On raising rabbits and homesteading frugally

We've been raising rabbits for several years now. Some are pets and some are food/fur. I mentioned on a forum that we grow our own rabbit food and received several pm's asking about how it's done. Though I've probably blogged about it in the past, I thought this would be a good time to revisit the subject.

We discovered that raising a lot of rabbits on commercial rabbit food is simply not frugal. Pellets were expensive, and if they got wet and dissolved, the rabbits wouldn't eat them, so that was money down the drain.

So, what are the pellets made of? Hay! Which, as it happens, doesn't dissolve when it gets wet. And, if wild rabbits can live on green stuff, why not ours?

I did a bit of research, and made a trip (my first) to the RFD for hay seed. I got a nice compliment from the RFD guy when he said that I knew more about hay than most of the guys that had been farming for years. He was very helpful with figuring amounts of seed per acre for over seeding, though everyone in the store was shocked that I was growing this for rabbits.

The over seeding was to help choke out the weeds that had taken up residence in the field. Mostly non-native plants. We mowed the field as short as possible, broadcast the seed with a hand crank grass seed spreader (or whatever you call that thingie), and let the kids run around like little monkeys over the seeds, which helped work them a bit into the ground. Rainy weeks are the best time for this sort of planting.

We planted our hayfield in alfalfa, timothy, and clover. This year, we are reclaiming another weedy piece of property, so we will add oats to the mixture.

During the summer, we feed the rabbits fresh cuttings from other areas of our property. (Not lawnmower clippings, though, because it's all smushed together and they can't pick out what may make them sick.) We also tractor some rabbits (movable pen where they can eat the grass underneath).

Our rabbits also don't live in cages. We have a huge pen where they can run around, dig burrows, etc. Every few years, we build a new pen in another area. We cleared our first garden spot this way, first letting the chickens roam there, then letting the rabbits clean up after the first year's garden. The burrows made great carrot beds for the next year, and the soil was well fertilized.

Anyway, back to the hay. We cut ours with a scythe, let it dry, toss it into a container where we compress it, wrap it with twine, and ta da! baled hay! The bales are small, of course, but since we do everything by hand, it works for us. We store the hay for winter and continue to feed fresh green stuff during the growing season.

This year, we'll be growing our own chicken food as well. The chickens tractor during the summer, so we use very little feed then. They also eat kitchen and garden scraps. You can feed them just about anything but potato peelings. Even egg shells are good for them, providing extra calcium. Just remember to crush them, otherwise, they'll quickly figure out that those things they are laying are quite tasty.

My favorite thing about chickens? Nothing goes to waste. If I mess up a recipe or we have leftovers that didn't get eaten, it gets recycled into eggs.

As I said in a previous post, we only recently discovered that chickens love hay. We'll be putting some up for them for the winter. We plan to grow sunflower seeds, corn, oats, and a variety of other seeds and grains for winter use for the chicks. More on that as it happens.

The point of the forum post was that homesteading doesn't have to be expensive. We don't use tractors, tillers, or anything more complex than a chainsaw.

No tractor means no tractor payment and no expensive parts to replace or gas to buy. Ditto for the tiller.

When gardening, I use a garden fork and black plastic, rugs, newspapers, etc. This is not only better for the soil, but it also keeps the weeds down in the long run. True, purchasing black plastic can be expensive, but it will last for several years, is portable, helps warm the soil, and saves labor by keeping the weeds down, something a tiller can't do. You can pick up old carpets and rugs just about anywhere for free, and they work just as well.

Sure, we get a few snide comments and snickers when people find out we do so much by hand. One farmer I know likes to chuckle when he sees us out with the scythe and pitchfork working in the hay field. We like to chuckle as his belly jiggles and he gets winded climbing onto his tractor.

We don't need gym memberships to stay in shape. So that saves, what, about $70 a month? I have no idea what they cost these days. And, in the course of "working out", we feed ourselves and our animals, as well as keep our home heated (firewood), and save on doctor visits.

