The perfect homestead

[crazychuck]

I have moved on to the planning stage and I have begun blueprinting to get some ideas for materials and whatnot. I am a little disappointed in this forum though, I had 164 people look at my previous post and only 4 responses. Am I not posting correctly? I would like to know what everyone else thinks the perfect homestead would have? Animals? Gardens? Bees? Orchards? Buildings? I am going for a longterm plan, and any advice would be great.


Thanks :P

[patriotchick]

I think you might not of gotten many responses because what might constitute "homesteading" to you may have a different meaning to other people. I personally think a garden is a must, some kind of meat animal or being set up to have a meat animal is a must, even if its chickens and goats, access to water that doesnt need electricity etc etc. but I am a homesteader/"prepper". Being as self sufficient as possible is my end goal.
not only that, some people who looked at your post could of been lurkers who do not actually post here.
This year I am planting fruit trees because of things I have read on here. Sometimes if you look around in the different forums you get good ideas.

[tufhelp]

Another thing is that this type of query comes up from time to time and by its very nature becomes redundant. What is the best location, the best size, the best method, the best gun, the best survival kit, the best pantry plan, the best "whatever" - basically there ain't no "best" or "perfect" - There are just "ways".

These subjects and many more are talked about every day in various ways on most of the practical threads dealing the with preps, plans, building, animal husbandry - You name it - People sharing their problems, errors and successes.

Additionally, what is "perfect" for one is most assuredly, in one way or another, not perfect for another... More succinctly, what is perfect for you? Put out your plan as it has evolved so far and request input on your decisions, pro or con.

And above all remember that opinions are wroth their weight in gold... Take everything with the requisite grain of salt and evaluate, research, and judge for your self. You might find yourself totally disappointed with someone else's dream homestead.

GOOGLE - GOOGLE - GOOGLE...

Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgment. Don't be deterred by the fear of failure... Batting 500, a revered measure of success in the baseball world, means failing 50% of the time!

[crazychuck]

I know whats good for one isnt always good for all, but what I am asking is; What is the perfect homestead to you.

[crazychuck]

I have close to 30 gigs of info so far on my computer and I will soon be transferring that on to paper. I have info that I am reading I just wanted to hear others opinion on what would be the best homestead and then I can take from each what I like.

[cmdan]

Well....for me it would be at least 10 acres with a half having trees for deer and such to live in, new home with 2X6 walls with spray in foam insulation so it doesn't take much to keep it warm, wood heat. Barn and huge shop, so I can work on what ever I want in the winter time. Large garden for canning and selling. Buy a pig, calf and maybe a sheep in the spring and butcher in the fall. Well and septic with some sort of back up power or alt power if not on the grid....kind of like a mini farm, but to provide for myself and family more than to sell anything. Oh, and it would have to be in an area where I can fish any time of the year...ice fishing it good too. I wouldn't want anyone too close, at least a half mile away.....some thing like this anyway. Kind of depends on the area I decide on. The further out I am the more I'll want to be self reliant. I have thought about alt power, I think I'd have to go with about a 10K wind mill generator, don't see myself living in the dark with little electricity and I know I'll live in the northern part of the US so sun will be alot less in the winter time for solar, but then the area would have to be able to keep the windgenerator working, so that is something to concider. Then, of course, I'll need all the equipment to get the work done in a timely manner and still have time to enjoy some good hunting/fishing.....but this is just my thoughts. I have started gathering the equipment and have a 3 year plan, that I have only been working on the last few months. The fall in the markets, might put me out a little farther than I originally thought, but if the land goes down in price more, that might not be a problem.

Good luck to you.

[jen_in_southtexas]

For starters, my perfect homestead begins with a paid for piece of land, the mindset to work it, and the mindset to actually do the work it takes!

-j

[Terri]

For me, the perfect homestead is a little of everything-just a little-and a cash crop.

I do NOT have a little of everything, because we are not zoned for livestock. I have a little of everything else, though! Some Scristmas trees, some bees, some fruit trees, some blackberries, some garden, and 4 layers and a rooster.

I regret not having milk, though.

[rivahmom]

My perfect homestead (or at least the one I planned for) is on 6 AC. I plan on having chickens, quail, bees, rabbits, and dairy goats. I want lots of nut and fruit trees. A 1/2 a garden for veggies. Wood heat with propane back up (may try to make methane). I want to build an aquaculture/hydroponic set up. The home itself will be off grid and cozy. Most important my perfect homestead would be in a community of like minded people. I'm not sure if the one I have is surrounded by such people but I will do my best to meet my neighbors and try to help them out to create a good community relationship.

