# Homesteading Solo



## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

I am about to embark on homesteading journey and am hoping to get all the advice I can on starting out solo! I am buying a cabin on six acres in the hills this month and don't even know where to begin! 
I have a few hand tools and plenty of seeds so I guess I will start by double digging a few plots for a kitchen garden, then put in a perennial bed. 
I plan to buy a electric fence and solar charger for a few chickens and a couple of goats, and build a lockable small chicken tractor like shed with enough space for a couple of goats for now. I think this is a good temporary quick solution until I get to know where I want a real fence and small barn to be. It all seems so over whelming to think about all the plans I want to have happen there. 
What are the pitfalls and mistakes you have made on your own? What are some projects you should not undertake on your own or at least wait for a neighbor or new friend to lend a hand? What are some projects that are good to go at alone i.e. should I jump into beekeeping because it's smaller?


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

Start small. One garden bed at first, a few chickens. Then, slowly expand from there. Don't get goats until you have good, solid place to keep them. Don't plant more ground than you can weed. Chop the overwhelming projects into bite-sized chunks.

The biggest and most common homesteading mistake is to try and do too much at once.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Don't get ANY livestock until you have good housing and the fencing type that is needed. Don't waste your money on electric fencing for the chickens OR the goats!!! Make your kitchen garden first and read all you can about building a small chicken coop and run. Buy the materials as you can afford them and when you have it all, enlist a friend or relative to help you build it. Especially if you are coming into your homestead with no previous building skills. Start out with the chickens first and then save up for a small goat shed and GOOD fencing - they are master escape artists!!!! Plus, you will need additional feed for both the chickens and goats especially in the winter. Goats need hay in the winter also. Start putting away winter feed and hay money NOW. My chickens free range all year round but need kitchen scraps and layer pellets if you want plenty of eggs. Read all you can about raising chickens and goats BEFORE you get them also.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Get on U Tubes and learn all about homesteading in general, homesteading with chickens and with goats.
You cant use a electric wire on chickens, theyll fly over it. As said, goats will either desentisize the charge and go through it, or will jump over it.
What kind of a chicken tractor would you put goats into anyhow?
Outa courisity, how much pasture do you think goats need?
How much money do you have to spend if now the land is bought?
Where are you located?
How big a garden in feet do you plant to make?
What are you going to do for water?
Where will you keep your feed and hay till you build a barn.
I assume your acreage is in the woods. If so, do you intend to keep buying hay and feed throuout each forthcoming winter?
What have you got for tools?
I assume your another homesteader without a tractor. Right?
Are you doing this by yourself, or is anybody else in on the adventure?


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

As mention above, start small. If only you start the gardening part on the 1/8 to 1/4 acre around the cabin using the least labor intensive BISF gardening technique that is most appealing to you and most accommodating of your livestock aspects.

The nice thing about goats is that you can use them to control overgrowth on the 5 acres or so out from the cabin and initial venture area.

If you are only planning for a few chickens, a chicken tractor with laying house on the end may be your best option as it requires minimal cleaning of the enclosure as you move it from one area to another to provide the chickens fresh scratch yard and the full wire enclosure offers protection from hawks. A chicken tractor also helps to keep insect pests down and benefits the lawn areas as it is moved around the yard.

The small chicken tractor enclosure I used when I kept a few hens was easy to move using my riding lawnmower.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

One of the pitfalls I had was to not imagine how tall my fruit trees would get. After they were 10 years old they started shading my blackberries and therefor reducing their harvest, and the blackberries were one of my successes! I was selling them for a while, until I got too busy.

As for the placement of the buildings, walking adds up. Place the buildings where they will be convenient to you. It s easier to tend your stock if you do not have to walk very far, then again you do not want to smell them when you step out your back door. So, at least try to put the goat house down wind of your home.

When I was planning out my place, one thing that threw me was that there often WAS no best answer! They all looked good! My land was flat and sunny and often there WAS no best answer! If this is your difficulty, you might place the outbuildings for beauty: where would they look good to you?