Most of our tools are hand tools: garden fork, axe, scythe, pitchfork, wheelbarrow, etc. The most expensive tool we own would probably have to be the chainsaw and DH takes excellent care of it to see that it lasts. Our scythes were picked up for about a buck each at the flea market.

I can't see how so many people claim that homesteading is expensive. Sure, it can be, if you let it. But if you are willing to put in some work, you don't need a lot of money. Land does cost money, but we don't spend any more to live here than we would to live in the city. Yes, our house payment is a tad higher, but we actually come out ahead in that we don't have to buy natural gas or pay for water or sidewalk assessments or any of the other wonderful things that bog down city life. Not to mention the reduction in our grocery bills. We also got lucky and ended up with less expensive electricity and a more reliable company. Go figure.

The simple life really is simple. If you need something done, you do it. Simple as that.

And, in two years, our lives will get a lot simpler. Yay!

Blogger, what's the deal?

I don't know what's up with Blogger. I attempt to double space between paragraphs. (I prefer the block format instead of indention.) Everything looks fine here, where I am typing. I can even click on the Edit HTML tag and fix stuff there, but then over to Preview and it's all wonky. I either end up with no spacing between paragraphs, or enough space to plant a tree.

So frustrating! Any suggestions?

Got milk?

Hartzler milk is Da Bomb!!!

I have never liked milk. Not even when I was a kid. It hurt my stomach and tasted weird.

Then I tried Hartzler milk. Oh my gosh!!! It's amazing!! I think that's what milk is supposed to taste like.

Hartzler milk is pasteurized, but not homogenized, so it's full of chunks of cream. It's rich and sweet and doesn't hurt my stomach.

If you live in Ohio, you most definitely need to track some down. If you don't live in Ohio, check your local health food store for some all natural, non-homogenized milk. You won't ever drink factory milk again.

The only thing better would be to have our own milk cow. *sigh* Maybe some day.

About my avatar

I hear it a lot.

"You look just like Morticia Addams."

And I get a surprised look when I say, "Thank you!"

I always thought she was gorgeous, graceful, and just lovely. I always wanted to be her when I grew up.

Then alone came this guy that had always wanted to be Gomez. How lucky can I get? Though he looks more like Johnny Depp than Gomez, I'm sure not complaining!

Anyway, I look more like the Angelica Houston version than the tv version of Morticia. I guess it's the nose. *shrugs*

I can't see digging a garden in that dress, though. ;)

Community

Do you know your neighbors by name? Do you participate in the community?

I'm just curious about how common it is to actually know your neighbors, know what they do for a living, say hello, etc.

When we lived in the city, I think we knew too much about our neighbors. Some were great (waves to Kelli!!), and some were awful.

I suppose there are neighbors, and then there are neighbors. You know, some are neighbors that say hello, visit, swap recipes, etc. And then there are neighbors that are really just people that happen to live in the same area.

We tend to think of ourselves as loners out here in the country. We keep to ourselves, mind our own business, and basically don't bother anyone. But, when I stop to think about it, we are a bigger part of our community than we had planned to be: we know our next door neighbors by name; Big Sis volunteered at our local library; Little Sis participates in a local 4H group; we pick up trash along our street, participate in some community events...that sort of thing.

The subject of community has come up a lot recently, in various articles/books that I have been reading. Building a community in case of emergencies was suggested in one article about preparedness. I'm curious about how that is supposed to work.

So, give me your views on community: pros and cons, experiences, etc.

Blogger hates me

Newest entry is here. I have no idea why it showed up dated Feb. 12.

Pass the aspirin.

Beware the zombie chickens!

Remember, right about this time last year, when we had to break down and buy store eggs? Hah! No such thing this year!! Thanks to our Zombie Chickens!!!

No, seriously, our chickens are some weird, freaky, zombie type fowl.

Why do I think so? Well, most chickens go to roost when it gets dark, right? In fact, I think all chickens do; at least all the ones I've ever known. Not ours. Not anymore.

