# Fluttervale's Farming Dreams



## fluttervale (May 2, 2013)

*.    What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?*

I live in SE Michigan, about 40 minutes outside the city center of Detroit, in Ann Arbor.  Our climate is cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer, but mostly pretty reasonable.  I currently live in an apartment and I am planning my farm.  Right now I'm in the "money acquisition" phase.

*2.    How many people are in your family? Marital status?*

Right now, just me, but I do have a serious boyfriend.  He's allergic to animals (having a farm is a way of having pets/animals without having them in the house) but is willing to work with me on this one.  

*3.    How would you define your farm?*

A fantasy, really, but I think one that I was made to achieve.  I would like to start by having a property that sustains my family, with trips to the grocery for basic provisions (flour, baking soda, that sort of thing).  I'd like to raise enough beef, pork, and poultry for my family, and have an extensive garden each year.  I would like to "start right" in that I do not want to take shortcuts, I would rather have the money from the get-go to start, rather than spend 20 years building up to sustainability.  Starting while I am single and still have house pets, before things go in a "then comes marriage" direction, will let me build the farm one person at a time, instead of having to figure out where the money is going to come from to even start.

*4.    What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?*

Oh, lots of things.  I enjoy knitting.  I used to be involved in showing Labradors, and would like to have animals that I can show.  I'd like a better car, bigger house, but mostly just a relatively small amount of debt.

*5.    Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?*

Nope.  Not a thing.  But my SIL is very handy with these things and my Dad tries to be.  Both of my BFF's either currently have, or were raised on a farm, so I have lots of support.  One BFF is a vet so I know that she can guide me through some of the trickier spots.

*6.    Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?*

No, but my Dad did HVAC on an industrial scale, and I have a general concept of the mechanics.

*7.    Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?*

It's something I've really always wanted.  My mom wanted an organic produce farm but when the laws changed on the wording of organic things got too expensive to continue what was essentially a hobby.

*8     Is it a hobby or an occupation?*

I'd like it to be 50/50.  I'd like to be able to do something I enjoy while being sustainable on a scale of what I could potentially earn.  I also don't enjoy the thought of having interruptions in my "career" because of child raising, and I think this is a career in which those issues could be avoided or minimized.

*9.    In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?*

I'm generally knowledgable about many things, but practical experience is something I don't have a ton of.  I am not squeamish and very willing to learn in a hands-on manner.  I've assisted in multiple dog breedings (though never raised a litter myself--$$$$/time), have done Open level obedience training, and am not afraid of big animals.  I hold my own when I am around them, and I enjoy training animals in a manner that makes my life easier.

*10.  In what types of farming will you never choose to do?*

Rabbits.  My SIL had a pet rabbit, Sam, and would never tolerate my farming them for meat or fur.  It would distress her greatly and it's not worth the benefit to stress the family relations.  

*11.   Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?*

Absolutely!  I would like to raise enough that I could share with family and close friends.  A lot of times I feel like I'm in a better place, financially, than others, because I have fewer responsibilities, and I'd like to lighten the load on others where I can.

*12.   Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?*

Knitting.

*13.   Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?*

Tractor, kind of.  I've done it but not practical.

*14.   Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?*

I knit and quilt.  I have little talent for teaching, as my patience level is nil with other people.

*15.   Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?*

When I purchase property that will be a primary consideration.

*16.   Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?*

Nope.

*17.   Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?*

Very much.  I enjoy pretty much everything, though I've never had luck with cucumbers.

*18.   Do you fish? Bait or explosives?*

Nope.

*19.   How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?*

None.  I rent 625 square feet right now.

*20.   Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?*

Nope.

*21.   What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?*

I would like to specialize in quality dual-purpose poultry.

*22.   If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?*

Oh, crap, I have no idea.  

*23.   Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?*

Nope.

*24.   Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?*

Not really.  I think that while there are many people out there who have quality experience and knowledge, most people using herbals do it "because the Internet said so" and having very little practical experience or scientific research.  Yes, I have spent a lot of time with academics.

*25.   If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?*

Tough to say.

*26.    Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?*

No.

*27.    What would your ideal super hero/villain be?*

Tough question.  Probably Captain Clue-By-Four.  He smacks stupid people upside the head with a 2x4.

*28.    Are your family or friends also interested in animals?*

My parents, not really, though they are dog people and have 2 feral cats.  (One very feral, as in if you touch her pull back a stump, the other likes people because they feed him.)  Both my BFF's are in conformation dogs, one of whom is a top Gordon Setter breeder, the other is a vet with a menangerie of animals.