Enjoy your new place!


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Hmmmmm. I did it a little differently than stated above. I already had livestock at the old place....couple cattle, about 5 species of assorted poultry...
Pulled the fencing up from the old place and moved it, moved the animals, moved all our stuff... worried about things like fencing critters in at new homestead after everything was moved. It was complete chaos for a couple weeks, loose animals everywhere while I cut down the brush and got the pens setup, but I moved an entire farm to a 10-acre brush patch, and quickly..

The garden, I had it fenced and sort of planted before moving to the property. Planted the fruit trees right after moving there..

I would set up the electric fence later....do NOT get goats until you can contain them. It can all be done on your own (by a woman, even!) With some time and a ton of determination. My partner was always at work, worked 16-18 hour days so the homesteading stuff was mostly my project.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

You should think about your safety and how to get help fast in an emergency. Figure out a way to keep your cell phone charged and nearby at all times. Get a good emergency first aid kit. Look for fire hazards, outside and inside your home. Get a carbon monoxide alarm. When my sister became single, I got her a Mossburg youth model bantamweight 20 gauge shotgun, pump, five shots, No. 4 shot size, with three choke sizes for hunting, and self defense--about $300.......(she keeps it under her bed)

Since I hate goats, I would say to buy your milk and learn how to butcher rabbits and chickens for your meat supply--unless you just love the taste of goat milk and meat.....

If you have lots of free, downed firewood, I would use that up first--I also would learn how to build a cob oven, a hardwood cooking and smoking grill--or some combination of that either inside or outdoors.

Learn how to make lots of compost, and build into your gardening scheme the extra space to allow for rotational gardening, in tandem with legumes.

Buy a pack each of large, and small yellow note pads. Make an office where you can start each morning with your favorite morning beverage and make your plans, for one hour, tops. Then get out there and get started.

And buy yourself a good pair of gloves....

geo


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

WannabeWaltons said:


> I am about to embark on homesteading journey and am hoping to get all the advice I can on starting out solo! I am buying a cabin on six acres in the hills this month and don't even know where to begin!
> I have a few hand tools and plenty of seeds so I guess I will start by double digging a few plots for a kitchen garden, then put in a perennial bed.
> Ground level enough for raised plots?
> I plan to buy a electric fence and solar charger for a few chickens and a couple of goats, and build a lockable small chicken tractor like shed with enough space for a couple of goats for now.
> ...


Lofty goals.....
Actually I am a researcher.... as much as I can, gather resources... knowledge/skills, tools, money. 
Think about what you want, need and can do with with you have....


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Get yourself a tractor that is old enough to have a belt pulley. Buy yourself a buzzsaw and get a new blade for it and a used round bailer belt laced together to use it with. Thatl save your chain saw for felling and limbing. Get a doz iron wedges, a ax and a spare handle to go with it since your not likely Paul Bunyan with a ax, 2 pry bars, a couple peavys a log maul. Bring your cut wood to the wood shed youll build. Situate the buzz saw within 10ft or less from the shed so that you can enter it in the winter easily to remove wood for stove.
Find a person or Co that does sharpening. Cut your fallen and dry wood first, and nearly fill the shed with it. Cut it and bring it up to the saw and shed. There split it into manageable thickness and length so that you can handle it at the saw. Dry wood will dull your chain and buzz saw blade quickly, so you want to be able to sharpen them, either by yourself or by somebody who knows all about sharpening. Cut some green wood. Use this when going to bed. Close all the dampers and put it in. By morning, it will be nearly burnt up, and the house will be warm enough to get around in.
IF you have someone helping you, put them on the outer edge of the piece being cut and have them take it forward AT THE SAME PACE AS YOU ARE CUTTING IT. They will also help you to move it forward for the next cuts.
IF you have 3 people helping you, have one of them as a off bearer, who takes the cut piece and either throws it into the wood shed or at least out of the way in front of it. I had my overweight X and DD on the far end. and my 9yr old boy was the off bearer. I kept a sharp eye on him at all times, but he did fine.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Look on U Tubes for (cutting wood with buzzsaw)