[crazychuck]

thanks everyone for your posts it all sounds good. I have a question though, how pricey is the spray in foam?

[crazychuck]

the spray foam sounds good because it wont make me itchy

[cnocaingeil]

Wow, I guess I need to move.

The only way I can imagine surviving on 10 acres here means hunting elsewhere. Trees barely grow, irrigation necessary for almost everything, and no 'community.'

BTW, I would consider 10+ miles from town and on a backroad-of-a-backroad. Dirt roads get used by trucks around here, and developments are still growing.

[MissouriFree]

I know whats good for one isnt always good for all, but what I am asking is; What is the perfect homestead to you.


for the info and opinions you seek you need to go thru the thousands of post/threads on the various boards just as tufhelp said,,

for example if you want to know about gardens go to the gardening threads ,,, or guns for guns.. or tractors..... As you read your imagination will lead you in many different directions.

see what we mean.


mo free

[kmccune]

My perfect Homestead would be at least 5 acres and on the end of a lane with no public right of way,with a clear sky view, an underground solar oreinted house-with said house being as close to zero maintenence as possible.with nice breezes to turn the Sky stream and maybe even pump the water-not gonna have stock{maybe chickens} signed a peace treaty with fellow critters long ago.Actually have located such a site and need to acquire it.Good luck with your endeavors-the good thing about the foam is-you dont actually have to completly fill the wall cavity-Kevin

[flatwater]

First off would be a spouse that is going in the same direction as myself (which I have ) and the rest is all gravy. Follow your heart and the rest will fall in place. And one more important thing -- Pray about it first NOW you will have the perfect homestead

[manoucherie]

Enough privacy so I could garden in a bikini, or less

Enough land so I could grow all my own vegis and a significant amount of feed. A nice sized hoop-house/ greenhouse.

Chickens and turkeys at a minimum. Goats and sheep would be even better. A barn and coop in good condition.

An house well enough insulated to easily heat, small enough to be manageable, and a bit of country charm would be nice.

Far enough to be private, but close enough to a viable so I don't have a far commute to that inevitable job.

Oh, and all of that paid for.

[mdcreekmore]

Like other have already stated here there is no perfect homestead. Everyones needs are different. For me I wanted to be debt free, if I run into hard times I don't want the bank to foreclose on my home. So instead of going into debt for a 20 acre homestead with barn, pond and tractor, I bought a used travel trailer and two acres of junk land out past the power lines. It may not be perfect but I sleep well at night knowing it is mine and not the banks.

[Anon001]

To me, the perfect homestead is one that is self-sufficient and supports the owner/family just like it was for the pioneering homesteaders. *My place is self-sufficient. *I don't have a lot of extra money and when I do, it goes back in as capital or is saved to pay cash for more ground.

It is 100% off grid with solar for power. *Wind alone is not feasible in the majority of places in the USA, including the northern tier of states. *The best systems use solar first and then supplement with wind and/or hydro. *

Definitely a garden large enough to feed your for at least one to two years. *I always have extra canned in case I have a bad year. *Also, enough ground to raise your own meat and the hay to feed it through the winter. *Either a dairy cow or two or dairy goats for milk, cheese, butter, etc.

What do YOU want or expect out of a homestead is the more accurate question. *What do you consider homesteading and the perfect homestead?

I will make one more comment. * As I've seen written before, if you work off the farm (homestead) to support it, then it is only a hobby.... *A true homestead and/or farm will support itself.... it can if you want it to. *Mine does. *But you have to work your deriere off and you have to have more common sense than anyone you've ever met!

So..... good luck and get started. *Oh!! *and about your 30G of info so far? *Trash it! *You will end up only using a very small fraction of it and if you're not careful, you will "overplan" your self into complete failure. Homesteading is not engineering. *It is good to read all that info, but you will only learn it and figure it out as you do what works for you. *I would suggest finding a REAL working farm nearby and try to work for the farmer on weekends and evenings and days off....anytime you can to learn as much as possible. *

The most important thing on the homestead is discipline.... do you have the discipline to be up everyday at 4am to do chores before showering, eating, dressing and heading to work by 7am? *Do you have the discipline to come home in the evenings and can vegeatables and meats until bedtime? *Do you have the discipline to go out in 20 below wind chills to make sure the animals have water to drink a couple times a day? *Do you have the disipline to make yourself work hard to make the perfect homestead? A perfect homestead is all about work and effort and more work.... sometimes to the point of falling in bed at night with aches and pains but so tired you fall alseep anyway..... *It is a great life.

Good luck to you. *You will find the best answers and support here of any forums on the web.

And the people here will become like family. *You'll share in highlights, you'll get into squabbles, and such just like with a family. *But they will still be there for you when you need it most. *A community like that is what helps to make an ordinary homestead your perfect homestead.

