# Introduce yourself please



## Oregon1986

I was gone for awhile so I thought it would be fun for everyone to tell a little about themselves like who they are and where they are from. Lots of new people I don't recognize. I am Tiffany. I am a 35 year old mother of three from Oregon. I am a big outdoors person and love everything from hiking, hunting,fishing to gold panning. I am always up for adventure, a bit sassy but overall very friendly person.


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## Alice In TX/MO

I am a very long time member of this forum. I now live in the Spicewood, Texas, area, outside of Austin. I have raised most of the farm animals in the course of homesteading in three locations. Goats are my favorite.

I have a retired oilfield husband, two sons, four grandchildren, two cats (at the moment - one is an ANCIENT rescue), five goats, and one dog. 

I retired from teaching English, Speech Communication, and Art in a very small school district. I was also the public speaking coach, yearbook coordinator, and a few other odds and ends.

There are too many sentences beginning with "I" in this post.  (I moonlight as the Grammar Police)

Management of the family trust and my rental properties consumes a significant chunk of time, so full time retirement has escaped me.


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## Oregon1986

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I am a very long time member of this forum. I now live in the Spicewood, Texas, area, outside of Austin. I have raised most of the farm animals in the course of homesteading in three locations. Goats are my favorite.
> 
> I have a retired oilfield husband, two sons, four grandchildren, two cats (at the moment - one is an ANCIENT rescue), five goats, and one dog.
> 
> I retired from teaching English, Speech Communication, and Art in a very small school district. I was also the public speaking coach, yearbook coordinator, and a few other odds and ends.
> 
> There are too many sentences beginning with "I" in this post.  (I moonlight as the Grammar Police)
> 
> Management of the family trust and my rental properties consumes a significant chunk of time, so full time retirement has escaped me.


You have so much to be proud of❤


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## altair

Thank you for this. I learn snippets about posters here and there, but this really spells it out.

I am, affectionately, a damned Yankee, in my thirties with a husband, goats, two cats, a fish. Left to my own devices, I would have a zoo. I am the assistant town clerk/treasurer in my hometown, help with a fire district, and became treasurer of our county Farm Bureau. 

I mostly keep to myself as an introvert but like reading and writing and art and someday I'd like to be more versatile.


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## Oregon1986

altair said:


> Thank you for this. I learn snippets about posters here and there, but this really spells it out.
> 
> I am, affectionately, a damned Yankee, in my thirties with a husband, goats, two cats, a fish. Left to my own devices, I would have a zoo. I am the assistant town clerk/treasurer in my hometown, help with a fire district, and became treasurer of our county Farm Bureau.
> 
> I mostly keep to myself as an introvert but like reading and writing and art and someday I'd like to be more versatile.


It is nice to learn about eachother and everyone's lives. Sounds like you are well on your way to a mini zoo😁


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## 67drake

I think the last “introduce yourself” thread I saw here was the one you started about a year and a half ago. 
I’m Drake, I like rainy days and long walks on the beach.
Besides that, I’m 56 and married. 7 kids, a 10 and 14 year old at home still.
Born in Chicago Ill-annoy, moved up to Wisconsin in late 80’s to get away from congestion and taxes. Lived in Kenosha and Racine area. I was a printer for 32 years, till I moved out to a small rural town in the Driftless area of SW Wisconsin. I work at a meaningless job for the insurance and I’m my towns zoning administrator. We also own rental properties in this area and one back in Racine.
I hunt,shoot, hike and play with old cars. I also spoil my kids as long as they keep their grades up and are doing physical activity. 
We have one black lab and an African Gray parrot.


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## Sebastian C

Hola I'm Sebastián! Originally from the MD/DC suburbs somehow ended up in SW Costa Rica. Got a wife and two kids. Small 3.5ish acre farm. Suburban farm. Pigs, chickens, coffee, veggies, work excavation and construction. Studied agricultural engineering at the local university but still get my best advice from grumpy old farmer neighbors. And here, of course.


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## Oregon1986

67drake said:


> I think the last “introduce yourself” thread I saw here was the one you started about a year and a half ago.
> I’m Drake, I like rainy days and long walks on the beach.
> Besides that, I’m 56 and married. 7 kids, a 10 and 14 year old at home still.
> Born in Chicago Ill-annoy, moved up to Wisconsin in late 80’s to get away from congestion and taxes. Lived in Kenosha and Racine area. I was a printer for 32 years, till I moved out to a small rural town in the Driftless area of SW Wisconsin. I work at a meaningless job for the insurance and I’m my towns zoning administrator. We also own rental properties in this area and one back in Racine.
> I hunt,shoot, hike and play with old cars. I also spoil my kids as long as they keep their grades up and are doing physical activity.
> We have one black lab and an African Gray parrot.


Lol it probably was me because I am a nosey woman🤣 my daughter was begging for an african gray parrot for Christmas,she would be so jealous


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## Oregon1986

Sebastian C said:


> Hola I'm Sebastián! Originally from the MD/DC suburbs somehow ended up in SW Costa Rica. Got a wife and two kids. Small 3.5ish acre farm. Suburban farm. Pigs, chickens, coffee, veggies, work excavation and construction. Studied agricultural engineering at the local university but still get my best advice from grumpy old farmer neighbors. And here, of course.


Grumpy old farmer neighbors are the best and have the best advice.


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## AbbySmith

I'm Abby. I live in Canada. Hate the snow/cold and wished we lived somewhere warmer lol. 
I own 1 horse and 2 mini donkeys. I want to buy a second horse this summer, a mini highland cow, and an alpaca (my farrier says I will be known as the Crazy Critter Lady lol)
We also have 70 pigs, 30 cows, 25 heifers, 150 chickens, 2 ducks, 1 cat, and 3 Great Pyrenees dogs. 
I volunteer at an animal rescue and love it!
Animals are my passion, and I have no interests in anything else lol
I wanna barrel race one day too!


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## Oregon1986

AbbySmith said:


> I'm Abby. I live in Canada. Hate the snow/cold and wished we lived somewhere warmer lol.
> I own 1 horse and 2 mini donkeys. I want to buy a second horse this summer, a mini highland cow, and an alpaca (my farrier says I will be known as the Crazy Critter Lady lol)
> We also have 70 pigs, 30 cows, 25 heifers, 150 chickens, 2 ducks, 1 cat, and 3 Great Pyrenees dogs.
> I volunteer at an animal rescue and love it!
> Animals are my passion, and I have no interests in anything else lol
> I wanna barrel race one day too!


Holy cow that is a lot of pigs!! Funny you hate snow and live in canada lol.


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## 67drake

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol it probably was me because I am a nosey woman🤣 my daughter was begging for an african gray parrot for Christmas,she would be so jealous


Tell her to be careful for what she wishes for. The parrot won’t shut up when you want him to. When my or wife’s cell phone rings,“Rocky” says “Hello”, then talks non stop. I literally have to give him crackers or peanuts to fill his beak, and keep him busy, otherwise move to another part of our small house.


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## Oregon1986

67drake said:


> Tell her to be careful for what she wishes for. The parrot won’t shut up when you want him to. When my or wife’s cell phone rings,“Rocky” says “Hello”, then talks non stop. I literally have to give him crackers or peanuts to fill his beak, and keep him busy, otherwise move to another part of our small house.


Oh my that would drive me absolutely nuts. Give him bubble gum🤣


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## AbbySmith

Oregon1986 said:


> Holy cow that is a lot of pigs!! Funny you hate snow and live in canada lol.


Lol. Most of them are bred so we'll have 200 piglets in April and another 200 in May.


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## Oregon1986

AbbySmith said:


> Lol. Most of them are bred so we'll have 200 piglets in April and another 200 in May.


Oh my goodness,bacon bits everywhere!!


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## doc-

Being of Sicilian descent, I'm genetically predisposed to admit to nothing..."Non saccio niente."...Besides, I went to a movie that nite...alone...and sat thru it three times.