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

FarmboyBill said:


> Get yourself a tractor that is old enough to have a belt pulley. Buy yourself a buzzsaw and get a new blade for it and a used round bailer belt laced together to use it with. Thatl save your chain saw for felling and limbing. Get a doz iron wedges, a ax and a spare handle to go with it since your not likely Paul Bunyan with a ax, 2 pry bars, a couple peavys a log maul. Bring your cut wood to the wood shed youll build. Situate the buzz saw within 10ft or less from the shed so that you can enter it in the winter easily to remove wood for stove.
> Find a person or Co that does sharpening. Cut your fallen and dry wood first, and nearly fill the shed with it. Cut it and bring it up to the saw and shed. There split it into manageable thickness and length so that you can handle it at the saw. Dry wood will dull your chain and buzz saw blade quickly, so you want to be able to sharpen them, either by yourself or by somebody who knows all about sharpening. Cut some green wood. Use this when going to bed. Close all the dampers and put it in. By morning, it will be nearly burnt up, and the house will be warm enough to get around in.
> IF you have someone helping you, put them on the outer edge of the piece being cut and have them take it forward AT THE SAME PACE AS YOU ARE CUTTING IT. They will also help you to move it forward for the next cuts.
> IF you have 3 people helping you, have one of them as a off bearer, who takes the cut piece and either throws it into the wood shed or at least out of the way in front of it. I had my overweight X and DD on the far end. and my 9yr old boy was the off bearer. I kept a sharp eye on him at all times, but he did fine.


You kill me with your tractor advocacy, Bill!!
Where can I get a small 4-wheel drive tractor that is used, for next to nothing? If anyone would know it's you..


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

Ellendra said:


> Start small. One garden bed at first, a few chickens. Then, slowly expand from there. Don't get goats until you have good, solid place to keep them. Don't plant more ground than you can weed. Chop the overwhelming projects into bite-sized chunks.
> 
> The biggest and most common homesteading mistake is to try and do too much at once.


I have defiantly made the biting off more than I can chew mistake before. I figured a couple of goats and a handful of birds was starting small. This year we had three larger raised beds and although one was over run with weeds the only thing I regret was not being able to do more. I am not entirely solo, I have kids who are pretty good at weeding by now.


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

COSunflower said:


> Don't get ANY livestock until you have good housing and the fencing type that is needed. Don't waste your money on electric fencing for the chickens OR the goats!!! Make your kitchen garden first and read all you can about building a small chicken coop and run. Buy the materials as you can afford them and when you have it all, enlist a friend or relative to help you build it. Especially if you are coming into your homestead with no previous building skills. Start out with the chickens first and then save up for a small goat shed and GOOD fencing - they are master escape artists!!!! Plus, you will need additional feed for both the chickens and goats especially in the winter. Goats need hay in the winter also. Start putting away winter feed and hay money NOW. My chickens free range all year round but need kitchen scraps and layer pellets if you want plenty of eggs. Read all you can about raising chickens and goats BEFORE you get them also.


I've have known folks that did rotational grazing with goats before with electric goat fence and didn't have too bad of luck with them getting out. There were a few times they figured out how to short out the fence and I had to help round them up. This would be a temporary solution for just one doe and a couple of kids until I get to know the lay of the land better.
I have some building skills mostly around sustainable design like cob, cordwood, etc, but have helped out on a few more traditional projects and turned a basement into three rooms ages ago. I am far from an expert but think I can manage to scrap together a safe and secure yet not aesthetically pleasing shelter on a dime. 
I intend to buy a bale of hay once I get to know some of the locals well enough to not pay feed store prices. I plan on investing on salt and minerals, sunflower seeds and oats as well etc. I hope to grow an excess of root veggies to feed overwinter as well, but am planning on only having a few animals so I can manage feeding them if I don't.


