FarmerJamie - A new beginning

[abifae]

The eldest is out on her first road-driving session of driver's ed right now. Oh, I feel old.

I barely passed. I couldn't focus on anything and couldn't figure out the questions on the test.

Luckily, my driving exam was drive (all right turns) around a block and park again. >.>

I only liked driving on the highway with no other cars around. It was NOT a hardship to give up driving.

 

[Rhettsgreygal]

The eldest is out on her first road-driving session of driver's ed right now. Oh, I feel old.

I barely passed. I couldn't focus on anything and couldn't figure out the questions on the test.

Luckily, my driving exam was drive (all right turns) around a block and park again. >.>

I only liked driving on the highway with no other cars around. It was NOT a hardship to give up driving.

When I took my drivers test, I had a 1975 Gremlin. The guy from the DMV was about as tall as Herman Munster ( and kinda looked like him also), barely fit in the passenger seat and opened his window while it was raining outside. I am surprised I passed because I totally messed up parallel parking. I am still crappy at parallel parking, but luckily I don't do that much in the country.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Summer continues in full force...

Big news today is I let both the laying hens and the new pullets out to free range together. No major issues so far, actually it looked like lunch time on the first day of high school. The old hands are off doing their thing, and the new kids are hanging closed together in a pack, staying out of the way of the big kids. One of the lower ranking hens decided she'd go over and pull rank on the newbie pullets, and they proceeded to kick the crap out of her and she went scurrying for cover.

In a little over 2 weeks the current crop of meaties head to the freezer.

The clouds kept thick last night, so meteor shower observation hopefully will happen tonight.

That's about it.

 

[FarmerJamie]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
NE Ohio, Zone 5B. Southern edge of the snow belt that receives lake effect snow

2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
married, with children

3. How would you define self sufficiency?
planning for the future, being able to provide for basic needs - food, water, shelter, and protecting your family

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
produce and animal farming and food preservation

5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
Have build many small sheds and helped with several larger buildings. No, I hate climbing ladders and I have issues visualizing some of the more complex aspects on construction

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
nope

7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
Grandparents with large gardens with a love of canning. I want to pass those skills on to my kids

8 Cloth or paper?
whatever is handy at the time

9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
Raising chickens for eggs and meat and improved canning skills. I'd like get more into heirloom seeds and plants beyond the "usual"

10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
I like electricity all the technology we have that use it. and travelling. As long as I can afford paying someone to process my chickens, I will continue doing so.

11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
in progress

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
in my garden or in the woods

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
tractor, definitely, never tried a semi

14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
no time to do that

15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
CHICKENS......

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
nope

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
YES. what seeds to have that you can share? Every year I try to plant something new

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
bait

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
several acres in the country

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?

21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
gardening and canning. fermenting

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
with two degrees, I'm finding school is overrated

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I do a pretty good job at sanding, painting, and sanding

24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
curious, not ready to take that leap yet

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
in the foothills in the mountains

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
nope

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Green Lantern. If he can imagine it, his power ring can create it.

28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
family yes, close friends, yes, less close friends think I'm "unique"

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
yep to all

30. What was your MOS?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
in my younger days, now, no, too many nut jobs trespassing during hunting season, I chose not to risk it

32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
ability to plan ahead and identify risks and contingencies needed. Not afraid to get dirty and sweaty, and can zone out to be able to plod through long boring tasks

33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
I'm happy here

34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
return on investment is just not there right now

35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
I don't know....*woosh* aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.....

36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
no and no

37. In what do you trust?
God, Remington and Winchester

38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
when it makes sense balancing the cost versus required quality of the end product, I'll build my own small coop, but not my garage

39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
Trying to eliminate waste and excess usage

 

[savingdogs]

I love it! Your answer to number 37 is the classic.....I laughed so hard my dog jumped.

*dog thumps tail, happy SD has calmed down now.....*

 

[FarmerJamie]

The first major canning weekend of the season is complete! 20 doz ears of corn, beef vegetable stew, the last of the zucchini, and many peaches. DW and eldest DD and I had a good time working together. Feels like this year's weather has us behind by about a month.

Now for the week upcoming - meaties going to the processor Tuesday, so another long day on Tuesday.

Now for the exciting news...because of work, I have do some travelling next week, and tentatively I will be meeting two SS'rs from here in person later in the week!!! Hopefully everything will work out and we'll have a story or two to share.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

YAY for meeting SS'ers!! Wish I was one!!

 

[abifae]

*comes up with story-worthy plans*

 

[FarmerJamie]

YAY for meeting SS'ers!! Wish I was one!!

One of these days once you get back on your feet!!!

 

[FarmerJamie]

*comes up with story-worthy plans*

I think Denver will survive an hour of me being in town.