General Homesteading thread

the most practical thing for most, how to turn left overs from the garden or from their mates after their meal into usable fuel. most the materials easily acquired but some harder, I have yet to get it assembled and seems will be more delays, this was engineered to be mobile and modular, it is much easier if those are not design considerations.

These can be as simple as a couple 5 gallon pails sitting some where in the house and an old tire tube, will produce enough usable gas for a hot plate.
 

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Chickens are a good investment to consider. When I was younger my mom had bought chickens thinking they would be a good way to get free eggs. Turns out she underestimated the amount of eggs 6 chickens could lay and eventually got to the point she was giving entire cartons of eggs to her coworkers.

The chickens also loved hunting down whatever bugs they could find, so that’s another thing to consider.
 
Gamerguy said:
Chickens are a good investment to consider. When I was younger my mom had bought chickens thinking they would be a good way to get free eggs. Turns out she underestimated the amount of eggs 6 chickens could lay and eventually got to the point she was giving entire cartons of eggs to her coworkers.

The chickens also loved hunting down whatever bugs they could find, so that’s another thing to consider.
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And they eat everything
 
Gamerguy said:
Chickens are a good investment to consider. When I was younger my mom had bought chickens thinking they would be a good way to get free eggs. Turns out she underestimated the amount of eggs 6 chickens could lay and eventually got to the point she was giving entire cartons of eggs to her coworkers.

The chickens also loved hunting down whatever bugs they could find, so that’s another thing to consider.
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they are great pest control units, second I get more land I can make a better fox proof coop for em.
 
Homesteading in the truest sense gives you the ability to be you. It also allows you to live up to the fullest possible potential. You can do as your please and be owing to no one. You save bunches because you are living off the land and not paying for any utilities. It is most excellent and awesome because you are able to live at your own pace away from all the fuss, distractions, and headaches of modern living. Best of all for us zoos it allows for total privacy from prying eyes and those that would wish to do us harm. No job either you find some way to make your off grid life pay for itself. All in all the best possible way to live.

I someday would love to find someone who is not apposed to this wonderful idea and settle down with them. I came from the outdoors and am still there and have much practical knowledge and abilities that would apply nicely to this style of living and enable me to do it. I find the idea to be very pleasant and appealing.

I do hope you all find some way to live out this very practical dream. It after all is very rewarding indeed.
 
valleyyote said:
Homesteading in the truest sense gives you the ability to be you. It also allows you to live up to the fullest possible potential. You can do as your please and be owing to no one. You save bunches because you are living off the land and not paying for any utilities. It is most excellent and awesome because you are able to live at your own pace away from all the fuss, distractions, and headaches of modern living. Best of all for us zoos it allows for total privacy from prying eyes and those that would wish to do us harm. No job either you find some way to make your off grid life pay for itself. All in all the best possible way to live.

I someday would love to find someone who is not apposed to this wonderful idea and settle down with them. I came from the outdoors and am still there and have much practical knowledge and abilities that would apply nicely to this style of living and enable me to do it. I find the idea to be very pleasant and appealing.

I do hope you all find some way to live out this very practical dream. It after all is very rewarding indeed.
Click to expand...
Ironic part is near impossible to find people who are serious about it, some times to get what you want you must sacrifice some thing, for me it is convenience, and plastic house. A lot of my gear I get used and I repair, all ways watching auctions.

Winter the thermostat is turned down as oil is shared between power plant and heat, some times just enough to keep water from freezing and the lithium ion power bank in operational zone (I'm hoping to get that boiler fabricated this summer, multi fuel capable)

rare is it you go to bed clean and not sore during summer, but worth it.
 
Also hydroponics is likely much cheaper and easier than you think, I started last summer with printed towers in buckets and a large rig made from scrap lumber from a deck I removed and five gallon buckets with a tote for water. Had all my tomatoes still producing until the heater in my garden shed failed and they all died in a freeze a few weeks back.

Lettuce in the kitchen is a cake walk and fast, good place to start, my indoor strawberry rig is also still going.
 
