Anybody learning anything...

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new? Homestading stuff?

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001

Answers

Well I am in the process of learning how to keep my greenhouse warm using as little energy as possible(see greenhouse post). I am also coming up with new and better ways to manage my chicken coop. A dog got in and chewed on of our ducks before I could get my fence really fixed. Last night we fixed fence and no new casualties, Yippee! Honestly I think homestead/farming teaches you something new everyday, because no two days are the same. For instance, in taking on the rather large payment for this place, we will be pushed to produce as much food and income as we can from here. Of course, the first rule of farming used to be, and still shgould be, "Feed Yourself First". Feeding yourself is the most economical use of both land and materials. In a homesteading situation, you have to realize that every trip to the store is money that could have been spent elsewhere. In our case, our first year will be about filling our pantry. I have a friend who is in her eighties. She was raised in the depression, and as a result lived a pretty hand to mouth existence in her early years. She says," Some people want a lot of things and money, but all I want is a full pantry. If I have a full pantry then as far as I'm concerned I'm rich!"

However having a full pantry is constant labor, even if it is a labor of love. My goal is to be able to live like I was in the 19th century on the prairie if I ever have to. This doesn't mean I am shunning my own time. What I mean is, none of us should ever let go of the idea that we may have to do for ourselves again someday. Historically things never stay the same. They rise and they fall down, especially when humanity is involved. It is foolishness to believe that we can just continue coasting along merrily and never have real hard times again. Because I believe this, am I a doomsday fanatic? No, I'm Not! What I am is a person who believes in being prepared for the sake of being prepared. Will I ever be really prepared? Probably not! No one ever is prepared completely for the physical and emotional demands of life. However I will be better off than the guy who hasn't prepared at all. As a parent it is my husband's and my God-given job to raise my children up and provide for them both spiritually and physically.

It is definitely going to be a big first year here on the farm. I have an empty pantry to fill and an empty cellar to fill. In fact Hubby has a walk-in pantry to build so that I can fill it. I have a whole orchard full of fruit that has to get into the canning jars before fall and a whole garden full of vegetables that has to be put up also. Not to mention, meat, milk, and eggs. In addition there are many trees and feed crops that need to be planted and harvested. Just thinking about it all is enough to overwhelm me. However, How do you eat an elephant? You butcher him, cut him up put him in the jars, an pressure can him at 10lbs of pressure, then eat him one jar at a time.

Little bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@farm.com), December 28, 2001.


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