What did you do to be/become more self-reliant today?

[rhoda_bruce]

I have 2 gifts I need to go out and collect. One is a trampoline frame, which is given to me after a little storm because of a ripped mat and looks like 2 of the sides for the protection net is bent......this I plan on using for a two season purpose. I thought I could raise chicks in it for meat and grow greens in it when not being used.
I have also been given a child's gym set, that I need help moving, which I want to keep over my oldest raised bed, to help support some deer net I plan on using as a canopy over it, to keep the birds out.....my birds.
But my latest idea came to me last night. I had already planned on erecting my old T frames from my original clothes line and using it to grow grapes in the garden, but one of my neighbors has some mirlitons started and he wanted to sell them $1.50 each, so I have communicated with him that I want 5.....one for each of my kids. I figure I can plant the T frames and put a center support with a fence post to help support cattle panels, but maybe that is too heavy and I should just use 2X4 wire.....or even just hog wire....that would probably be better (and cheaper). If I move the bees....which I should, I can continue that idea to include 2 extra A frames which I can have wire, both on the sides and on the top, as an arbor.
Too bad the weather isn't agreeing with me on doing any of the work.

 

[Denim Deb]

I hear ya on the weather. I'm so tired of mud.

 

[Mini Horses]

Baymule, I had already ordered my mangel beet seeds will do those this Spring. Plus have about 10 pkgs of pumpkin, plus chicory, turnips, etc. These are agreeable animal feeds -- most of us just don't use them. I plan to start...that is part of my "plans for 2016". I've had vetch growing for a while but, expanding that along with strips of various "feed lot" seeding (deer feed lot pkgs) that I got on closeout. Tried some last yr and it went well. the goats eat much like deer and it's a combo seed, lots of good things in there.

I've been letting my little pigs pre-till the areas for my 3 sister plantings. I will let the corn & beans dry on some, for in house beans, non GMO corn for animals....the pumpkins under those will feed many things and stores well. My comfrey is working & will increase in Spring, Sunflowers again for BOSS. Some winter wheat growing now, buckwheat seed here for late next summer. Both good ground cover, feed & seed.

Yep, stocking up and planning ahead. It is inevitable that prices will go up as supply goes down. Everyone should take an extra look at what they now have & later need. I believe most of us do that, just not as far ahead as we should now with these weather disasters. My seed stock (heirloom, most organic, some odd things or feed) is probably at about 3 yrs out. I can save see from plants. I see chicken & turkey in my butchering plans for 2016 -- haven't done that in a while. Already have pigs & goats working for Spring/Summer freezer camps. Milk & cheese starts up with Jan kidding......

I feel pretty ok, actually.

 

[baymule]

Wow @Mini Horses !!!! You are my hero!! You really got it going on! Growing wheat too! I have thought about doing that, need to order seed. I have several buckets of wheat and a Family Grain Mill. And you make cheese too.

We moved here in February 2015, haven't even been here a year yet. I planted a spring garden, but it was a total fail. We have 3 feeder pigs, one for us, the others for friends. They are in the garden now, turning it up and pooping all over it. I want to grow mangels, puumpkins, turnips and winter squash for animal feed next winter. I looked vainly for a beet chopper on the internet yesterday. I could find pictures of old ones, but I guess they don't make them any more.

 

[Mini Horses]

well, "hero" is a little extreme... but, thanks anyway.
This is not your first farm and you aren't a whole lot younger than me. You can do it. Older we get the more we need to work manually & eat well....stay healthy.

Like many things, you learn to do "stuff" out of necessity. So, starts with milking a very generous goat. 1-1.5 gal a day. Day 5 you open fridge & it's wall to wall milk! Make cheese --the soft & fast kind -- it's great for spreads, lasagna, etc. Chickens love it I haven't gotten to hard cheese yet but, HOPE to do that with this Spring milking. I will have 3 does going strong! The one gives 1-1.5 gal. Of course, I have 4 young porkers now, so they share milk & cheese when overrun (have helped use up excess from freezer). Helps with feed bill as it's good protein & calcium. And I make goat milk soaps. Do a couple Fall market things most years. This yr not. But, keep it in a couple beauty shops and sell some there. Occasionally at a Farmers Market, etc.