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## doc-

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I retired from teaching English, Speech Communication, and Art in a very small school district. I was also the public speaking coach, yearbook coordinator, and a few other odds and ends.


The wife started jaw-bonin' at me again the other day.."We never communicate," she says....I told her "I don't wanna talk about it."


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## Amanda_W

Hi all, I'm Amanda and have been on the forum for a few years. I'm not very active posting but love reading and learning about everyone's experiences. I currently live on a farm raising beef cattle and growing feed crops for livestock. I am a single mom to one, love the outdoors, hiking, paddling, shooting, fishing, gardening etc.


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## topside1

Good Morning all. I'm John, 63 yoa from Monterey, Tennessee. Spent a good portion of my life riding boats and ships for the U.S. Coast Guard. Retired from the guard as a Chief Warrant Officer in 2005. I enjoy all four yearly seasons: gardening, hunting, shivering, and firewood season. Former Nubian goat lover, but now only raise steers to full family freezers. Good fun. Topside


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## Oregon1986

Amanda_W said:


> Hi all, I'm Amanda and have been on the forum for a few years. I'm not very active posting but love reading and learning about everyone's experiences. I currently live on a farm raising beef cattle and growing feed crops for livestock. I am a single mom to one, love the outdoors, hiking, paddling, shooting, fishing, gardening etc.


What is your favorite thing to fish for?


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## Oregon1986

topside1 said:


> Good Morning all. I'm John, 63 yoa from Monterey, Tennessee. Spent a good portion of my life riding boats and ships for the U.S. Coast Guard. Retired from the guard as a Chief Warrant Officer in 2005. I enjoy all four yearly seasons: gardening, hunting, shivering, and firewood season. Former Nubian goat lover, but now only raise steers to full family freezers. Good fun. Topside


Lol shivering season huh? Our seasons aren't too bad here


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## Amanda_W

Oregon1986 said:


> What is your favorite thing to fish for?


In freshwater mostly fish for bass and trout here.


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## CKelly78z

My name is Chris, I am 56, and have been married for 33 years. My wife, and I have a really nice paid off 10 acre farm in NW Ohio, and just waiting (not so) patiently to retire. We enjoy camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, and projects around the farm. My wife is big into animals, and raises various breeds of chickens, guineas, turkeys, ducks, and also has 2 horses, and 2 mini donkeys, and a pair of tropical Conyers. Inside, we have 4 rescue dogs, and a cat.

My hobbies include mostly stuff in my shop including restoring John Deere garden tractors, riding my dirt bike, processing firewood, and restoring my shortbed 4x4 1978 F150 with a 460 V8. My 22 year old son, and I are always dragging home new projects, but usually making a nice profit on them...I will probably be helping him out quite a bit with his new (to him) house purchase. My 28 year old daughter, and my wife are building a craft she-shed out of a 30' camper back by one of our big barns.


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## Oregon1986

Amanda_W said:


> In freshwater mostly fish for bass and trout here.


Bass fishing is always a lot of fun


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## Oregon1986

CKelly78z said:


> My name is Chris, I am 56, and have been married for 33 years. My wife, and I have a really nice paid off 10 acre farm in NW Ohio, and just waiting (not so) patiently to retire. We enjoy camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, and projects around the farm. My wife is big into animals, and raises various breeds of chickens, guineas, turkeys, ducks, and also has 2 horses, and 2 mini donkeys, and a pair of tropical Conyers. Inside, we have 4 rescue dogs, and a cat.
> 
> My hobbies include mostly stuff in my shop including restoring John Deere garden tractors, riding my dirt bike, processing firewood, and restoring my shortbed 4x4 1978 F150 with a 460 V8. My 22 year old son, and I are always dragging home new projects, but usually making a nice profit on them...I will probably be helping him out quite a bit with his new (to him) house purchase. My 28 year old daughter, and my wife are building a craft she-shed out of a 30' camper back by one of our big barns.


You definitely have no shortage of projects lol


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## Amanda_W

Oregon1986 said:


> Bass fishing is always a lot of fun


It is, we have a lot of nice farm ponds and a couple of reservoirs nearby that offer some good bass fishing.


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## topside1

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol shivering season huh? Our seasons aren't too bad here


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## Oregon1986

Your ar


Amanda_W said:


> It is, we have a lot of nice farm ponds and a couple of reservoirs nearby that offer some good bass fishing.
> [/QUOTE
> You are giving me fishing fever. So ready for spring


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## Oregon1986

topside1 said:


> View attachment 104647
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> View attachment 104649


Awww look at those adorable pups


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## Amanda_W

Oregon1986 said:


> Your ar


Get your pole ready, spring will get here at some point


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## Oregon1986

topside1 said:


> View attachment 104647
> View attachment 104648
> View attachment 104649


Awww look at those adorable pups


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## doc-

topside1 said:


> View attachment 104647
> View attachment 104648
> View attachment 104649


Is it just my warped way of looking at things, or is the surface of that pond sloping downhill?...Howdja get it to do dat?


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## Oregon1986

doc- said:


> Is it just my warped way of looking at things, or is the surface of that pond sloping downhill?...Howdja get it to do dat?


It definitely does look sloped


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## rbelfield

im Robin. 58 years old. live in northeast iowa. we have 9 acres that we grow hay, cattle, horses and dogs on..we have 10 bred cows, 8 calves and some fat steers that will be meeting up with destiny in the next month. I spent most of my adult life running around the country barrelracing. my daughter and her son have followed suit and they are keeping up the family traditions on that end. my son runs an assisted living facility and my hubby is retired and feeds the cows. we bale too much hay all summer around my job at an essential oil factory, where i do shipping and receiving and drive fork truck.


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## Kiamichi Kid

I was born into a life poverty and hard work, the son of sharecroppers and migrant laborers. My first life memory is of working in the fields as a barefoot little boy. Sleeping on the ground in makeshift shelters wherever we were working at the time,waking up to the smell of breakfast being cooked on an open fire. Hunting, fishing and trapping helped to provide our meals.How many times we traveled back and forth to California on Route 66 I couldn’t say. We were called many things by others ; Arkies,Okies and Hillbillies and some I can’t say here.Certain life events made me the man of the house by the age of 11 and I was working full time out of state jobs by the time I was 13 years old.
I’m an Old School Paratrooper, a Salty Soldier. I joined the Army at 17 shortly after the Vietnam War.
I had many jobs during my military career from M60 Machine Gunner in the Infantry,Scout,Door Gunner on a UH-1 Huey Helicopter, Combat Medic and later an Army Nurse . I managed the largest Labor and Delivery in the military and helped teach many medical students and OB/GYN residents. I’ve worked ER’s,OR’s,Primary Care,EMS, Bloodbanks and more.
Eventually I got burned out and changed career fields… moving into Law Enforcement working in several prisons and a Sheriff’s Department. 
Being a Single Father I worked a lot of jobs I didn’t necessarily care for but knew it had to be done. As my sons grew up and became more independent and self sufficient I started doing work that interested me more ,even though it paid me far less. Besides ,several major injuries from my past were becoming a significant issue when it came to working for “the man “.
Other than the time I was on active duty in the military I have always maintained a homestead of some sort.
With the recent passing of my daughter in law I have moved to help my eldest son with my grandchildren and I will be selling my current homestead and starting over closer to my family.
The last couple of decades I’ve been working as a Blacksmith and Bladesmith. I’ve also owned and operated a firearms business, helped manage another gun shop owned by friends and taught Pistol and Carbine Shooting classes.
At the moment my most important job is being “Dad” to my sons and Papa to my grandchildren.


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## starrynights

Oregon1986 said:


> Awww look at those adorable pups


My name is Starry and I do not understand why any of you decided to give any tiny amount of personal info to anyone on this site. Having been married to a Secret Service agent I know this has all the earmarks of something scary. It's one thing to be nice here, and co operate, but i will say that everyone one those posts you entered have given anyone a very easy way to find you if they wanted to. I generally feel safe here but this raises a big red flag for me. Y'all can be mad at me if you want to.


