GypsyG
Loving the herd life
Hello! To any of y'all who missed my introduction, my name is GypsyG...
Where to begin?
After pondering this question for well over an hour, I decided that I am just not all that creative, so I'm just going to answer the questions that were suggested in the forum sticky post.
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
I live in Missouri, AKA Misery. It is hot, humid and miserable in the summer, and cold, wet and miserable in the winter. I moved here from Northern CA a little over a year ago to be close to my family
2. How many people are in your family?
My family and extended family function like one big clan... Think "The Walton's", but spread between five houses and four generations. I live with my grandma and help her out.
Marital status?
Separated. No kids.
3. How would you define your farm?
It's my "meanwhile farm"! I will someday have a large farm, but meanwhile I have a double lot yard in town where I raise a few chickens, rabbits, and gardens.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I have all the resources I need... A library and a library card!
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I've built several sheds, shelters and greenhouses. It is my dream to build a cordwood cabin!
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I wish! When I was in school our ag advisor was a sexist jerk. Girls didn't get to take welding, and I still haven't learned.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
I grew up on a farm... It's what my family has always done.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Right now it is somewhere in between.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I'm most knowledgeable about music horses, gardening, and cooking.
I'd like to learn a little about everything else, plus more about music, horses, gardening, and cooking!
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Alligator farming. Aligators are scary.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
That's the idea! I'd eventually like to provide at least 98% of it (I'd still have to buy some cream of mushroom soup to hold some of the rest of it together).
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
My yoga mat, Spotify or a good book.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Tractor? Yes. Semi? No.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I enjoy sewing, basket weaving, macrame, beading, gourd crafts, hide tanning, and making musical instruments out of junk. I'd like to learn felting, spining, and looming next.
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
I'm very limited in town. I can have hens and rabbits. Nothing is mentioned in the codes about ducks, quail or pigeons, so I plan to add them in the near future and try my luck!
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
The same sexist ag teacher taught woodshop.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
YES! Anything and everything. I really miss growing medical marijuana though.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I enjoy fly-fishing.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
Just shy of two acres, in town.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Jack of all trades, master of none
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I'm known at the farmers market for teas, tinctures, and salves... But I enjoy working with my rabbits and learning more about them.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
I'd major in Modern Hippie Culture
Classes would include-
•Ambling
•Hitchhiking
•Meditation
•Grateful Dead Lot Economics
•Music Festival Survival
•Psychedelic Travel
•Clothing Refashioning
•Recycling and Up-cycling
•Dumpster Diving
•Permaculture
•Composting
•Foraging
•Peaceful Protest
•Communal Living
•Stoner Philosophy
•Volkswagon Maintenance
•Bartering
•Herbology
•Astrology
•Rocks, Gems, and Crystals 101
•The Musical Poetry of Dylan
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Do making rabbit hutches and nest boxes count?
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
YES! For animals and people.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
Estes Park or Lyons Colorado.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
Unfortunately no. I miss having a wood stove.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
? I never was much into super hero comics... I do love the old Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comics though.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Yes, luckily!
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! GMO Free, non-factory farmed, locally produced
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best? I worked at an exotic animal ranch when I was in high school and got to experience all kinds of amazing interesting critters.
Worst? I was stalked by a mountain lion once.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Yes! Berries, nuts, mushrooms, medicinal plants, venison, fish
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
Great bartering skills, a good eye for unfilled nitches, and the ability to think outside of the box.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
Yes. Both.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
My chicken coop light is solar. Id love to run the whole place on solar.
35 What is on your to do list?
Build four new rabbit hutches, a quail hutch, and a duck house.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
Yes I have, and I'd like too again.
37. In what do you trust?
Karma
My family
Medical marijuana
The Old Farmers Almanac
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Yes, all the time.
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
I grew up with animals and can't imagine not having animals. I learn new things from my animals every day.
Well, there you go! If y'all have any Questions, feel free to AMA!
Where to begin?
After pondering this question for well over an hour, I decided that I am just not all that creative, so I'm just going to answer the questions that were suggested in the forum sticky post.
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
I live in Missouri, AKA Misery. It is hot, humid and miserable in the summer, and cold, wet and miserable in the winter. I moved here from Northern CA a little over a year ago to be close to my family
2. How many people are in your family?
My family and extended family function like one big clan... Think "The Walton's", but spread between five houses and four generations. I live with my grandma and help her out.
Marital status?
Separated. No kids.
3. How would you define your farm?
It's my "meanwhile farm"! I will someday have a large farm, but meanwhile I have a double lot yard in town where I raise a few chickens, rabbits, and gardens.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I have all the resources I need... A library and a library card!
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I've built several sheds, shelters and greenhouses. It is my dream to build a cordwood cabin!
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I wish! When I was in school our ag advisor was a sexist jerk. Girls didn't get to take welding, and I still haven't learned.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
I grew up on a farm... It's what my family has always done.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Right now it is somewhere in between.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I'm most knowledgeable about music horses, gardening, and cooking.
I'd like to learn a little about everything else, plus more about music, horses, gardening, and cooking!
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Alligator farming. Aligators are scary.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
That's the idea! I'd eventually like to provide at least 98% of it (I'd still have to buy some cream of mushroom soup to hold some of the rest of it together).
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
My yoga mat, Spotify or a good book.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Tractor? Yes. Semi? No.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I enjoy sewing, basket weaving, macrame, beading, gourd crafts, hide tanning, and making musical instruments out of junk. I'd like to learn felting, spining, and looming next.
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
I'm very limited in town. I can have hens and rabbits. Nothing is mentioned in the codes about ducks, quail or pigeons, so I plan to add them in the near future and try my luck!
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
The same sexist ag teacher taught woodshop.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
YES! Anything and everything. I really miss growing medical marijuana though.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I enjoy fly-fishing.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
Just shy of two acres, in town.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Jack of all trades, master of none
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I'm known at the farmers market for teas, tinctures, and salves... But I enjoy working with my rabbits and learning more about them.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
I'd major in Modern Hippie Culture
Classes would include-
•Ambling
•Hitchhiking
•Meditation
•Grateful Dead Lot Economics
•Music Festival Survival
•Psychedelic Travel
•Clothing Refashioning
•Recycling and Up-cycling
•Dumpster Diving
•Permaculture
•Composting
•Foraging
•Peaceful Protest
•Communal Living
•Stoner Philosophy
•Volkswagon Maintenance
•Bartering
•Herbology
•Astrology
•Rocks, Gems, and Crystals 101
•The Musical Poetry of Dylan
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Do making rabbit hutches and nest boxes count?
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
YES! For animals and people.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
Estes Park or Lyons Colorado.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
Unfortunately no. I miss having a wood stove.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
? I never was much into super hero comics... I do love the old Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comics though.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Yes, luckily!
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! GMO Free, non-factory farmed, locally produced
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best? I worked at an exotic animal ranch when I was in high school and got to experience all kinds of amazing interesting critters.
Worst? I was stalked by a mountain lion once.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Yes! Berries, nuts, mushrooms, medicinal plants, venison, fish
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
Great bartering skills, a good eye for unfilled nitches, and the ability to think outside of the box.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
Yes. Both.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
My chicken coop light is solar. Id love to run the whole place on solar.
35 What is on your to do list?
Build four new rabbit hutches, a quail hutch, and a duck house.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
Yes I have, and I'd like too again.
37. In what do you trust?
Karma
My family
Medical marijuana
The Old Farmers Almanac
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Yes, all the time.
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
I grew up with animals and can't imagine not having animals. I learn new things from my animals every day.
Well, there you go! If y'all have any Questions, feel free to AMA!
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