I will make note of month changes or plan changes so they can be compared for next year.
Showing posts with label Homesteading Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homesteading Goals. Show all posts
Homestead {Yard/Garden} Plan - 2014
I will make note of month changes or plan changes so they can be compared for next year.
Preparing for Spring
It's hard to believe winter is already (well, almost) past us. I so enjoyed this winter. It was nice to have a winter at all since Virginia doesn't have what I'd consider a real winter season. (This coming from a native Central New Yorker.)
We had plenty of snow accumulation, but now starts the little know fifth season - mud. We live in a river valley, and you know what happens in river valleys? Rain collects there. And that makes mud.
Otherwise I've been gearing up towards planting my garden. I still have to prepare the soil (and buy/gather mulch). And order seeds. I can't believe how long it's been since January, when I was actually ready to order. Mom contributed $75 towards the seed order, so I'm waiting on a check from her to order. I did buy organic (but not heirloom) cantaloupe seeds, but am trying to think of a place to plant them since the proposed garden space certainly isn't sunny enough for melons. I'm thinking the top of the front bank, which would get sun all day except right before sunset.
I've also been talking to a local breeder about getting a Miniature Australian Shepherd dog from her early next year. I'm waiting on an email back so mom and I can go visit them. I've been reading a lot about them and the current contention between Australian Shepherd/Miniature Australian Shepherd/Miniature American Shepherd people. My chosen breeder maintains that her dogs are just slightly smaller than average Australian Shepherds, instead of the Papillion x Aussie crosses Miniature American Shepherds seem to be descended from. Australian Shepherd people are mad because "there is no height division within the breed," which is true. I want an Aussie, but can't have a larger dog right now, so this is an excellent solution for my situation.
I'm so in love with this breed! Who could resist a face like that?
Also on the dog front, I've been training mom's Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund, Bailey in basic obedience. He is smarter than I believed and I am truly enjoying working with him. It's nice to work with a dog again!
Our computer crashed a little while ago, but it up and running after a through cleaning and a hard drive replacement, so that was exciting. iPods are difficult to browse the internet on when you vehemently want to use the computer for it's FULL keyboard!
So, ONWARD TOWARD SPRING!
We had plenty of snow accumulation, but now starts the little know fifth season - mud. We live in a river valley, and you know what happens in river valleys? Rain collects there. And that makes mud.
Otherwise I've been gearing up towards planting my garden. I still have to prepare the soil (and buy/gather mulch). And order seeds. I can't believe how long it's been since January, when I was actually ready to order. Mom contributed $75 towards the seed order, so I'm waiting on a check from her to order. I did buy organic (but not heirloom) cantaloupe seeds, but am trying to think of a place to plant them since the proposed garden space certainly isn't sunny enough for melons. I'm thinking the top of the front bank, which would get sun all day except right before sunset.
I've also been talking to a local breeder about getting a Miniature Australian Shepherd dog from her early next year. I'm waiting on an email back so mom and I can go visit them. I've been reading a lot about them and the current contention between Australian Shepherd/Miniature Australian Shepherd/Miniature American Shepherd people. My chosen breeder maintains that her dogs are just slightly smaller than average Australian Shepherds, instead of the Papillion x Aussie crosses Miniature American Shepherds seem to be descended from. Australian Shepherd people are mad because "there is no height division within the breed," which is true. I want an Aussie, but can't have a larger dog right now, so this is an excellent solution for my situation.
I'm so in love with this breed! Who could resist a face like that?
Also on the dog front, I've been training mom's Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund, Bailey in basic obedience. He is smarter than I believed and I am truly enjoying working with him. It's nice to work with a dog again!
Our computer crashed a little while ago, but it up and running after a through cleaning and a hard drive replacement, so that was exciting. iPods are difficult to browse the internet on when you vehemently want to use the computer for it's FULL keyboard!
Photo from Madaise on Flickr.
Garden Renewal
The garden space I am planning on using is 30' x 5' and located on the side of the house with a fairly Western facing. It was a flower garden for awhile, but it has been barren for a few years save the giant Yucca bush and the yearly milkweeds. Not barren in the sense that it won't grow, but barren in the sense that we haven't actively planted it in awhile.
Unfortunately my Grandmother constantly insists that, "We don't have a farm." Bull-hooey I say. It's only 1.6 acres and includes the main house and two apartments with attached garage, but I say that's enough to get started. I want the skills now, the land can come when the time is right. Anyway, she wouldn't let me dig a garden in the yard in a proper place, so I'm going to go ahead and use the existing garden space until I can prove to Gramma that I can and will grow a garden.
So far I have two volunteers to help dig the rocks from the soil and turn it into a garden plot. Both I know from work and both are trustworthy. I plan on not paying them, but asking mom to cook her famous grilled chicken and macaroni salad as payment to whosoever I can round up to help. Many hands make light work.
Mom's idea was that I spend this season dedicated to my garden and then maybe, maybe, maybe I can have chickens. Dedication and hard work go far to impressing your willingness and trustworthiness on others.
It seems like a long road, but it'll seem a short one a year from now.
Unfortunately my Grandmother constantly insists that, "We don't have a farm." Bull-hooey I say. It's only 1.6 acres and includes the main house and two apartments with attached garage, but I say that's enough to get started. I want the skills now, the land can come when the time is right. Anyway, she wouldn't let me dig a garden in the yard in a proper place, so I'm going to go ahead and use the existing garden space until I can prove to Gramma that I can and will grow a garden.