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## 54metalman

Name Is Chris. Single and Just turned 52. Live in South East Oregon. Been on here for many years now. Took a brake for awhile.


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## Oregon1986

rbelfield said:


> im Robin. 58 years old. live in northeast iowa. we have 9 acres that we grow hay, cattle, horses and dogs on..we have 10 bred cows, 8 calves and some fat steers that will be meeting up with destiny in the next month. I spent most of my adult life running around the country barrelracing. my daughter and her son have followed suit and they are keeping up the family traditions on that end. my son runs an assisted living facility and my hubby is retired and feeds the cows. we bale too much hay all summer around my job at an essential oil factory, where i do shipping and receiving and drive fork truck.


I bet barrel racing was such an adrenaline high. That is really neat that it will continue in your family


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## Oregon1986

starrynights said:


> My name is Starry and I do not understand why any of you decided to give any tiny amount of personal info to anyone on this site. Having been married to a Secret Service agent I know this has all the earmarks of something scary. It's one thing to be nice here, and co operate, but i will say that everyone one those posts you entered have given anyone a very easy way to find you if they wanted to. I generally feel safe here but this raises a big red flag for me. Y'all can be mad at me if you want to.


I don't feel we are giving too much information. I also refuse to live in fear.


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## Oregon1986

54metalman said:


> Name Is Chris. Single and Just turned 52. Live in South East Oregon. Been on here for many years now. Took a brake for awhile.


You have any snow right now?


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## Oregon1986

Kiamichi Kid said:


> I was born into a life poverty and hard work, the son of sharecroppers and migrant laborers. My first life memory is of working in the fields as a barefoot little boy. Sleeping on the ground in makeshift shelters wherever we were working at the time,waking up to the smell of breakfast being cooked on an open fire. Hunting, fishing and trapping helped to provide our meals.How many times we traveled back and forth to California on Route 66 I couldn’t say. We were called many things by others ; Arkies,Okies and Hillbillies and some I can’t say here.Certain life events made me the man of the house by the age of 11 and I was working full time out of state jobs by the time I was 13 years old.
> I’m an Old School Paratrooper, a Salty Soldier. I joined the Army at 17 shortly after the Vietnam War.
> I had many jobs during my military career from M60 Machine Gunner in the Infantry,Scout,Door Gunner on a UH-1 Huey Helicopter, Combat Medic and later an Army Nurse . I managed the largest Labor and Delivery in the military and helped teach many medical students and OB/GYN residents. I’ve worked ER’s,OR’s,Primary Care,EMS, Bloodbanks and more.
> Eventually I got burned out and changed career fields… moving into Law Enforcement working in several prisons and a Sheriff’s Department.
> Being a Single Father I worked a lot of jobs I didn’t necessarily care for but knew it had to be done. As my sons grew up and became more independent and self sufficient I started doing work that interested me more ,even though it paid me far less. Besides ,several major injuries from my past were becoming a significant issue when it came to working for “the man “.
> Other than the time I was on active duty in the military I have always maintained a homestead of some sort.
> With the recent passing of my daughter in law I have moved to help my eldest son with my grandchildren and I will be selling my current homestead and starting over closer to my family.
> The last couple of decades I’ve been working as a Blacksmith and Bladesmith. I’ve also owned and operated a firearms business, helped manage another gun shop owned by friends and taught Pistol and Carbine Shooting classes.
> At the moment my most important job is being “Dad” to my sons and Papa to my grandchildren.


Holy cow I've been talking to you for 5 years now and I didn't know most of this. While your life has never been easy,it has definitely been busy and fulfilling


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## Kiamichi Kid

Oregon1986 said:


> Holy cow I've been talking to you for 5 years now and I didn't know most of this. While your life has never been easy,it has definitely been busy and fulfilling


Let’s just say that life has never been dull.


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## 67drake

starrynights said:


> My name is Starry and I do not understand why any of you decided to give any tiny amount of personal info to anyone on this site. Having been married to a Secret Service agent I know this has all the earmarks of something scary. It's one thing to be nice here, and co operate, but i will say that everyone one those posts you entered have given anyone a very easy way to find you if they wanted to. I generally feel safe here but this raises a big red flag for me. Y'all can be mad at me if you want to.


“I ain’t hiding from nobody, nobody’s hiding from me”


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## Obie

doc- said:


> Is it just my warped way of looking at things, or is the surface of that pond sloping downhill?...Howdja get it to do dat?


That's great for water skiing.


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## 54metalman

Oregon1986 said:


> You have any snow right now?


Yes we do. Still have about 3" in my yard. Have had frozen fog for a week now.


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## Oregon1986

54metalman said:


> Yes we do. Still have about 3" in my yard. Have had frozen fog for a week now.


I bet you can't wait for spring


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## Fishindude

I'm 62, married for 39 years and we're empty nesters which we enjoy. Two kids both married and self supporting, one an hour away, one five hours away, doing well and a couple of fun grandkids as well. Worked in and owned a large industrial construction firm for 40 years with a couple partners and did very well. Sold it to the younger generation and retired four years ago.

We're not really homesteaders but we like rural living and many aspects of the homesteaders lifestyle such as growing and harvesting food, living off and and pretty close to the land, etc. Our main place is a 160 acre patch in north central IN that is mostly wildlife habitat with some row crop ground. We've got a couple other farms that total up to about 400 acres. My wife says I like to play farmer. Spend lots of time messing around on tractors, planting things, cutting wood, taking care of the ponds, mowing, growing things, etc. Have planted over 40,000 trees on the home farm.

I'm an outdoor nut, very avid hunter and fishermen and take trips all over to pursue these hobbies, as well as doing lots of it right in the back yard and pretty close to home. Also like firearms, archery, building and fixing stuff. I can't sit still, so farm life is good as there is always a project to do.


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## Oregon1986

Fishindude said:


> I'm 62, married for 39 years and we're empty nesters which we enjoy. Two kids both married and self supporting, one an hour away, one five hours away, doing well and a couple of fun grandkids as well. Worked in and owned a large industrial construction firm for 40 years with a couple partners and did very well. Sold it to the younger generation and retired four years ago.
> 
> We're not really homesteaders but we like rural living and many aspects of the homesteaders lifestyle such as growing and harvesting food, living off and and pretty close to the land, etc. Our main place is a 160 acre patch in north central IN that is mostly wildlife habitat with some row crop ground. We've got a couple other farms that total up to about 400 acres. My wife says I like to play farmer. Spend lots of time messing around on tractors, planting things, cutting wood, taking care of the ponds, mowing, growing things, etc. Have planted over 40,000 trees on the home farm.
> 
> I'm an outdoor nut, very avid hunter and fishermen and take trips all over to pursue these hobbies, as well as doing lots of it right in the back yard and pretty close to home. Also like firearms, archery, building and fixing stuff. I can't sit still, so farm life is good as there is always a project to do.


40,000 trees,holy Cow that is impressive


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## Pony

Been here since Jan '03. <counting on fingers> 19 years?? How did that happen?

Grew up in a big city near a big lake. Decided when I was in first grade that I was going to live on a farm. Took me 40+ years to get to my farm, but here I am. 

We have raised just about every "usual" farm animal there is, but now we just have goats, chickens, ducks, and the occasional steer for beef. Dogs, of course, and cats. Big garden. 

It's a hard life compared to the City, but it's good.


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## Oregon1986

Pony said:


> Been here since Jan '03. <counting on fingers> 19 years?? How did that happen?
> 
> Grew up in a big city near a big lake. Decided when I was in first grade that I was going to live on a farm. Took me 40+ years to get to my farm, but here I am.
> 
> We have raised just about every "usual" farm animal there is, but now we just have goats, chickens, ducks, and the occasional steer for beef. Dogs, of course, and cats. Big garden.
> 
> It's a hard life compared to the City, but it's good.


