cow on the homestead

Do you have livestock on your homestead?  Do you plan on getting any livestock?  The fact is, if уоu kеер animals оf аnу sort you are gоіng tо nееd adequate fencing.

In mаnу states, іn fact, fencing іѕ legally required fоr аnуоnе wіth livestock оr horses – оr аnу оthеr outdoor animals.  Some people have decorative fencing to help draw their property line or to provide an aesthetically pleasing landscape feature.  That is certainly a nice option, but beyond that, fencing іѕ necessary tо kеер уоur livestock wіthіn уоur property, аnd реrhарѕ mоrе importantly, keep оthеr animals out.

If уоu kеер cattle, fоr example, thеn thе lаѕt thіng уоu wаnt іѕ ѕоmеоnе else’s animals оr wild creatures wandering оntо уоur property аnd eating uр уоur feed, grain аnd hay.  Yоu also don’t wаnt оthеr animals coming оntо уоur property аnd harming оr mating wіth your creatures.   Thе simple fact is, thеrе аrе tоо mаnу reasons tо gеt good fencing аrоund уоur property аnd nо real reasons nоt to.

Thе оnlу problem уоu mіght run іntо wоuld bе cost.  If you are јuѕt starting оut homesteading оr farming, уоu may nоt feel that you hаvе thе cash оn hand to invest in pasture fencing.   Of course, if you have gone to the point to acquire livestock, you probably have already considered the necessity of fencing – and have developed a budget to take care of your animals.

If you’re going forward with the fencing, you will have some decisions to make.  Obviously, the type of animals you have will likely dictate the type and size of fencing you will need.  Before you contact a fencing company, you’ll wаnt tо mаkе your decisions so you can get accurate figures on the cost.  Here are a couple questions you may want to consider:

1. Fіrѕt оf all, dо уоu wаnt tо fence уоur whоlе property, оr јuѕt аn area оf thе property whеrе you’ll соntаіn уоur animals?
2. Whаt type of fencing do you want?   Rail fencing, pasture fencing, Vinyl, wood, barbed, electric, etc.
3. Will you install the fencing, or have it done by a professional?
4. Do you have the necessary equipment to install the fence?

Thеѕе аrе thіngѕ you’ll nееd tо consider, or perhaps to tеll уоur fencing contractor.  You will obviously need to hаvе аn idea оf thе size оf thе area bеfоrе you make thе call.

Thе style аnd material оf fence уоu uѕе іѕ partly uр tо personal preference аnd partly uр tо practical decision making.  Fоr example, wood іѕ typically cheaper, but nоt аlwауѕ аѕ durable аѕ say, iron оr aluminum fоr keeping larger animals.  Vinyl mау bе fine fоr sheep, goats оr small pigs, but mауbе nоt ѕо muсh fоr cattle оr horses.

Whаtеvеr animal уоu аrе raising, уоur bеѕt bet іѕ gоіng tо bе tо study uр оn whаt sort оf fencing you’re gоіng tо need.  Nо matter thе animal you plan on housing, уоu’re going to nееd ѕоmеthіng durable, and preferably, long-lasting.  You don’t want to be repeating this chore in a couple of years.

Also as part of your consideration, you may want to give ѕоmе attention tоwаrdѕ thе lооk оf thе fencing.  Thе steel pipes аnd baling wire lооk іѕ practical, but іt rеаllу dоеѕ mаkе thе place lооk lіkе а prison yard.  You’ll wаnt tо tаkе time tо thіnk аbоut thе aesthetics оf уоur property еѕресіаllу іf уоu run а petting zoo оr а visitor’s ranch аnd nееd tо mаkе уоur visitors happy.

Rеgаrdlеѕѕ оf hоw іt looks, оf course, the three primary concerns аrе gоіng tо bе price, practicality, and durability.  A great lооkіng fence іѕ fine аnd dandy, sure, but іf іt doesn’t kеер уоur horses іnѕіdе thе yard, whаt good іѕ it?

As mentioned above, prioritize aesthetics аt уоur leisure, but for most homesteaders, price аnd practicality are at thе top оf the priority list.

Fog on the Feild

Homesteading is rapidly becoming a much more widespread way of life throughout the nation.  With uncertain times and economic difficulties, many families all over the planet have started working toward a homesteading lifestyle.

