Clearance to play with sharp objects....

Dh and I have a dream to one day live a fully self sustainable life.  It is a dream that seems plausible in the next 5years.  Why do we have this dream?  It was a dream first dreamt by me and Dh would have nothing of it.  Over the years, as we have seen a tenuous economy, and ever expanding govt ( right now every time I turn on the news, my garden gets bigger. lol), and an ever growing dependence on technology, we have come to realize that relying on ourselves is the most prudent course.   Now he is fully on board.

Skills once everyday have become either niche or lost for the most part all together.  I get comments like " You make your own bread?" or yogurt, etc.  It amazes me how some people have lost the connection between what they eat and where it comes from.  I remember reading a letter to the editor of a paper (can't remember the name) where the writer said how awful it was to hunt.  We should just go get our meat at the supermarket.  They wrap it and everything!  Really?  Really.  Even I am amazed at people who hunt, dress the meat and tan the hides of the animals they kill.  When I say 'amazed" I mean impressed.  As in I want to learn that as well.

 News Flash!  As my daddy always says, the more moving parts an object has, the greater chance of it breaking down".  Case in point; our tiller has more moving parts, and broke down last week.  Our shovel and pick axe have no moving parts and has been preparing our garden for the upcoming season.  Well that and some elbow grease.  Not to mention the  manual gardening tools require no gas or electricity.  Big selling point.  Not to mention if I had to use those items every day I would have an awesome figure! lol

  As for our current live stock situation, my chickens will lead a good life of space, sunshine, green grass, etc,  before they grace my dinner table.  Make no mistake though.  These animals are not pets.  They will one day grace my dinner table.  They will provide food for my family one way or the other.  The only one of our chickens that has longevity is our rooster, Garris because he provides protection for his "Ladies".  Our future goal is to raise both egg layers and meat birds.  I would rather get to the point where all of our poultry and egg needs are met in our backyard, rather than purchasing poultry from a store where the animals have been confined with little to no room for movement.  I live in and area with many poultry plants.  Get behind a poultry truck on the way to a processing plant and you will understand my reasoning.  I can't afford to feed my family the free range organic stuff at the store.  But we can get to the point where we raise our own free range organic hens. 

Over the next 5 years while Dh and I retire the rest of our debt, we plan on adding to our arsenal, the skills needed to live a self sustaining life style.  I have baking, canning and gardening under my belt.  That is easy.  The poultry raising is a work in process.  We would like to add other livestock, small engine repair, cheese-making, hunting, and basic carpentry to our list.  I am sure there are other things and the list will grow as we learn more and more.    Will we be able to live this lifestyle.  That remains to be seen.  It depends on where the good Lord wants us. 

Rubic used to say when he gets rich, he will buy our farm cause he said he didn't think we would really do it.  I think he has realized our seriousness.  He came to me the other night and asked "are you and dad really going to  live on a farm and everything?"  I responded that we were planning on it.  He responds that now he has to worry about us cause we are gonna be out in the woods some where and we night get eaten by a bear or something.   I told him we weren't doing it tomorrow.  That is was going to be a process over the next few years.  He was not convinced.  I told my husband I think Rubic thinks it is nothing short of a miracle that his parents have managed to live this long and raise kids at the same time.  He thinks we shouldn't be allowed to play with sharp objects (Hence the title of my post).  In his defense, he is really big on technology. 

UGGGHHH and while I am at it, GRRRRRR

I'm sick.  Woke up this morning with some sort of stomach bug. What is so frustrating is the fact that it is going to be a sunny 71 degrees.  For the past two days I have been outside in glorious weather tilling up soil, building gardening structures, etc.  I actually have a bit of a tan.  Today I was going to be at work and not home til after 2pm.  I was still going to work outside as soon as I got home.  Now every time I move around I am knocked down by a wave of nausea.  As long as I sit or lay down I only have to deal with a crampy feeling.  I prefer that to nausea.  Shoot, I would rather have a baby with no pain killers than a stomach ailment.   So here I sit...no plans to go outside even this afternoon.  Bummer.

So since I can't go outside physically, I go out in my mind. No I am not transcending an astral plane.  I am planning.  Planning, planning, planning.  So far I have decided to plant more bush beans with my blackberry bushes.  I looked it up and they are friends.  I have plans to add pumpkin and sunflowers.   The sunflowers I hope will be a nice treat for my chick e dees.  Plus I hope it will supplement their feed.  That means I need to plant a lot of them to make it worth my while.  It is mine (and my husbands) desire to have as much of the backyard  planted as possible.  Hubby would rather tend a garden than mow the grass.  I need a big garden this year to make sure I have ample amounts put up for next year.  I usually want about two years worth put up since some years gardens are better than others.  We are digging up new ground this year.  I can't wait for it to all be green and growing.

So anyway, I am off for now. Stay well!

Crickets Chirping......

Wow!  It has been two weeks since I posted last.  I am totally sure people are holding their breath for my latest tidbit of knowledge.....NOT!  

One reason why I have been quiet lately is the fact that every spare moment has been occupied with updating Rubic's room.  When that hasn't been the case I have either been working, babysitting, or (on nice weather days), prepping the garden for spring planting (WHOOP!).  Once Rubic's room is completed, I will post before and afters.

Another reason for my posting neglect is that fact that I don't really have much to write about.  Now once the garden is in full swing I will have more to write about and probably less time to write.  My "greenhouse" is still a work in progress.  I am tweaking the design here and there.  When I get it to the point where it is a benefit to pass the info on, I will share.  Right now it has helped being able to protect my plants while they bask in the sunlight, but I can't leave them out overnight yet.  It is working to extend the growing season somewhat.  I am trying to get it to the point where I don't have to use electricity to heat it.  So please Stand By.

As far as the seedlings go, they are thriving with one problem.  I think I waited too late to start my broccoli and cabbage plants.  I should have started them indoors around the end of December instead of the end of Jan.  We will see.   The tomatoes, however (up to 54 plants now) are happy as clams and I think will be bigger when transplanted.  It is my hope they will have a better chance of producing before it gets so hot here down south.

Okay, I know this post isn't a barn burner, but I will do better next time.