Family

Family

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Homesteading Update


It's been awhile since I have given a preparedness update and really, I have been re-thinking the whole issue.  Having food, clothing and medicine put up for my family's use is not something unusual for me.  I have been buying in bulk for years, saving hand-me-down clothing for my children and buying new things on clearance for them for the next year or two.  I try to keep our medicine cabinet updated with everything we will need for at least 3 months as most of us have asthma, food and environmental allergies that must be handled on a daily basis.    

To me, having those items that my family uses on a daily basis in stock is just plain smart.  It is also extremely frugal!  If I do my bulk shopping once a month, buying what my family uses on a daily basis, then I don't have to run to town every week for groceries.  That is not only a timesaver, but also cuts down on our gas expenses and keeps me from impulse purchases as well.

Bulk shopping also means bulk cooking and that is such a timesaver as well.  With all these timesaving techniques that I use it seems I would have lots of time on my hands, but with a large family there never seems to be enough time to do all that needs to be done.


This little guy is turning in to quite the character.  His twelve year old sister allowed him to select his wardrobe this morning and, I have to say, he is a cutie-pie!




I was able to go through his clothing and eliminate some "too-small" items that I will pass on to a friend at church.  Because I have saved Jackson's out-grown clothing and have added a few clearance rack items to his stash, Caedmon is well set for this fall and winter.  I will most likely need to purchase him a pair of shoes, but then again, those boots he has on can be worn at home, in the woods and for town.  In a pinch that wouldn't look too bad with a pair of khakis for church, either.

Our six year old son has turn into our chicken organizer and is gone with his dad to purchase more layers today.  We will then have about a dozen layers, Buff Orpingtons, Cuckoo Marans and Americaunas.  We'll have a wide range of colored eggs in a few months.  We are getting another chicken tractor this week.  We will order our meat birds for the new tractor later this week.  The layers will be getting a new home as soon as their permanent coop is completed.

Our garden output was disappointing again this year.  We did have more produce than last year and will continue with our fall garden preparations with hopes of good results.  Most of the produce that we canned, froze or dehydrated was purchased.  I try hard not to get discouraged!  God provides food for us daily, whether we grow our own or not.  This morning my oldest son has pulled all the basil plants, two large buckets!  I will gather all the leaves to make one last batch of pesto for the freezer and we will try to save the seeds for next spring.

That's our little homestead update for now!  See you next time....

homesteadrevival.blogspot.com


3 comments:

Celee said...

I went to my mom's house yesterday- she was hosting the birthday lunch for the senior ladies in our church. I told those ladies I was trying to make soap and they all laughed at me and said "lye soap" is so damaging that I should never use it on my family. (Doesn't all soap contain lye?) I called my Granny just now and told her I was making bread and butter pickles today to can. She laughed. I don't get it. I know the ladies my age at church aren't doing these things and don't understand. I really thought I'd have some support in the older ladies. I guess they think "been there, done that" and are grateful they're no longer having to do those things.

My husband gardens mainly because he loves to grow things. He thinks of preparedness as stocking up on gold and silver, guns and ammo : ). I guess preparedness takes on a little different shape for all of us. I mainly want to learn these life skills, because it helps me become less of a consumer. I really believe taking dominion involves producing what we need to live from God's creation. Hopefully, we'll continue moving in that direction as a family.

Thanks for sharing your progress. You always amaze me with how much food you put up. Here I am with my little pickle project taking all day! And I'll probably find a way to screw it up!

Celee

Unknown said...

Anita, you definitely have the right idea... prepping should be a way of life, not a once in a while thing. I'm hoping that the weekly challenge will move people toward this mindset. Thanks for linking up and sharing your experiences!

goatldi said...

That chicken wrangler of yours - what a cutie! And Mom , no matter what big sister tried to tell him, he got the shoes on the right feet.

Clothes make the boy. And for a hard day of chicken wrangling he is dressed A+

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