homestead now, more than ever

Homestead Now More Than Ever

A few weeks ago I was in a meeting with a variety of folks, and we were all asked “What does nature mean to you”? There were several different answers, but they all lead back to the same big picture. Being more sustainable. Now, what does that really mean? Merriam Webster defines sustainable as, “relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged; or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods”. So, let’s tie that into homesteading. 

I am often asked, why raise dairy goats; why do you have so many chickens; or why do you grow so many vegetables? The answer is often the same... it makes me happy to know I can do all of this for myself and my family and the happiness that accompanies self-sufficiency. Now, more than ever, it is critically important to have a local source of food and supplies. Or better yet, do it yourself. I feel very prepared to be here for weeks if I had to, which is a good feeling. The following are highlights in sustainability and what you should consider, starting and raising your own flock of chickens, raising dairy goats, and lastly growing your own food. 

It doesn’t’t take very much to start your own flock of chickens. You need a safe coop with 3 square feet per chicken, food/water, and a few chicks to begin. For a family of 4 you should start with a flock of 6 laying hens. You will have plenty of eggs to go around. Eggs are an excellent source of protein. Additionally you can give back to your garden by saving your eggshells and scattering them around. If you don’t have a garden, you can crush the eggshells and feed them back to your hens for a great source of calcium, which is crucial for strong eggshells. Do you eat eggs daily? Wouldn’t’t it be nice to know you can just go to your back yard, instead of the store? Oh and by the way fresh eggs taste soooo much better than the store bought eggs that have been sitting in the warehouse for days if not weeks.

Hard-boiled egg tip: adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water it increases the alkalinity, making the shells easier to peel. 

Now, you may be thinking how does adding mouths to feed, such as a couple of dairy goats to your homestead equal being more sustainable? Do you drink milk, cook with butter, eat cheese, and wash your hands? My guess is a majority of you answered yes to all four. Two dairy goats can give you all of that, the possibilities are endless. You need to have two goats because they don’t do well as the only animal. But for a family of 4 you likely would only have to milk one goat. Time wise it is very safe and easy to implement once a day milking instead of AM/PM. The resources you have at your fingertips from raising a dairy goat are endless, and in times where being more sustainable come into play it’s just one more comfort you can have for yourself and your family and that is very important. 

Goat’s Milk Butter:

Combine one cup of heavy cream (from the goat’s milk) and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Take the cream and salt mixture and add it to a butter maker. Don’t have a butter maker? A mason jar will do the trick. Pour the mixture into your mason jar and shake! Shake until the cream begins to thicken and get chunky and the butter separates from the buttermilk. Keep shaking until firm and then strain off the buttermilk. You can then form into a cube or shape of your choice and refrigerate for up to two weeks. 

Last but certainly not least, and in my opinion the best way to be sustainable, is gardening. Anyone can grow almost anything, in any zone, in any amount of space. If you don’t have a dedicated garden space, you can grow in containers on your deck or outdoor space. How about some herbs to cooks with, a few tomato plants, cucumbers… The pride you will feel when you harvest your fresh veggies will never be lost. Not to mention, you planted the seed, you know what was added to the plant, and you were there when it was harvested. You not only have a sense of pride, but an awareness of where your food came from. As an added benefit, any food (besides garlic and onions) that doesn’t’t get harvested on time can go to the chickens for a snack and they will love you for it. 

After a long day in the sun you may need a little help with your skin. If you have planted an aloe Vera plant, which grows like a weed just follow the recipe.

Aloe Vera sunburn relief: Pick a leaf/stem of Aloe Vera, that is about 8 inches. Strip the outer shell of the leaf, add two tablespoons of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, or other essential oil of your choice. Mix and store in airtight container. 

The greatest feeling in the world is knowing that you have the resources and ability to do things yourself! The greatest feeling in the world is knowing that you have the resources and ability to do things yourself. So why not start now? Sustainability is not just about what you can do for yourself, by yourself. It also about giving back to the Earth, making things last, using your resources for things that are unconventional. I hope that I have at least briefly shown you one or two ways you can begin to implement more sustainability to your lifestyle. Now is the time to begin. Happy Homesteading!