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

FarmboyBill said:


> Get on U Tubes and learn all about homesteading in general, homesteading with chickens and with goats.
> You cant use a electric wire on chickens, theyll fly over it. As said, goats will either desentisize the charge and go through it, or will jump over it.
> What kind of a chicken tractor would you put goats into anyhow?
> Outa courisity, how much pasture do you think goats need?
> ...


I'm envisioning a chicken tractor that is more like an egg mobile with a portable pen, nesting boxes along the side but a wide enough center so a couple of goats could go up at night and not be under the roosts. Not like the short rectangle broiler tractors. I guess I used the wrong term for what I'm planning to slap together.
I think goats need less pasture than browse and can help cut back the forest which is why I'm settling on goats for a few years before I get the land to be what I feel a cow would flourish on. I love cows by the way, I'm not a goat gal but have had plenty of goats before to learn that one. 
I have no clue how many square feet my garden will be. Considering it's early May, I might just dig up what I know I can sow this season. But I have this crazy idea of trying to break my back and rent a tiller to plant some cover crops to start building up pasture for that cow I dream of having Ina few years.
Yep I'm anothe homesteads without a tractor. I'm only getting a few acres, so I don't really think I will need one. Kind of like how I'd like a pretty fluffy livestock guard dog but I just can't justify it on the small amount of land I can afford.


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

ShannonR said:


> Hmmmmm. I did it a little differently than stated above. I already had livestock at the old place....couple cattle, about 5 species of assorted poultry...
> Pulled the fencing up from the old place and moved it, moved the animals, moved all our stuff... worried about things like fencing critters in at new homestead after everything was moved. It was complete chaos for a couple weeks, loose animals everywhere while I cut down the brush and got the pens setup, but I moved an entire farm to a 10-acre brush patch, and quickly..
> 
> The garden, I had it fenced and sort of planted before moving to the property. Planted the fruit trees right after moving there..
> ...


I loved reading your inspiring story and the can do attitude of another woman on here! I'm determined, that's for sure!


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

FarmboyBill said:


> Get yourself a tractor that is old enough to have a belt pulley. Buy yourself a buzzsaw and get a new blade for it and a used round bailer belt laced together to use it with. Thatl save your chain saw for felling and limbing. Get a doz iron wedges, a ax and a spare handle to go with it since your not likely Paul Bunyan with a ax, 2 pry bars, a couple peavys a log maul. Bring your cut wood to the wood shed youll build. Situate the buzz saw within 10ft or less from the shed so that you can enter it in the winter easily to remove wood for stove.
> Find a person or Co that does sharpening. Cut your fallen and dry wood first, and nearly fill the shed with it. Cut it and bring it up to the saw and shed. There split it into manageable thickness and length so that you can handle it at the saw. Dry wood will dull your chain and buzz saw blade quickly, so you want to be able to sharpen them, either by yourself or by somebody who knows all about sharpening. Cut some green wood. Use this when going to bed. Close all the dampers and put it in. By morning, it will be nearly burnt up, and the house will be warm enough to get around in.
> IF you have someone helping you, put them on the outer edge of the piece being cut and have them take it forward AT THE SAME PACE AS YOU ARE CUTTING IT. They will also help you to move it forward for the next cuts.
> IF you have 3 people helping you, have one of them as a off bearer, who takes the cut piece and either throws it into the wood shed or at least out of the way in front of it. I had my overweight X and DD on the far end. and my 9yr old boy was the off bearer. I kept a sharp eye on him at all times, but he did fine.


Ya know a few weeks ago my kid and I were using a two person handsaw and I thought I need to add it to my list of tools to get once I get land. It really was tough to get a rhythm going but once we made it work it was teamwork. Doesn't cutting green wood gum up saw blades? I was under the impression it took a different kind of saw with a different type of tooth every third or fourth blade to get through greenwood. Cutting my own firewood is going to be one of the larger obstacles for me! I can use an axe, saw and splitting maul but I have a hearty and healthy fear of chainsaws. But again the tractor thing....


