2014 Homestead Goals

What a s-l-o-w start to spring 2014 in the uppermost parts of New York! I figure this is good time as any to get my goals for this "homestead" out there for the world to see! If nothing else, I am hoping having it "out there" will keep me motivated - and give me a place to keep track of my progress! 

So, Here goes...not necessarily in any specific order! 

• Plant something, anything, in the ground to count for a garden! This includes actually deciding where I want the garden to be! (Stay tuned for an upcoming post- I will be asking for your opinions!)
• Install the "Kid Fence" to keep the toddlers in a safe area when need be. 
• Install the Middle fence - to keep dogs, livestock, and children away from the driveway and road. 
• Install Permanent and Semi-Permanent Horse/Livestock fencing
• Finish the "Big Barn" - roof, doors, flooring, stalls. 
• Build Chicken coop to semi-contain the chicken poop! 
• Construct/Repair Hay Storage
• Begin Complete Perimeter Fence/Trail line
• Plant at least 5 trees.

There - that is a basic start of my list. Lots and lots of fencing, and some construction. I do not think Hubster knows whats he is in for this year! Ha ha ha :) Stay tuned for some pictures from around the homestead next time as I plan the future location of the garden!

Wow, It's been a while!

I apologize for my absence! It has been a whirlwind 6 weeks I tell ya! 

October 19, 2012, we lost an incredible man in our lives. My husbands father passed away after a near 5 year battle with cancer. Started in his lungs, went into remission for a bit, then came back with a vengeance and no chance at beating it. He came home from the hospital, and passed two days later surrounded by the family who loved him. He will be sorely missed, and has left a huge hole in our hearts. I have plans of a memorial post for him soon... when I can grit back the tears long enough to do him justice. May he Rest in Peace.. 

OK, Before I think too much, I have much more exciting news for y'all! We have two new additions here at Greenwood Acres! 

Rusty and Cookie, Our "rescue" Miniature Horses! I previously owned Rusty, but decided to sell him when my newborn ate all my time ;) I was recently offered Rusty and his "girl friend" Cookie from his buyer. I couldn't say No! Rusty is in good shape... Cookie can use a few groceries. I have a sneaking suspicion - from my observations since they have been here - That Rusty has been a food hoard and has pushed Cookie away from a lot of the food. I cannot wait until Spring for them to shed out, and to show you their transformation!

 

In other news, It is here... That dreaded word for many... SNOW! 

My Backyard view the other day when it started... Stay tuned for the updated photo ;)

 

 

It's Inevitable.....

Snow is coming, and it is coming fast! The other day we had our first spittin' of the white stuff! Much to the dismay of my co-workers, I was joyful... 

This is what my co-workers think of me.

It's not that I like shoveling the driveway and cleaning off the car, or having to run the car for 20 minutes just to see out of the windshield (at almost $4.25 a gallon!!)... No. I am happy to have a few months of weather far far away from the 80+degrees of summer. I despise summer only because of the heat and humidity. Everything else I love. If only it would stay 70 or below. To be technical, Spring and Fall are my ultimate favorite seasons. Perfect temperatures!

And with that cold (no pun intended), hard fact- it's time to get things buttoned up for our first winter in our new forever home. Many things to get picked up and put away for a few months. A few things to repair or do maintenance work to. One last lawn mowing to save some work (hopefully) this spring. Window's to get a plastic layer on. Carports and Sheds to tidy up. The list goes on an on. 

And to think, this time next year, the list should be even longer if my plans come to fruition. There will be some produce to preserve in one fashion or the other. A few meat animals to butcher and process. Chicken coops to winterize. Just to name a few. 

So, how are your winterizing lists coming? I haven't gotten a single thing checked off on mine (I'm a horrible procrastinator), but hoping to change some of that starting tomorrow and into the weekend.Have a great night everyone! Friday (for those like me with the weekends off) is coming soon!

Inspiration Sunday

Photo that I had saved on my computer. If you know it origin, feel free to let me know so I can give proper credit.

This is what I would like to see sitting in my back yard next spring. This is a 3 stall horse/livestock barn. Simple, yet efficient. 

Miniature Horses, a Riding horse, and some cows & pigs will be joining the homestead within the next couple of years, and this is what I would love to start off with. We can always add later. 

I was looking for an example of the chicken coop/roosts; but I wasn't able to find one that resembled what Ive got in my head. 

Hope y'all have had a great weekend!

100 Views!

Granted, it's not much, but it feels like an accomplishment to me! We hit 100 total views today! And NO that isn't counting my daily view LOL! Thank goodness for that button! 