Oh... and homesteading is all about agriculture of some sort.

[Southerngirl]

PaulNKS,
Great job on explaining the side that many newcomers to the "farm" life don't think about, going out in the coldest of temperatures even when you are sick to care for your animals through the winter, sweating it with them in the heat of summer, and enjoying it all the way!
So far we only have the 4 horses and 1 mule we brought with us when we bought this 25 acres, which I will proudly say is paid for, a gift from my parents to my husband and I and their only 2 grandchildren. They are amazing people, instead of leaving that money when they pass unsure of what we would do with it, they helped us buy this land and put a house here, it's all paid for. And for their good hearts and the grace of God, a year after buying the land, the land is now paying them back, they hit a huge pool of oil under our land! It's free flowing!!!! Augh, God comes in mysterious but gracious ways to those that give with all their heart, just a lesson to pass on! What's amazing is, had they been greedy and held on to that money when our loan fell through at the last minute, they would have lost almost all of it when the stock market crashed like so many people did in their retirement accounts. Sweet isn't it! ;)
Southerngirl

[EarthMama]

I have moved on to the planning stage and I have begun blueprinting to get some ideas for materials and whatnot. I am a little disappointed in this forum though, I had 164 people *look at my previous post and only 4 responses. Am I not posting correctly? I would like to know what everyone else thinks the perfect homestead would have? Animals? Gardens? Bees? Orchards? Buildings? I am going for a longterm plan, and any advice would be great.


Thanks :P

Chuck, the only person's opinion, that counts, about those things is yours. I could tell you what I think is the perfect homestead and you would probably go "Yuck!".

For example, I wouldn't have animals if you *paid me* to have animals. You could offer to pay me $100,000/yr. to raise even ONE farm animal for you and I wouldn't do it. The same for bees.... I hate the taste of honey. I'd have a garden and maybe a small orchard and maybe a small outbuilding but my main focus would be on the amt. of land (the more the better) and what was around it. I hate hunting and the sound of guns absolutely unnerves me. Fireworks do the same thing. I hate those too.

So, for me, if I could find 5 acres of land within city limits (where hunting was prohibited and fireworks were limited), I would be one happy gal indeed. But you would probably be miserable.

So see? The only opinion you want is your own... because only you know what's going to make you happy and will make your heart sing.

Good luck in finding it. I wish you well.

[EarthMama]

not gonna have stock{maybe chickens} signed a peace treaty with fellow critters long ago.


;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[kmccune]

EarthMama, you have some salient points,I could even identify with what you said,particulary if I could build a underground retreat(maybe I have some trogloydyte in me)Kevin

[EarthMama]

EarthMama, you have some salient points,I could even identify with what you said,particulary if I could build a underground retreat(maybe I have some trogloydyte in me)Kevin


Yep, indeed, Kevin.

An underground retreat.... there's a LOT to be said for that type of thing. *

I love seclusion but not farming (animals, etc.).... and not necessarily self-sufficiency, although I do not enjoy the company of humans very much. *I believe in relying on each other though and that is why I like the concept of bartering for goods and services... rather than not needing anyone else to sustain myself.

I have more the mentality of Claire Wolfe, I suppose. *I don't think she has any farm animals either and actually is vegetarian, if I'm not mistaken. *Her pets sleep indoors with her, which is exactly where all my pets have ever been. *She enjoys her seclusion but also, from reading her articles in BHM, she also enjoys interacting with others in her community too. *That's the way I am... when I choose to be. * ;D

My ideal homestead, as I mentioned, would be 5 acres in city limits... surrounded by trees and shrubs for privacy... with a garden and maybe various orchard-type trees... a small outbuilding for lawn equipment... plenty of space for flowers and such too... within walking distance to a local coffee house &/or pub... with a bus stop on a corner near me, so I wouldn't need to own a car... etc. *

I think it's fun to read about everyone's idea of what a perfect homestead would be. *It just goes to show that even though our ideas may be all different, BHM still covers us all and interests us all. *How neat is that!! * *:D

[CarolAnn]

My perfect homestead would be about 80 acres, some hilly, some flat, with a 5 acre pond & a clear, cold spring. It'd have a wind powered generator and a good set of storage batteries, some fenced pastures, some old forrest land and good soil that I could pile into raised beds. It would have 3 acres in fruit & nut trees and two acres in berries - (blue berries, currents, strawberries, & gooseberries) with an edging of asparagus and rhubarb.

