I need to get a solar set up for the chicken coop/hay barn.

 

[Teery]

Homesteading IMO, means going back in time before electricity and gas. Electricity has only been in common use (available to everyone) for less than a hundred years. I am not suggesting people live without it however, I do suggest people study the methods and practices of how people in the past did live without it. This way, your self reliant skills improve and your energy use can in essence become minimal if that is your goal.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Homesteading IMO, means going back in time before electricity and gas. Electricity has only been in common use (available to everyone) for less than a hundred years. I am not suggesting people live without it however, I do suggest people study the methods and practices of how people in the past did live without it. This way, your self reliant skills improve and your energy use can in essence become minimal if that is your goal.

Same here! I used to stay with my great-granny during summer vacations and often during winter break. She lived out in the country and had no electricity or indoor plumbing, and I was blessed enough to learn things from her that most people today haven't a clue about. Among other things she taught me how to cook and bake and do canning on a wood cook stove (the one I have has a warming oven and a hot water reservoir, which hers didn't have), and how to make optimum use of the gardens, wild edibles, and the root cellar. At my grandparents' insistence, she finally agreed to get electricity in the mid 1980's, but even then she rarely ever used it. She passed away a few years ago in her 90's and still didn't have indoor plumbing in her house.

While I have do have modern provisions in my home (with the exception of a microwave, which I refuse to have), I also have everything I need to run a household (and grow veg gardens and raise livestock), without them. My children are a bit odd in that they actually look forward to winter storms that take the power out for a week or more at a time, as life slows down, but yet still goes on here at home pretty much as normal. Even now, when the weather is nice, I tend to use the wash tubs, board, and hand wringer, and hang the clothes out on the line rather than use the washer/dryer, as it saves on the electric bill. I guess the only thing I'm missing now that I really, really need/want is an outhouse (I've already got the hollyhocks

). Where we live right now we can't have one, but we're looking for another place and, besides the barn, that's the first thing that's going up.

 

[lovecountrylife]

Hey y'all! New to Backyard Chickens and new to the whole raising chickens thing!

I've become very interested in homesteading and becoming as self-sufficient as possible. Recently I moved back in with my parents so my boyfriend and I can save money to buy some land and start a homestead of our own. During my time here I've been experimenting as much as possible and taking advantage of all of my parents land and resources to get the ball rolling and gain experience. So far my plans include expanding the garden (with hopes of having a booth at the local farmers market this summer, also crossing my fingers that shortly I won't have to rely on store bought produce), raising a small flock of chickens along with coop building, experimenting with fermentation (I have kombucha up to my ears right now), and experimenting with harvesting and making my own herbal remedies. I have so much to look forward to this summer with everything i've been investing my time in.

I started this thread just to possibly gain some knowledge on any of the above subjects, have conversations, hear stories, make some friends with similar thoughts etc, etc. with other homesteaders or self-sufficient experts out there! So if any of you are interested in sharing anything with me I'd be more than happy to converse! Thanks for reading! Hope to hear from some of you soon!

Justine 

Hey if you have any tips for me I would love some! My garden didn't go over well due to my dog and squirrels. But I have really gotten into natural remedies, canning, making my own bread with not a lot of luck but it is a learning experience. Also bought the book Nourishing Traditions. A great read and some really good recipes. How is the fermentation going? I am still a little iffy about it myself

 

[Sfraker]

I would love to live off the grid. I will not be a true homesteader in that I enjoy working and I like my electricity. Two years ago we moved from Wisconsin to Charlotte, NC for my work. We rented for a bit then stumbled across a great fixer upper sitting on 10 wooded acres with a creek! The home was built and decorated in the 80's by an elderly couple. I feel like I'm at Grandma's house everyday! Someday we will update it, but right now I'm more focused on other things.

I have 5 ducks for eggs (and great fertilized water for the plants), just got 6 guineas to help with bugs/ticks and planted 17 different varieties of berries/vegetables. I didn't know what would do well her in the south and what wouldn't so I planted a few of everything!

Now that I've started harvesting and planting my second planting of some items I am learning what works and what doesn't. So next summer we will have a bountiful harvest of a few things, rather than a few of a lot of things. I admit I had way more failures than successes but that's ok, it was my first year of decades to come. Eventually I will get it all perfected.
Some of my failures have been kind of funny. I didn't get the heavy clay soil loosened enough so I have really short FAT carrots!

Good luck in your homesteading project. Remember each failure teaches you something and is just a tweak or two away from being a Success!

 

[alldembirds]

I am getting close to finished with my first off the grid house, 12' x 20' with 2 lofts, no electricity at all. I have never built anything at all so its an adventure, just the two of us. I am going to build several more small houses in the near future, at least 3. One will be even smaller than my almost complete one, built into the side of a hill for a nice temperature controlled place on these hot summer days. I also want to build an earth berm dog shelter. Next I am going to build me an outbuilding for a composting toilet(less regulation than an outhouse) I am used to outdoor toilets and houses with nothing but a couple working lights , cant wait to finish and move in.

my beans didnt do great this year but i got buckets and buckets of blackberries . stray cats keep getting into my garden and using it........... and those darn deer have destroyed my little cherry trees.

 

[Soltaria]

I just bought 11 acres in July and we have been working our tails off to get it fenced and ready for homesteading. But we need a house, septic, and utilities before it can be home. I'm really looking forward to when we can finally move out there. I've been planning for this for years now and am so excited to see it finally coming to fruition!

 

[RichnSteph]

I just bought 11 acres in July and we have been working our tails off to get it fenced and ready for homesteading. But we need a house, septic, and utilities before it can be home. I'm really looking forward to when we can finally move out there. I've been planning for this for years now and am so excited to see it finally coming to fruition!

You are already living more of the dream than most of us. Keep up the hard work and update us when you can.

 

[Soltaria]

Will do! I can't wait until I can make this place my home! We've got some of our chickens out there now and hopefully can get the rest moved this coming weekend. Transporting chickens is no easy task.