New to Forum

[Legionrider2010]

Hey all,

Just wanted to say hi as I'm a new member to this Forum. I just joined here and also backyardchicken as I'm really interested in becoming self Sustainable, espically with the world becoming more unstable.

A little about myself

I'm married to a wonderful woman and we have three great kids. Our oldest is 16 and will be going to college this next year (she only has three classes left of HS so she's going to take those and college classes at the same time) our next two kids are 12 and 9. Both are homeschooled and love learning both from books and HANDS ON (which I feel is one of the things missing in Public Schools.)

I'm the Sargeant at Arms for our local American Legion post and also an American Legion Rider (Veterans Motorcycle group) and I'm also an Patriot Guard Rider so yes, I'm a biker but it saves tons on gas money. I'm also the Cubmaster for a Cub Scout pack where we live. I'm an Eagle Scout and have lived both in America and Germany so I have seen a part of the world and how other areas are better prepared against GMO's and Corporations like the Monsanto and Cargills.

My wife is an Assistant Den leader for the same pack and the sponser for the American Legion Auxillary Juniors. She's a full time homeschool teacher and part time college student as she has gone back to school to get some more education in other ways to teach our kids.

Our goal (knock on wood) is to have our acreage this summer and start raising chickens, goats, sheep, and other small animals as well as crops.

We already can some foods ( I make an awesome mixed berry Jam) that either we grow in containers or buy from the local farmers market. We just set a huge goal of by 2012 to be totally GMO and Corn sweetener free. It's going to be really rough on the Corn bit as EVERYTHING is made from this these days but we, as a family, have agreed to do this.

So what do I want to learn??? Everything!! No really I am always reading books and websites on living on the land but still am an amatuer. My next is to learn how to cull and process animals to be able to raise and then freeze/can our own food from start to finish and eventually only buy what we have to from stores which will be very limited items. I want to also learn how to properly store foods such as onions,etc.. in a way that they do not have to be frozen or canned.
Another goal is to eventually build a bio-diesel processor as eventually we'll trade our family vehicle (SUV) into for a Diesel truck or SUV and I would love to say goodbye to the high gas prices.

So to sum it up, Hey I'm wanting to learn whatever I can from this group.

Thanks

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Glad you joined!

Feel free to start a journal!

 

[k0xxx]

Greetings and welcome to the group!

 

[Denim Deb]

And, I hear you on the motorcycle and saving gas! I've only just been able to start riding again. It's been too cold here as well as too snowy. I should be able to ride again tomorrow and Sunday.

 

[yourbadd]

You've come to the right place for SS knowledge!! If you haven't already read them, I suggest any of the Storey's guides to raising animals as a nice, easy intro. Backyard Homestead is a good one too!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hi and welcome!! It is realy not hard to do without HFCS, you just need to learn to make your own things like ketchup, ditch boxed cereals, and for other sweeteners, sub in maple syrup and honey. We haven't had any HFCS in oiur house for years now, and the hardest thing for my kids to give up was breakfast cereals. They are way over it now. We are working on GMO rightnow, but my plan for that is to basically grow as much as we can.

And as far as books are concerned, not to diss them or anything, but I am successfully raising chickens, quail, rabbits, ducks, sheep ,a cow, dogs ,cats, and horses with only reading info on the internet and seeking help from knowledgeable people when needed.

I learned how to butcher from the net also. I have lots of experience butchering large to small animals, as do alot of other people here. (My hubby helps with the bigger ones.) We , as in the forum, are a great support system.

We also have diesel vehicles, F250 and a jetta, and we hope to someday make biodiesel also. But getting used oil is not that easy.

Anyways, welcome and enjoy the forum!!!

 

[hoosier]

. . . So what do I want to learn??? Everything!! No really I am always reading books and websites on living on the land but still am an amatuer.

I bet you know more than you think and will be able to share your knowledge.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Hello and from NE Ohio!

 

[i_am2bz]

Welcome! There aren't too many subjects that someone here can't help you with! This is real creative, knowledgeable bunch.

 

[Legionrider2010]

Denim Deb,

Helps that I live in Texas and the cold/ice season is not too long. We only had really two weeks so far that I haven't been able to ride and I am glad as my other vehicle that I drive is an old 92 F150 which I bought as a future farm truck and it sucks down gas at 14 miles per gallon.

Yourbadd- I love Storeys and have several of those already and am always looking for more. Just picked up the rabbit one for my son this past weekend at halfprice books.

Hoosier- We'll see as I might have some knowledge that can share but only time will tell.

And thanks to all for the great welcome. From reading some of the posts, seems to be a great group and I think I might start a journal to learn from my mistakes.