Update Self-Reliant Living

Now that the wheels have been set into motion with my self-reliant food plans, I am more confident that this can be a reality. My plans this year were to get chickens (both egg and meat) and a coop, couple butchering pigs, bees, large raised-bed vegetable garden, berry patch, mini-vinyard, gourd/melon garden, plant a wind-break, plant several fruit trees, and of course plant some pretty gardens. Phew. I’m exhausted from just talking about it 🙂 Actually it is all so exciting to see how a ‘homestead’ can start developing and forming.

So far, I have started my seeds that need to start indoors including tomatoes, onions, peppers, marjoram, sage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and eggplant. In addition, started my petunias, cupids dart, ornamental blue grass, forget me nots, baby’s breath, and marigolds. I have also received my welsummer, buff orphington, and rhode island red chickens. They are 3 weeks old now and feathering out! I plan to add some mature wheat maran chickens that are already laying to ramp up my production and provide for the two farmer’s markets I plan to attend this year. Wheat marans are a french breed that lay a very dark, beautiful egg. Lastly, I have called and talked with several bee keepers about well, beekeeping and the equipment I will need. I have reserved one bee colony and one hive- but feel I am going to up that to two colonies. We LOVE honey and I have several people that have asked me for it when it comes available. After researching a bit on honey and the different tastes you can get, apparently basswood is highly sought after and I have several basswood trees on my propoerty. Woo hoo for me!

Now that things are moving forward on Modern Roots Homestead, the remaining important items for April include building my chicken coop out of free pallets (this includes getting a land-use permit), building my garden shed (again out of free pallets), getting my bees set up, fencing in and creating a 1.5 acre pasture, building a pig shelter, purchasing 2-3 piglets, making raised beds and getting them into my vegetable garden, tilling a new gourd/melon garden, and continuing to plant my indoor seeds. April is going to be busy… when this snow finally goes away.