OutFarming said:
Also hydroponics is likely much cheaper and easier than you think, I started last summer with printed towers in buckets and a large rig made from scrap lumber from a deck I removed and five gallon buckets with a tote for water. Had all my tomatoes still producing until the heater in my garden shed failed and they all died in a freeze a few weeks back.

Lettuce in the kitchen is a cake walk and fast, good place to start, my indoor strawberry rig is also still going.
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The learning curve is the most intimidating thing but once initial set up is complete and running smoothly you can increase yield dramatically with hydroponic set ups. If you have a reliable way to run your pumps it is ideal for indoor/ out of temperate zone growing.

Eliminate the need for nutrient rich substrate as with the constant flow of water and liquid food you can use anything from rockwool to terracotta balls.
 
tsbbreirei said:
The learning curve is the most intimidating thing but once initial set up is complete and running smoothly you can increase yield dramatically with hydroponic set ups. If you have a reliable way to run your pumps it is ideal for indoor/ out of temperate zone growing.

Eliminate the need for nutrient rich substrate as with the constant flow of water and liquid food you can use anything from rockwool to terracotta balls.
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what about micro nutrients - calcium zinc etc?
 
I've been told many times that chickens will keep a yard free of fleas.. Not sure if true..
Gamerguy said:
Chickens are a good investment to consider. When I was younger my mom had bought chickens thinking they would be a good way to get free eggs. Turns out she underestimated the amount of eggs 6 chickens could lay and eventually got to the point she was giving entire cartons of eggs to her coworkers.

The chickens also loved hunting down whatever bugs they could find, so that’s another thing to consider.
Click to expand...
 
OffgridK9lover said:
Ironic part is near impossible to find people who are serious about it, some times to get what you want you must sacrifice some thing, for me it is convenience, and plastic house. A lot of my gear I get used and I repair, all ways watching auctions.

Winter the thermostat is turned down as oil is shared between power plant and heat, some times just enough to keep water from freezing and the lithium ion power bank in operational zone (I'm hoping to get that boiler fabricated this summer, multi fuel capable)

rare is it you go to bed clean and not sore during summer, but worth it.
Click to expand...
Indeed! Yup most often good things require much sacrifice. Plastic house? Yup got to have the tools, I have been collecting various tools for some time now. Most I have been gifted with, others I have found on sale. As you say always looking for good deals. I too know about the used and repairing of them. Always fun though.

Yup do what one must to keep everything within certain limits and not unnecessarily overwork it. Plus you can cuddle up with your little wool buddies! yeah keeping water thawed is most important, busted pipes is nothing anyone wants to deal with in the middle of winter. The resulting flooding creates a big ol mess. May it all go smoothly and may you boiler plans pan out flawlessly! Never can have to much convenience where winter warmth is concerned!

Eyup I know how nasty one can get in the summer, I tend to do alot of hard, sweat inducing manual labor in the summertime. Sometimes I sweat so much I soak clear through my clothing and feel like I have jumped in a bathtub. Such a lovely feeling! Not! I hate going around feeling like a horse pissed on me. But yup I know all about that grungy sensation, but as you say it is well worth it considering it means you have accomplished something!

I hope you are most well and that you have most beautiful day and awesome rest of your week! :gsd_wink:🥀🌷
 
sarahsingletono98 said:
what about micro nutrients - calcium zinc etc?
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You can add whatever you require to the nutrient solution. Most of the pre mixes are a rip off, buy in bulk 50 pound bags it's basically just fertilizer and other dissolvable minerals.


You can also go pump less and just grow in standing nutrient solution, it works well for some things though strawberries really like airated water
 
OutFarming said:
You can add whatever you require to the nutrient solution. Most of the pre mixes are a rip off, buy in bulk 50 pound bags it's basically just fertilizer and other dissolvable minerals.


You can also go pump less and just grow in standing nutrient solution, it works well for some things though strawberries really like airated water
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Also paying for a soil analysis never hurts then you'll have the best idea of what you need
 
Precise homesteading advice depends on your location. It is also pretty much a full time job if you go all-in.

It is not for the faint of heart.