I'm glad you finally got your life long dream!!


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## snowlady

Hello, I am the Snowlady married to the Snowman. I grew up in a tiny (110 or so) town and have been around farming my whole life. We live in the country on 40 acres. 6 yard, 17 timber, 17 tillable. I was a registered nurse but quit in order to be the mom when the kids were little. I worked at their school as the librarian for 6-7 years. I've worked office jobs here and there and currently work for a nephew in his landscaping office. Two adult children and a house cat. Three grand dogs too. I love the timber and my flowers. I think color inspired me flowers, fabric embroidery floss, pretty paper.


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## Oregon1986

snowlady said:


> Hello, I am the Snowlady married to the Snowman. I grew up in a tiny (110 or so) town and have been around farming my whole life. We live in the country on 40 acres. 6 yard, 17 timber, 17 tillable. I was a registered nurse but quit in order to be the mom when the kids were little. I worked at their school as the librarian for 6-7 years. I've worked office jobs here and there and currently work for a nephew in his landscaping office. Two adult children and a house cat. Three grand dogs too. I love the timber and my flowers. I think color inspired me flowers, fabric embroidery floss, pretty paper.


I couldn't imagine living in such a tiny town. Did you like it?


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## snowlady

I did. Many of them were shirt-tail relatives. I'm still in touch with most of the neighborhood kids I grew up with.


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## Oregon1986

snowlady said:


> I did. Many of them were shirt-tail relatives. I'm still in touch with most of the neighborhood kids I grew up with.


That is really neat❤


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## Pony

starrynights said:


> My name is Starry and I do not understand why any of you decided to give any tiny amount of personal info to anyone on this site. Having been married to a Secret Service agent I know this has all the earmarks of something scary. It's one thing to be nice here, and co operate, but i will say that everyone one those posts you entered have given anyone a very easy way to find you if they wanted to. I generally feel safe here but this raises a big red flag for me. Y'all can be mad at me if you want to.


I agree with you, @starrynights. I give out much less information than I used to, but still probably more than I should ;(

Your warning is not lost on me.


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## Clem

I'm 70, live alone on too many acres to take care of, have a 60-tree, dozen variety orchard, getting fresh fruit from the earliest strawberries(April, sometimes) to the last hard apples, and persimmons in December. .
Garden about the same size as the orchard.
Being a realist by nature, I realize that what I want and what I can expect are 2 different things.
That being said, I want a lot. 
I expect nothing.


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## muleskinner2

No abla english.


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## kinnb

welcome back, @Oregon1986 !! 

Peace,
Kyrie, Tao Blue SD AKC CGC CGCA CGCU TKN PAT, Deja Blue SD AKC CGC CGCU TKN PAT


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## Oregon1986

kinnb said:


> welcome back, @Oregon1986 !!
> 
> Peace,
> Kyrie, Tao Blue SD AKC CGC CGCA CGCU TKN PAT, Deja Blue SD AKC CGC CGCU TKN PAT


Thank you!! I am glad to be back


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## Digitalis

Oregon1986 said:


> I was gone for awhile so I thought it would be fun for everyone to tell a little about themselves like who they are and where they are from. Lots of new people I don't recognize. I am Tiffany. I am a 35 year old mother of three from Oregon. I am a big outdoors person and love everything from hiking, hunting,fishing to gold panning. I am always up for adventure, a bit sassy but overall very friendly person.


Whereabouts in Oregon are you?

I grew up in Arkansas, wife and I wanted to go west and picked Oregon (she wanted California, I said nope). Wanted to get the the coast but couldn't find a job there, but we did make it to the Rogue valley. Few year ago moved to the Southern Oregon coast. I love it out here!


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## Oregon1986

Digitalis said:


> Whereabouts in Oregon are you?
> 
> I grew up in Arkansas, wife and I wanted to go west and picked Oregon (she wanted California, I said nope). Wanted to get the the coast but couldn't find a job there, but we did make it to the Rogue valley. Few year ago moved to the Southern Oregon coast. I love it out here!


Oregon is beautiful,I'm just tired of the politics. I am in the Willamette valley in Lebanon area. Do you ever miss Arkansas?


----------



## 54metalman

Oregon1986 said:


> I bet you can't wait for spring


Surprisingly no!!! I have way too much to do before spring. That and we need the moister really really bad. I have several wells that may not come back this year as we have been very dry!


----------



## Oregon1986

54metalman said:


> Surprisingly no!!! I have way too much to do before spring. That and we need the moister really really bad. I have several wells that may not come back this year as we have been very dry!


I hope all your wells fill back up.


----------



## Whoo

Hello, my name is Kris. Will be 41 next month. Have been married to my wife almost 18 years! Two boys! Oldest is 17 second is 15. Live on 40 acres in Iowa and have another 100 down the road in Missouri. Work full time as a locomotive engineer for the railroad for 18 years. Raise cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Also have a large garden. We finish 5 to 10 steers per year for ourselves and friends. Also butcher a few hundred broiler chickens and a handful of turkeys to keep and sell. Love my life and family as much as anyone ever could!


----------



## Oregon1986

Whoo said:


> Hello, my name is Kris. Will be 41 next month. Have been married to my wife almost 18 years! Two boys! Oldest is 17 second is 15. Live on 40 acres in Iowa and have another 100 down the road in Missouri. Work full time as a locomotive engineer for the railroad for 18 years. Raise cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Also have a large garden. We finish 5 to 10 steers per year for ourselves and friends. Also butcher a few hundred broiler chickens and a handful of turkeys to keep and sell. Love my life and family as much as anyone ever could!


Love how much you love what you have! Nice to read stuff like that in this poop shoot of a world going on.


----------



## Digitalis

Oregon1986 said:


> Oregon is beautiful,I'm just tired of the politics. I am in the Willamette valley in Lebanon area. Do you ever miss Arkansas?


For sure. Lots of good memories there. Housing, land, and gas is way more affordable there. And people here don't know the difference between a grill and a bbq!

I went for a visit a few years ago an the town I grew up in has blown up beyond recognition. 

I love it here in Oregon and have no plans to move back. If only we could give Salem the boot an form the State of Jefferson!


----------



## Oregon1986

Digitalis said:


> For sure. Lots of good memories there. Housing, land, and gas is way more affordable there. And people here don't know the difference between a grill and a bbq!
> 
> I went for a visit a few years ago an the town I grew up in has blown up beyond recognition.
> 
> I love it here in Oregon and have no plans to move back. If only we could give Salem the boot an form the State of Jefferson!


Lol what do you mean people don't know the difference between a grill and a bbq?


----------



## Digitalis

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol what do you mean people don't know the difference between a grill and a bbq?


It's like their only knowledge of bbq came from Outback Steakhouse commercials ("throw a shrimp on the barbie!"). I'm sorry but grilling a burger or even steak isn't bbq. Don't believe the lies. I've been betrayed and my heart can't take anymore.


----------



## gilleyb1958

Haven't been on this site for a number of years. Went by another login, can't remember what it was exactly now. See a lot of members I recognize. 
Did have at that time chickens, ducks (Muscovy mainly) and a few pigs for a couple of years. Feed prices and winter maintenance got to me so I ate them all and stopped.
Gardening now is my indoors and outdoors thing. Nothing huge just myself and my wife/accountant and master of all things.
Hoping to retire in a few years.


----------



## Oregon1986

Digitalis said:


> It's like their only knowledge of bbq came from Outback Steakhouse commercials ("throw a shrimp on the barbie!"). I'm sorry but grilling a burger or even steak isn't bbq. Don't believe the lies. I've been betrayed and my heart can't take anymore.


You think that's bad? I had to explain to someone in great deal the other day what smoking meats meant. She thought it meant no joke that someone was blowing cigarette smoke onto meat🤣😂 I about died!! Smoking meat is one of my favorite ways to cook meat and I've recently started smoking cheeses too.