Not bad for only having 17 (this will be # 18) posts and 4 followers! And for those who have came back more than once, THANK YOU!!!

I know, I know, I've been slacking the last week or so, and haven't hardly gotten a post up. For that, I apologize! Life got busy and kinda got away from me! But, after a deeeeeeep reflection today, that is going to change! 

What I'd like to ask YOU (yes, YOU!) is, what would make this blog more visitor friendly? What would make you come back day, after day (even if not in a row ;) ), to check us out? 

What have you liked so far? Not liked so much? Anything I've mentioned that you would like me to expand upon in future posts? ANYTHING??

 

Thinking about the future...

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Thinking about what the future holds for me and my family. What is important to me. What I can and cannot live without. In today's world, material/unessential things are rated high on peoples' priority list. To high. And I can't say I've been guilty of some materialistic/unessential indulgences. Air conditioning is probably my biggest indulgence. 

Sure, Northern NY temps are no where near as severe as say, Texas or Florida, but this chick simply does not tolerate the heat. Whether its a "dry" heat or a "humid" heat. It doesn't matter. If it's over 70 degrees, I'm sweating like I'm in a sauna. Its gross and uncomfortable. As soon as temps start reaching 80+ in the summer, my two air conditioners come on, and seldom go off until about this time of year when temps resume the perfect temperature range of 60-70 degrees.

With that said, and with all the thinking I've been doing... Can I live without the comfort of an air conditioner? Sure, I could live... but do I want to live without one?  That is a HUGE question that anyone thinking about becoming a self sufficient homestead has to ask themselves about a multitude of materialistic/unessential products that so many people today seem to not be able to live without. 

Another one for me... International Delight French Vanilla Creamer. Now let me tell you this - I am a caffeine addict. I generally drink coffee from the time I wake up in the morning, until the time my head hits the pillow at night. Summer, Winter - it doesn't matter. If I don't have my creamer (and only French Vanilla please), I don't drink coffee... and me without coffee is not a pretty sight, not to mention I am utterly useless!

Now, since my eyes have been opened by so many fellow bloggers, I know this creamer is laden with a bunch of crap I don't need, and isn't good for me. I shouldn't be drinking it. In my thoughts about my future, I've been thinking of giving up my 'beloved' creamer. As just one of many, many steps to becoming more self reliant. Anyone know of some good homemade, flavored creamer? Plans for the livestock in our future include a milking goat and/or cow. Any tips on using their milk for coffee creamer (if thats even possible??) is much appreciated! 

And with my caffeine/creamer addiction comes Tobacco. I am a smoker, and honestly don't think I can give it up. I've tried numerous times with not even a hint of luck. In my thoughts these last several days, I've thought of growing my own tobacco. A fellow blogger (MM @ Self Sustained Living!) mentions she grows her own, and smokes it. No chemicals added by the big wig tobacco companies, no outrageous taxes imposed by the governments. (GREAT post here that hit close to home with how I feel about the way our society is going, and exactly what I want to avoid!)

Now this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as things I was thinking about giving up as I enter the world of self sufficiency. Many things will be "trimmed" out of our lives. Hubster may not like some of it; but he will learn to live with it, or hit the road ;-)

No Monday Morning Blues...

For me today! Today is the last of the two Mondays this year I get to skip the Monday Morning Blues! The first Monday I get to skip is the week I get for Vacations. The second Monday (will not always be a monday, but I lucked out this year) is a paid day off for my Birthday! 

Now I've never worked for a company that gives you a paid day off for your Birthday, so this is pretty cool! I could have picked ANY day around the general vicinity of my Birthday; but since it happened to fall on a Monday this year, I jumped on the chance to skip the Monday Morning Blues! 

Hubster let me sleep in the best he could with two rambunctious toddlers. When I strolled out of the bedroom, I put on my much needed cup of coffee. Even when sleeping, my body KNOWS it should have had a few cups in me by 11am! As I'm making that, Trout, my 3 yr old, wished me a Happy Birthday (with a little help from Daddy)... Tell ya it brought tears to my eyes then, and again now as I am recalling it. Absolutely precious. 

Not much on the agenda for today. No different than any other Monday, except I wasn't up at 6am and heading to work by 6:45am. There is still laundry to wash and hang, dishes to wash, floors to vacuum... the list is never ending as I am sure you all know. The weather should be perfect for drying the clothes fairly quickly- so hopefully I can catch up from the weekend that wasn't so conductive to clothes drying.

For now, I hope everyone is having a good Monday, and had a great weekend! I'm off for a fresh cup of java then getting back to work!