The fact is, homesteading is a lifestyle that was created, in effect, by the U.S. government.  Homesteading goes by many other names such as; frugal living, country living, getting back to basics and self-sufficient living.  It can mean so many different things to people, but at the basic foundation it is traditionally the act of creating and developing a self reliant lifestyle.

Many people see homesteading as is a new way of life based on old traditions merged with new technologies.   To many, this new living approach is more of a simple lifestyle based on self-sufficiency, hard work, family and environmental values.  Homesteading connects us to family and neighbors in a unique and powerful way- that an office or mall job never will.

Homesteading is not about removing yourself from society, but rather, engaging yourself in finding solutions to self-sufficient living.  Many have found the challenge of frugal living to be exciting and fulfilling, and have benefited physically from the stronger connection to the labor of farming and tending livestock.

Whether you choose to live a homesteading lifestyle or not, living a simple and frugal existence is becoming more important with each day.  Conserve resources, and stay focused and grounded on the most important things in this life.

Supermarkets were unheard of and in fact are a recently new innovation to help improve people’s lives.  Yes, the farming industry dates back to prehistoric man but in the past most families grew their own produce in small gardens and hoped that it would be enough to get them through the long winter.  If they were really lucky, then they would have a bumper harvest and could sell off the excess at market.

Food and agriculture has always been around but it was not until 1916 that the first self service supermarket was introduced. Clarence Saunders opened up his Piggly Wiggly chain in Memphis, Tennessee. It was not the “total” supermarket that you find today because fresh meat and produce were not sold, only canned and boxed goods. The expansion to selling meat and produce came from Michael J. Cullen in 1930. His King Kullen grocery stores were a hit and many other companies adopted the same ideas for selling everything that a family could need.

Life would be more difficult had Saunders not created the grocery store. But it came with a price, as the farmers market became a rarity. More people wanted the conveniences of using a grocery store rather than having to get out early to pick their produce from the local farmers market. In 1994, a survey was performed and there were only about 1,755 farmers markets in the United States. Today, though, that number is more than 4,385 thanks to the organic movement pushing more people to buy locally grown produce that is pesticide free.

Small produce stands and farmers’ markets cannot compete against supermarkets. But that is not their purpose. The market for fresh, organically grown produce is about safety and trying to keep the environment safe while still enjoying locally grown vegetables and produce. Small farmers find that they can sell their produce for a fair, marketable price and keep their operation in business.

Everyone should take a trip to a farmers market.  You have the wonderful opportunity to pick up fresh produce and even find canned items, such as jams and jellies.  It is a wonderful experience.  You can check out www.farmersmarket.com to get a listing of farmers markets located all around the country.  Some are even completely organic!

When you’re living off the vegetables you’ve planted, your health is bound to prosper from the organic nourishment. If you intend to hone your gardening skills, here are some simple ideas we’ve found for better homesteading:

Cultivate Potatoes in Barrels

Potatoes can be grown in plastic 50 gallon barrels, which are difficult for rodents to chew. Stack the barrels on a raised platform, then drill a few holes at the base for drainage purposes. Take a few potatoes, which have begun to sprout, and slice them into squares. Dry them out to prevent wet rot, then plant them in the barrels with some soil and compost. As the plant reaches the top of the barrel, plant horseradish or bush beans as a companion plant to ward off pests. . When the potatoes are ripe for harvest, kick over the barrel and collect your crop.

Plant Herbs and Flowers with Your Garden Produce

You can attract pollinators to your vegetable garden by inter-planting your crop with a variety of herbs and flower species. Flowers in rich hues of blue and yellow lure bees, which encourage pollination. You’ll be assured of good crops in your harvest of tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. Herbs such as dill, fennel and parsley entice beneficial insects like ladybird beetles. These feed on the pollen and nectar of flowers and lay their eggs on the crops. The larvae will gorge on pests that threaten your vegetables.

Mulch Your Garden

You can prevent weeds from insidiously destroying your vegetables, and retain ground moisture, by mulching. Additionally, mulching permits you to moderate the temperature of the soil. It’s best to resort to material that decomposes, thereby adding organic matter to the soil. Your mulch material can range from shredded leaves to newspaper and cardboard:

• Shredded leaves. This nutrient-rich mulch is ideal for vegetables, flowerbeds and fruits. Shred the leaves with a lawn mower before covering the ground.