I'd have a small, well-insulated cabin with a greenhouse on one end and some solid outbuildings for storage and livestock, and a place for Raul, the pool boy to stay.
Oops - that was a different day dream! ;D

[EarthMama]

... *and a place for Raul, the pool boy to stay.
Oops - that was a different day dream! *;D


;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[flatwater]

I'll take his sister the pool girl , Fetema with bells on her fingers and rings on her toes , ho ho

[EarthMama]

I'll take his sister the pool girl , Fetema with bells on her fingers and rings on her toes , ho ho

*ROTFLOL*

You two! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[harvester]

Ok so our place is small, even smaller after iminent domain had its way with half an acre of it. We have just shy of two acres now. We have been here for going on our third year, the place had nothing but a house a perimeter fence and weeds neck high.
so far we have built a barn, brought in a few chickens, rabbits goats and horses. Put in a 50x50 garden, put in some lawn, planted trees, sugar maples, other maples, birch, and cherry and apple, however the wind and the deer got the apple trees.
This year Its more of the same, trees we want are fig, pawpaw, cherry, apricot and apple. All kinds of berrys. They will all go into one area roughly 80x80 we will call our orchard.
The garden is getting revamped this year as well, better fence to keep the coons out and better division between the barnyard and the corn! The horse broke down the fence reaching over for a row of corn she destroyed. Right past the hot wire too!
I have two lamancha goats and one boer goat that all are bred to a boer buck each year producing very fine freezer kids as well as roughly 4 gallons of milk a day that goes into drinking milk and cheese rounds.
one pair of rabbits that produce roughly 8 fryer rabbits for us a month, which is plenty as my family is only 3 people.
Two speckled sussex laying hens that keep us burried in eggs, and I will be bringing in many banty chickens (silkies) to control the bug population and then have a delicasy to put in the freezer come fall.
We are also doing a pig this year if i can get my hands on one before all the 4h'ers get them all.
DH is building a cold storage in the large crawlpace under our house which happens to be sealed side and bottom with concrete.
In the end the picture should be of a very nicely groomed showcase, great curb appeal, great equity, and alot of self suffecient projects taken care of in a small space without the look of over crowding.
We hope to have a fully productive homestead running at peak within 8 years.

[Anon001]

All that on just 2 acres? That would be something to see... you should share photos with us..... :)

[harvester]

All that on just 2 acres? *That would be something to see... you should share photos with us..... *:)

sure ill share photos, and umm paul..i believe i just proved my point..

[Anon001]

proved what point? I wasn't asking for you to prove anything. I just thought it would be great to see how someone does so much on two acres... especially for those that are not in a position I am in of having a great deal more land..... I only know how to utilize homesteading on a large scale such as land and cattle and gardening, but I never learned about doing it intensively on an area as small as two acres and there are so many on here that would benefit from someone that has done it on a small acreage. So, I thought it would be great to see pics...

BUt, I don't understand what you mean by you just proved your point?

[Southerngirl]

I have to agree with Paul, it's not that we were asking for "proof" of what you did, just ideas. And sometimes (I included) are terrible with trying to get a picture in my head, but a visual picture is worth it's weight in gold on here when others are trying to make their little piece of heaven (land) work for them as well.
If you are able to put up pics of what you did, great, if not, well you described what you have done on the farm perfectly, it's just nice to see how the finished product turned out in color!
(ha ha, cause sometimes my mind only thinks in black and white, ha ha)
Thanks everyone for sharing what they've done!
Southerngirl

[Southerngirl]

harvester,
You did an awesome job explaining what you did on your 2 acres! It just seems that people believe you have to have a lot of acreage to make that happen! So take it as a compliment that you were able to do it all on 2 acres!!! WE just want to know how we can do it all on that few of acres!
I myself have 24.5 acres and don't have the slightest idea where to start, ???
I can see WHAT I want here on the property but as far as separating it all and putting up fence and making it all look right, well that's another day...... but hopefully from what I learn here I can figure it out :)
Southerngirl

[Anon001]

Southerngirl, it's not hard to figure it out...maybe daunting at times but, just sit down with pics of farms and books, your goals, or what you would like to see, and then go for it.. But, I would only add one new project at a time, learn it, get accustomed to it, and be comfortable with it before moving to the new project... I am mainly referring to animals.

However, I don't take my own advice too well. I have a gadzillion projects all started and it will take me 5 years to finish them! LOL

Good luck and that is great that parents can help like that.

[bee_pipes]

...only add one new project at a time, learn it, get accustomed to it, and be comfortable with it before moving to the new project... I am mainly referring to animals. *

However, I don't take my own advice too well. *I have a gadzillion projects all started and it will take me 5 years to finish them! LOL


A good ambition, but it always seems like events have a timetable that ignores my timetable. We seem to wind up with animals, planned for, before the facilities are ready. We spend time playing catch-up, but it does clearly define what's needed and how to accomplish it in the quickest way possible. We try not to let a sense of urgency cause us to make shortsighted mistakes or cut corners that we'll regret later.