----------



## Oregon1986

gilleyb1958 said:


> Haven't been on this site for a number of years. Went by another login, can't remember what it was exactly now. See a lot of members I recognize.
> Did have at that time chickens, ducks (Muscovy mainly) and a few pigs for a couple of years. Feed prices and winter maintenance got to me so I ate them all and stopped.
> Gardening now is my indoors and outdoors thing. Nothing huge just myself and my wife/accountant and master of all things.
> Hoping to retire in a few years.


I understand the cost of feed getting in the way,it's ridiculous. I'm glad you found your way back to the group!


----------



## Digitalis

Oregon1986 said:


> You think that's bad? I had to explain to someone in great deal the other day what smoking meats meant. She thought it meant no joke that someone was blowing cigarette smoke onto meat🤣😂 I about died!! Smoking meat is one of my favorite ways to cook meat and I've recently started smoking cheeses too.


haha should've told her that in Oregon meat is smoked with weed! There may be a business opportunity there...

I love smoked meat! That is bbq!


----------



## Oregon1986

Digitalis said:


> haha should've told her that in Oregon meat is smoked with weed! There may be a business opportunity there...
> 
> I love smoked meat! That is bbq!


Now you have me curious if anyone has done that yet,lol. Do you like devilled eggs? If you do, you should try smoking your boiled eggs for 1 hour before cutting them open. So stinking good!!


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol what do you mean people don't know the difference between a grill and a bbq?


Edited because I read the previous post incorrectly.***

One of my primary jobs as a youngster was helping my grandfather smoke meat. I can still smell that smokehouse!❤


----------



## Oregon1986

Kiamichi Kid said:


> I have to completely disagree with a previous post that people from Arkansas don’t know the difference between a grill and bbq….
> The people of Arkansas are far from being ignorant and many are not only well educated but also world travelers 🧳 . I myself have lived from coast to coast and from South Texas to Alaska as have my sons. Not to mention we’ve each traveled to many countries in the Americas,Europe and Asia.
> If “ smoking “ meat is the bar to be measured by then my family has been doing it (in Arkansas) for many generations ,some since before Arkansas even became a state.
> One of my primary jobs as a youngster was helping my grandfather smoke meat. I can still smell that smokehouse!❤
> Sure, they’re are some folks who may not know what the previous poster referred to but I can tell you for a fact that it’s not limited to the people of Arkansas. And there’s plenty of people elsewhere that wouldn’t have a clue about some common foods and terminology from this area.
> Time to have my flapjacks and poke…😉


I believe he was saying Oregonians don't know the difference between bbq and grilling.


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

Oregon1986 said:


> I believe he was saying Oregonians don't know the difference between bbq and grilling.


Oops 😬 , my bad! And my apologies!


----------



## Oregon1986

Kiamichi Kid said:


> Oops 😬 , my bad! And my apologies!


Lol! The sad truth is from my experience a lot of people here do not know poop about outdoor cooking in general. I used to be one of those people sadly but the past 7 years I've learned a lot and now I pride myself in my bbq, grilling and smoking.


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol! The sad truth is from my experience a lot of people here do not know poop about outdoor cooking in general. I used to be one of those people sadly but the past 7 years I've learned a lot and now I pride myself in my bbq, grilling and smoking.


I could survive off of pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread and be just fine ,“but” I love exploring other countries and their cultures, especially the food!


----------



## Oregon1986

Kiamichi Kid said:


> I could survive off of pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread and be just fine ,“but” I love exploring other countries and their cultures, especially the food!


A true southern boy lol. I love trying different food too from around the world. My love of food has changed now though being as I only eat 4 bites and I am full.


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

Oregon1986 said:


> A true southern boy lol. I love trying different food too from around the world. My love of food has changed now though being as I only eat 4 bites and I am full.


That’s difficult for me to imagine…. But I’m happy for you and your positive life changes.


----------



## Oregon1986

Kiamichi Kid said:


> That’s difficult for me to imagine…. But I’m happy for you and your positive life changes.


Thank you! It was a very difficult decision for me but I couldn't be happier.


----------



## JRHill02

starrynights said:


> My name is Starry and I do not understand why any of you decided to give any tiny amount of personal info to anyone on this site. Having been married to a Secret Service agent I know this has all the earmarks of something scary. It's one thing to be nice here, and co operate, but i will say that everyone one those posts you entered have given anyone a very easy way to find you if they wanted to. I generally feel safe here but this raises a big red flag for me. Y'all can be mad at me if you want to.


Right on the money. I 'Liked' one message. Now I am replying to yours. So I'm already a target if need be but its just a big waste of their time. Sigh. And they really have to get hard core to come up our logging trail. What a waste of time unless really bored.


----------



## mythistle

Oregon1986 said:


> I was gone for awhile so I thought it would be fun for everyone to tell a little about themselves like who they are and where they are from. Lots of new people I don't recognize. I am Tiffany. I am a 35 year old mother of three from Oregon. I am a big outdoors person and love everything from hiking, hunting,fishing to gold panning. I am always up for adventure, a bit sassy but overall very friendly person.


Hello Everyone. I have read some conversations here since joining, but this is my first contribution. We are a Mennonite family living on the Washington and Idaho State line in a very rural area. I have raised animals, kept a garden, preserved food, built things, sewn for my family, ect. for all of my life. I do find some information here useful. We have 3 sons. Thank you for having me.


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

mythistle said:


> Hello Everyone. I have read some conversations here since joining, but this is my first contribution. We are a Mennonite family living on the Washington and Idaho State line in a very rural area. I have raised animals, kept a garden, preserved food, built things, sewn for my family, ect. for all of my life. I do find some information here useful. We have 3 sons. Thank you for having me.


Welcome!


----------



## thequeensblessing

Oregon1986 said:


> I was gone for awhile so I thought it would be fun for everyone to tell a little about themselves like who they are and where they are from. Lots of new people I don't recognize. I am Tiffany. I am a 35 year old mother of three from Oregon. I am a big outdoors person and love everything from hiking, hunting,fishing to gold panning. I am always up for adventure, a bit sassy but overall very friendly person.


I'm Dona (AKA The Queen's Blessing, the name of our homestead after our honeybees and a nod to Robert Jordan). Hubby and I live in southern NH where we have a small homestead. We raise Katahdins, the occasional steer when our freezer demands, a couple of pigs every year, turkeys, chickens (meat and egg), honeybees, and rough collies and a couple of spoiled barn/house cats. I stay home and work the homestead and raise the collies and hubby is a field supervisor for an environmental consulting company working on New England's Asian Longhorned Beetle eradication program. We are 4 seasons kinda folks so we love to canoe, kayak, boat, fish, and garden all summer, fish more and hunt and harvest and preserve all fall as well as admire the lovely New England autumn landscape, ice fish and snuggle in front of the fire dreaming of spring in the winter, collect and boil sap and graft fruit trees in the time between full on winter and baby spring, and plot, plan and plant all spring. We're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I'm an old timer to this forum.


----------



## mythistle

Kiamichi Kid said:


> Welcome!


Thank you. I don't really know what I am doing here yet, but trust that I'll figure it out.


----------



## Kiamichi Kid

mythistle said:


> Thank you. I don't really know what I am doing here yet, but trust that I'll figure it out.


I’m sure that you will figure it out… there’s some wonderful people here to share ideas and experiences with.
I personally look forward to seeing your posts and hope that your experience here is a life enriching one.


----------



## birdman1

Hi Ms Oregon , i come from virginias apalachian hills, but left with my parents to work in the building trades union jobs , manageing to hold on to the family farm ,and in the 80s buying the neighbours 100 acres as well , retireing at 50 - 14 years ago moveing to there full time to become a self sustaining homesteader , raiseing rabbits , chickens , milk cow , dairy goats , pig , gardens , canning , bee keeping ,and makeing molasses , with the hobby of rehabing older small farming stuff to use , canners , milkers , walk behind tractor , cane mill , and though we use older tractors for makeing hay n plowing we keep the old horse drawn stuff just in case . its nice to have the chalanges of life ,like bills and insurance covered by a pension ,and being debt free , now tinkering around in retirement .


