Turning a passion into retirement security.

[Sheepshape]

Farming USA sounds much like farming UK. Big businesses make money, smallholders scrape along.(the exceptions are those who have cornered the market for rare breeds/cider/cheese/ice cream etc making or stuff like that.)

I just about break even with my 80 sheep (but may not after Brexit), but lose on my 40 or so chickens (I sell a few eggs, but being veggie my roosters only provide free food for friends and my spoilt dog). To achieve this unenviable position I work many unpaid hours each week. However I love my animals and wouldn't be without them. Mercifully, I don't have to try to rely on them for income.

I grow lots of fruit and vegetables, and these very much form part of our regular diet.

Carla, I wish you well in your endeavours. DO try to be sure that you will earn sufficient income to continue with your lifestyle before fully committing yourself. Decide what you can afford, then speak to folk in a similar position to discover how they fare.

You clearly love your animals, so whatever you do, make sure that there's room for some!

 

[Baymule]

Keep in mind that what you want to do is choose wisely. Pigs would be a good choice because they do not require all your time. If you spend every waking hour working yourself to death on your business, the joy will quickly leave and it may become a drudge.

My pig pen for feeder pigs. It could be improved on, such as making a loading chute.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymule’s-pigs-2018-herefords.37448/page-6

Everything you ever wanted to know about raising pigs. Your husband works at a creamery? WHEY! WHEY! WHEY! This guy buys NO COMMERCIAL FEED. A creamery delivers WHEY to him weekly and gives it to him. He raises pigs on 70 of his 1,000 acres. He has been in business for many years and has grown his business. He bought his property in the 1980's, it was the side of a mountain and cheap. He turned it into his livelihood. But the information he posts is priceless. Read all you can.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/

Because of what I read on his site, I took a chance on buying two large hogs a couple of years ago for SEVENTY FIVE dollars for BOTH! And last year, we bought Wilbur (820 pounds) the boar for $100. We took the chance of boar taint, but I fed a diet for cleaning up the meat. The meat was delicious.

Walter Jeffries has double fenced his pig pastures and planted fruit, nut and acorn bearing trees in the double fenced strip. The trees bear, drop their fruit and it adds to feeding the hogs. I love reading his site.

Look closely at breeds of hogs. Look at pure bred or registered heritage hogs. @misfitmorgan may be able to help you on this. They raise Hereford Hogs. @luvmypets raises Mangalitsa hogs and her and her father are building a specialty business supplying high end restaurants. If raising registered hogs, you could sell the best as breeding stock. You could sell piglets to 4-H or FFA kids for project hogs.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/

 

[Carla D]

I just LOVE this site. I’m gaining so many ideas, tips, and information from everyone in here. As long as we keep enough animals put in OUR freezer, fridge, pantry, and on OUR table we should be able maintain a frugal and adequate existence. Jim and I both have so many skills to draw upon. We can do things like repairs, small building projects like a small shed or garage, animal houses, finding/buying/picking free or dirt cheap items to fix or repurpose. Things that we could use, sell, trade, barter. House repairs like roofs, siding, light electrical and plumbing. Wood cutting/tree services, Vehicle repair. The list of options is pretty limitless. My husband and I have both have tinker abilities.All of this stuff could be used to make pocket change to our life now. But in the event of economic struggles for our region or country all of these “tinker” skills may possibly be very beneficial in some fashion. Combine that with my baking, cooking, sewing, and medical experience from nursing I’m thinking if not hoping we will have something to draw from to cover the bare minimum expenses needed to survive. Animals/livestock may or may not need to be a factor or resource. I might be naive but I wouldn’t think it should take us much to keep a small 4-wall and a roof structure dry and warm, a clunker, outhouse, food and a couple of pets in our life. I am serious about being able to live very small, frugal, off-grid. It wouldn’t be a hardship, possibly a struggle or challenge, but not undoable if worse turned into worst.