Producing vegetables is the easy part as long as you have fertile soil and tools. Then you have to process all the vegetables into food and find a way to preserve all the food you produce. It is no good to produce a year worth of vegetables if you cannot store those vegetables without them going bad. My first piece of advice is for people to learn which vegetables and fruits grow well in their area, and then find out how to store them long term. Most veggies can be canned with very simple equipment. Canning food is a bit dangerous for some items because it is easy to do it badly and get food poisoning, so ensure you do it right. Other veggies can be fermented and stored cold in cellars for half a year.

Domestic birds are a great investment. Hens and geese and the like will give you all the eggs you need and more.

Horses and cows are nice for milk, they serve as workforce, and you can also use the poop to fertilize your soil and to power your fireplace. If you collect horse poop all summer long you may have enough fuel to heat a small house all winter long.

I have lots of gardening power tools but I recommend keeping "manual" tools because fuel is getting so expensive. A scythe and a sharpening kit goes a long way in keeping bushes and vines from overtaking your land at a laughable cost. Beware that they require you to be fit for use!

Investing in alternative cooking methods is also a good idea. If you have a fireplace or a wood stove, you can use your house-heating equipment to cook on it too. It is primitive, and preparing a stew without burning it is harder inside a fireplace than on a regular gas stove, but having the option and the skill is worth it. When you prune your trees every year, stash the branches and let them dry for a year. Then you can use them for fireplace fuel so you will have heating and cooking at a very low cost.

That is for starters.

As I said, it is not for the faint of heart. If you are trying to produce and store vegetables for 4 people for the whole year, it means that during harvest season you will wake up early to turn the canning equipment on, and be tending it for the whole day until the moment you go to sleep.
 
OffgridK9lover said:
Ironic part is near impossible to find people who are serious about it, some times to get what you want you must sacrifice some thing, for me it is convenience, and plastic house. A lot of my gear I get used and I repair, all ways watching auctions.
Click to expand...

That is because if you go all-in, you won't do anything else, ever.

This is because it is very time consuming.

My vacations consist in cutting off from the world and going full hermit while my family is away having regular fun. Running the whole farm is doable but that means you will spend ALL day tending the harvest and animals, maintaining equipment, and running your food storage program. You will need to store food for the winter, you know.

The sad part is that my deployment is seriously engineered, with proper irrigation and anti-weed blankets that keep the harvest areas free from undesirable plants... and it still takes so much fucking time.

I also have my own electric power production, but I consider it more of a luxury. You can do without it in a pitch, but it is so much easier to make homesteading work if you have some power for your freezers.
 
foalmaker said:
That is because if you go all-in, you won't do anything else, ever.

This is because it is very time consuming.

My vacations consist in cutting off from the world and going full hermit while my family is away having regular fun. Running the whole farm is doable but that means you will spend ALL day tending the harvest and animals, maintaining equipment, and running your food storage program. You will need to store food for the winter, you know.

The sad part is that my deployment is seriously engineered, with proper irrigation and anti-weed blankets that keep the harvest areas free from undesirable plants... and it still takes so much fucking time.

I also have my own electric power production, but I consider it more of a luxury. You can do without it in a pitch, but it is so much easier to make homesteading work if you have some power for your freezers.
Click to expand...
Same concept, the power is a perc, not a vital thing. but to tempt any useful out side people they seem to think you'll die with out electricity

Power makes life hell of a lot easier, I got things set up to allow some more free time winter since no work can be done land wise, good sized feed bunk just needs to be charged up in the morning and water topped up. Auto waterer is going to be summers goal and slew of other stuff
 
Books I find extremely helpful and go back to re read often.
1) Mini Farming; self-sufficiency on a 1/4 acre Brett L. Markham

2) The Urban Farmer: Growing food for profit on leased and borrowed land Curtis Stone

3) Teaming With Series: 1. Fungi 2. Microbes 3. Nutrients 4. Bacteria Jeff Lowenfels

4) Marijuana Horticulture: the Indoor/Outdoor MEDICAL Growers Bible Jorge Cervantes.
 
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