• Newspapers and cardboard. Smother the weeds around the pathways and plants with several layers of newsprint and cardboard. Blanket the material with shredded leaves or bark in a thick covering. Replace the paper as your garden grows.

• Tree bark. The most common form of mulching, you can obtain them by the bag from gardening stores. Take care that you purchase real bark. Then spread the pieces over the soil in your garden.

You’ll be a happy homesteader by following the pointers for better gardening and homesteading. Watch your vegetable garden flourish!

There are really only two things in this world that are completely pure in the true VALUE of that thinking. No, it’s not an Elvis memorabilia or an 1813 Singer Sewing machine. The two true ‘it’ items that are not made any more are: Land and Family.

Land

The old adage is that God’s just not making any more of it! I’m pretty sure that’s true. So a little piece of land is a rare commodity. Not just having land itself, but utilizing it and being a good steward of it. That too is rare.

Family: Well, you’ve got one. It may grow and change, but you can’t get a NEW replacement one like you can upgrade a cell phone. So my suggestion is to treat this as one of the rarest commodities you may have. Not only are your family members one of a kind, but they (as you) are finite and only last for one generation at a time.

Stay warm.

Sound’s stupid or simple as far as advice goes, but the tip is just to not ignore the need to stay warm.

Tips on HOW to stay warm are….

• Wear layers! Lots of layers!
• Double up the socks. If you don’t have water proof shoes wear grocery bags between sock layers.
• Cover your head and neck. Hats and scarves are a must!
• Good weather-proof gloves are important. These are worth the investment.
• Timing is everything. Go out mid-day if possible and in dry weather if possible to tend to outdoor chores.
• Go in short stints rather than long haul.
• Learn the signs of frost bite.
• Rest. Working in the cold weather can really take a lot out of you physically, so rest.

Now, don’t ignore the most important ‘tool’ you have on the homestead – YOU!

Until next time – Best Blessings!

The Millers

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, , the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

It’s satisfying to spread your table with your garden produce when you’re an avid homesteader and gardener. Your organically grown vegetables aid in enhancing your health and provide you with excellent nourishment. The following ideas can improve your homesteading and gardening:

1.   Cultivate Potatoes in Barrels

Potatoes can be grown in plastic 50 gallon barrels, which are difficult for rodents to chew. Stack the barrels on a raised platform, then drill a few holes at the base for drainage purposes. Take a few potatoes, which have begun to sprout, and slice them into squares. Dry them out to prevent wet rot, then plant them in the barrels with some soil and compost. As the plant reaches the top of the barrel, plant horseradish or bush beans as a companion plant to ward off pests. When the potatoes are ripe for harvest, kick over the barrel and collect your crop.

2.    Plant Herbs and Flowers with Your Garden Produce

You can attract pollinators to your vegetable garden by inter-planting your crop with a variety of herbs and flower species. Flowers in rich hues of blue and yellow lure bees, which encourage pollination. You’ll be assured of good crops in your harvest of tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. Herbs such as dill, fennel and parsley entice beneficial insects like ladybird beetles. These feed on the pollen and nectar of flowers and lay their eggs on the crops. The larvae will gorge on pests that threaten your vegetables.

3.    Mulch Your Garden

You can prevent weeds from insidiously destroying your vegetables, and retain ground moisture, by mulching. Additionally, mulching permits you to moderate the temperature of the soil. It’s best to resort to material that decomposes, thereby adding organic matter to the soil. Your mulch material can range from shredded leaves to newspaper and cardboard:

• Shredded leaves. This nutrient-rich mulch is ideal for vegetables, flowerbeds and fruits.  Shred the leaves with a lawn mower before covering the ground.

• Newspapers and cardboard. Smother the weeds around the pathways and plants with several layers of newsprint and cardboard. Blanket the material with shredded leaves or bark in a thick covering. Replace the paper as your garden grows.

• Tree bark. The most common form of mulching, you can obtain them by the bag from gardening stores. Take care that you purchase real bark. Then spread the pieces over the soil in your garden.

Adopt these recommendations for better homesteading and gardening, and observe your crops burgeon.  Live happily off your land!

If you’ve not had the chance to see this video, I’d suggest you do so. Such a convenience food that we are consuming mass quantities of and it is so very simple to make it yourself:

I am hoping to add a new Tip each Tuesday to the “Tips to Homesteading” site here. Help keep me accountable will you please?

This Tuesday’s Tip to Homesteading is: Be patient in your diligence!