Homesteading today

[SoMo]

There are members here from every walk of life who obviously want to do for themselves and do so in many ways. We all can concur that making a good drink is what brought us here, but there's more to life than just a good drink, there's good food and a quality of life factor that some of us strive for, and get deep seated satisfaction from doing it ourselves. There's the Off grid the grid thread and I don't want to detract from what those guys are doing they deserve all the kudos in the world truly doing for themselves.
So here goes I like to raise, grow, breed, and rear as much for my family as I can, we've got chickens for eggs and meat, recently picked up another couple of feeder pigs to fatten up for winter, hoping to have that done before the first of the new year, found some tricks to really put the weight on them in a hurry , funny it involves this hobby. Fermented grains are high in protein and fiber, more palatable, and provided probiotics to help further in digestion. Hogs love backset my last few drank hundreds of gallons and were the best hogs my processor had seen all year. Yes I use a processor an Amish outfit that does the best work and does them for about 100$, that puts fresh pork in my freezer all the cuts for between 1.69$-1.79$ a lb. Try getting that at your super market, junk bacons 4$ or more a lb and is half water, not mine dry cured and smoked, hams the same way.
We put 40 eggs in the incubator last week so in another two weeks we will have chicks hatching to provide next springs replacement laying hens and cockerels to eat thru the winter, chicken and dumplings yum. The next round will be put in after these and I will probably sell some of those, folks always looking for chicks for the same reason. We sell fresh eggs too, our hens have paid for their own feed and provided us all the eggs we could want for just my time and up keep which isn't much. I've got a buddy raising cotournix quail, those eggs will go into the incubator after the next round, they hit maturity at 6-8weeks. You can raise 30 to eating size on one 50# bag of feed that costs 15$ yeah good math there. Those eggs go for 1.50$ a dozen keep a few big ones to breed and you see how it works.
The gardens about done so not much to tell there we put up what we could of tomatoes, beans, onions, and lots of fresh potatoes, still digging them up now.
Building fence around a couple acres and our pond to get a nice steer up there getting fat on the lush grass, no maintenance involved once the works done but throwing some hay, big round bail so dump it and leave it and some grain to finish off the last few pounds not too much tho the grass fed and finished is really better for ya. So that's my current and future plan, what's yours we would love to hear and share ideas. Good luck.

[Truckinbutch]

Working toward similar goals . An asparagus patch is next spring's goal . Expect to be able to garner some extra revenue from what we can't use once it is established . SOH says I can establish a hog lot if I finish the last room in the house and put siding on the outside on the new addition . Not an exactly fair demand but I'll live with it . She did raise my kids and keeps trying to housebreak me .

[Red Rim]

I love the idea of feeding the spent grains and backset to the pigs, my neighbor's cattle won't touch the grain and the backset kills my lawn so bad I had thought about using it for weed killer.

Hell what a great idea for a microdistillery, pig roasts from whiskey fed pigs!

[Truckinbutch]

Doesn't take much alcohol content in fermented grains to get hogs , chickens , and other critters tipsy . Results can be hilarious or disastrous , depending on the situation and the size of the critter .

[Red Rim]

There are some really funny videos out there of squirrels getting drunk on rotting pumpkins. Good quality entertainment!

[WooTeck]

your set up sounds a bit like my dream, only id have to be growing some hops. my predicament being that trying to keep animals in a 3rd story city centre flat isn't going to fly with my landlord.

eck

[SoMo]

your set up sounds a bit like my dream, only id have to be growing some hops. my predicament being that trying to keep animals in a 3rd story city centre flat isn't going to fly with my landlord.

eck

Keep dreaming WooTeck,there are people who keep chickens on high rise roofs in some pretty ornate coups,it's been my dream for along time. Finally came to reality almost three years ago. It involves some work but you get out more than you put in, I feel it's good for the soul to work with the land. Here's a pic of some show birds we've got, frizzle, sizzle, and a regular silky kind of hard to see all three, beautiful birds.

[WooTeck]

I proposed that we should get 2 chickens called breast and thigh and a micro pig called bacon. it was my flatmate that pointed out the land lord wouldn't be happy. I saw it as a intelligent way to get rid of spent grain

eck

[Prairiepiss]

I'm working towards an offgrid homestead. LOL

My homestead is still well in its infancy. Lots and lots of work.

Fall gardens started. Need a hoop house for it.

Working on the goat pins. So we can bring the goats home.

Need to build a chicken coop. So they can come home too. Rooster is getting lonely. LOL

Need to build a pig pin now. For the new addition.

Need to build housing for the rabbits. So I can get them out of the trailer. And we can start using it for us.

