Work on the Homestead

Things we are presently doing on the homestead:

• We raise Red Angus cattle and sheep for meat and for profit.
• We hunt and harvest deer, antelope, elk, sage grouse and cottontail rabbits and elk for meat.
• We plant a small garden, in which we grow potatoes, onions, beets, green beans, and summer squash.
• We have built a greenhouse, which we use for those summer crops, like tomatoes, green peppers, herbs, and believe it or not....Brussels sprouts.
• We start our plants indoors from seed.....we try to use heirloom.
• We preserve the beets that we grow into pickled beets.
• We can tomatoes, salsa, jams and jellies, and peaches.
• We cut and split our own wood for heating our home.  Although we have propane as a backup, we only spend about $300 a year to heat our home.
• We make our own bread.
• We cook most things from scratch and rarely go "out" for dinner.
• We smoke and butcher our own meat.
• We compost kitchen scraps and use manure from the sheep and cattle operation for fertilizer.
• We planted currant bushes for the fruit.
• We make our own pasta noodles.

Things we would like to start doing on the homestead:

• We need to build a chicken coop and start raising hens for eggs.  I get very attached to chickens, so I doubt we will ever grow them for meat.  That is just one thing we need to plan on purchasing.
• This spring, we plan on buying two wiener pigs to raise.
• We need to build rabbit cages and raise rabbits for meat.
• Hunky Hubby has expressed interest in setting up some bee hives.  I am deathly allergic, so I won't be involved in that project.
• We need to plant some strawberries and raspberry plants.
• I would really like to take a spinning class, as we have a large amount of wool.
• This winter, I want to develop some recipes for homemade cleaning and laundry products.  I would also like to make our own shampoo, lotion, lip balm, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant.
• We are talking to a neighbor about buying shares in her milk cow.
• We need to re-vamp the compost pile.
• I need to get my mother-in-law to teach me how to render lard.
• I would love to learn how to make soap the old fashioned way.
• I need to step it up on sewing clothing for our family.