CA drought

[Hinotori]

I've told my husband we need to get the fencing up and get the goats I want for milk. Separate pen for a buck and wether if I can't find a place to get sperm for AI or stud service from a dairy line buck. There are several goat dairies within driving distance that sell some doelings each year. One of the dairies has some very nice nigerian dwarfs.

We're working on getting a big garden in this year. And with the green house, I can leave the tomatoes in there so they don't get late blight. I'm planting some potatoes this year, but if they get really expensive, I'll have to get more than the 100 pounds I normally get from my uncle.

We just got our half beef a few weeks ago and it will last us a year. Well, unless I need to take meat down to my parents. They've had so much medical bills that it's to tight right now.

 

[Denim Deb]

We've been eating more venison-someone gave us part of a deer, we just had to pay for the processing. I'm hoping to learn how to really hunt this year. That should help.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Around here hunting meat is a lot more expensive than raising your own! I know folks who pay $1500 a gun to hunt whitetail. That's just the lease! Add on travel expenses, licenses, processing (lots do their own) and taxidermy for those trophies and hunting doesn't save a dime, lol!

However, if you can hunt on state and/or national land and process your own you could probably come out ahead - and venison tastes might good!

We like goat, sheep and home grown chicken along with those tasty little quails. I could be happy to go the rest of my life without buying beef from the grocery store. I could get the occasional special occasion steak at a nice steak house and be content.

I've gotta agree with FJ - and I'm already planting my spring garden while I'm still harvesting a little from my fall garden too. Here's hoping to a good gardening year!

 

[Denim Deb]

I know people that will let me hunt on their property and not charge a dime. All I'd need to get is my hunting license. I have everything else that I need.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Well, due to life events over the past 18 months, I have no close location to put in gardens this year. Still weighing my options.

 

[Denim Deb]

Do you have any room to do some container gardening?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That would be great Deb.

Oh no FJ! That's gotta be tough on you!

 

[FarmerJamie]

Deb - no real room here, no deck/patio to use. My neighbor and I were talking about options over the weekend, and we think the rental company will let us even put in raised beds. However, I seriously doubt I would see any output from my labors.

Since I live in out in BFE, there are no community gardens anywhere within a half hour drive at the least. There is one, but they are very, very picky about even the type of seeds used, so that won't work. I have family and friends 60-90 minutes away, but that is not practical for trying to have a good season.

FEM, I have my moments, right now, in general, it's all good. Shlepping water to critters in this winter is not something I am missing at all. I'm enjoying my free time. I have my list of things my son and I want to can this summer, so I'm doing a little planning about when I need to hit the farmer's or flea markets. I haven't had chickens for over a year now, and folks at work still ask me when I'm going to have fresh eggs again.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Oh, and the hatchery, seed, and plant catalogs have managed to find me these past two months. LOL

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's gotta make the itch even worse!