Homesteading Thread #1, In Honor of Granny

billyjoesfoodfarm ^ | 12/30/2012 | me

[teenyelliott]

So, I'm sure at least one person here on FR has wondered what happened to me, maybe two of you. Before I really really stopped posting, many of us had discussed the possibility, and or the desire, to get out of the city to our own little homesteads and try to grow some food, for security, for peace of mind, for whatever reason.

Well, my family did it.

Two years ago we made the jump. We bought a place in the country, and have spent the past couple of years setting up our little homestead. We have a big garden, many chickens, some ducks, some guineas, some sheep, some goats, and a barn for all of them. A woodstove, a hand pump well, even a solar chicken coop.

Any of my old pals, and any new ones, come check us out! Would be pleased to hear from you, and share what we are learning.

Please ping any of my old buddies that you know of; I seem to have misplaced my old ping list!

[Free Vulcan]

To Granny, God rest her soul.

[JDoutrider]

Ya done good changing the name and rebooting it in honor of Granny!

Bookmarked... Let ‘er Roll!

[JDoutrider]

Ping!

Get on over here FRiend!

We need your scholarly engineering and gardening/farming advice on this thread!

[JDoutrider]

Pinging you to a thread that may be of interest to the Garden thread and you in particular!

[greeneyes]

Thanks. This person was on the garden thread a couple of weeks ago inviting people to check out their website. I hadn’t had a chance to check it out yet.

[teenyelliott]

york, these wardens were hanging out on private property???

There are SO MANY laws, every single one of us is a criminal, and that is the way they want it.

My way of dealing with it? I don't worry about it anymore. If someone drags me in front of a judge for some ridiculous thing, then I will begin the fight. As long as they leave me in peace, they can sign all the little papers they want, because apparently we can't stop them from doing so.

What state was this in, and do you have a link to this EO?

[teenyelliott]

Free at the time of this post, make sure it still is if you click to buy. The other volumes are .99 each

Weekend Homesteader Volume 4

[teenyelliott]

Amen, Vulcan. She is missed so much. Sharing her wisdom was so generous, and it is a great example to all of us; teach, learn, and share, before all the knowledge of self sufficiency is gone.

She never did get around to telling me how she made paper out of a banana peel, though!! :)

[teenyelliott]

I'm hoping perhaps a couple of knowledgeable gardeners will contribute to this homesteading thread.

Learning how to grow your own food is THE most valuable lesson at this moment in time, I believe.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Dang! I didn’t know Granny had passed. I sent her a care package a few years back...

Keep pinging me, CB! I’ll respond as time allows!

[CottonBall]

Learning how to grow your own food is THE most valuable lesson at this moment in time, I believe.

Absolutely a priority. I'm doing better but still have that darned brown thumb most of the time ;(

[CottonBall]

Learning how to grow your own food is THE most valuable lesson at this moment in time, I believe.

Absolutely a priority. I'm doing better but still have that darned brown thumb most of the time ;(

[CottonBall]

Homemade laundry soap:

Melt 1/2 cup grated soap in 4 cups hot water, then add 1/4 cup Washing Soda and 1/4 cup Borax. Stir until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Vinegar. Will foam up when add vinegar, but keep stirring. Stir until cooled a little. Add 2 cups water and stir. Can add hot water if is too snot-like. Add 2 cups more water. You might need to add more water to get a pourable consistently - worked ok for me with 2 more cups, or 10 total. Stir constantly (I used a whisk) until cool. Use 1/4 - 1/3 capful. Works great!

1 recipes makes almost 100 ounces.

Cost Analysis - using Winco prices

Super Wash Soda:
$3.15/55 oz = $0.0573/oz
1/4 cup = 2.5 oz
$0.0573/oz * 2.5 oz = $0.14/ 1/4 cup

Borax:
$3.35/76 oz = $0.0441/oz
1/4 cup = 2 oz
$0.0441/oz * 2 oz = $0.09 / 1/4 cup

Fels Naptha:
$0.99 per bar
1/2 cup is about 1/2 bar
$0.50 per 1/2 cup

Vinegar:
guessing ~$0.05 / 1/4 cup (I forgot to see how much vinegar cost when I went to Winco last week)

Sum: $0.78 per 100 oz
or $1.17 per 150 oz

I priced a 150 oz bottle of Arm&Hammer at $7.00. I figured it’s a moderately priced detergent, so would be the best comparison. I forgot to compare the HE version though. This recipe is great for HE machines (little sudsing).
__________________________________________________

[upcountry miss]

Hi, CB. Haven't posted in several months. Got WAAAY too involved in a political thread (one which was fortunately deleted in its entirety) It wasn't the discussion that angered me, it was the vitriol, the glee and ugly cartoons individuals posted when some unfortunate poster got banned (and there were many bannings)
Anyway, seeing your name and Granny's has prompted me to enter the fray again,hopefully on a more cordial thread.
Have been homesteading all of my 80 plus year so it is a natural for me. Had a successful garden last year, preserving lots and giving away lots. Picked over 100 quarts of strawberries and planted 100 new plants so should have lots this spring.
With hubby, cut,split and stacked 5 cords of wood, so now I am enjoying my old cast iron wood stove, cooking soups, stews and baking beans and biscuits.
We have no animals now-gave the last of our hens away last fall. Miss having fresh eggs but keeping water thawed for them was getting to be a problem so we will decide this spring whether to purchase more.
Good to see this thread started. Hope it keeps going and I think I must be on someones ping list as I was pinged to this.

[teenyelliott]

For about a week, I have been experimenting with growing celery from the bottom that was cut off of a bunch I bought at the store. Normally I put those scraps in a freezer bag to make celery soup or stock later, but this time I wanted to see what would happen if I tried to grow more from the bottom. Anyway, here is the third update...

Growing Celery From Scraps, Update #3

[teenyelliott]

For about a week, I have been experimenting with growing celery from the bottom that was cut off of a bunch I bought at the store. Normally I put those scraps in a freezer bag to make celery soup or stock later, but this time I wanted to see what would happen if I tried to grow more from the bottom. Anyway, here is the third update...

Growing Celery From Scraps, Update #3

[teenyelliott]

Separate bananas when you bring them home; they will not ripen, and go bad, as quickly as they do when left in a bunch.

[jeffreypine]

There are many books that will help teach you to be a successful gardiner. It appears you are beyond most when it comes to long term planning but your brown thumb needs to turn green. Practice in pots, raised beds and small yard areas. Just keep trying and you will become an expert at gardening as you are in so many other things. I have a friend coop and his mom has been very helpful to me. It’s because of all that she has taught me that I have become a better prepper/man

[jeffreypine]

Please pass on any other recipes. This one was great and I loved the cost savings thanks! Don’t forget to smell the jeffrey pines it’s like butterscotch.

[jeffreypine]

Hi Teenyelliot,

I recently purchased 10 acres in the Ozark mountains and I am starting from scratch with just the forested acres. I love your posts and your web site and just want to thank you for teaching and motivating me. Thanks !