Messybun’s Small starts big dreams

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Happy New Year, Miss @messybun!

 

[messybun]

Happy New Year, Miss @messybun!

To you too!!!

 

[messybun]

I’ve been trolling farm sites. So dangerous. The dairies are selling their male calves for 35 dollars, and that’s with the first colostrum; or even a week old. Weanlings sell for about 500. I know there’s a lot in the middle of those two numbers but dang. If I had more land... But I don’t. I finally found three sheep for sale, but I did math. I hate doing math. With the amount of crops I want to grow this year (I really hope they grow!) I don’t see being able to support three lambs, and a goat for milk. Guess I’ll have to wait for sheep. And land for rent locally. A few years ago, super cheap, now, developers have moved in. Two neighbors and across the road is a new trailer park. We have one a little ways down the road, and they keep it nice and fenced. They have concerts down there too, so it can even be fun. I have a feeling this one isn’t going to be so nice. That also means land prices have skyrocketed! 7 acres of swamp land is now over 10,000. Reasonable land? Over 20,000 for 3 acres. Every one is wanting to build, and no one is realizing that our roads aren’t made for it. Anyway, time to maximize what I got. Which means waiting my precious hand spun yarn. I hope to grow peanuts and some grain crops too this year. On one hand, exciting, on the other? I’m about to start online college classes too. Can anyone say sleep deprivation? I’ve thought about angoras, but outdoor rabbits don’t so well with me. The only person I know who could keep a good amount outside lost most of them on a hot summer. And I’m not sure if I want to dive back into rabbits if I could find a way.
Oh, but did I tell you how I’m going to get more grazing? I’ve discussed, on another thread, about movable fence panels and all the work that goes into them. Then I realized, I can put it on wheels! I have four bicycle tires hanging around, and I could put fence panels on those. To make a small pen, either the goats could push it or I would. Just put pickets at each end where I don’t want them pushing past, and I can build a cheap, portable fence.
I hope y’all are fairing well and happy new year!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @messybun,

Good to hear from you.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming -- of having more land, more farm animals, more education. Dreaming is what helps us get up in the morning and look forward to the future with hope.

Currently I am watching a couple on YouTube that recently sold their house and is looking for a homestead in western North Carolina or eastern Tennessee. They remind me of my Beautiful Gal and me when we were doing the same thing a couple of years ago. That was (or seemed like) an ordeal! I'm glad it is over. Maybe you can find a place that you will love that offers more land so that you can have farm animals.

If you don't mind my asking, what courses do you plan to take on-line? Whatever the courses are, I hope you find them useful and fun.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[messybun]

Miss @messybun,

Good to hear from you.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming -- of having more land, more farm animals, more education. Dreaming is what helps us get up in the morning and look forward to the future with hope.

Currently I am watching a couple on YouTube that recently sold their house and is looking for a homestead in western North Carolina or eastern Tennessee. They remind me of my Beautiful Gal and me when we were doing the same thing a couple of years ago. That was (or seemed like) an ordeal! I'm glad it is over. Maybe you can find a place that you will love that offers more land so that you can have farm animals.

If you don't mind my asking, what courses do you plan to take on-line? Whatever the courses are, I hope you find them useful and fun.

Senile Texas Aggie

Western NC is pretty! I like most mountains, aside from the snow. I hope y’all found a place you love after all the hassle!
At the moment moving is not even on the horizon; but I do like to dream still.
I’m planning on getting a counseling certification. I have a knack for it, and it can be a flexible job that leaves me room for other pursuits as well.

 

[Daxigait]

Wow, I just surprised myself with that title, it sounds epic. This journal probably isn’t going to be.
Right now there are goats, chickens, ducks, geese, a rabbit, and two dogs. I know I’m missing some things in here, but the important part is they aren’t forgotten at feeding time.
Why am I starting this you might ask? Well, my family thinks some of my ideas are a bit crazy and I want sympathetic enablers. I’d also like to see where it started and where it goes.
Crazy ideas? I didn’t hear anyone ask but I’ll tell you any ways. Letting my dog (poodle mix) grow his hair out so I can practice spinning. Keep in mind this dog likes to seek out the worst smelling stuff and roll in it, and his hair already picks up EVERYTHING; so totally a great idea. I’m also obsessed with sheep at the moment. I just know I could work them in.
Now, it would also be great to make all my own chicken feed, grow it myself you know. While my gardening skills are nothing to scoff at (more like belly laugh entirely) I’m not sure how I could grow enough chicken forage in the winter but that’s for more research later.
Anyway, hello to whom ever is reading this, and have a great day!

you never know and good luck with it I remember on byc somebody talked about growing sprouts for their chickens year-round and somebody actually did it in the dishwasher so who knows.

 

[Baymule]

you never know and good luck with it I remember on byc somebody talked about growing sprouts for their chickens year-round and somebody actually did it in the dishwasher so who knows.

I bet those were some really clean sprouts!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

I’m planning on getting a counseling certification.

Great! Maybe you can move near us! My Beautiful Gal is always saying I'm in need of professional help!

 

[SA Farm]

Following along. Can’t wait to see where your dreams take you

My sheep are mutts on the small side and I rotate the 4 of them on about an acre. It’s been working for me and them so far.
I wish I had more time and inclination to learn to spin. I don’t do anything with their fleeces other than bag them up and store them in my basement lol. Then I buy yarn to crochet with

 

[messybun]

Following along. Can’t wait to see where your dreams take you

My sheep are mutts on the small side and I rotate the 4 of them on about an acre. It’s been working for me and them so far.
I wish I had more time and inclination to learn to spin. I don’t do anything with their fleeces other than bag them up and store them in my basement lol. Then I buy yarn to crochet with

I have a goat I could probably get some cashmere from, just never have. Then I too go an buy yarn. I’ve recently had family members send me two boxes chock full of yarn. One was from my great grandma, it’s incredible to see some of what she was working on. Makes me feel close to someone I don’t remember meeting, if that makes sense. She was literally knitting a stocking with a Santa face on it! I’m hoping to take all the bits and pieces she left and her extra yarn and make a quilt out of it. She even made her own patterns, but I’ll have to have help translating a few of the words lol.
Perhaps a local living history place could teach you? If you have one nearby that is.