Peach orchard is on the plate for next spring. Out of 40 some trees. I could only save around 10. So a trip to KC in early spring. To get more. Is in order. Hopefully I will have the ground ready for them. From what I'm seeing at the local farmers market. There isn't much peaches available. So I'm hopping this will be a good crop to sell. We will see.

So far we haven't been able to eat anything from our work. Hopefully soon we will be sitting back eating some fresh Vegies and meat from all our hard work.

Somo where is the meat processor you use? I've had 3 people recommend one down near me. Oldfield meat locker. They want $75 for goats. Gota pick up the head and entrails. Which is good for me. I want them for feeding the dogs.

And I don't think I have offered. Some of this sawdust is really good compost. Basically black dirt. If you have a use for some. I have plenty. I've been mixing it with some rabbit pellets and a little dirt. For the garden beds. And the plants seam to really like it. Just planted some potatoes the other day. And they are going crazy.

[SoMo]

Pp I'm glad to see things are at least lining out for you, and moving forward. What you are doing is nothing short of amazing to me you took the biggest Gamble and bet on your selves, true faith. That's why I'm so willing to help you if when how I can, you've found the newest frontier and sunk your spade deep. I will Pm the other stuff for ya.
The peaches and fresh fruit are massive sellers, the fruit auction draws people from far and wide, a craigslist ad just as good. I went and picked up a few more chickens today, hoping to breed, hatch, sell some real showy pretty birds, that also lay an egg sized small to medium, you can feed 4-5 bantams on the feed of one large fowl. Keep up the hard work guys, our hunting seasons start soon so meat for a few dollars is a pretty good deal.

[SoMo]

I forgot to add I have access to like 100# or more of paw paws and 20# of Concord grapes again. I want to make a brandy or two and could use some help please!!!

[Prairiepiss]

20 lbs of grapes wouldn't quite give you a good 5 gallon of wine. Unless you want to cheat and use a little sugar.

I no nothing about paw paws.

And my fruit press is up in KC. So I can't help you there.

Bit I would more then happy to come give you a hand if you want one. Maybe I can learn something about paw paws.

By the way. I think I may have a bottle of firepiss packed in the trailer. If I can find it. I will bring it along when I pick up that tin.

My potatoes are kicking ass. That's one thing I have never grown. I'm going to try the layer thing. Where you let them grow a little. Then add a layer of dirt over them. Over and over. Supposedly every layer you do makes more potatoes. And then you can just pull a layer off at a time. Hopefully we will have some potatoes put away for the winter.

Do you have any peach trees somo? I think I could spare one or three. Since I'm going to get more next spring. Maybe you can get them in the ground. And have some nice peach trees.

[SoMo]

No PP my peach trees just don't seem to make it been replaced three times, my apricot, and cherry bushes are doing good, a couple of blueberries are getting by our soil isn't the best but I'm amending with backset so hopefully that will help. My grandparents did the layer taters and did pretty good with them I remember. I've got to pick more grapes before they're gone, still a lot there to gather, I'm gonna cut and root some clippings if I can this fall, beautiful Concord grapes extra sweet this year. The snows packed a lot of nitrogen into the soil, really made things grow. Id love to try the Fire piss, sounds tasty. Just holler at me, I'd be willing to let you use my little ford tractor, it has a subsoiler, single bottom plow etc, gets it done once you get it broke, rocked and amended you will have great soil. I use Auroras grand Meats in Aurora Mo for my processing, they do poultry, hogs, beef, I'm sure goats and sheep very reasonable too. Old field processing is supposed to be pretty good, no matter who you ask you will get different opinions. Whenever you want that steel just holler it's sitting waiting for ya.

[Prairiepiss]

I need to bring you a bunch of this sawdust. For them blueberries. Raw sawdust is suppose to be great for blueberries. The big growers mulch the crap out of them with it. It's the only plant I have been able to find that sawdust is good for. If it hasn't been composted. And I have plenty that hasn't started breaking down yet. There is a one to two foot layer over most of the pile. That is a nice black composted sawdust. Good for the garden. But you go deeper and its like new. Almost. There is a spot on top where the old owner was digging out some. And there is a good amount of the uncomposted stuff there.

[Prairiepiss]

Oh and the sawdust supposedly makes the ground more acidic. Until it starts breaking down. It also takes up a lot of nitrogen. So it can be broke down.

When we went to town weekend before last.. The little natural food store in town. Had some organic Yukon potatoes. I only noticed them. Because they had some really nice eyes on them. So I bought a couple pounds. Picked out the ones with the best eyes on them. That's what I used for starters. I got them in the ground Saturday. And we already have a few that are 2" tall out the ground. I probably have 20 or so out the ground. And more popping up every day.

[SoMo]

Sounds good, I know you've got a lot on your plate, pace your self. Those taters should do really well now, nothing like fresh taters, green beans and ham hocks, that's a meal.

