Homesteaders

[2mnypets]

We live in southern Mississippi now. I've seen critters and bugs that would scare the crap out of people up north in Illinois where I lived for 17 years. It seems things get nastier the further south you go. The flies are huge and those ants don't play! Thanks goodness for my essential oils or those red ant bites would still be troublesome. We have alligators and some not so nice snakes and spiders. We have sweat bees that will give you a run for your money and cinch bugs that are all too happy to eat your garden for you. My chickens and turkeys have a full time job on our 2 acres of land.

I do my own canning, dehydrating and freezing of all the food that I grow or buy at local farmers markets or farms. I make my own butter, buttermilk and milk soap from milk that I buy from local farmers. We have rabbits, chickens and turkeys also for meat as well as eggs. I have some that are just pets and my entertainment. We have a pond on the property that we haven't been able to access yet due to overgrowth. Once a pathway way has been established, I will have samples sent in and tested at our local extension office. Once in the clear, I will stock the pond so eventually we can fish from it to put more food on the table. We are currently building our out buildings to accommodate some dairy goats and pigs. Next summer I'm hoping to have the bee hives up and running. Once the layout is finished, then I can start to decide where the fruit trees will be planted. I use essential oils for everything. Make my own laundry soap, dish soap, body scrubs, deodorant and toothpaste. We also use the essential oils to support our overall health and well being. We only use the oils and natural ingredients for cleaning like vinegar, baking soda and Epson salts for just about everything else. I use beeswax, arrowroot powder and organic raw shay butter for a lot of my cleaning products as well as for my deodorant. I use the cloths lines for drying the clothes, and I'm very glad we have a well because I've been going through a lot of water lately for the animals due to the heat.

We are also in the beginning stages of reclaiming the rainwater for the animals and the garden. Hubby is working on creating a cistern for the gray water as well. We use our compost area along with our rabbit & chicken droppings along with vermicomposting as fertilizer for the vegetable and flower gardens. I keep the eggshells separate in our fridge so I can grind them down to feed back to the chickens and turkeys at a later time. It's a lot of work at times, but for me it's very rewarding and peace of mind goes a long way. I just enjoy being close to the earth and appreciate what it provides for me and my family.

 

[rancher hicks]

We have a gray well that came with the house. It was for the sump pump but the washer was going into it, so I left it. Sceptic is a pain in the neck.

I save the egg shells too, but not in the fridge. I put them in a can, crush them and mix them with the oyster shells or other grit.

I just finished some Currant jelly. I've been making that for a couple of years or so. Working on getting my currant and other fruit bushes going. Not an easy thing for me. I just don't have the luck. They're hard to get established.

My Jostaberries look good but didn't fruit this year.

Wasn't here in the spring so garden didn't get off to a good start.

I'm alone in my mission here. DW doesn't share my desire to be less dependent on others.

 

[Mochadlik]

Overrun with chickens: wow that sounds fantastic. i do a fraction of that but even year i do a bit more so i feel good about the project. this year we hope to add rainwater collection and some sort of root cellar/cold room. no basement here.

 

[rancher hicks]

We have a basement but I think it may be too damp.

I keep more than a few chickens so as not to be wiped out in one disaster. I also keep multiple breeds since some don't lay as well in the cold and some in the heat. They also don't all molt at the same time or at all.

Right now I've too many broodies and could use more eggs.

I'd like gutters on my coop so I could add some rain barrels or two for garden watering.

There is always so much to do. The mosquitoes are a hinderance.

There is always work to do on a Homestead. ALWAYS.

 

[chickadoodles]

Rancher hicks we use apple cidar vinegar mixed 50/50 with water before going out to do chicken chores and it keeps the mosquitoes off of us. We use a wet rag to wipe it on with but I have been wanting to try mixing some in a spray bottle 50/50 and see if it works the same.

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher hicks we use apple cidar vinegar mixed 50/50 with water before going out to do chicken chores and it keeps the mosquitoes off of us. We use a wet rag to wipe it on with but I have been wanting to try mixing some in a spray bottle 50/50 and see if it works the same.

I'll have to give that a try. Those nasty buggers must like the smell of "old". I do use a skeeter spray but they're still nasty.

If I'm working in the yard I do put on spray and then shower afterwards. I can't and don't want to have to put on spray if I'm just closing up the chickens at night.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: I know we tried using it to stop the itch after we came in and it helped. Then we tried it before we would go out to do chicken chores as the buggers are huge here in Al. they are big enough to carry you off if you don't watch em! But it does work to repel them also. If it was not so hot I would be putting it in my birds water but I don't want to dehydrate the birds in this heat. I do use it when it is not so hot though and it is good for the birds and they like it.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Apple cider vinegar in the chickens water will dehydrate them? Never heard of that.

 

[rancher hicks]

ACV , isn't something you want to use every day. I've read it may put them off drinking. Not sure why but it's what I've read.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

ACV , isn't something you want to use every day. I've read it may put them off drinking. Not sure why but it's what I've read.

You should give two separate waterers, one plain and one with ACV. That way if they don't like the taste of the ACV they can still drink.