Re: [Homesteadingfamily] Coming up the road

Our family has been concerned about the situation in this country for awhile
now; we just in the last month moved onto a farm in a very mountainous part
of the country. There is 397 acres of uphill mountain and streams, 3 acres
cleared with barns and farmhouse in good order.
Inside, we are planning to put in a MealMaster wood cookstove we have on
layaway till the first of November. This was quite an expensive purchase for
us, but necessary-as the power grid is not stable here. If we have a
thunderstorm, electricity will go off, and sometimes in bad lightening/wind,
for days. There is a chimney already in place in the existing structure of
the kitchen. Fireplaces elsewhere in the house were walled up under masonry
plaster walls when central air/heat were put in. We are thinking off
uncovering the one in the living room, and putting in a small pot belly
stove. There isn't much more room for anything else in there. The original
fireplaces were for coal, and very small. We would like to replace the front
and back door-not by a long shot secure, just old wooden ones with big glass
windows in them. I have started a pantry downstairs in the basement. Since
we have so many children and limited income, we've thought that trying to
buy enough food for one month to stock up with is a good starting point,
since a years' supply is overwhelming all at once. Then from that point, we
will go to 3 months, then 6 months, and so on. I've bought enough Heirloom
seed to get us through one season, enough to feed the whole family and put
up quite a bit. I've bought seed from our farm supply for barter or just to
have to have on hand. I'm getting together used homeschooling curriculum's
for our children, should they need to be home for an extended period.
Outside, we have an old existing draw well that is in excellent condition.
We have 2 high mountain streams flowing on back sides of the property.
We have ordered our chicks and just got them in a couple of days ago, we
also just put 2 male Pyr puppies on the property, but it will take a year
for them to be ready to protect the place. Goats are coming in the Fall. We
have put in a garden this year just big enough to feed our family through
this Summer, as it was on new ground and we will have to improve the soil
with cover crops/manure this fall & Winter. We just tilled it the end of May
and put fertilizer on. Whatever we get, I'll be so thankful for.
We've got fencing to put up, along with solar powered electrical fencing. We
are so busy, just hope we have enough time.
Best to all,
Mel

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 2:46 PM, Danny R <ninja69_97720@yahoo.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
> How many of you are trying to improve your homestead to with stand the
> possible problems ahead?
> What are you doing? Trying to stock more food?
> A extra couple of cords of wood?
> Maybe a green house?
> How about expanding a hobbie so it makes some money
>
> Lets hear from you.
> Regards, Ninja
>
>
>

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