M14 Forum

Nomad · February 21st, 2012, 08:29 PM

Thank you for sharing this with us.....Looks like you are getting a handle on things........

GeneCo · February 22nd, 2012, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad

Thank you for sharing this with us.....Looks like you are getting a handle on things........

Thanks, we're in our 3rd year, alot of trial and error. We lost some chickens and we lost some goats, it's an ongoing process and we're still learning.

That's why I say most folks aren't gonna BO to some remote place and just start to live off the land, PSHTF. You just about have to be doing it now. Most should plan on having a contact, that is already doing that and joining them. Most would welcome the extra security. I figure we could take on 3-5 extra families comfortably.

huntinghawk · February 22nd, 2012, 04:47 AM

Absolutely true. Goes for both livestock & gardening.

HH

Philz M1A · February 22nd, 2012, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneCo

Absolutely,,,,,stocking up will run out, IF you don't lose it to flood, tornado, fire or 'raiders'( which could include family and friends).

The truth is, even tho I grew up on farms, I joinesd the Marine Corps at 17 and left the farm and never looked back for 25 yrs. I met my DW 10 yrs ago ( on Match.com, so it does work)and she grew up on a farm in Colorado( Boulder and Loveland) and it's mostly her. She worked for a Vet and knows how to take care of animals. The thing is, animals get sick and get diseases and you have to know how to treat them and while they're being treated, you can't eat the eggs nor drink the milk( you can cook it and give it to the dogs). They have to be wormed and can't be crossed( sheep can't live around goats, goats can't live around chickens, etc). Sometimes kids are breech and you have to know how to reach in ther and turn them around, etc.

With plants, most plants will go to seed, if you leave them, so while you harvest some, you let some go to seed and then harvest the seed, but the thing is, you plan for that( so you have to be thinking like that).

Abve all, you have to have the frame of mind to not waste anything. even if you can't think of it right now, everything might have a use sooner or later. I mean absolutely everything. Things can be used for barter. You never know. If you can get things in bulk, mostly OTC medicine, even if it gerts outdated, will be worth it's weight in gold. Believe it or not, I have a shed full of TP.

Practice skills...you have to be able to put animals under the knife and in the stewpot. Here's the most humane way to do a chicken that I know of:

You make a great point about knowing how to take care of animals. I have a few books on the topic, but nothing beats doing it for real. Thanks for the advice.

jim-analog · February 22nd, 2012, 06:33 AM

Greetings,

Hi GeneCo!

Thanks for posting your place, fantastic! I'm curious; are you and your wife "retired" and work the farm full time? I can't imagine the hours it takes each day for all the critters (and everything else). BTW, REALLY beautiful dogs! Best of luck with everything.

Regards, Jim

GeneCo · February 22nd, 2012, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim-analog

Greetings,

Hi GeneCo!

Thanks for posting your place, fantastic! I'm curious; are you and your wife "retired" and work the farm full time? I can't imagine the hours it takes each day for all the critters (and everything else). BTW, REALLY beautiful dogs! Best of luck with everything.

Regards, Jim

Semi retired, the DW works PT and I, being a master Glazier, can pick and choose jobs as needed. I love high rise projects, so I hold out for that..I can do a couple of jobs a year and get by...I went out to Las Vegas and worked on that City Center job for 2 yrs, which paid great. Basically that means I don't have to work in the coldest of winter( like now) and the hottest of Summer.

Actually, afa the time to take care of the animals, we have it set up that we turn them loose every morning and they pretty much fend for themselves throughout the day, and then pen and coop them up at night.. They all go out and forage in the woods and that tall grass. Belle, our Australian cattle dog, looks over them and protects them, but they can fend for themselves. We believe by letting them free range and forage, they'll be healthier and more resistant to sickness and disease and they are.

We lose a few chickens to critters once in a while, but that encourages them to raise out more.

Afa maintenance, it far easier to maintain than to outright rebuild. Walking and fixing fence is an ongoing project, as the goats use it for stepladder to get to stuff just across the fence( the leaves are greener over there, ya know).
The DW puts in more hours, as she collects and cleans and 'grades' the eggs and while I help with milking, she pasturizes it and turns it into butter and cheese.
Right now, I'm making some new nest boxes for the rabbits, we have one due this week and another due in a couple of weeks.

GeneCo · February 22nd, 2012, 09:38 AM

I wanted to add pics of the geese and ducks we have

We have a breeding pair of White and Chinese brown Geese

Then a breeding pair of French Ruan ducks

And then a pair of Muskovy ducks...we think those are the better meat( tastier, more meaty and less greasy).

Then this freak of nature called a Silky( chicken).

GeneCo · February 26th, 2012, 08:52 AM

A meat rabbit had babies last night........I got a nest box in just in time, she pulled hair and had them. It'll be a couple of days before we can see them. Pics to follow.