So far I have two volunteers to help dig the rocks from the soil and turn it into a garden plot. Both I know from work and both are trustworthy. I plan on not paying them, but asking mom to cook her famous grilled chicken and macaroni salad as payment to whosoever I can round up to help. Many hands make light work.
Mom's idea was that I spend this season dedicated to my garden and then maybe, maybe, maybe I can have chickens. Dedication and hard work go far to impressing your willingness and trustworthiness on others.
It seems like a long road, but it'll seem a short one a year from now.
Futhering Goals
What have I done to further my goals?
The Solar Dehydrator book was ordered and arrived Friday afternoon. I've glanced at it a bit and will have delve more deeply into it! Also, I was finally able to measure my future garden space (remember, this is the first year I will be putting in a garden... ever). Currently it measures 30' by 4'9". I don't know how I want it set up just yet, but I definitely want to make it wider, say 6 feet to start. My Gramma (and the property’s owner) isn’t too thrilled with the whole garden idea. She thinks it’s not worth the effort put forth. I’m still willing to try.
In other news, my camera is pretty much kaput. It had developed a black spot on or in the lense which becomes more and more prevalent the more zoom is applied. I have cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the lenses, made sure it actually shows on the pictures instead of just a flaw on the viewer, and tried everything I could think of. I've been looking at a few new ones online, but am loathe to buy another $100.00 camera. It is too easily called refuse and thrown away. I almost want to spend a lot more money on a camera of good quality just to be motivated to care better for it.
Besides that, I miss taking pictures.
The Solar Dehydrator book was ordered and arrived Friday afternoon. I've glanced at it a bit and will have delve more deeply into it! Also, I was finally able to measure my future garden space (remember, this is the first year I will be putting in a garden... ever). Currently it measures 30' by 4'9". I don't know how I want it set up just yet, but I definitely want to make it wider, say 6 feet to start. My Gramma (and the property’s owner) isn’t too thrilled with the whole garden idea. She thinks it’s not worth the effort put forth. I’m still willing to try.
In other news, my camera is pretty much kaput. It had developed a black spot on or in the lense which becomes more and more prevalent the more zoom is applied. I have cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the lenses, made sure it actually shows on the pictures instead of just a flaw on the viewer, and tried everything I could think of. I've been looking at a few new ones online, but am loathe to buy another $100.00 camera. It is too easily called refuse and thrown away. I almost want to spend a lot more money on a camera of good quality just to be motivated to care better for it.
Besides that, I miss taking pictures.
Goals for 2013
It's not January 1st yet, but I feel like New Year's Resolutions never really stick anyway, so I thought I'd list a few things I hope to accomplish/do/build in the next year. The goal being to promote my personal skills in providing for me and mine. In slighty particular order:
1. Build a Solar DehydratorI am going to post updates to this list as I complete them (as long as I remember to). I already finished one of my big goals: the composter! I made a compost bucket out of a plastic tote bin with a lid. We finally can begin to reuse the produce refuse, and keep it out of the landfills! Hooray for small victories.
I'm planning on buying this particular book, recommended by Jane at Hard Work Homestead. Her husband and her built their dehydrator and it seems to work wonderfully! Building it will be much easier when I figure out what materials I need to find and purchase.
2. Fence in and Prepare the Designated Garden Space
I've got all the tools to prepare the soil. We have a great assortment of old hoes, rakes, shovels, a wheelbarrow and the like. It will be hard work; our soil is 98% rocks. Not really, but it sure does feel like it whenever you try to dig! Fencing in another beast all together. Deer, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, and especially rabbits are very prevalent in our area. Our property backs to the woods, so fencing is important.
3. Plant a Varied Garden, and Harvest From it
I've got a jump on this one with a spread sheet of the seeds and varieties I'd like to purchase. As I add I also make note of prices, days to maturity, and what company offers the seed. Next I need to measure the garden space and create a planting guide based on my zone and individual needs of the plants.
4. Attempt to Save Seed for Next Year
Self explanatory, really.
5. Find a Place to Store Canned Goods Long-Term
There are a few places like the garage and the shed that I have my eyes on, but I need to take temperatures in these areas and keep a log so I can get an average temperature. An average temperature will tell me if I've found a suitable place or not. There is also the far left of the pantry cabinet but it slants funny because it's underneath the stairs. It's hard to get to, but with a little cleaning and rearranging it might be perfect.
6. Obtain Pressure Canner; Can Garden Bounty
I've never pressure-canned, and I don't have one! Go figure. I have my eyes on one from Lehman's I'm particularly interested in. I want to be more self-sufficient, and providing some percentage of our food is a step in the right direction.
7. Render Lard, Sucessfully
I tried it earlier this month. In fact, it was right before Thanksgiving because I wanted to try lard in my pie crust. However I made the small but DRASTIC mistake of not cutting all meat particles from the fat. It ruined the whole thing and stunk up the entire house! I still haven't had the courage to clean out the canning jar I stored it in!
8. Process a Chicken
I want to learn to kill, de-feather, gut, and otherwise prepare for the table, my own chicken. I'm still working on the property owner (Gramma!) to let me have chickens, but it's not going anywhere. I may have to do it somewhere else or bring home one chicken and process, one chicken and process, etc. I am actively looking for somewhere to attend a workshop. They had one last year through the Extension Office, but I don't see one this coming year yet.
9. Homestead Journal
I would truly like to be more vigilant with my journaling. Noting what kind of day (weather-wise) it was and what was accomplished on that day. I think my future children and relatives might be happy to read it, and it'll be nice to look back for myself.
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