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## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

The property


geo in mi said:


> You should think about your safety and how to get help fast in an emergency. Figure out a way to keep your cell phone charged and nearby at all times. Get a good emergency first aid kit. Look for fire hazards, outside and inside your home. Get a carbon monoxide alarm. When my sister became single, I got her a Mossburg youth model bantamweight 20 gauge shotgun, pump, five shots, No. 4 shot size, with three choke sizes for hunting, and self defense--about $300.......(she keeps it under her bed)
> 
> Since I hate goats, I would say to buy your milk and learn how to butcher rabbits and chickens for your meat supply--unless you just love the taste of goat milk and meat.....
> 
> ...


 The property is not as secluded as I would like to be, their are neighbors on two sides each about a quarter mile away. I have taken first and training before but could use a refresher course and better,more hardy first aid kit. I've already got a Mossburg youth model, I give myself black eyes or fall over with the grownup shotguns. im pretty good with a pistol though. I'm more afraid of what animals might get hurt if I don't build them secure sheds. 
Since I don't hate goats but don't prefer them either, I'll take my chances drinking goat milk for a few years till I can enjoy some good cows milk. I wasn't planning on rabbits yet, I think it would be a pain to build so many single purpose structures for them. I'm all about stacking functions. if I could find a way to have rabbits in with chickens I'd probably give it a try, but would t they burrow out?
I've participated in cob oven builds a few times and am going to give it a try on my own. I also hope to get a woodcook stove but will appreciate the simple act of using a hearth until I get a decent deal on one. 
We're planning on using a composting toilet with sawdust as soon as a I can find a cheap if not free source of sawdust. So that should help contribute to the compost. 
I'm not sure if I can sit with my cup of coffee for a hour once I get there, I have spent too many mornings researching, dreaming and planning for this little piece of land to finally be mine to nurture so it can nurture me. 
I've got a good pair of gloves on my shopping list my pair left over from my last attempt at working on a farm, the leather has worn thin in a few places or burnt stiff in others.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Green wood cuts easier than dry wood. It dosnt gum up the teeth.
U mentioned cutting down a tree with a 2 person saw. Did you just cut it up, ie cut off the limbs, IR did you cut it down. Theres a HUGE difference in the 2. Cutting up a downed tree is WAY easier than cutting one down.


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## chaossmurf (Jan 6, 2017)

well id suggest first of all ---add your state /county & grow zone info into your bio page --then people can help better and maybe someones nearby thatd swing by when ya need it ???
ive got a chicken trator plan that im building at my brothers house (bigger lawn) and a few dollars more in parts can easily make it a goatbarn under the chickens 
have ya considered aquaponics ? or raised beds to make weeding easier ? or a greenhouse ?
id definitely suggest bees  if not just for your own gardens pollination ,then maybe some honey 
I did see ya mention hills so im assuming not in florida 
ive been researching & brainstorming for mst my life also ---if only I had the funds to make dreams get started hehe


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

As to your last, I agree, and my times running out to make them happen.


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## April Angnos (May 13, 2017)

COSunflower said:


> Don't get ANY livestock until you have good housing and the fencing type that is needed. Don't waste your money on electric fencing for the chickens OR the goats!!! Make your kitchen garden first and read all you can about building a small chicken coop and run. Buy the materials as you can afford them and when you have it all, enlist a friend or relative to help you build it. Especially if you are coming into your homestead with no previous building skills. Start out with the chickens first and then save up for a small goat shed and GOOD fencing - they are master escape artists!!!! Plus, you will need additional feed for both the chickens and goats especially in the winter. Goats need hay in the winter also. Start putting away winter feed and hay money NOW. My chickens free range all year round but need kitchen scraps and layer pellets if you want plenty of eggs. Read all you can about raising chickens and goats BEFORE you get them also.