The most recent event was taking delivery of 24 rabbits, cages and other gear before we had a shed completed. I was working on the shed, but the seller was getting ready to liquidate her stock and equipment. We had to move on the sale before the shed was complete so that we wouldn't lose out to some other buyer. We had a roofed-in area completed, enough of the framing in to tie/nail tarps to, and have gotten 2 walls completed at this point. As the weather permits,we are working on the structure. Sure, everything wasn't ready, but since taking the rabbits we have had a few meals off of them and sold a number. That would have been lost food and revenue. The arrangements are adequate to keep the rabbits safe and healthy, but completing the shed will simplify feeding and care and be easier to establish a routine.

Before that, we had meat birds. They grew faster than we had planned. We had a small chicken tractor to hold them, after they outgrew the brooder, but could see they needed larger quarters. We didn't want to house them with the rest of the flock - they couldn't defend themselves and were on a finisher ration - the rest of the flock gets a layer ration. Luckily we had just finished a salvage job and had lots of scrap lumber and salvage roofing available. It was poor planning on my part, but fortunate circumstances. The new pen got built in two days, but nothing else received attention until the pen was up.

You just plan the best that you can and deal the best with circumstances when events take an unexpected turn.

Of course, if you are going into it as a commercial farmer - this sort of behavior would be unacceptable and I'd be viewed as an extreme incompetent. ;D

The thing that I really love about living this way is that I'm surrounded by raw, untapped potential. We have no codes or regulations in the area and I can do anything I put my mind to, if I'm willing to put out the effort. It's also nice to be on my schedule and not some boss' schedule.

Regards,
Pat

[Anon001]

Pat,
I agree that it never works out like it should. *When I moved up here, I brought my 20 hens and the 50 new pullets (not feathered) before I had my chicken house.... It only took me another day.. but... timetables usually don't work right. *I guess my point, which was not explained well, was don't overwhelm yourself with too many animal projects at one time if you've never had experience with any animal..... *Don't move to the farm, and then buy two steers, 3 hogs, 6 goats, and 25 chickens all within a month if you don't know anything about farm animals.... Some people would come across the deal you had with the rabbits and not have the knowledge or ability to care for them and try to bring them home to a zoo that they accumulated in a month's time and then have all the rabbits die on them in the winter..... or some such bad thing.

I've seen too many dreams of the perfect homestead go down the drain from trying to start a farm with too many types of animals and too many head too quickly, without having had any prior experience with any type of animal..... I think that's what I meant...... But I also believe that "overplanning" will plan a homestead into failure.... lol

Paul

[bee_pipes]

...don't overwhelm yourself with too many animal projects at one time...


Amen!

[Southerngirl]

Thanks Pat and Paul for the advice!
My husband was ready to jump in and get it all at one time, but my more level headed thinking told him let's do one thing at a time as well. We were both raised on a farm our whole life so we know what we're doing with the animals, him more than me, we grew up with cattle only. But his family did all the rest.
I just want to get the buildings ready for the critters before we bring them home, unless we came across an exceptional deal like Pat did!
There is a decent size hog barn on the property, the man before us ran a small hog business selling to individuals. We also have a lean-to which my husband wants to park the tractors but we also talked of turning it into the chicken coop, so not sure which idea will win.
We also have an old 2 car garage on the property in which I'm thinking of turning into a spot for rabbits in the future. Right now we just store stuff in it, but it's not being used to it's ability. Maybe it could be used as a chicken coop, lol, now my mind is wandering, lol!
Thanks for everyone's help!
Southerngirl

[Anon001]

Wow..... if you both were raised with cattle then you have enough knowledge to get it all at once! LOL.....

Are all the building in good shape? If so, bein' a guy, I would convert the garage to a shop.... there are times when it's nice to pull a tractor in out of the weather to work on or a piece of equipment, etc... and it would sure make a nice large shop! LOL

I would think the lean to would be best for the tractor and then just build a very small hen house or chicken coop, unless you plan to have a lot of chickens. Mine is only about 4 feet by 8 feet. But, the chickens free range and they were only in overnight and it was plenty room.

I don't know what kind of hog barn you have but some of the old ones had such a low roof you couldn't do much with it... But, if it is a taller one, then that would be great to convert into a barn.

WOW... I got my wish list going. I still have no outbuildings except the chicken house...

[bee_pipes]

...husband was ready to jump in and get it all at one time, but my more level headed thinking told him let's do one thing at a time as well...


