# secuono - Forever Farms, my Q&A



## secuono (Sep 13, 2011)

Here's my Q&A list, anyone have others to add? 

What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
In the Culpeper area in Virginia. Weather is changing a lot lately, can't rely on what it used to be like. Plus I hate summer heat and humidity and winter's muck periods are also just eh. 

How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Just my fiance and I, and all my pets. =P

How would you define your farm?
A small passion farm. Maybe some day it will be more of a 'farm', but for now it's just were I can have all of my crazy loves.

What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Expand the farm, update and fix all sorts of things. Have fences to put up and others to fix or finish. Paint the roofs and walls of all the buildings, make the field a better pasture. I'm doing all of that now, slowly over time. But it'd be great if I had the money, tools, tractors and all that I would need now. Ah well. I do what I love now, why wait until you are not strong enough to do it??

Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I helped build a shed/playhouse with my father when I was a little kid. More recently, I built two hutches, one for my pair of Silver Fox rabbits and the other for the chickens. I do want to build a lean-to extension for the coop. 

Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
Waa? No, but I can cut and glue together our CPVC pipes. Still need to change out the shower pipe from a 1/2in to a 1in. There's no water pressure in this house!! The hose gets far better pressure, some days I think I should just toss up a trap and shower out there. I'm sure the ducks would love to dig out the worms that would come outta the ground. :/

Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
I've always loved animals, always wanted this pet or that pet. I don't like people much, I like my space. Everything else just kinda fell into place. 

Is it a hobby or an occupation?
I'd love to make this farm pay for itself or at least let me not need to have an outside job. The horses need 2k in hay a winter, I'm guessing. Birds need a new bag of feed, what, every week almost? The cats and rabbits don't take in too much. The aquariums use a lot of electricity. I'd love to have independent solar power or at least for now a back up generator. The dogs eat a good amount every month, as do we. I try to make some money off of them, but it's not much. Birds will never pay for their feed, neither will the aquaria. The rabbits may, though. They don't eat much and give back a good amount. Only animals here I don't worry about wanting something back are my two guinea pigs, they are my wee little babies! The horses eat the grass, teach me how to work on their feet, relearn riding and how to break a pony. Dogs keep things away from the farm and keep me up at night, lol. I don't know what I'm doing with cats, easier to keep them and feed them than try to find a good home for the pair. People these days are far less likely to keep anything lifelong. 





In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
Compared to my family and most people I know? Anything having to do with animals, plants and diy, I tend to be the first to get their questions. But I know I can learn a lot more and will as time passes. Gardening I still don't get the specifics, like when to plant what and what to rotate. Learning how to trim hooves and break a pony to ride. Building, well, buildings and painting metal standing seam roofs. I'm fixing fencing on my own and putting new ones up. Replacing plumbing, repairing and replacing floors, walls and what have you. I want to know everything to live out here with what I have successfully. 

In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Mass, commercial farming of any animal, it's just too cruel and wrong. It's for nothing than money and that's no way to live. Is there really anything else, other than hobby and commercial plant farming...?

Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Yes, I'd love to find out if the easement we have is ours or if we still have to share it. I'd love to plant an orchard in there, it's fully fenced and a good amount of space and sun. I tried growing cauliflower and broccoli, but the cucumbers and tomatoes went nuts and took over. Next spring I'm going to do separate raised beds for each veggie. But my fiance is a baby, so most of it goes to my pets, which is fine with me! I'm working on meat rabbits, now. They aren't really cooperating right now, though, lol. I have some little large breed chickens that some are bound to be roosters I will turn into food once they are the right size. I don't eat hens or ducks, though I am thinking of buying some drakes in the spring just for that. 

Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
My farm, haha! Either go out with the horses or sit with the chickens and watch them be oh so weird and nutty! 

Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Into a ditch or something? Maybe, lol. Never drove either before, don't have any here. If we do expand the farm, we will get one to cut the grass and I will learn. I just learned how to use our old riding mower over the weekend! 

Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I can make hutches, but as for small little nick knacks, I have no use for them. They would get lost or eaten or worse yet, pile up and take up space. 

Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yep! I made sure of that before I even mentioned this house to my fiance. Just have horses, wanted to breed Olde English Babydoll sheep, but need to either get more land for them or learn how to better use the land we have. Mini goats would be nice, but no one buys them now, not worth it. 

Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
Had to Google that one, no I can't. 

Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Enjoy or just get it over with? Lol, I hate summer, so only some days am I ok with standing out there and watering them. Have grown and will grow next year; Cauliflower, broccoli, all variants of lettuce, peas, tomatoes, cucumber, potatoes and what ever else I can make room to grow!

Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Nope, my fish are my pets. But one day if we have the land and money to get a huge pond made and stock it with fish, then my fiance will fish his dinner out. 

How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
Country, but still close to town. We have around 4.7 acres, mostly mountain-y mess, so it is less useable land. We own, bought the place in April! 

Are you a Novice, Technician or have a degree?
I am self taught, never saw much of a point in 'professional schooling' for what I want to do in my life. 

What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
What does that even mean, you sure that is worded correctly?

If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
Self sufficient farming, I'm sure we all know what it needed for that. 

Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Just building hutches and the such. 

Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
Not really, If I'm medicating, I want it to work, no if, ands or buts. 

If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I don't even know anymore. I guess, a bit more North where there is far more open land and space between neighbors. I'd love to own hundreds of acres!

Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No, but that would be so cool! We do have an old gas heater, need to have it serviced before winter...opps. 

Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Most people in my family have at least 1 dog, some have two. They say it's my fault, I made them love dogs. Friends want a pet. 

Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
No, it's boring and my fiance doesn't eat much, so it's left for me to eat the same thing for days, eh. If I had a cow, I'd try raw milk. My chickens give me eggs, rabbits will give me meat. Natural and cruel free as possible. 

What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best, I have no clue. Worse, gsd bit me as a kit, my cat hated me as a kid and my current little mut dog kills everything in her path, lol. 

Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
No, a bit too unpredictable for us. 

What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
I learn fast by doing it myself. 

Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
Chickens and soon rabbits, that's all. 

Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
No, I want solar one day. 

What is on your to do list?
Today's list or this week's? It's the same everyday unless something comes up. Things that have come up and need doing; dead tree to be cut down, heater to be serviced, water pressure fixing, build fence for small paddock, paint house and paint roof. 
Daily list; turn on fish lights and feed them, let dog out, eat and go to work, after work let chickens & guineas out, feed and water the birds, rabbits and clean duck pools, do water changes on fish tanks every 3 days, eat, lock up birds, feed dogs, cats, fish, new water for horses every 3 days and give them some oats, bring in dog, go to bed. Might be leaving somethings out...

Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No, one day that would be nice, though. I think it's a goal of mine.

In what do you trust?
In myself, in what I do and can do. 

Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Yea, replaced and fixed; fencing, plumbing, floors, roof, walls and w/e else needs done. 

Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
It's changed my mind from the regular city stuff to more of do what you can to survive, but still keep it humane and only what you need.


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## Ms. Research (Sep 13, 2011)

What type of solar are you looking at?  Panels, wind mill?   Love the concept, but it's really expensive here and it takes years to get back what you put into.   Maybe it's just here.   DH would love to get off the grid.  Have you done any research on it, and is it allowed in your area.  If it's strange to ask this, just look what State I live in.


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## secuono (Sep 17, 2011)

Panels, but I know they aren't as efficient as they could be.


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## Ms. Research (Sep 18, 2011)

secuono said:
			
		

> Panels, but I know they aren't as efficient as they could be.


Wish they were. Love to get off the grid and be self sufficient.  Unfortunately you know when a good thing gets the eye of the government, just screws everything up.  Greed surfaces and the good idea goes down the drain.   Truly a shame.


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## 77Herford (Sep 18, 2011)

We got some panels on the roof.  They pay for about half the utilities.  We are seriously looking into a Windmill, but the start up costs are high so we'd need a big loan.


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## elevan (Nov 24, 2011)

Happy Thanksgiving Secuono


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## daisychick (Dec 25, 2011)




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## elevan (Dec 25, 2011)




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