----------



## Tom Horn

Hello, @Oregon1986

I am a 65yo RAKA. (*R*ight *A*bove *K*nee* A*mputee) 

I lost my right leg in a hit-and-run motorcycle wreck, August 19/2011, between 8:30 and 9:00 PM CST. 

The guy (Seth Hamilton) clobbered me and was kind enough to leave me in the ditch to die.

I made the 911 call myself.

I live near Springfield, MO

I am originally from Storrs, CT home of the UCONN Huskies, I grew up in Peoria Arizona just west of Phoenix and after getting married, moved to Ava, Missouri.

I worked for about four years out of Portland, (Our yard was on Swan Island) delivering new class eight sleeper trucks throughout the lower 48 and from Vancouver Island, BC to Halifax, NS in Canada

I started throwing the Phoenix Gazette at the age of 10. I kept a menagerie of chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, and rabbits and a beehive at one point in the back yard. As a pre-teen I worked in the cotton fields of Arizona, tromped cotton and shoveled out ditches. I have worked alongside the non-English speaking field workers from south of the border in the watermelon and onion fields, was a grocery carryout and worked in a pizza parlor, all before graduating high school. 

My first car, post-graduation was a pickup truck, that I paid for.

I learned how to arc weld in Ag shop. After graduation I baled alfalfa and picked cotton for my uncle. Worked as a warehouseman in Phoenix, was a teacher's aide in the ag shop where I went to school, teaching welding basics. Pounded nails framing houses, (back then every nail was hand-driven). Delivered roof trusses around greater Phoenix. Worked sorting feeder pigs in Missouri and on a 150 head cattle ranch, from castrating/dehorning/worming/vaccinating to building fence, 

Worked on a 300-cow total confinement 3x a day milking dairy in Connecticut and an 85 head dairy in Vermont. Worked at a sand-molded clay brick manufacturing company in Connecticut and a Machine shop that did machine work for Pratt-Whitney Aircraft. Was a bulk feed hauler in Missouri, worked at a Rainbow Trout fishery and as a deputy sheriff in Douglas County, (Booger County) Missouri., 

I cut portion-controlled steaks to within a quarter oz for hotel/restaurant, I rebuilt hydraulic cylinders, (re-sealed, straightened/replaced bent chrome rods, repaired/replaced DOM honed tubes and liquid-tight arc welded (with a stick I can weld flat, vertical and overhead, MIG weld and TIG weld and run both a plasma cutter and a carbon arc. Cut threads and machined from a piece of stock, any part necessary to fix the cylinders.) Construction equipment transporter/operator and ran dump truck, dozer, loader and some backhoe. I've worked as a sign/billboard face installer, retail meat cutter, and post-divorce, delivered class eight trucks all over the lower 48 US and overland from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia, Canada.

I changed jobs so many times because I had a family to support and went where the money was. I had as a goal to own a farm and tailored my work experiences to give me the experience necessary to independently own and operate one. And I as a young naïve boy bought into the opportunity myth, hook. line and sinker.

I've lost track of how many trees I felled and bucked up into cordwood. I ran my FIL's D69U Cat dozer that started with a pony motor clearing land.

I built a 24' X 24' shop/garage from shooting the grade to bringing the site up to grade and from the ground up. The only thing I didn't do myself was pour the floor, however, I formed it up. Two, two car Dutch gable end garages on my In-laws house too.

I consider myself a cattleman. I judged dairy in FFA in high school, took an AI course and studied embryo transfer. I can get a full breach calf out of a cow, raise it to slaughter, butcher it, cut it up, cook it and serve it to you.

For a hobby I make a marinated hot smoked salmon, lox and pate'.

I came to HT because one-legged cripples don't function well as farmers, and I have time on my hands.

I have a lifetime of hands-on experiences to share and felt that here would be a good place to offer what I spent my life learning and was the desire of my heart to practice.

That and I fancy myself something of a philosopher.

I find it kinda humorous that some who have been here longer than I, cast dispersions because I am a copious poster and I get the distinct impression that my short tenure as a participant equates that I am rurally/agriculturally clueless.

Let 'em eat cake. 

From a bakery or the cottonseed variety, makes no difference to me.


----------



## Whoo

Tom Horn said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am a 65yo RAKA.
> 
> I live near Springfield, MO
> 
> I am originally from Storrs, CT home of the UCONN Huskies, I grew up in Peoria Arizona just west of Phoenix and after getting married, moved to Ava, Missouri.
> 
> I worked for about four years out of Portland, (Our yard was on Swan Island) delivering class eight sleeper trucks throughout the lower 48 and from Vancouver Island, BC to Halifax, NS in Canada
> 
> I started throwing the Phoenix Gazette at the age of 10. I kept a menagerie of chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, and rabbits and a beehive at one point in the back yard. As a pre-teen I worked in the cotton fields of Arizona, tromped cotton and shoveled out ditches. I have worked alongside the non-English speaking field workers from south of the border in the watermelon and onion fields, was a grocery carryout and worked in a pizza parlor, all before graduating high school.
> 
> My first car, post-graduation was a pickup truck, that I paid for.
> 
> I learned how to arc weld in Ag shop. After graduation I baled alfalfa and picked cotton for my uncle. Worked as a warehouseman in Phoenix, was a teacher's aide in the ag shop where I went to school, teaching welding basics. Pounded nails framing houses, (back then every nail was hand-driven). Delivered roof trusses around greater Phoenix. Worked sorting feeder pigs in Missouri and on a 150 head cattle ranch, from castrating/dehorning/worming/vaccinating to building fence,
> 
> Worked on a 300-cow total confinement 3x a day milking dairy in Connecticut and an 85 head dairy in Vermont. Worked at a sand-molded clay brick manufacturing company in Connecticut and a Machine shop that did machine work for Pratt-Whitney Aircraft. Was a bulk feed hauler in Missouri, worked at a Rainbow Trout fishery and as a deputy sheriff in Douglas County, (Booger County) Missouri.,
> 
> I cut portion-controlled steaks to within a quarter oz for hotel/restaurant, I rebuilt hydraulic cylinders, (re-sealed, straightened/replaced bent chrome rods, repaired/replaced DOM honed tubes and liquid-tight arc welded (with a stick I can weld flat, vertical and overhead, MIG welded and TIG welded. Cut threads and machined any part necessary to fix the cylinders.) Construction equipment transporter/operator and ran dump truck, dozer, loader and some backhoe. I've worked as a sign/billboard face installer, retail meat cutter, and delivered class eight trucks all over the lower 48 US and overland from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia, Canada.
> 
> I changed jobs so many times because I had a family to support and went where the money was. I had as a goal to own a farm and tailored my work experiences to give me the experience necessary to independently own and operate one. And I as a young naïve boy bought into the opportunity myth, hook. line and sinker.
> 
> I consider myself a cattleman. I judged dairy in FFA in high school, took an AI course and studied embryo transfer. I can get a full breach calf out of a cow, raise it to slaughter, butcher it, cut it up, cook it and serve it to you.
> 
> For a hobby I make a marinated hot smoked salmon, lox and pate'.
> 
> I came to HT because one-legged cripples don't function well as farmers, and I have time on my hands.
> 
> I have a lifetime of hands-on experiences to share and felt that here would be a good place to offer what I spent my life learning and was the desire of my heart to practice.
> 
> That and I fancy myself something of a philosopher.
> 
> I find it kinda humorous that some who have been here longer than I, cast dispersions because I am a copious poster and I get the distinct impression that my short tenure as a participant equates that I am rurally/agriculturally clueless.
> 
> Let 'em eat cake.
> 
> From a bakery or the cottonseed variety, makes no difference to me.


What is a RAKA?


----------



## Tom Horn

Whoo said:


> What is a RAKA?