Yup, that'd be your job. My wife has to bring me back to earth when I get carried away with ideas.

The shed will depend a lot on what your climate is like. We don't have bad winters down here, but do get below freezing temperatures on winter nights - sometimes a few days running too. I was told rabbits do better in cold than they do in hot. The shed is basically all windows - wooden frames with plastic stretched over them. It stops the wind from whistling through, but can be wide open during the summer.
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/patandkaren/sm_rabbit_hootch.jpg
(still under construction)

We have a brooder box made from a sheet of plywood, a couple of 2x4 and casters. Depending on the birds being brooded, they stay in there 2-4 weeks.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/brooderbox.jpg

Last year we built a chicken tractor for holding chicks between brooding and releasing to the flock.
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/patandkaren/chicken_pen.jpg

The chicken house is wood with ample windows. They pretty much just use it for sleeping and laying. The chickens wander all day around the yard, then get called home at night. We give them scratch and they start getting kind of pushy around 3 PM. They also have a fenced in and roofed in pen attached to the house, so they have a yard to peck in until they wander in to sleep.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/A-stormwindowsandbattensgoingon1.jpg

The meat bird pen is wide open. They're only with us for 6 week, generally. They have access to the chicken house but don't seem to have interest in anything except eating. The chicken house is divided into three spaces - layers, guineas and meat birds, and a small space for storage of straw and feed. The internal walls are wood frame with chicken wire. The doors are frame and wire too.
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/patandkaren/chickencoop.jpg

The turkey hootch was an experiment. It is a raised pen with a shed on the back side. The floor is 1/2 inch hardware cloth. It isn't big enough for all the droppings to fall through. Don't know if they could handle bigger and half inch weave. Rain washes the droppings through and they get raked from underneath.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/turkeyhootch32.jpg

The meat birds were my wife's idea. We can run two batches of 25 through each year. She got on board with the rabbits too, and gave her blessings on the sawmill. The sawmill was a good investment. I'm no carpenter and couldn't afford lumber for any building. We have ample trees, so I can make plenty of lumber. One big old sweet gum tree made most of the chicken house. Seems like you can get real creative with wood and make use of a lot of stuff that comes off the trees. Stuff is hard as iron though and requires drill and screws to work with it - nails just bend and the wood laughs at you.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/JustArrivedfromMilwaukee.jpg

We put in posts and fencing for garden and bee yard. The garden fence keeps critters out - chickens, dogs, wild rabbits, etc.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/garden_startup.jpg

The bee yard fence was to keep out critters and stop people from accidentally blundering into the hives.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/bees_clean_gear.jpg

The dogs have a pen between the chicken house and garden. We have a small greenhouse in the middle of it.
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/patandkaren/dog_hootch.jpg

This winter we got a retaining wall done for the storm shelter and will be burying it and outfitting the insides to serve as a root cellar. May buy pressure treated wood for that one....

My wife was with each of these jobs, every step of the way. I'm not the easiest fellow to work with, but she knows I get tunnel vision when I'm working on something and if it's important - she knows how to get my attention and wake me out of my trance. She has kept me from making foolish mistakes more than once.

This year's big project is a shed to serve as storage and a work shop. I'm not moving on that fast enough to suit her, but we'll get it done. We also have a field out back I want to get fenced in for peanuts, grain and other items we aren't going to put in the garden. I'd also like to get 100 gallons or so up on a tower for trickle watering during the dry months - got some ideas on pumps and a dam on the creek next to the garden. We also need to dig out the spring that feeds the ponds - those ponds need catfish in them.

We'll see how it turns out - got nothing but time and potential.

Regards,
Pat

[Anon001]

Pat,
I enjoyed the pics... I like what you've done.

[kmccune]

I hate emminent domain,it can taketh from you and give giant corps what you love and have striven for. now what I whould like to see is the feds get off all that land,they took for a song or seized and put it back on the taxrolls-by way of 5-10 acre modern homestead grants-so our young people can have a chance at the goodlife-with a stipulation that the land be husbaned carefully and a bit of produce be marketed each year,eg; some tomatos, etc.Folks I'm really alarmed at the amount of arable land being converted to lawns & pavement each year-Kevin

[Southerngirl]

Pat,
I LOVE the pics you posted here! Thank you so much for sharing with all of us!
We have a 30x50 Morton building my husband uses for his workshop. There was also a small hog barn with the slanted concrete floors, windows do need replaced someone broke them out before we bought the property, and the hog barn has electricity ran to it with a water faucet right outside the door.
Then we have our lean to (just holding junk right now), then an old 2 car garage with concrete floors, but good siding like the Morton building on it. So we were blessed to find a farm with all the buildings already here. We moved a double wide in here 3 years ago. I think my husband is more concerned with getting the front porch built than he is working on farm stuff. :)
But with the pics you posted above and others I have kept over the last couple years of looking through the site, I believe I could do some of the work like the chicken coop and so forth. Thanks for the motivation!
Southerngirl

[bee_pipes]

...husband is more concerned with getting the front porch built than he is working on farm stuff. *:)...