I agree but I don't think you have to stress out too much. This makes it feel impossible almost if you don't have all the knowledge first. Learning along the way is such a great experience. Start small, one thing at a time. You don't have to have fancy ciipscoops or sheds for your livest


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## April Angnos (May 13, 2017)

COSunflower said:


> Don't get ANY livestock until you have good housing and the fencing type that is needed. Don't waste your money on electric fencing for the chickens OR the goats!!! Make your kitchen garden first and read all you can about building a small chicken coop and run. Buy the materials as you can afford them and when you have it all, enlist a friend or relative to help you build it. Especially if you are coming into your homestead with no previous building skills. Start out with the chickens first and then save up for a small goat shed and GOOD fencing - they are master escape artists!!!! Plus, you will need additional feed for both the chickens and goats especially in the winter. Goats need hay in the winter also. Start putting away winter feed and hay money NOW. My chickens free range all year round but need kitchen scraps and layer pellets if you want plenty of eggs. Read all you can about raising chickens and goats BEFORE you get them also.


I agree but I don't think you have to stress so much. This makes it feel almost impossible to start unless you have all the head knowledge first. Learning along the way builds character and makes you think outside the box and be innovative. Your coops and sheds for livestock don't have to be fancy (unless you want them that way), pallets are amazing and go can get them free. Craigslist is an awesome resource and YouTube is your friend. When I first started out I used 6 foot temporary fencings panels that I bartered for fleece blankets and baby blankets that I make. It was awesome and kept the goats secure. Their shed was two 4x8 sheds made out of free full wood slipsheet pallets from a areotek place near me. Take it easy and enjoy the journey.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

You don't need to stress, in fact, going slow and starting small will REDUCE your later stress!!! In my 63 years I've seen so many friends and family start out too big too fast and then end up dumping the whole thing!  Mistakes are expensive and sometimes devastating (like the unnecessary death of a goat etc.) One of my DILs is a prime example. Two years ago they bought 55 acres. Only outbuildings were a chicken coop, tractor shed and a small run in stall. She is a horse person and grew up on a ranch so wanted her horses close. Only problem...only 7 1/2 acres of poor field and irrigation - fencing so old and decrepid that it had to be replaced. I had gotten the granddaughters 5 chicks to start their flock. Perfect number for their age and abilities. The ranch grandpa thought it wasn't enough and brought them 12 more!!!! Well, that kind of killed it for them - too many, too much care starting out (tiny chicks) and the kids felt overwhelmed so my son took them over. His wife decided that she needed goats because I had goats and the girls loved them so much...So she gets 2 females, one pregnant, a couple bottle babies and 2 neutered males.....TOO MANY TO START!!! She knew nothing about goats!!! The older girl had her 4-H lamb in the run in shed - my son had fixed it into a nice sheep pen. The older girl then became responsible for her lamb AND all of the goats - she felt totally overwhelmed!!! No place to put all of the goats so they turned them loose and they created havoc getting into everything. My son was NOT happy!!! Then...besides their 4 saddle horses (after my son fenced the field, made a corral and increased the shed for hay storage etc. my DIL decides to go into raising mini horses and after one summer has aquired 9 of them (two mares had babies during this time). So winter comes and it was one of the worst winters in years. Oh what work there was for my son and the girls as his wife works MANY hours at the hospital (CEO) After 2 years DIL took a position on the coast so they sold the farm, took horses out to dad's ranch, plus the cattle (forgot about them), and gave away the goats and chickens. My son and the girls were SOOOO relieved!!!! None of them want another farm except DIL...LOL!!! She has been eyeing properties again! Hopefully she learned something and starts out SMALLER this time....


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

to start, do things that benefit you.
first a garden,. don't plant frilly things because they are cute. plant food for you..
you don't say if you have a well, electricity ?
scrounge up as many quart canning jars as you can beg, borrow or steal.. canning lids are too expensive to waste on pint and half-pint jars.

the best time to plant fruit trees is right now.
goats love fruit trees.