We put a light in the hen house to keep the layers laying. When the days are short, just a few hours of electric light will make a huge difference in egg production. We turn the light off a few hours after dark, because the hens (and Captain Roo) need their rest.

But since the installation of the light, our chicks wander around in the dark hen house yard, pecking and clucking as if it were broad daylight. It doesn't matter if their light is on or not, they just hang around waiting for us to tempt them inside the hen house for the night with a bucket of feed.

Not that I mind, it's just kind of funny to own zombies. For the record, zombie eggs taste just like regular free range eggs.

If you own hens and want to increase your winter egg production, definitely use a light for a few hours after dark. They also need extra feed to produce eggs in cold weather, because their normal rations are going toward keeping warm. However, even all of this won't bring your hens up to their near summer egg production. But there is a way...

The secret is one that DH discovered by accident: He gave the chickens some hay (not straw), and suddenly, we get a dozen eggs in one day! Unheard of for this time of year!

We've had one or two days with no production, mostly due to extremely cold weather. But for the most part, the hens are laying like they think it's July.

On the down side, now that they have electricity in their little bungalow, they are clucking about cable tv and internet!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Someone sent me this, and I sprayed tea all over my monitor when I read it. Thought you all may get a snicker out of it.

Good lord deliver me from personality tests!

Really, I don't get the point of personality tests. The responses are so limited and the questions generally have no qualifiers. For example:

Choose agree, strongly agree, disagree, strongly disagree: (Notice the lack of a middle of the road response.)

You would rather not get involved in other people's problems.

Absolutely no qualifier. Does this mean you would rather not be nosy and butt into your co-worker's personal lives? Does this mean you would rather not deal with a customer service issue?

You have no big worries.

Yeah. Um, whatever. If you have no big worries, you either haven't picked up a newspaper lately, you are an heiress, or you are a clueless teenager. Global warming, the economy, potential layoffs at DH's employer, having to look for a friggin' job in the first place...sure, no big worries here. :P

If you do have big worries, does this mean you'll be more likely to bring home office supplies or put someone's stapler in jello?

You have no big regrets about your past.

What the heck? I've lived long enough to make a few mistakes.

If you could live your life over, you'd change things.

Yep, see answer above.

And my all time favorite:

You do not care what people think of you.

In the real world, no, I don't really care if someone doesn't like me and I won't lose sleep if my neighbors think I'm weird. In the business world, I am professional and strive to give that impression.

Then there are all these questions that are comparative:

You work faster than most people your age.

You make friends easier than others you know.

You are a more effective salesperson than others your age.

There were dozens of questions about people my age. The thing is, I don't know anyone my age. Everyone I know is older or younger. I also don't know much about how fast those I know make friends, get the job done, type, or eat fried possum.

Let's not forget the zillion questions about high school.

You dressed differently than others in high school.

How often did you think of leaving school?

*rolls eyes* High school was more than 20 years ago.

I thought this one was a doozy:

How often do you buy something you want but don't need?
Choose: once a week, once a month, all the time

This is an interesting question due to the fact that need and want are relative terms.

A luxury purchase for me could be the same as a staple purchase for someone else.

How often do you check the job advertisements?

Choose: daily, weekly, monthly, never.

I am LOOKING for a JOB. Where else should I look? Under the couch?

Job searches are exciting.

Yes, oh, absolutely. Every bit as exciting as having my teeth drilled sans Novocaine.

How are these types of questions supposed to help an employer weed out the slackers? Whatever happened to face to face interviews? Do companies even want to hire grownups?

Yes, I know we are supposed to think there's some secret to these tests. The tests even say so. "If you answer certain questions a certain way, we'll know you are lying," or something of that ilk.

I'm doing a little research of my own into these tests, and so far most of what I've found says they are not reliable. Imagine that. We don't all fit neatly into these little labeled boxes? Oh, the horror!

