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I've noticed a shift in our lives since finding a place to grow roots. For years this has been our dream. To have a little place in the country where we could pretty much do as we pleased. Grow stuff, raise some critters. Now that we are here and settled in, our focus is naturally on what needs to be done to "build" on the homestead.
I'm finding that my thoughts on prepping are finally evolving along with the progress we are making. It just seems natural to focus more on the homesteading now. My friend MDR (Modern Day Redneck) has had me thinking about this since the first time I heard him talking about it. It's been stuck in my head for awhile now. Thanks man!
LOL Why is it that now I feel like I should stand up and introduce myself?? "Hi, my name is Sci and I'm a rookie homesteader".
There is still so much for me to learn. ( Learning stuff counts as prepping for the future) For example I need to really learn a bunch more about seed saving this year. I really didn't focus on this last year. I was to busy learning how the heck I was going to put up a hundred pounds of tomato's along with all the other goodies. Not that I'm complaining, I'm not. It was a good learning experience actually and next spring will go more smoothly. I've got a brand new propane stove that puts out some serious btu's. (Thanks Mom!) It is a beautiful thing when you can get the canner water boiling in just a few minutes! What a time saver it's going to be! I've just about got all the makings for a outdoor canning kitchen.
You see? I'm not saying that we don't still prep, but that prepping is a natural part of trying to get our little homestead to work for us. I don't know that we will ever be totally self sufficient but we will do the best we can. And you know what? That's ok too. There is always something to do around here.
I haven't really been blogging much lately because
a)I figured I'd probably bore you to death and
b) Things move more slowly on the homestead than in the big city.
Especially in the winter. They also tend to repeat themselves every day. You know, like tending to the chickens, feeding and watering various critters, meals, housework, you know... life....
P.S. kymber has a great post up over at the Framboise Manor about how she adapted the recipe for One Year of Food Storage Under $300. Shoot, she did even better on the price too!! Go check it out, you might pick up a real useful tip or two!
You are homesteading now because now you have a home. :)
ReplyDeleteSFG I love you! You are sooo funny. And I guess I just never thought about it like that!
DeleteI myself love hearing about both prepping and homesteading. I think they go hand in hand. The more self sufficient you are the better prepared you are.
ReplyDeleteYou know Becky, I agree. They do go hand in hand. Our grandparents (well mine anyway) and grandparents lived fairly self reliant all their lives and I'm hoping to do the same thing. The less I have to buy from someone else the better I will feel.
DeleteI'd be interested in hearing how to set up an outdoor canning station. I have canned for 2 years and enjoy it, but learning to do that outdoors would be really helpful to me.
ReplyDeleteHi CCristy, Actually an outdoor canning station isn't hard to set up at all. And it doesn't have to be fancy either. I'd be glad to write up something about canning stations. I was going to leave a comment but it got so long I thought "Hey, I could turn this into a post!!"
DeleteLOL Hey, I'll take any inspiration I can get right now to write! :o)
That would be great. I would love to read a post about how to do an outdoor canning station. Thanks.
DeleteYes, we'd LOVE a post on the canning station! Hopefully in the NEAR (like, maybe THIS year) we plan on having an outdoor kitchen built. Basically just a small concrete pad for the wood cookstove with a roof over it and room for some shelves & some tables.
ReplyDeleteI don't bore easily, and yep I can relate to the miseries of winter! Routine after routin. Too icy, too much snow and too cold for riding. Bleah!
ReplyDeleteI admire your patience. I can't imagine how you make it thru the winters up there. That's wayyy to much snow for me. Stay warm and thanks for stopping in!~
DeleteYes Ma'am, definitely do a post on your canning station.
ReplyDeleteI have been lax in my canning efforts for the past couple of years. I need to get back into it.
I think that the act of storing food that one grows themselves is going to be a critical part of where we are heading (wherever the hall that is).
The sad part is that it is such a nice task, every time I do it I am filled with satisfaction.
I think you are right about putting up the food you grew. It may become a very important skill very soon.
DeleteI do love seeing all those pretty jars filled with food that tastes better than anything you can buy. As a matter of fact, we had black-eyed peas tonight. Dang they were good.
