Joel Salatin and self sufficiency

[me&thegals]

I don't even think it's generational- my sister who was only a year older, never lived outside a city, never even had a pet, and could kill a house plant by looking at it.
I, on the other hand, escaped from the city as soon as I can, think manure is your reward for taking care of your animals and will try anyway to grow anything.
I was always "yahoo" to her "ewwee."

It's strictly a gene thing................

All I can say is Bless those who love the city and thank you for staying there.

No kidding, hey? Pros and cons to both, but I'm surely glad to live where I do

Homestead Jenna--Poor you! I worry someday that my kids will completely turn against everything I've ever taught them. It would be difficult to not be hurt by that. It IS strange to try to figure out why this bug bites some people and not others.

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, I think that, even if they turn in the opposite direction, a trip to grandma's house one day will become a treat. I know that my grandma's house was my first exposure to real farming/SS life when I was little. It was weird and fascinating and I loved it!!

That's what I plan for my grandkids....to be the sweet little ol' grandma who has great food, funny chickens, a soft lamb to hold and hug, and the quiet, homey old farmhouse with all the old house smells!

And another seed gets planted......

 

[homestead jenna]

Oh, I think that, even if they turn in the opposite direction, a trip to grandma's house one day will become a treat. I know that my grandma's house was my first exposure to real farming/SS life when I was little. It was weird and fascinating and I loved it!!

That's what I plan for my grandkids....to be the sweet little ol' grandma who has great food, funny chickens, a soft lamb to hold and hug, and the quiet, homey old farmhouse with all the old house smells!

And another seed gets planted......

Alright, Beekissed.....this is just getting too weird. I, too, have the Grand(child) Plan....starting with the bunnies I'm getting her soon for her b-day. I'll win her over to the Dark Side (according to her mama) soon enough....

Do I have to come over those mountains and yell down into every holler to find you?

 

[Beekissed]

We got to keep fightin' the good fight, jenna!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I love the idea of grass farming and especially am intrigued with "cow days," however since I only have a small amount of land available for a grazing animal (maybe just over an acre that can be left as grass), I'm not sure I could pull it off. I thought about sheep too, but I think I'd rather have a mini-cow. I seem to have a definite preference for cow's milk over goat's milk, so I've been wanting a mini-cow anyway. But I don't think I can keep one, because I would have to worry about winter feed and also about predators. We've got at least one bobcat that visits us fairly regularly. I know bobcats can take down deer, so I suspect they could take down a mini-cow too.

I like your plan, Beekissed, especially since I hope to have bees some day too. Good luck with your grass farming!

 

[enjoy the ride]

Drakemaiden- I admit I've only see Dexter cow but I would think a bobcat would have a problem with them. They weren't as big as Holsteins or Herefords but they weren't all that little either. They were pretty dang stout creatures with a nice set of horns. Sort of like a tank.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thanks, ETR, for that info. I'll have to look further into it.

 

[Beekissed]

I have figured that I can divide my available space into 12-14 paddocks~by moving the push-in posts and wire/tape~that are the right size for two-four sheep. I would say a mini-Dex would probably use the same amount of space? In the waning growth times of grass, those paddocks could be enlarged and bring it down to 8-10 paddocks. This would still give the grass adequate time to recover from grazing, I would think, before the beginning of a new rotation.

With our small acreage, Drake, we will be buying hay for winter feed anyway, so you can stockpile a portion of your graze for winter, but you will likely be feeding hay anyway for most of the time.

The cow days thing with grass farming like Salatin makes our 1 acre seem like 4 with rotational grazing. That's why it appeals to me so very much....to make my land yield as if it is a bigger place and to prevent having to supplement with grain that I would have to buy.