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The Homestead Thread

Edmick

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So the idea of "homesteading" is pretty much as old as human civilization itself. What it comes down to, to put it simply, is self reliance. But putting it simply doesn't necessarily mean it's simple. Todays world has made it very difficult to be self reliant. We rely on waaaay to many people to make living possible. Whether it be the grocery store to feed us (the most basic of human needs for survival) or the rent/mortgage that most people need to pay just to keep a roof over their heads. There are far too many luxuries that have become common place in todays society. Eating out use to be a luxury, but to a lot of people now, it's their only source of food and they probably couldn't even scramble an egg if they needed to. What would happen if all these luxuries disappeared one day? Would society crumble? Which brings me to the point of this thread. Are there any homesteaders out there? People that at least try to put a dent in the way they rely on other people to live? It could be something as simple as a small herb garden in the kitchen window so you don't have to buy them. Or as extreme as living totally off the land and only living off of what you yourself produced. Let's swap ideas so maybe we can all learn a thing or two. Whether you live in a small apartment in the city or you live on 1,000 acre plot of land, there are ways that everyone can become a little more self reliant. Lets hear your thoughts and ideas!
 
Ok so some of you have seen my setup in previous threads but here's what I have going on. I have 5 chickens which I use for eggs and a newly tilled plot that I'm going to be growing a ton of veggies (I have other small planters with winter veggies that I've been getting good harvests on all winter) which I can hopefully can or preserve to keep a nice little stock pile of food during the colder months. I sell some eggs here and there to neighbors which I turn around and use for items that I can't grow or produce myself. I sell plants which I grow myself that I turn around and use for necessities like car insurance, gas and keeping a roof over my head.. What does everyone else have going on?!

 
It is scary. Egg prices alone have skyrocketed in California because of the animal rights law that was passed requiring the birds to have more space. Don't get me wrong, it's a good law but prices are outrageous. It costs me a fraction of the cost for the amount of eggs I get off my birds on feed costs for them. A 50 pound bag of feed costs me $14.95 and lasts me over a month and I get 2 dozen eggs per week. Egg prices at the store are almost $3 per dozen. The "free range" eggs they sell at the store are $6! It's a no brainer to raise your own birds.
 
Love your setup Ed. Gotta admit I'm jealous of the chickens.

I've got a few gardens going around the house.. two areas with container gardens, one main garden in the back, a sweet potato raised bed and a few miscellaneous fruit trees. It's enough where I don't have to rely on supermarket produce for most things anymore.

Been daydreaming about my own bee hive! Maybe one day...
 

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Muckyai said:
Love your setup Ed. Gotta admit I'm jealous of the chickens.

I've got a few gardens going around the house.. two areas with container gardens, one main garden in the back, a sweet potato raised bed and a few miscellaneous fruit trees. It's enough where I don't have to rely on supermarket produce for most things anymore.

Been daydreaming about my own bee hive! Maybe one day...
Great pic!
 
Come on Ed, you know your ready for that new world order! Lol

No seriously though the powers that be make it difficult to separate yourself from the system. I have a few acres I hope to one day have some fruit growing and more than just hot peppers lol
 
Ed - could I ask what you charge when you sell your eggs?  I had a friend give us some extras from their coop and they were by far the best eggs I ever had.   
 
I'd like to get some on a regular basis but not sure what the going rate would be. 
 
sobelri said:
Ed - could I ask what you charge when you sell your eggs?  I had a friend give us some extras from their coop and they were by far the best eggs I ever had.   
 
I'd like to get some on a regular basis but not sure what the going rate would be. 
Around $4 or $5 per dozen is a fair price. Depends on where you are though. If you live in an area where free range chickens and farms are the norm then maybe a little less but I live in the suburbs of southern California so people really love the idea of fresh eggs from backyard birds and are willing to pay for it. I could probably fetch up to $6 per dozen if I really wanted to and someone wanted it bad enough.
 
Voodoo 6 said:
Been hearing whispers that the in thing to be growing right now is garlic, if you have an acre or more. Guessing the demand is pretty high right now.
The reason garlic is good to grow is because the space it takes to grow and the price it sells for in stores makes sense. By weight, it's expensive and it takes up very little space in the garden.
 
We have a customer that will barter with us for printing his business cards. The customer is a small farmer that runs a farmers market down by Detroit. We never know what he’s going to bring in, some of the goods have been raw honey, lots of produce, jams and jellies, homegrown popcorn.


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PtMD989 said:
We have a customer that will barter with us for printing his business cards. The customer is a small farmer that runs a farmers market down by Detroit. We never know what hes going to bring in, some of the goods have been raw honey, lots of produce, jams and jellies, homegrown popcorn.


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Thats the way it should be. Look at what we do on this site. Everyone trades and barters. I haven't had a single member yet ask me for money. Even if I don't have anything they want, they send it to me anyways. Lord knows I've sent plenty of people seeds without wanting anything in return and there have been plenty of people that have done the same to me. It's a give and take system and it works really well. More things should be that way.
 
Honey is one of those things that has hit the roof in price and slowly disappearing, concrete jungle taking over, just shows how stupid people are not realizing how much of our food relies on Bees, 90% if I remember right. One of the things going to try and do is a Hive. Their was like thirty wasp nest around my place last year, need to make sure they dont return.
 
I have been looking at these flow hives, they look like the way to go for honey. It's supposed to be easier on the bees too, idk. They are expensive though
 
I’ve always wanted to get honey bees. My wife is convinced I’m allergic to bees, because I swelled up pretty good after getting stung (yellow jackets)while doing a remodel project.
Funny thing is I got stung 11 times (ground bees) while out on a Boy Scout project.
I’m still here [emoji16]
God is not through with me yet [emoji4]

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