Maybe I'll just give up and roam the streets carrying a big sign:

$$Will work for money$$

ps: I'm having some trouble with paragraph spacing on blogger. It looks fine here, but not in the preview. So if my posts look a bit wonky, that's why.

New Stuff on Etsy

New Stuff on our Etsy site. Check it out.

Economic collapse? And then what?

Somehow, I missed the news about Iceland's economic collapse. I don't know how, since we've been studying Iceland (for homeschool), and until recently, DH was obsessed with it. Anyway, you can google it for the up to the minute news. First, economic collapse, and then the government. Now what?

Here in the U.S., I wonder how far behind we are as far as the economy goes. Things are getting scary. Just look at the news. Layoffs, foreclosures, and businesses shutting their doors top the headlines almost daily.

What happens if you lose your job and then your home? Where do you go? Or, even if your mortgage is paid, what if you can't pay your property taxes?

Even if you live in a rental, you have no guarantees. Your landlord may have a mortgage that is foreclosed. Or maybe you lose your job and get evicted. What happens next?

I'm sure the story is different for everyone. Maybe some people have family they can move in with. Maybe some can get government housing.

The economy is friggin' scary right now. I guess I don't have to tell anyone that, since so many of us are in the same boat.

I'm hoping to pick up at least a part time job, just in case things go badly with DH's job. They've already laid off all of their temporary workers. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We only need two years. Just TWO YEARS!! ack!!

Between DH and myself, we are chock full of homesteading skills. And even some skills that we could, perhaps, barter. But we don't need barter. We need money. The banks don't take barter.

So, tell me, how bad to you think it will get? What are you doing to prepare?

Oh no, not the look! lol

*Rolls eyes* You know, the look. I'm seeing a lot of that in the few people I've told about our two year plan. You'd think, from the look, that I'd told them I intend to move to Vegas and eat live beetles for a living while wearing a suit of writhing snakes.

DH has run into something similar with the few guys he's told. First, it's the look. Then, it's "Hmmmm" as they slowly process what all this means. This is invariably followed by some version of, "How'd you talk your old lady into this?" To which DH replies, shaking his head, "Oh, no. You got that backwards. She talked me into it." My favorite response to this was when one of the guys shook his head and said, "Now that's a woman." ;)

The more we talk about our big move, the more excited we are. I think, even if the opportunity came to stay where we are, we'd move anyway. The biggest attraction, aside from more time together, is more land. More more more!!!!

Neither of us have ever wanted careers. We could care less for prestige, big homes and fancy cars. We spend all of our free time together. We home school so that we can be together as a family. People think we are weird. Go figure.

Why are we waiting two years? Good question. I do wish we could go now. But in two years the house will be done and hopefully the market will have pulled out of its slump. In two years, Little Sis should be out of braces. In two years, I'll have figured out how to make cheese and milk goats (not necessarily in that order). And, at the rate I'm going, it's going to take me two years to decide what goes with us and what gets sold.

I really don't think that this whole adventure will be much more work than what we do now. We have a wide range of homesteading/farming skills that don't involve heavy machinery; we've been doing most of this stuff by hand for four years now.

I do think the first year will be the roughest, as we get settled in. I'm seriously hoping for land with a home/trailer/cabin or even an old barn. We don't have a problem building our own, it's just that shelter while we work would be nice. But there's always a big tent if we can't find what we want otherwise.

Another thing we are still researching is: which state? We've narrowed things down to Kentucky or Virginia. I'm originally from southeastern KY and spent most of my life in the Appalachian region. I never thought I'd say it, but I miss the mountains. And, imagine my surprise, when DH said he did, too. He grew up in east Tennessee, and I lived there for many years. But TN has some homeschooling laws that, well, aren't so great, so we have ruled it out as a place to live.

If, by chance, you live in KY or VA, drop me an email or a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

It's amazing, the amount of research that goes into this type of move. We are checking property tax rates, homeschooling laws, building codes, livestock laws, hunting regulations...you name it. Our utopia would be the place where we could build what we want without a lot of pesky inspections, have any animals we want, and pretty much be left alone to do our own thing without paying huge property taxes.