*29.    Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?*

Yes, but when you're cooking for one it's not as exciting as cooking for a family.  I usually cook once and it lasts 3-4 days, so gets boring quick.  I would love more natural foods.

*30.   What was your best animal experience? Worst?*

My Gordon breeder friend also has Labradors.  One day, we went out and she insisted that there were kittens in the dog yard.  I told her that one of the dogs had whelped early--5 days early.  She had 5 pups in the yard, another 2 in her kennel run while eating her dinner (what she was doing when we found them), and then over the next 8 hours had another 4 pups.  One of the pups born in the yard was my Rusty.  Worst?  Well I used to have a neighbor with a very aggressive coonhound.  That ticked me off quite a bit as she nearly bit me twice.

*31.    Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?*

No, but not against it either.

*32.    What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?*

No idea.

*33.    Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?*

I do can/preserve when I have a garden to preserve from.  I mostly do tomatoes, have done pickles and salsa, and freeze roasted peppers for fajitas.  Oh, I've bought whole chickens and processed them, but they were already plucked and the guts removed.  I just took the carcass and cut it into pieces.  It was easier than I thought it would be.

*34.   Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?*

No, but I think I would like to use wind.

*35    What is on your to do list?*

Too much to list.  Right now it's all about collecting money, making sure I know how much I need to have to start, that sort of thing.

*36.   Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?*

I would love to, with only basic baking needs coming from the store. 

*37.   In what do you trust?*

I'm not religious, if that's the question, but I tend to trust that the world will continue on in a generally steady fashion, and I am not freaked by the economic difficulties the rest of the world has been freaking about.

*38.  Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?*

I try to fix things, but living in an apartment usually when something breaks, it's good and broke.

*39.  Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?*

I would say it's pretty obvious that animals are an important part of my existance.


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## Rebbetzin (May 2, 2013)

I, too, dream of having more land and a more rural life.  As it is now, I get to milk a friends goats, once a week, and keep four chickens here at home.  I try to be content living in the desert.  I would much rather live on Prince Edward Island!!


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## EllieMay (May 4, 2013)

Sounds like you've really thought this thing through.
VERY SMART on your part.
You will thoroughly enjoy your farming experience!!  

I have much of the same goals as you.
I just recently purchased my farm and am loving it.
I am raising registered Katahdin hair sheep (as an income and to enjoy good meat).
I also have chickens, and just bought a baby pig (cuz I love bacon & sausage).

Self-sufficiency!!  That's where it's at!!!!


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## fluttervale (May 5, 2013)

The boyfriend is starting to realize his missteps.  He is less enthusiastic than I am, but more than I expected.  I have sorted out the basic finances and should be able to purchase property in 2015.  I am currently hoping for 5-10 acres in SE Michigan, but if finances allow I'll move that number up.  

I am planning on gardening at my parents' house very heavily this year (I visit at least once a week) as they have an acre and Mom has a huge garden.  She's more into flowers than veggies but if I work at it, I should be able to get a ton of produce out of the deal.  I'm going down on Thursday to visit one of the BFF's (she got a horse for her birthday!) and will stop at their house Thursday and Saturday (or Sunday, weather dependent.)  I will take her to the greenhouse for Mother's day, which is going to become a tradition I think.  I'll buy her three flats and we should get them all planted.  If I stick to it this year, I'll probably start plants inside next spring for local farmer's markets.  There's a big demand in BF's area for heirloom veggies AND it's an affluent area.  I'm looking into the local requirements on that front, but I've got a year to sort that out.

That's where I'm at for now.  Getting on the university to get my enrollment sorted out, and working.


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## fluttervale (May 12, 2013)

Went to the greenhouse with Mom on Saturday.  We have big plans for the garden!

We got I think 15 tomato plants of 5 different varieties.  9 Pepper plants (3 green, 3 red, 3 purple.)  Mom got some herbs but I don't remember what.  I got broccoli.  We will be planting lettuce, potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, winter squash, peas, and pole beans in addition to the plants.  I'll be planting a bunch of lettuce because the pigs do love some lettuce, and I'd like to find some sort of pen that I can take the pigs down and let them graze.  We don't use any pesticides short of flea/tick prevention on the dogs so it's a very safe place for them to graze.

I'm visiting farmer's markets this year to craft plans for next year.  I think I'm going to get Mom to let me start plants here, because she says the room she uses at home is "too cold."  I'd rather start them here and go nuts.  The cops might think I'm growing pot, but whatever.


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