Homesteaders

[newbie32]

I lived in the Midwest for most of my life, but moved to the desert a couple of years ago. We've been in our house (southern Arizona) for about a year so most of my homesteading here is in the infant stage, lol!

Mine is in the embryo stage!!!!

 

[heidisue]

Lol

Mine is in the embryo stage!!!!

!

 

[Lizard Lady]

Have you seen my rustic fencing? It works great for most of mine. I do open the gate in the fall and let them glean what they like. They ate all the parsley. I forgot about that but I have more planted in a pot.

Be sure to plant more than one variety of stuff so if one fails the other might succeed.

Oh my gosh!!! I LOVE that! Any chance you had plans to that, or was it on a whim? My property is surrounded by trees so we could definitely get enough limbs for that!!!!

 

[kentuckychicks]

The best way I have found is to drive around your area find someone who is doing what you want to do. Most people like to brag about what they are doing and are proud to show you. Most likely you won't find it all in one place but a smoke house here and a fruit orchard there and before you know it your learning and sometimes making really good friends in the process! Have yet to find a goat person around me.....but who knows someone might stop by asking me in a few years! So on the way to anywhere keep your eyes peeled and ear mark it for future reference next time you see someone out there stop by and say Hey I was driving by and really admiring your set up here. I'm interested in doing ______ at my house. I was wondering if you could take a minute to explain what I should be doing or not be doing? 90% of the time they will and be really nice about it! It really helped me to ask at our local Amish community. I've found the older women there to be really helpful regarding gardening and canning plus it helps that I support their greenhouses. Ask at a farmers market look at your local farm supply stores. Hang up a flyer on their community boards. Post it on Facebook chances are someone you know knows someone who knows all about what your interested in.

 

[Lizard Lady]

Your are close then!!! I so need other people close to hear that are into homesteading!! Woohoo!!!

If you're in Kentucky I use to have family there. They're now just buried there. lol The rest of my family is in Indiana (mom's side). I actually don't know anyone else (in non cyber life, anyway) who homesteads! Thank God for places like BYC!

 

[kentuckychicks]

If you're in Kentucky I use to have family there. They're now just buried there. lol The rest of my family is in Indiana (mom's side). I actually don't know anyone else (in non cyber life, anyway) who homesteads! Thank God for places like BYC!

Ummm I don't know if I should laugh at that or apologize! Lol my granddad is is 96 (actually great granddad) who is blind but still kicking lives in Evansville is that close to your family? Are you new to homesteading or old school homesteader? Are you a prepper (like my hubby geez) or more farm girl (like me)? I actually started on BYC to learn more about chickens we are getting our first this spring! My grandparents had them when I was little but all I can remember was having to get eggs , chase headless chicken bodies and a demented rooster! Of course I just adopted a little goat and we garden big time (an acre is work people!!!) and I Can. I'm 30 and have a. 5 and 2 year old so I'm a stay at home butt wiper, taxi driver and shoe finder also . Lol

 

[Lizard Lady]

Ummm I don't know if I should laugh at that or apologize! Lol my granddad is is 96 (actually great granddad) who is blind but still kicking lives in Evansville is that close to your family? Are you new to homesteading or old school homesteader? Are you a prepper (like my hubby geez) or more farm girl (like me)? I actually started on BYC to learn more about chickens we are getting our first this spring! My grandparents had them when I was little but all I can remember was having to get eggs , chase headless chicken bodies and a demented rooster! Of course I just adopted a little goat and we garden big time (an acre is work people!!!) and I Can. I'm 30 and have a. 5 and 2 year old so I'm a stay at home butt wiper, taxi driver and shoe finder also . Lol

Are you kidding me? My family is IN and FROM Evansville! If we turn out related I might freak! lol I like to think of myself as both prepper and farm girl. I grew up similar to you. My great uncle lived in Elberfeld, IN and gardened big time, not to mention the black cow we ended up having great steaks from. My mom's best friend had parents who lived off their land. We used to help milk Maude, get eggs from the coop, and would watch as Lorraine would cut heads off chickens and toss the heads on top of a shed. THeir rooster and bull were the meanest animals on earth! lol While I live on an acre and a half a good majority of it is wooded, so I'm working around shadows and hills. I'm 36 with a 14, 15, and 16 year old. They came to me just ten years ago, and while we originally lived in a suburb, they've taken to the country life, yet have no desire to get their hands dirty unless I damnd it! lol I'm also a stay at home, house wife, homemaker, whatever you want to call it. I'm an author so I have SOOO much to occupy my day! lol Summertime is the worse for me, trying to do all my chores, inside and out, while the kids do their best to get in the way! lol

 

[rancher hicks]

Oh my gosh!!! I LOVE that! Any chance you had plans to that, or was it on a whim? My property is surrounded by trees so we could definitely get enough limbs for that!!!!

I got the idea from a Country Living magazine. Theirs was much nicer, though I don't know how they found all the perfectly same shaped branches and all. I didn't think it mattered so I used what I had.

In the woods you can find fallen branches and anything straight and over 42" should be high enough. I now have so many that I don't even cut them. If they're 5 - 6 ' and straight I use them. If I need more I can cut them down.

If you don't have woods or enough, just stop and pick up what you can from folks who've left stuff for the brush pick up. I did that at first. Just took my hand saw cut what I could and left the other stuff neatly piled in front of their house.

You can of course use any wood that is long enough. It will weather naturally and look nice.

 

[chicken-lady13]

I love that country living magazine to !! I get a lot of my ideals from them also and a few others. I really enjoy the birds in bloom , country, and farm and ranch magazines. They have great ideals in them and good articles to read and BEAUTIFUL pictures.

 

[newbie32]

I just got my first issue of Organic Gardening in the mail yesterday. It had good articles and recipes for canning. Unfortunately it didn't have any DIY project how to-except the recipes.