I don't know that I'll tell many more people until we are ready to go. I'm already weary of the look.

How much do you love your stuff? or The Two Year Plan

We've led a low stuff existence. Low Stuff means no extras, like vacation homes, campers, motorcycles, blackberries (the electronic kind), cell phones, etc. You get the idea.

We've been low stuff because we are a one income family, by choice. It was, and still is, important for at least one of us to be here with the kids. More important than owning newer cars or prestigious country club memberships. We all know people that are slaves to their stuff. They have two incomes just to have those extra things that they don't have the time to enjoy.

Of course, just being low stuff wasn't enough. I learned to shop frugally. Not just for groceries, but for clothes, furniture, etc. I love thrift shops and don't mind buying clothing there. That's also where most of my furniture came from, to be refinished or recovered by yours truly.

We purchased our fixer upper in the city with every intention of moving to the country later on.
We had no idea how bad things would get in that neighborhood, though, and by the time the house was finished, I was desperate to move. Desperate. In fact, I told DH that either we move or he comes to visit me in prison, or a padded cell, for going berserk and taking down every thug in sight.

We'd been looking for our country for home for a long time. I've posted about that before, so I won't rehash our search. Just say it was tedious. So, once we found this place, we cashed in our equity for the down payment and it was ours. Sort of. If you don't count that the bank still owns it, and will, for the next 25 years until it's paid off.

Which brings me to the point of my post. Do we love this house enough for DH to continue to work for the next 25 years just so we can stay here? The answer, of course, is no.

Don't get me wrong. We do love this house. We've put a lot of work into it. We love the area, the nearby village, and even the neighbors are nice. But the acreage that seemed enormous after living in the city, doesn't seem so big now. Every once in a while we ask, "Was the neighbor's house that close yesterday?" (It's a perspective thing, not like we really think they moved their house while we were sleeping...or did they?)

The area has it's price, and it's not getting any cheaper. The property taxes are rising steadily, and are higher than many other areas. Therefore, in addition to the mortgage, we have taxes, and of course, insurance.

The two year plan is to finish this house. Hopefully, the market will recover. Then, we'll put the house up for sale, use what we make to purchase land in a southern state, where we would build a cabin, grow our own food, raise livestock, etc, and pretty much live a self-sufficient lifestyle. Yes, we'll still have taxes, but this time we'll choose an area with reasonable rates.

We hope to have Nightwood Forge running well by then. At least well enough to bring in enough money to pay taxes and cover any small needs.

We also need to hone a few more of our homesteading/self-sufficiency skills.
My goals include: Learning to make soap, including dripping my own lye from wood ash; buying a couple of dairy goats and learning to make cheese, butter, etc.; master pressure canning.

We'd thought about this type of full-on homesteading before, but talked ourselves out of it. It's just as well, since we still had so much to learn. But DH's recent time at home made us realize how much time we are missing. He's gone so much, and he'd rather be here. I'd rather have him here. We work so well together, and we are very happy spending time together. We are both about 40. Which means we have, maybe, 40 or so years left?

Life is short. Do what makes you happy.

Where oh where has my icon gone?

Can you see it? I'm not sure if it's just my isp or if the icon has gotten lost in the big wide web.

Winter weight and winter wait

I feel heavy, bogged down by snowsuits, wool socks and mittens, boots caked with snow.

I feel heavy, laden with the extra winter pounds brought on by cold weather, comfort foods, and carbs.

I feel heavy, slogging through knee deep snow. Nothing goes fast. Dreamers, running as though underwater, sprint past me.

Spring will soon bring boots heavy with mud, fresh asparagus from the garden, the bright green of leaf lettuce.

Spring will bring the shedding of snowsuits and the shedding of extra pounds; a lightening of the air, the light, and the spirit.