*R*ight *A*bove *K*nee* A*mputee


----------



## Whoo

Tom Horn said:


> *R*ight *A*bove *K*nee* A*mputee


Thank you for the explanation!!!


----------



## Highland Farm

I enjoy reading people’s stories, and while I don’t know anyone as I’m new, it is still fun to see everyone’s life in a nutshell.

Let’s see… Since getting married 4+ years ago we bought a very dilapidated fixer-upper in Washington state (what we could afford) on 6 acres. One year later we could move in, and have since gotten chickens, guineas, ducks, pigs, goats, a pet dog, and an LGD. We have the classic homesteading dream, but have a long way to go and a lot to learn. We have two young kids and want to have another which complicates how much responsibility I can take on (would love to get a small cattle breed, but not till we’re done with babies). I would LOVE to learn tips/tricks from y’all and am excited about the resource of this forum. I work one day/week but hope to be a stay-home Mom when we can afford it, love to feed my family home-cooked quality meals, and follow Jesus whole-heartedly.

I look forward to future “conversations” with y’all!
- Anna


----------



## Oregon1986

I'm sorry I've fell behind and haven't commented on everyones but its great to see everyone introducing themselves


----------



## Tom Horn

Oregon1986 said:


> I don't feel we are giving too much information. I also refuse to live in fear.


----------



## Tom Horn

54metalman said:


> Yes we do. Still have about 3" in my yard. Have had frozen fog for a week now.


I got into some of that climbing Cabbage eastbound out of Pendleton.

Weird stuff.

Ice was built up on the truck when I stopped at Ontario.


----------



## Tom Horn

Fishindude said:


> I'm 62, married for 39 years and we're empty nesters which we enjoy. Two kids both married and self supporting, one an hour away, one five hours away, doing well and a couple of fun grandkids as well. Worked in and owned a large industrial construction firm for 40 years with a couple partners and did very well. Sold it to the younger generation and retired four years ago.
> 
> We're not really homesteaders but we like rural living and many aspects of the homesteaders lifestyle such as growing and harvesting food, living off and and pretty close to the land, etc. Our main place is a 160 acre patch in north central IN that is mostly wildlife habitat with some row crop ground. We've got a couple other farms that total up to about 400 acres. My wife says I like to play farmer. Spend lots of time messing around on tractors, planting things, cutting wood, taking care of the ponds, mowing, growing things, etc. Have planted over 40,000 trees on the home farm.
> 
> I'm an outdoor nut, very avid hunter and fishermen and take trips all over to pursue these hobbies, as well as doing lots of it right in the back yard and pretty close to home. Also like firearms, archery, building and fixing stuff. I can't sit still, so farm life is good as there is always a project to do.


----------



## Tom Horn

muleskinner2 said:


> No abla english.


Busted!

You poser!

It's no habla inglés


----------



## Tom Horn

Oregon1986 said:


> You think that's bad? I had to explain to someone in great deal the other day what smoking meats meant. She thought it meant no joke that someone was blowing cigarette smoke onto meat🤣😂 I about died!! Smoking meat is one of my favorite ways to cook meat and I've recently started smoking cheeses too.


Jeepers, I can't tell you the number of times people say, "How do you keep it lit?" when I tell them I smoke salmon.

I've never heard that one before. 

What type of cold smoke system do you have for cheese?

To my understanding up your way they use alder. Down here we use hickory and oak, they grow everywhere around here.

I'm not above using the Texas crutch when smoking pork shoulder and a chuck eye roll is way better than brisket. No trim, no waste.

One should try to smoke a whole top sirloin sometime. Smoke to 125 degrees internal temp, pull it out of the smoker and the temp will rise to a tad over 130, rare in the middle. Slice it thin and you couldn't ask for better BBQ beef.

Sauce/horseradish sauce optional.


----------



## Tom Horn

Oregon1986 said:


> Now you have me curious if anyone has done that yet,lol. Do you like devilled eggs? If you do, you should try smoking your boiled eggs for 1 hour before cutting them open. So stinking good!!


Interesting concept about smoking eggs.

Have you ever hard-boiled them in an Instant Pot?

Hands down best way to boil an egg.

Set the pressure cooker for around eight minutes. When it reaches zero, carefully release the pressure and immediately plunge the eggs into ice water.

The shells just slide right off.


----------



## Oregon1986

Tom Horn said:


> Jeepers, I can't tell you the number of times people say, "How do you keep it lit?" when I tell them I smoke salmon.
> 
> I've never heard that one before.
> 
> What type of cold smoke system do you have for cheese?
> 
> To my understanding up your way they use alder. Down here we use hickory and oak, they grow everywhere around here.
> 
> I'm not above using the Texas crutch when smoking pork shoulder and a chuck eye roll is way better than brisket. No trim, no waste.
> 
> One should try to smoke a whole top sirloin sometime. Smoke to 125 degrees internal temp, pull it out of the smoker and the temp will rise to a tad over 130, rare in the middle. Slice it thin and you couldn't ask for better BBQ beef.
> 
> Sauce/horseradish sauce optional.


You're killing me smalls! Now I'm hungry. We use alser,hickory,ect. To smoke the cheese I use a smoke tube in my enclosed smoker. Smoke for 4 hours.


----------



## Oregon1986

Tom Horn said:


> Interesting concept about smoking eggs.
> 
> Have you ever hard-boiled them in an Instant Pot?
> 
> Hands down best way to boil an egg.
> 
> Set the pressure cooker for around eight minutes. When it reaches zero, carefully release the pressure and immediately plunge the eggs into ice water.
> 
> The shells just slide right off.


Ya know I have an Inst pot that has been collecting dust,lol. I might need to try the eggs.


----------



## Tom Horn

Oregon1986 said:


> You're killing me smalls! Now I'm hungry. We use alser,hickory,ect. To smoke the cheese I use a smoke tube in my enclosed smoker. Smoke for 4 hours.


Do you have a picture of your cold smoke setup?

I was reluctant to try cold smoking salmon because of the cost of raw materials and the fact that, like cheese, the smoke chamber can't get above around 80 degrees.

Cheese will melt and salmon will then hot smoke.

I was looking for a commercial kitchen where I could produce my marinated hot smoked salmon for sale, and I asked a local restaurateur is I could use hers.

She said that she was wanting to offer a cold-smoked salmon, so I thought I would make an attempt.

Well, it turns out that I went with lox instead.

Being as a country boy can survive, I made a kinda sorta imitation cold-smoked salmon.

You take a cup of sugar, a cup of kosher salt and a cup of Wright's Liquid Smoke, (Best kind, and I'm not above a little help in the smokin' department) the liquid smoke is the fudge that gets you out of actually having to impart smoke flavor with fire and wood.

Add that to a gallon of water and boil.

Let it cool down to around 40 degrees, any higher and you will start to cook the salmon.

Throw a folded slab of salmon in a gallon double zipper bag. Add a copious amount of brine and brine for up to 24 hours, (turning every few hours so all of the flesh is equally exposed to the brine) and Voi-lass! (Okay, Voila) you've got you a hybrid lox/cold-smoked salmon.

The woman liked the stuff, and it was my first attempt.

Side story.

I sold my marinated, hot smoked, salmon pâté to Johnny Morris' sister, she and her husband ran the chain of liquor stores where Johnny had started Bass Pro Shops, headquartered here in Springfield.

They had a fancy liquor store/headquarters called the Brown Derby International Wine Center. Joann had a little deli where she sold fancy cheeses, (you'd probably like that) and fancy meats like prosciutto, (I have an Italian immigrant friend in Connecticut that used to make his own, He soundsa likea the Godfathera) he's a great guy.

Anyway, I sold the pâté to Joann over 20 years ago for $10 per pound and she in turn retailed it for $15. They told me that two years after I quit selling it to them, (commercial kitchen troubles) they still had people coming in asking about it. 

PS, this song for some reason gets me to thinking about BBQ.