XO Farmer Mandi   

Homestead Now More Than Ever

A few weeks ago I was in a meeting with a variety of folks, and we were all asked “What does nature mean to you”? There were several different answers, but they all lead back to the same big picture. Being more sustainable. Now, what does that really mean? Merriam Webster defines sustainable as, “relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged; or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods”. So, let’s tie that into homesteading. 

I am often asked, why raise dairy goats; why do you have so many chickens; or why do you grow so many vegetables? The answer is often the same... it makes me happy to know I can do all of this for myself and my family and the happiness that accompanies self-sufficiency. Now, more than ever, it is critically important to have a local source of food and supplies. Or better yet, do it yourself. I feel very prepared to be here for weeks if I had to, which is a good feeling. The following are highlights in sustainability and what you should consider, starting and raising your own flock of chickens, raising dairy goats, and lastly growing your own food. 

It doesn’t’t take very much to start your own flock of chickens. You need a safe coop with 3 square feet per chicken, food/water, and a few chicks to begin. For a family of 4 you should start with a flock of 6 laying hens. You will have plenty of eggs to go around. Eggs are an excellent source of protein. Additionally you can give back to your garden by saving your eggshells and scattering them around. If you don’t have a garden, you can crush the eggshells and feed them back to your hens for a great source of calcium, which is crucial for strong eggshells. Do you eat eggs daily? Wouldn’t’t it be nice to know you can just go to your back yard, instead of the store? Oh and by the way fresh eggs taste soooo much better than the store bought eggs that have been sitting in the warehouse for days if not weeks.

Hard-boiled egg tip: adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water it increases the alkalinity, making the shells easier to peel. 

Now, you may be thinking how does adding mouths to feed, such as a couple of dairy goats to your homestead equal being more sustainable? Do you drink milk, cook with butter, eat cheese, and wash your hands? My guess is a majority of you answered yes to all four. Two dairy goats can give you all of that, the possibilities are endless. You need to have two goats because they don’t do well as the only animal. But for a family of 4 you likely would only have to milk one goat. Time wise it is very safe and easy to implement once a day milking instead of AM/PM. The resources you have at your fingertips from raising a dairy goat are endless, and in times where being more sustainable come into play it’s just one more comfort you can have for yourself and your family and that is very important. 

Goat’s Milk Butter:

Combine one cup of heavy cream (from the goat’s milk) and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Take the cream and salt mixture and add it to a butter maker. Don’t have a butter maker? A mason jar will do the trick. Pour the mixture into your mason jar and shake! Shake until the cream begins to thicken and get chunky and the butter separates from the buttermilk. Keep shaking until firm and then strain off the buttermilk. You can then form into a cube or shape of your choice and refrigerate for up to two weeks. 

Last but certainly not least, and in my opinion the best way to be sustainable, is gardening. Anyone can grow almost anything, in any zone, in any amount of space. If you don’t have a dedicated garden space, you can grow in containers on your deck or outdoor space. How about some herbs to cooks with, a few tomato plants, cucumbers… The pride you will feel when you harvest your fresh veggies will never be lost. Not to mention, you planted the seed, you know what was added to the plant, and you were there when it was harvested. You not only have a sense of pride, but an awareness of where your food came from. As an added benefit, any food (besides garlic and onions) that doesn’t’t get harvested on time can go to the chickens for a snack and they will love you for it. 

After a long day in the sun you may need a little help with your skin. If you have planted an aloe Vera plant, which grows like a weed just follow the recipe.

Aloe Vera sunburn relief: Pick a leaf/stem of Aloe Vera, that is about 8 inches. Strip the outer shell of the leaf, add two tablespoons of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, or other essential oil of your choice. Mix and store in airtight container. 

The greatest feeling in the world is knowing that you have the resources and ability to do things yourself! The greatest feeling in the world is knowing that you have the resources and ability to do things yourself. So why not start now? Sustainability is not just about what you can do for yourself, by yourself. It also about giving back to the Earth, making things last, using your resources for things that are unconventional. I hope that I have at least briefly shown you one or two ways you can begin to implement more sustainability to your lifestyle. Now is the time to begin. Happy Homesteading!

XO Farmer Mandi