Wheat is a small overseeded pasture area, got seed from farmer next field over & is really to help with some winter graze -- a small patch will mature for next yr seed. It's a "try it" thing...but, grows great in winter....nice graze if limited amounts. Next yr, buckwheat seeds are here for late summer. It dies in cold but grows super fast, can cut & dry. My vetch has been a nice early spring graze for couple yrs. Legume, so sets nitrogen and good protein graze.

This will be first year for mangels for me. Had seed and didn't get it out this year. Glad now with all the excessive rain. I understand they will get very large. I plan to use my machete to cut them, then put into a large bucket and chop with a tool I have that looks like a hoe that is not bent but just straight up & down, use like a plunger. They just need a little help with size of whole being so large.

Sunflowers did well but only planted about 50. Need about 200. Won't get there but, some helps, right? In this area of VA we grow peanuts, so I can get shells & "sweepings" from the shelling operation for use with chickens, pigs, goats. Free. Those shells have a lot of fiber and protein....Baled P-nut vines are cheap here and the goats love it. Like a browse for them. It's cheap, too. But need to get before heavy rain on it to keep nutrition.

So...I will need about 50 cats for mousers!!

Farming is a lot of work!!!! This will be the first time in a few years that I can actually devote my time as I used to do. (My mom was here & required a lot of care, now at point that needed 2 people 24/7, so in a facility) Plus I bought a tractor this summer & that helps with many things I need to do here.

Like most, I'm hoping 2016 is a banner year. I need one to keep motivated. Really just want to make farm support the animal feed bills...by growing stuff &/or selling stuff. Need to do as I feel some supply issues/price issues across country coming on....as I posted before. Besides, I love my farm life.

It's hard to start at a new place like you have, with needing to set it up for "you" use, etc. I did that here -- hard work. You will find the best place for your garden. Texas can be tough! Been there several times and many extremes as you drive along. You know that -- it will work out eventually. Getting a system in place is necessary and maybe hardest to do when you have to devote so much to "getting set-up". Cramps your style. Seems I'm always re-working something. Hope I have it about done for awhile -fences, sheds, etc.

 

[Britesea]

@Mini Horses the chopping tool you describe sounds like one I used to have that we called a "granny tool"... small enough for a granny to use for whatever hoeing/chopping type chores, lol. Unfortunately, on the small space we have available it will be pretty much impossible to grow the grain needed to make feed for the ducks, but I am growing a lot of Kale and other greens to supplement things. Summer is not much of an issue because they can free range, but when there's a foot of packed snow on the ground there's not much forage, ergo the kale which will grow year round with minimal protection. Sunflowers will be something I can grow for them, but again I have limited space.

 

[Mini Horses]

"Granny tool" -- really ? Well, that's ok. It works.

Have you considered Milo for grains? I ask because they have a huge pod of seed but take little space. Maybe like a few cannas
would take up. I've had some come up volunteer from seed the hens didn't eat. They look like corn coming up -- though it was -- then at about 3' form a large cluster with grains. Let it dry, cut it off and smack it inside of a bucket and seed comes out. Of course they eat food scraps like the chickens. No waste! Greens should be great, like you say, winter hardy. A couple large sunflowers are a nice treat! Pretty & useful. Plus sunflowers are very vertical -- can plant things under them.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Well my response is more to a question of "what did you do.....this week." Like I posted in the hunting section, we recently got some scraps from a field dressed deer and harvested sinew from the back legs, and I tanned up the half of the hide we got and made a pouch to keep my shotgun shells in when we go hunting squirrels. It isn't pretty but it's practical and I am pretty darn proud of my first fur/hide project.

 

[baymule]

I used two deer hides to cover a chair and foot stool many years ago. It needs recovering now, the hair is falling out and makes a mess, so it's out in the storage building. I remember my grandfather having home made chairs with deer hide bottoms. As talented as you are, I expect to see a deer hide bottomed chair! Old chairs can be found in various places and redone with a new hide bottom.....you could use it your self or sell it.

 

[tortoise]

I bought a tattoo pen and figured out how to tattoo my rabbits. I had been seriously considering hauling them to a show to get them tattooed. The tattoo pen paid for itself already - considering the alternative. I felt empowered by tackling a task that made me nervous. It ended being very simple and my rabbits were very tolerant. No kicking or screaming like I was afraid of. Although one was grinding its teeth and I felt badly about that.