Maybe they were smoking their meat with BC Bud. Or would it be Acapulco Gold?


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## DebbieJ

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I am a very long time member of this forum. I now live in the Spicewood, Texas, area, outside of Austin. I have raised most of the farm animals in the course of homesteading in three locations. Goats are my favorite.
> 
> I have a retired oilfield husband, two sons, four grandchildren, two cats (at the moment - one is an ANCIENT rescue), five goats, and one dog.
> 
> I retired from teaching English, Speech Communication, and Art in a very small school district. I was also the public speaking coach, yearbook coordinator, and a few other odds and ends.
> 
> There are too many sentences beginning with "I" in this post.  (I moonlight as the Grammar Police)
> 
> Management of the family trust and my rental properties consumes a significant chunk of time, so full time retirement has escaped me.


Alice, I have kin folks who live in Spicwood. Small world! LOL


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## DebbieJ

Hey one and all! I’m from East Texas, close to Tyler, Texas. I’m 70 year old wife, mother of 5 (blended family), grandmother of 11 and great-grandmother of 3. My husband retired from Union Pacific RR after 36 years. We’ve been married 32 years as of Christmas Eve, 2021. We have 3 small black dogs, all rescues. They are our babies. 2 were from a puppy mill, and were seized. Not sure about the other one. I’ve never lived anywhere but East Texas. Within 50 miles of where I was born. LOL I love country living. Never lived in a big city for longer than a year. Don’t like big cities. We have an acre of land, and I want to have a big garden, but it’s not possible. We can’t do the work to get it done. Hubby has had back surgery that didn’t work too well, and has had pancreatitis since 1974. It’s now chronic and acute. He hurts 24 hours every day. I’m so glad to be here. I’ve learned a lot from all of you.


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## Carol Hicks

Hi everyone! I'm Carol from Slovenia. I'm not a native speaker, so please excuse my broken English. I'm working on it, but it takes time. My husband is from Northern England, so he helps me a lot with this.
One year ago we decided to leave Manchester and move to the countryside in Slovenia to live a peaceful and healthy life surrounded by nature. We both work remotely from home so it was easy to set up. I'd say this is how all this Covid situation has impacted our life. 
I love crafts, cooking, hiking, renovating stuff, and reading. Hope to find good friends here 🙂


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## 67drake

Carol Hicks said:


> Hi everyone! I'm Carol from Slovenia. I'm not a native speaker, so please excuse my broken English. I'm working on it, but it takes time. My husband is from Northern England, so he helps me a lot with this.
> One year ago we decided to leave Manchester and move to the countryside in Slovenia to live a peaceful and healthy life surrounded by nature. We both work remotely from home so it was easy to set up. I'd say this is how all this Covid situation has impacted our life.
> I love crafts, cooking, hiking, renovating stuff, and reading. Hope to find good friends here 🙂


Any pictures? Just wondering what it looks like there. I don’t know too much about Slovenia.


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## exodus

Carol Hicks said:


> Hi everyone! I'm Carol from Slovenia. I'm not a native speaker, so please excuse my broken English. I'm working on it, but it takes time. My husband is from Northern England, so he helps me a lot with this.
> One year ago we decided to leave Manchester and move to the countryside in Slovenia to live a peaceful and healthy life surrounded by nature. We both work remotely from home so it was easy to set up. I'd say this is how all this Covid situation has impacted our life.
> I love crafts, cooking, hiking, renovating stuff, and reading. Hope to find good friends here 🙂


Hi Carol: Do you keep bees, we do in slovenian hives with fairly good success. Welcome!


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## Carol Hicks

exodus said:


> Hi Carol: Do you keep bees, we do in slovenian hives with fairly good success. Welcome!


No we don't  I love honey but beekeeping requires certain skills, I guess 🐝🍯


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## miteigenenhaenden

Carol Hicks said:


> Hi everyone! I'm Carol from Slovenia....


Why do you write under the German flag? Why not under the Slovenian flag?🤔


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## Riverdale

We have 3 acres in the middle of the lower peninsula of Michigan. I grew up on a dairy farm, and I have done industrial maintenance for close to 30 years.
Our kids are 21 and 19 and help around here when they are not at work.
We raise laying chickens and have a garden, but as I get closer to retirement, turkeys, 'scovy ducks, meat chickens and rabbits are 'looming', along with fruit trees and bushes and a couple bee hives.


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## Montanarchist

I shrugged like Atlas back in '05, founded an offgrid homestead in a high mountain valley that hadn't had inhabitants since the miners back in 1880.

Greenhouse, conservatory, big-ass garden. Passive and active solar, turbines, earth bermed/sheltered/banking in-the-round timberframe piece-en-piece log home I built myself from timber I cut on my land. Native rock spring house. Have chickens and have had goats and ducks. 

Kinky, poly, individualist/market/relationship anarchist.

My next project is a tropical fruit and flower farm in Puerto Rico but Maria and then the pandemic had put it on hold


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## tjtaylor

Hello there, Just joined up... 

I'm a 43 yr old SWM, just moved back to my home state to help my parents out for a little while because they were hit by a drunk driver. Also, ended a 19yr long relationship, so starting over in many ways I guess. I am not currently on a homestead, but, grew up on one and have had several homesteads/farms in the past myself. We have over 2 1/2 acres here and really wish we were doing more with them, but half of my parents are for it, and the other half is against it, and since I won't be here that long I'm just trying to keep the piece. We have started making a garden area though, but that stopped when my dad went in for another surgery; hoping to still get something done before it gets too cold to work the ground with the small tractor we have. 

I have raised market gardens, goats (dairy and meat), Chickens (layers and meat), Cows (you get the picture by now), ducks, pigs, and rabbits. 

I am looking to find a new place within the next year (most likely here in CO or WY but not a must) and hoping to be living full-time on it by 2024. 

I enjoy building things from homes to furniture, working on cars (mostly the oldies), learning new skills, etc. I'm very self-reliant and rather fail 3-4 times learning something than not learn it (but don't take that as that I don't ask for help, I actually greatly respect others' knowledge and seek it out).

I'm not much of an online person (no social media accounts etc.), so if I missed something here I'm sorry, and you're welcome to ask me anything, if you go to far I'll let yo know.

I hope to meet some great people with simular interest on here and share some knowledge!


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## Danaus29

I either missed this old thread when it first came out or just didn't bother to reply.

I'm Danaus, not my real name of course. I was a Monarch butterfly ambassador when my kids were in school. I purposefully introduced milkweed into my neighborhood when there was none growing here. 

I don't like giving out too much info because ..... well ..... okay, just call me paranoid. I'm not in a witness protection program and I'll just leave it at that.

I spent my early years on a family farm where we raised beef cows and chickens. Later I lived in a city anf thoroughly HATED both the city and the snobby people who lived there. Now I live close to a big city. 

I have several gardens and frequently test the limits of growing crops in shade because of the trees in and around my place. I have a sunny garden too.


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## doc-

Danaus29 said:


> . I purposefully introduced milkweed into my neighborhood...


Is that anything like Ed Norton addressing the golf ball?..."Helloooo, Golf Ball!"


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## SplitWoodAcres

Hi there! I'm also new to the forum and to homesteading. 
I recently bought/inherited family land (nothings free). I work in IT for a major university but I'm not exactly a stranger to living in the country but it's fair to say it's been a while so I'm rusty. I also have a YouTube channel where I'm documenting reclaiming the land from both mother nature and the works of my father-in-law who was a great guy so I try not to speak poorly of him when I get mad about his dumping. lol If you're interested in seeing any of my work please check out my channel from my link in my profile. 
I have a goal of cleaning up the land and within 5 years starting to build a home. BUT, I'm really interested in building a small cabin also. We have about 32 acres in North Georgia and I only get to work there on the weekends mostly. I really enjoy it but it is a bit overwhelming and difficult to know what's the priority this weekend when there's so much to do. LOL

Thanks for starting this so I can learn about everyone as a new member!


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