...pics you posted above and others I have kept over the last couple years of looking through the site, I believe I could do some of the work like the chicken coop and so forth...


Front porches are important. One of the things that really appealed to us about this place was the porch. It is a double wide with a porch, 20 foot deep, that runs the length of the house. Steps on both sides and in the middle, in front of the door. It's a place to relax outside, ample room for company. We have a bench swing hanging from a chain, an old glider, and most of the fold-up chairs we used to use for camping. It is also piled with junk. Tools, projects in progress, the brooder, spare hive parts, etc. A lot of this stuff will go into the workshop when it's completed, but I have a feeling a lot will pass through because it's a nice place to work when the weather is bad.

As for pictures... when I see something in the county in my travels to town or other places, if it catches my attention I try to study it or take a picture. Building with raw logs or timbers fascinates me because it's simple, sturdy and quick. It's not suitable for everything, but there are a lot of applications. I just keep my eyes open and if I see a good idea, I'm not above stealing it. We have a local community of Mennonites and these folks are masters as simple, functional construction.

Regards,
Pat

[Southerngirl]

Pat,
That's funny, I do the same thing! Taking pics as I pass by a place of something that I like and want to do on my own property. I try to hurry when I'm taking a pic and drive on so the owners (if they were to see me) don't think I'm crazy.
But one time I HAD to pull in someone's driveway and ask permission to get a pic because you couldn't see it too clear from the road.
Wonderful ideas are everywhere!
Southerngirl

[Southerngirl]

Oh wow, I know this has nothing to do with the subject but I was shocked to come across such a good deal tonight. A woman has been trying to sell a wood burning stove for the last 3 years (why she couldn't sell it floors me??) but she said make an offer and I KNEW then she had NO idea what she had and what it's worth, so I offered her $100 and she took the offer. We pick it up Monday. It's all cast iron, has all the tubing to go with it. It's a huge stove, long and rectangular, not the small type.
She said it's not the type you can cook on though.
I don't know anything about them, but for the price I thought it was a pretty good deal. My husband used one growing up so he'll know more about it. Figure if nothing else he can put it in his shop until we would need to use it ourselves. We live in a double wide, so I know we couldn't put it in the house.
I tried to upload a pick of it but couldn't get it figured out. I had to download the pic she sent me in an email and I didn't know how to get a downloaded pic on the site here. Just wanted to share my find with everyone.
Southerngirl

[Anon001]

Actually, you could put it in a mobile home if you have someone do it correctly. *I know of several people that have had them in mobile homes for years. *You just have to make sure the installation is done properly.

You're on your way to your perfect homestead! *Now you just need your goats and hogs.... lol

P.S. If you want to email the pic to me, I can put it on here for you.

[Southerngirl]

Thanks Paul, that would be great!
I'll have to check into who I would have do that, install a wood stove properly. I know my parents told me the insurance company wouldn't like it and sometimes they drop home coverage if you add one to a mobile home.
I guess I say, how are they gonna know I have one? If I don't have them come out to make any claims, then how will they know?
My husband doesn't quite understand my urgent feeling of "needing" a wood stove, but I don't feel as a mother that I should have to explain my deepest worries. I have two small children I have to care for and I worry someday if TSHTF, I wouldn't have a way to keep them warm. So a mom does what a mom feels is right in her heart.
Surely there are others on here that understand the "feeling deep in my gut" even if you aren't a mom. That's why I come here for support.
Oh, my husband is bringing home some pine trees to plant on the outside of our property to start closing off our property so it's not so wide open out here in the country. That I am happy about!
In my mind, I see that "perfect homestead" and we're slowly getting there, but at least we ARE getting there!
Southerngirl

[Anon001]

It's true that some insurance companies won't insure you with a wood stove in a mobile home, but some will. The same goes for a regular house, too. Some companies will insure and some won't. But, I don't carry fire insurance anyway. stupid me. lol

I can understand about how you feel about the urgency but, I just like the fact that I'm dependent on NO ONE for electric, heat, etc. I have a small solar system and heat with wood.

