Ended Official BYC Mini Contest - What is Your Hobby?

[sumi]

This contest is brought to you by our BYC Sponsors
(click to view & support them)

This is a RANDOM Winner Contest...
Post up to 3 of your Hobbies and your name will be entered up to 3 times for the final drawing for a chance to win 1 of 5 (that's right, FIVE)
2020 BYC Calendars! ​

The rules:

1. All entries must be submitted as replies to this thread,
2. Only 3 Hobby Entries per member, PLEASE NUMBER YOUR ENTRIES!
3. Please add a short description with your IMAGES IN YOUR POSTS, examples....

• What is is that you love about this hobby?

• When do you do the Hobby?

• What sacrifices do you make to be able to practice your hobby?

• Are you an amateur? An adept? An expert?

• Are you lucky enough that this hobby is part of your job/income?

These are just examples of how to create your post, you don´t have to talk about all of them and you can add other things you want, those are just a few guidelines in case you don´t know how to make your post!

SO ENTER UP TO 3 HOBBIES for a chance to win 1 of 5 (that's right, FIVE)
2020 BYC Calendars!

Note: We will use a random number generator to select our winners for this Contest.

Entries will be accepted until and including the 9th of December.​

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Entry #2 - Photography
I've enjoyed photography from a very young age, and I've got probably 8 USB thumb-drives full of photos I've taken over time. I believe that photos capture memories and important, magnificent things. It's a way to preserve family time, and capture wildlife at their finest. In particular, I've been photographing hummingbirds in the past two years as a way to honor my late Grandmother and her love for them.

When photographing wildlife, it requires patience. I don't have a fancy camera, but I love the one I have because my husband gave it to me! I still consider myself a beginner with much to learn. I've sold a very small amount via stock image websites, and have yet to ever win a photo contest, but I keep trying!

My favorite thing to photograph outside of hummingbirds is old, abandoned chimneys and barns. I do this because it requires a moment to stop and think- who lived here? How special was this place to them? What is the history of this land? It's a way to preserve forgotten places.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Final Entry #3 - Crafting Bone Needles
I only got into this about two years back on sheer accident. I remembered making a bone spear as a kid, and examining some shards of deer leg bone a few years ago I thought to myself, how can I make a needle? I remembered shaping the spear with stone, so I found a big piece of sandstone near the branch and brought it back to use. I made my first needle and used it to sew together a deer hide arrow quiver for my husband's birthday last year.

Since then, I've made close to 20 of them from deer leg bones. These legs are also considered a waste product, and we take the sinew, hooves, bone, and occasionally hide from them. The dried bone is split into small fragments and I then shape them by hand on that same piece of sandstone. A hole is drilled in one end and twine or Poplar cordage looped through. I enjoy using them when normal needles bend up with use in thick buckskin/hides. I've managed to sell one of them so far, but I really just enjoy reducing the waste after a hunt by making these. It requires a deal of time for something so small, but actually being able to use one makes it so worthwhile.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Entry #3 - Baking

I love to cook and bake but I started out with a passion for baking cakes (mostly because I like eating cakes, haha). I am no expert, just a home-baker, and I don’t bring too much finesse to the decoration... I like to make things that look tasty and are great to eat. Mostly I love to make cakes for others or share with people. It’s especially satisfying when you have access to beautiful free-range eggs from your own chickens as I’m sure many of you feel.

I have often spent many hours in a panic late at night trying to bake birthday cakes for family members but they do always appreciate them. I find baking to be very therapeutic and of course you get a great reward when it’s all finished!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Entry #1 - Tanning Hides
I've been tanning hides for the past 5 years, with 3 years being very productful after a period of learning. It may sound odd, but I consider it respectful to the animals when the hides are tanned by reducing waste. In particular, we pick up unwanted hides from processors and hunters because they are normally considered waste and tossed/buried. The hides are then tanned and essentially given new life by display or crafting (we've made mittens, hand muffs, quivers, stockings, walking stick handles). We also make buckskin every so often.

It's a very seasonal thing- only in Fall/Winter seasons when hunting and trapping is open. It requires a small monetary investment, but alot of time and effort. I'd say the hardest part is the fleshing and stretching. I'm not a beginner, but no expert either. However, I am proud to say I've tanned probably a good 20 squirrels, a handful of rabbits and raccoons, and close to 35+ deer hides I'd guess? I am lucky to say it has provided income by selling tanned deer hides (legally in the state you can sell finished, tanned hides).

 

[FortCluck]

And my third hobby would be dog grooming. Before I stopped working due to medical issues, I worked for a veterinarian as a vet tech and I was also a groomer.

My husband bought me this puppy her name is Jolene. She's a dog that requires maintenance all the time with her hair. I groom her every 3-4 weeks.

When I have to groom this dog it takes me probably 2 to 3 hours and I have to be away from everyone usually locking us in the bathroom or working outside. She can't have any distractions while I am doing her grooming because if she sees distractions she gets out of hand.

I would consider myself an expert at this because I have done it for a very long time. I groom my mom's dogs as well and I have also groomed stray dogs before returning them to their owners or bringing them to animal control. I don't mess with the dog's hair obviously but if they have mats or fleas or ticks or anything I take care of that.

I should charge people for helping them groom their dogs or what not, but I just do it out of the kindness of my heart.

Here's Jolene getting groomed...

 

[HollyWoozle]

Entry #1 - Horse Riding!

I have been riding on and off since a young age and my family have always owned horses and ponies. In 2005 my mother started a business selling horse riding holidays around the world and I have been lucky enough to join the business. I get to ride horses in different countries, either testing trips or escorting customers, when I am not in the office. I don’t ride at home these days but we do still keep a family herd of four. I have ridden in 32 countries so far.

I love riding because I love to be with horses and to spend time in nature. It’s also a fantastic way to experience a new country and make new friends!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Entry 3; Baking!

Feeding people is my passion in life and while that generally manifests through my farming (rabbits, chickens, vegetables, etc.) it also extends to more in my life. I have baked everything from breads with a 24 hour proof, to elaborate cakes or royal icing cookies and simple box brownies. I love every one.

Most of us spent time baking with our family in the kitchen and I'm no different. My mom baked a lot when I was a kid and would sometimes let me help. We had sourdough loaves and custom birthday cakes as a kid.

(An apple pie I made a couple years ago. It tasted much better than it looked and I've gotten much better at making this pie since then.)

As an adult I bake whenever I have the time to take on a particularly time consuming cooking task... Watching the Great British Bake-Off is always a great inspiration and it's an especially handy hobby around the holidays. No soggy bottoms!

 

[FortCluck]

A lot of people who know me know that I really love cooking and I find a really huge stress relief and cooking. I am a mom of two children and a wife. I am 100% plant-based, but my family is not so everyday for dinner I cook a plant-based meal and a meat eater's meal.

I don't really take away any time to do this because my family is usually around when I am cooking because they are either grabbing food as I'm cooking it or they are waiting for food.

I would call myself an expert even though I don't have all the cooking techniques that chefs would have. I can usually turn any recipe into my own by tweaking it a little bit.

This hobby is not my job, but I have made party platters and things for parties for people.

 

[FortCluck]

Another hobby that I have is raising chicks. I just started incubation in October and I have completely fallen in love with taking my own fertile eggs and hatching my own chicks!

I don't really have to take any time away from family or anything doing this because our chickens are right in the backyard.

I would say that I am an expert chick raiser, but I am not an expert chick hatcher!

Hatching our own chicks has been providing some income due to a selling some of them and I am hoping that we can get more income from it come springtime when we have POL pullets. Our fertile eggs provide income as well for eating and hatching.