 

[Carla D]

Farming USA sounds much like farming UK. Big businesses make money, smallholders scrape along.(the exceptions are those who have cornered the market for rare breeds/cider/cheese/ice cream etc making or stuff like that.)

I just about break even with my 80 sheep (but may not after Brexit), but lose on my 40 or so chickens (I sell a few eggs, but being veggie my roosters only provide free food for friends and my spoilt dog). To achieve this unenviable position I work many unpaid hours each week. However I love my animals and wouldn't be without them. Mercifully, I don't have to try to rely on them for income.

I grow lots of fruit and vegetables, and these very much form part of our regular diet.

Carla, I wish you well in your endeavours. DO try to be sure that you will earn sufficient income to continue with your lifestyle before fully committing yourself. Decide what you can afford, then speak to folk in a similar position to discover how they fare.

You clearly love your animals, so whatever you do, make sure that there's room for some!

Yes, supporting a lifestyle is quite desirable after we are done punching time clocks. But knowing we could survive with....if .....we’re to happen is the ultimate security in my mind. I have no problem with a meager existence, but the thought of starving to death and homelessness scares the bageebers out of me.

 

[Carla D]

Keep in mind that what you want to do is choose wisely. Pigs would be a good choice because they do not require all your time. If you spend every waking hour working yourself to death on your business, the joy will quickly leave and it may become a drudge.

My pig pen for feeder pigs. It could be improved on, such as making a loading chute.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymule’s-pigs-2018-herefords.37448/page-6

Everything you ever wanted to know about raising pigs. Your husband works at a creamery? WHEY! WHEY! WHEY! This guy buys NO COMMERCIAL FEED. A creamery delivers WHEY to him weekly and gives it to him. He raises pigs on 70 of his 1,000 acres. He has been in business for many years and has grown his business. He bought his property in the 1980's, it was the side of a mountain and cheap. He turned it into his livelihood. But the information he posts is priceless. Read all you can.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/

Because of what I read on his site, I took a chance on buying two large hogs a couple of years ago for SEVENTY FIVE dollars for BOTH! And last year, we bought Wilbur (820 pounds) the boar for $100. We took the chance of boar taint, but I fed a diet for cleaning up the meat. The meat was delicious.

Walter Jeffries has double fenced his pig pastures and planted fruit, nut and acorn bearing trees in the double fenced strip. The trees bear, drop their fruit and it adds to feeding the hogs. I love reading his site.

Look closely at breeds of hogs. Look at pure bred or registered heritage hogs. @misfitmorgan may be able to help you on this. They raise Hereford Hogs. @luvmypets raises Mangalitsa hogs and her and her father are building a specialty business supplying high end restaurants. If raising registered hogs, you could sell the best as breeding stock. You could sell piglets to 4-H or FFA kids for project hogs.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/

I love the sugarmtnhills site. I’m going to have fun digging around in it. I going to look into blogs. I have no clue about them other possibly being similar to an online journal of sorts. It might be something to think about doing. I have two Facebook groups/pages where I’m documenting the life and grown of my daughter, and the second is the process of our cabin property. Do you do Facebook?

 

[Carla D]

Piper and poodle seem to have a visual challenge. I’ve never seen such big ears that covered the eyes of their pig.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I worked a lot of hours last year for the privilege of earning -$1548

 

[Baymule]

I love the sugarmtnhills site. I’m going to have fun digging around in it. I going to look into blogs. I have no clue about them other possibly being similar to an online journal of sorts. It might be something to think about doing. I have two Facebook groups/pages where I’m documenting the life and grown of my daughter, and the second is the process of our cabin property. Do you do Facebook?

Glad that you like the site. I have a FB but I don't do much on it. Most people post stupid crap that gets sent over and over. My brother in law is always posting something dumb to my timeline.

Piper and poodle seem to have a visual challenge. I’ve never seen such big ears that covered the eyes of their pig.

I love Hereford Hogs!