Sunday, July 17, 2022
Lard and lye mixed together
My biggest goal is to leave the “rat race” in 2-3yrs and focus on homesteading. In order to do that, not only do I need multiple income streams from my farmstead but I also need to reduce my dependency on outside inputs. The addition of the bees this summer will assist in sugar needs and give an income stream with the sell of honey and wax. The pigs, goats and fowl not only provide food for my household but also income.
The lard from the pigs and the wood ash from the stove can produce soap fo read more...
Finished product
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Monday, July 11, 2022
On a properly run homestead there should be minimal waste. Little should be sent to the local landfill. Each item brought onto or produced by the homestead should serve a purpose from beginning to end. The old mantra "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" needs to be the slogan every person desiring a greater degree of self-sufficiency follows faithfully.
Waste food products can be fed to the chickens and hogs, paper products used as fire starters for the wood stove, old clothing t read more...
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Sunday, June 26, 2022
1st year comfrey plant
Happy Sunday everyone!
Its hay season here in Ohio and that means watching the sky and hoping for at least 3 days of dry weather in a row. We lucked out and had some perfect haying weather this week, so my little hayfield was cut and baled. 99 square bales (30# bales roughly 3000# total) off of .75 acres is pretty good in my eyes! It's the best hay yield I've had here and much appreciated. In spring 2021 I did put 200# of commercial fertilizer on the field followed with several applications of read more...
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Monday, May 30, 2022
Spring time equals work. Gardens must be tilled, planted and tended to yield and it all begins now.
I’m focusing even more on being self sufficient with the high feed, supply chain issues and general uncertainty. So yesterday I planted a 50x50 area to heirloom bloody butcher corn. I’ll add pumpkins as the corn comes up and turnips and daikon radish in July. This will provide feed for the livestock and hopefully a little for me too.
I also have a 96x80’ area planted with seed obtained as part read more...
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Sunday, May 8, 2022
What a beautiful, sunny Sunday today! A little chilly but nothing a light jacket can’t handle.
Spring is slowly showing it’s face and I’m planning on getting the tomatoes in the raised beds this week. Peas, lettuce and spinach are up. We can hardly wait for fresh food again.
Today was a busy one. Started off the day with canning 5# of hamburger in patties with mushrooms added. Then added a dehydrator load of sliced mushrooms I got from ALDIs and made some sour dough bread.
Outside work con read more...
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Thursday, April 28, 2022
It’s planting season here in zone 6 and that means it’s Busy season!
Last weekend was a non-stop work-fest. Moved pigs, built a new shelter, moved fence, tilled up corn, potato patches and a pasture lot, then hand seeded it and planted the potatoes too. Replaced the fence (complete with resetting posts) which was moved in order to get the tractor in there, planted a peach tree, strawberries and comfrey. Also shoveled a literal ton of garden soil into the new raised beds. Add in house work, laun read more...
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Sunday, March 27, 2022
Hope all of you are well on this chilly Sunday in Ohio. I am going to do a little different post today in light of the increasing inflation and supply chain challenges we are facing. Hopefully some of these items will help you on your own homestead journey.
Things I don't Buy or Ways I save money:
1. No TV
We gave up the TV 2 years ago and honestly don't miss it. No more paying for 100 channels only to watch 3. A ton of time gets wasted sitting in front of a TV that can be used for other purs read more...
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