Oh.. will the insurance company find out? If they drive by and see the chimney flue, they will know without having to go inside. The thing you can do is what a friend of mine did. He has a 14 by 80. He build a little "shed" on runners with a chimney flue. He keeps his stove in it and puts it in the barn in the summer and then come winter he pulls it up next to the house and vents it into the house. Of course, the stove has to be much lower than the house so that the heat will rise into the house. but it is doable.
He opens a window and has rigid styrofoam insulation. It has two holes cut in it the size of the duct vents coming from his stove shed. One comes out the top of the shed for heat and one comes out the bottom for return. This stays in his window all winter and heats that 14 by 80 very easily.

[Anon001]

Oh wow, I know this has nothing to do with the subject but I was shocked to come across such a good deal tonight. *A woman has been trying to sell a wood burning stove for the last 3 years (why she couldn't sell it floors me??) but she said make an offer and I KNEW then she had NO idea what she had and what it's worth, so I offered her $100 and she took the offer. *We pick it up Monday. *It's all cast iron, has all the tubing to go with it. *It's a huge stove, long and rectangular, not the small type. *
She said it's not the type you can cook on though.
I don't know anything about them, but for the price I thought it was a pretty good deal. *My husband used one growing up so he'll know more about it. *Figure if nothing else he can put it in his shop until we would need to use it ourselves. *We live in a double wide, so I know we couldn't put it in the house.
*I tried to upload a pick of it but couldn't get it figured out. *I had to download the pic she sent me in an email and I didn't know how to get a downloaded pic on the site here. *Just wanted to share my find with everyone. *
Southerngirl

Here is the pic of Southerngirl's stove:


http://countryhomegiftshoppe.com/BHMPhotos/southerngirlstove.jpg

[EarthMama]

BeePipes, beautiful pictures!!! Lots of accomplishments to show for your work. Wonderful!

Paul, love that stove! :-)

[Anon001]

BeePipes, beautiful pictures!!! *Lots of accomplishments to show for your work. *Wonderful!

Paul, love that stove! *:-)



That stove is one that SouthernGirl was buying but didn't know how to post the pic. So she emailed the pic to me and I posted it for her.

[Southerngirl]

Well everyone, about that pic of the wood stove, I wasn't able to buy it. I wanted to, but my hubby on the other hand wasn't very interested in it and there was NO way I could load it in the back of my suburban by myself. So, I'm still with no other way of heat source off the grid. WE use propane right now. I'm going to do some more research into the wood stoves that you can have put into a double wide and be legal doing it through the insurance company. I was disappointed, I really wanted that stove for only $100 they were asking for it. UGH! Trying to get someone else on board to help you with your preps for the future doesn't always work out the way we wished they would.
Southerngirl

[EarthMama]

I hate emminent domain,it can taketh from you and give giant corps what you love and have striven for. now what I whould like to see is the feds get off all that land,they took for a song or seized and put it back on the taxrolls-by way of 5-10 acre modern homestead grants-so our young people can have a chance at the goodlife-with a stipulation that the land be husbaned carefully and a bit of produce be marketed each year,eg; some tomatos, etc.Folks I'm really alarmed at the amount of arable land being converted to lawns & pavement each year-Kevin


I agree with you 10000% here, Kevin!!

[EarthMama]

That stove is one that SouthernGirl was buying but didn't know how to post the pic. So she emailed the pic to me and I posted it for her.


Oh, o.k.! Well, that was nice of you to do that for her.

Nice stove, SouthernGirl!! ;D

[EarthMama]

Well everyone, about that pic of the wood stove, I wasn't able to buy it. *I wanted to, but my hubby on the other hand wasn't very interested in it and there was NO way I could load it in the back of my suburban by myself. *So, I'm still with no other way of heat source off the grid. *WE use propane right now. *I'm going to do some more research into the wood stoves that you can have put into a double wide and be legal doing it through the insurance company. *I was disappointed, I really wanted that stove for only $100 they were asking for it. *UGH! *Trying to get someone else on board to help you with your preps for the future doesn't always work out the way we wished they would.
Southerngirl *

So sorry to hear that, SouthernGirl. *sigh* Yeah, sometimes getting others on board with our dreams and visions is the hardest part! :-[

[Anon001]

Trying to get someone else on board to help you with your preps for the future doesn't always work out the way we wished they would.
Southerngirl *

It's sure nice not having someone that I have to try and get on board! LOL It's just me.

[EarthMama]

It's sure nice not having someone that I have to try and get on board! LOL *It's just me.

Ah, but when you do have that significant other on board with ya, Paul... it makes the "board" all that much sweeter.

;D

[Anon001]

Ah, but when you do have that significant other on board with ya, Paul... it makes the "board" all that much sweeter.

;D

Not for me... It would end up upside my head more than not! lol