I had goats. after I got rid of the last ones, I never drank another glass of cow's milk.

if you are going to drink goat milk, then you have to feed them the proper feed. weeds will make the milk stink, and if it smells that bad,it will tasted just as bad.

I don't know how much money you have in reserve. save it. there will be many things you will have to buy, not just want to buy.

I personally would not get goats the first year.

a couple of chickens for eggs. a rooster is not necessary. hatching your own eggs is a future project..

butchering chickens is a good thing to learn.
hiring someone to butcher them is too expensive.

plant your blackberries and raspberries on opposite ends of the property.

If well managed, you can make pretty good money on berries. my aunt paid their property taxes each year just from picking and selling raspberries from her patch.

.....jiminwisc......


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## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

From someone who learned the hard way. Be realistic about what and how much you will actually use. 
I got goats because they were so darn cute and a lot of fun to watch. Dairy and fiber. Turns out no one would drink goats milk so it made more work to make cheese or soap. I combed the fiber but never found time for spinning or carding. Thought I had great fencing but spent a lot of time rounding up stray goats and when I finally got them secured then I fought with a neighbors jack russle that got in my yard several times killing2 goats and all my chickens. 
Decide how much you like eggs and will use them. I thought I could just sell any extras, then I started getting 18 eggs a day and they started stacking up. I almost beg people to take the eggs these days. 
I thought about bees, but then realize that I only actually buy 1 jar of honey a year, so don't use a lot. I bought a box of ladybugs for pollination instead.
Planted strawberries because they were easy and then found that my kids would eat a few on a shortcake and thrown into a milkshake but were not big on jellys and jams.
Take the time to think about what you like, what you will use and to get the lay of the land (and neighbors) before you start investing money and time.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

DKW I feel your pains and frustrations for they are my own LOL


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I do have a family, but I am the only one who has any interest at all in homesteading.

What has worked for me:

Chickens, but no more than 6, and that was when the kids were home. We got all the eggs we could use, and the feed cost was about $12 a month. I used to lock them up at night in a shed: even when we could free-range the birds needed the protection while they slept. The varmint population is too high now, so the birds have a run with a roof. For Ron and I, honestly, 2 hens is enough. But I like to keep a couple more so I do: chickens are like potato chips: 1 is not enough.

Bees. Honey did not sell all that well, but the pollination was great. We do not use much honey so mostly they get to keep it.

Blackberries. Mowing around them kept them from spreading into a thicket, and the family at them happily as long as I picked them. I froze some and canned some for winter, and they ate those as well. I am very happy to have gallons of berries to use and to preserve.

Little fruit trees. I pick the fruit, dry the fruit, and I am the one that eats most of it. Oh, well. I think it is good. If you soak the dried fruit it is very nice stirred into a cake. And, it makes a good snack just as it is.

Peas, string beans, sweet corn, and also some greens to add to salads. My entire family will eat these, as long as I do all of the work.

And, Christmas trees. If I did the work the kids were very happy with them, and I was happy to save $35 by cutting them from my own back yard.

Life is good. DH has his town activities and I work outside in the sun, surrounded by flowers, butterflies, and fresh-food snacks.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

IF you are going to get goats and drink their milk. I suggest Nubian, but that's just me. As has been said, grain them well. Get a tiny freezer and put it out in the milk parlor. Take your milk buckets in the house. Wash them, drain them, but don't dry them. Put them in the freezer in the house. When ready to milk, take the bucket s out of the freezer in the house and put them in the freezer in the milk parlor. Go grain/hay the stantions and bring them in. Once fastened and eating, go get a bucket and begin milking. IF more than one goat, put the just milked bucket back in the freezer and keep doing so till all the milking is done. Take the buckets out of the freezer in the parlor and take them straight to the house and put them in the freezer for an hour.
DOING THAT
And you will have the freshest, nicest tasting milk you could ever want.


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