It is so nice having your very own space on Earth isn't it? I love it too. Can't wait to get a stove so we can bake. Love the idea of putting things up, but our kitchen is just still pretty small. It's perfect for now tho.
ReplyDeletepeace n abundance,
CheyAnne
www.cheyannesexton.etsy.com
It's wonderful,isn't it? I would sure miss baking. It get's so hot here in the summer that baking makes the RV unbearably hot. Maybe that's why I bake so much in the winter!
DeleteHave a Super Week!
Yeah! Welcome home! It's not about how much stuff you can accumulate (How many flashlights do you really need?) but about going back and finding the spirit to taking care of ourselves. (Weather nasty? I can sit at home and enjoy the snow fall, while a pot of stew is bubbling and a loaf of bread is baking, because I had the forethought to make sure my cupboards were stocked.)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better!
DeleteHomesteading is the best form of prepping in my opinion! My homesteading chores so far today have included: milking goats, making yogurt, making cheese, harvesting asparagus, romaine, and green beans, putting a diced-up papaya in the dehydrator, and planting more carrots. We take for granted that our daily activities would be boring to others, but actually---most people are fascinated by what we do. Compared to the boring, artificial junk most people fill their days with, we are truly blessed!
ReplyDeleteWow! You've been busy. That's a lot to get done before lunch. My hat's off to you.
DeleteI guess I really haven't thought much about my life being fascinating. ;o) But you are right... we are truly blessed.
I think learning new skills all the time, to fit your life, is certainly part of "prepping" and common sense. I din't start canning until 2 years ago. What a learning curve! I started a working pantry, got chickens, planted fruit trees all in the last 4 years. It all helps! This year I'm going to start a lot more things from seed, and save mine too...
ReplyDeleteNancy, it sounds like you are "living the life"! Good luck with your seed saving. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed with mine too.
DeleteSenior and I have been talking quite a bit about this same subject. So I am glad to see you post about it. We are getting to that level of prepping to where we would like to move up into the next level. Which would be getting property and creating our place. To be self sufficient. I am excited about the prospect. Just waiting for his college graduation to see where we end up.
ReplyDeleteJUGM I think that would be awesome. The boys would love it too. Nothing like roaming around new territory! I'm excited that YOU are excited.
DeleteI had to laugh when you said you were waiting to see where you all end up. Seems like you're probably pretty good at that already! LOL
Hmmm. Like this blog of yours. Sounds abit like our lives. We have a small farm that keeps us busy on a BIG scale. Come visit us. We'll share homesteading stories.
ReplyDeleteHey Donna! Thanks for stopping in. I stopped by your place tonight. Wow! You really have it going on. I'm still reading and loving what you are doing!
DeleteNice post. I'm sharing to my blog! If anyone would like to check out my blog and follow, it would be much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThanks for re-posting! I'm glad you left a comment because it reminded me that I hadn't put a link to your site on the blog roll. It's fixed now! Ya'll check out their blog, you might like it! I know I do.
DeleteEach year homesteading we learn something new. It is my hope that this year we can bring it all together. What a prosperous thing that would be.
ReplyDeleteMy question is why would one need to prep if you are homesteading. Homesteading is providing for ones self not just stocking up. People can stock up all day long but in the end if they have no way to provide on a regular basis it is just prolonging the inevitable. Our not to distant ancestors provided for themselves purchasing only the basics. Yes, things were much different back then but I feel we have lost much by depending on others to do for us. Instead of planting or raising animals we exchange money for someone else to do this for us. Yes, not everyone has the space or the means. Some of us are blessed.
So that is what I am doing on my homestead. Trying to reclaim what is quickly being lost. A means to provide for ourselves. I read once that homesteading was providing for self and farming was providing for others.
I have always enjoyed your blog since I followed MDR's recommendation. He is a keeper in the friend department for sure. There was so much prep work that you shared in your blog before even venturing out to the land. Now you share with us as your dream is unfolding. It is a beautiful thing. Keep sharing with us when you can. My never ending to do list leaves me little time but I must make more so I can continue to share also. - Genevieve