[WooTeck]

are you guys/have you thought about farming rabbits? Ive always thought they would be a fairly quick and easy turn over for meat and the furs would just be a bonus for winter. depending on the bread you could expect 10 rabbits every 4 months or so.

eck

[Prairiepiss]

We have rabbits. Down to 10 that are our breeding stock. All the rest were eatin it traded off for needed stuff.

Rabbit is nice. You get the meat, fur, and poop. It's one of the only poops you can put directly into the garden. Without worry of it burning the plants. Where other manures need to be composted. Domestic breeds are more a white meat. Where wild is more of a dark meat. The meat is very lean. So lean that it alone won't provide you with the correct amount of fats to survive correctly.

[WooTeck]

We have rabbits. Down to 10 that are our breeding stock. All the rest were eatin it traded off for needed stuff.quote]
by people or predators?

The meat is very lean. So lean that it alone won't provide you with the correct amount of fats to survive correctly.

that may be the case but I see it as a cheap and easy supply of meat that will get you through so of the tough months.

eck

[SoMo]

They call it rabbit poisoning if that's the only protein source available,you have to eat the organs and brain to get not just the fat but some of the other nutrient that are lacking in just the meat. Many a man has died with a full belly and a depleted brain from the body pulling those nutrients, fats, amino acids from the brain.

[Prairiepiss]

Yes if you have a good feed supply. It can be a good supply of meat. You can supplement other fats.

But many would think bunnys would be good for in town. Not loud like chickens. Can maybe hide them. Think again. They do thump and make racket. But even worse. They make a lot of poop. Trust me more then one can get rid of easily on a small city lot. And although the poop doesn't smell. The pee is horrid. And nasty. The stuff will eat through most anything. And you will have hair all over the place. It floats through the air and collects on everything.

I'm not trying to discourage rabbit keeping. Just trying to point out things that one needs to be aware of. And prepare for.

Would I get rid of ours? No. Would I do it in the city again? No. Not without a better setup. And a good way to dispose of the poop.

You can sell the poop. But most don't want it wet with pee. Or mixed in with bedding. Which is hard to do. But if you can. People will pay good money for it.

[thatguy1313]

Used to have a rabbit coup in the back. Earthworms love the poop and we'd use them to catch some bass outta the lake out back. Ya know, to supplement the fat we weren't getting from those rabbits

[Truckinbutch]

Ain't much fat in bass , neither . Home folks always wanted a hog or two or a fat bear to supplement diet . You can starve to death eating only rabbits and squirrels . Geese are also a good fat source . Just weren't many around here in the early years .

[SoMo]

Gotta save that bacon grease! It's converted to oleochemicals the same as olive oil, tastes damn good too.

[WooTeck]

rabbit for the protein. bacon bourbon for your fats. a good old hearty ale for... well why the fuck not.

http://wild-turkey.wonderhowto.com/how- ... n-0128640/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

eck

*edit
i think im going to try this out tonight

[SoMo]

rabbit for the protein. bacon bourbon for your fats. a good old hearty ale for... well why the fuck not.

http://wild-turkey.wonderhowto.com/how- ... n-0128640/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

eck

*edit
i think im going to try this out tonight

Turkey used to be my favorite bourbon had one the other night, not so much any more. With bacon not even I will take it alone, on a sandwich, or in a shake.
Bought a dozen quail today Cotournix or Eurasian,Japanese. Hoping to get some eggs in the incubator, they mature in 6-8 weeks either to breed or butcher. Quail are delicious.

[SoMo]

I got my cage and hutch built today, managed to go get my birds they are Cotournix quail, full grown at 8 weeks so if they don't lay enough eggs to incubate got a nice meal growing out there.

[Bigbob]

Hey PP and Somo, this is kinda off topic but you guys are living my dream, I used to subscribe to a magazine called Backwoods Homes, it was full of information on living off grid and off the land. If you haven't already heard of it you guys might want to check it out. Good luck to both of you

[SoMo]

Pp really has it going on doing his own power and everything, our only outside utility is electricity. Start small plant a garden and a few fruit trees, then a few chickens would be my advice, then a few bunnies, it really snow balls from there into whatever you want. Don't go too big too fast that's what will and can overload you.
Just candled my chicken eggs in the incubator one bad one out of forty, this is day eight of incubation.
BigBob, I will look into that magazine probably right up our alley.

[Truckinbutch]

If I haven't mentioned it before , Lynne Miller's 'Small Farmer's Journal' is one of the best 'non yuppied' publications out there . This is real people making a living on the land with manpower and horsepower . "THREE ACRES IS ENOUGH" makes a very definitive statement on homesteading .