Update

It has been nearly two years since I posted anything here. I actually found this old blog by accident when I was trying to sign into the Arkansas Preppers Network this morning. Thought I would update a little.

We have a strong herd of Dwarf Nigerian Does that will all kid this next spring. I expect nearly 30 kids. We had our Dexter herd bull stolen but luckily he did get to one of the heifers and she delivered on May 5th of this year the prettiest little calf. I will try to AI the two originals this spring and will wait a while on the newbia as she is far too young and will be this spring as well.

The perimeter fence is done, and we have started doing some cross fencing. We are doing a three runner cedar with a field fence backer. Looks great but is very hard work. This summer hammered our grass and I am worried about the hay situation.

We have soooooo much work to do, but if you look at where we are coming from, those early days living in the vehicles and building a cabin, we are so much better off now. My oldest is in the Army now and my second oldest is married. My 16 year old son is full time in college while the two youngest daughters are busy trying their best to be reluctant learners...lol I plan to build (I have the materials just need the time) a 4x4 smoke house this fall or next spring. We also started clearing for our permanent home. Good luck and God bless!

End of January 2010

We have been planning the completion of our fence project for several weeks now. Mother Nature is not cooperating. Rain for two weekends and snow this one. I am about to go nuts! Who needs a fence?

We picked up 9 heritage turkeys a couple of weeks ago. We built a turkey tractor and promptly put four pyrenees pups in it instead. We plan to put the turkeys in this next weekend.

We have verbally commited to about 30 New Zealand rabbits and 13 Guinea Hogs.

Also, we are buying 5 Dwarf Nigerian goats from Linda at Good Measure Farm. Thanks Good Measure Farm.

My Sweet Heifers

Ok, now we've gone and done it. We just bought 2 ADCA registered Dexter heifers. They are Ebony and Rosie. We plan to pick them up soon. I can't wait to get these guys here.

Off Grid Living

Ok, not a tree hugger, but we have been completely off-grid since August. For me, it is liberty, at a big price of 'normal'. Anyway, we are giving up and going back to the grid until we are able to get a better solar set-up. Our main concerns are hot water, lights for kids homework, HOT WATER, and cooking. Also, using hand saws to build has been sooooo time consuming that we are falling more and more behind. Now that both Kat and I are back in school to finish our degrees, I have very little time. Trying to keep the business going to eat and school leave little time for our farm. So, we will go back to the grid and long for the day that we are able to get back that liberty we have enjoyed so much. Showers in an unheated bathroom at 8 degrees with luke warm water from a wood burning stove in a 5 gallon bucket does not make for a good experience no matter day or night. Call me weak, this one must be fixed and soon...lol.

Maraschino, Rylie, and Sarah

What a week. The family and I went to Oklahoma City to work this week and the weather turned off very cold. Not much work got done, but I had some time in the Motel 6 with internet access and a desire to move our farm forword. I found Rylie and Sarah. They are a mother daughter Great Pyrenees pair that needed new homes. Rylie is likely pregnant with pups from a full blood pyrenees too. We visited them and met an awesome lady. She just recently had to give up her goats and other animals due to health problems. She was a joy to meet. We set up the date to pick the girls (Rylie and Sarah) on our way back home the following Saturday. I was so excited that I changed my backdrop om my laptop from the political satire that so often graces it to a picture of the girls. Much excitement in the whole family, including our reluctant 18 year old homesteader that is our oldest son. That evening, I found Maraschino online for sale. He is a an ADCA registered Dexter Bull. Dexters are the breed we chose and this was perfect. The owners and I emailed back and forth for a couple of days and we finally went to visit them on Saturday. What a visit it was too! These guys are living a life similar to the one we invision for our family. This was without a doubt a blessing from the Lord to meet and get to know this fine family. We paid for Maraschino, our new herd bull, and went to pick up the girls. When we arrived, Rylie was AWOL. Sarah rather reluctantly got into the back of the suburban, and the kids immediately began petting her. We waited for about and hour, searching, and calling neighbors to see if she was near. No Rylie, so we paid for Sarah and left. We spent about an hour a few miles away eating a McDonald's icecream and shopping at Wal-Mart waiting to see if we would get a call saying she was back. Nope! We headed home, about a three and a half hour drive. About an hour or so into the drive, we got the call that she had returned home. Our oldest son will return this week to work on the jobsite in that city, and he will bring her home with him this weekend. As for Maraschino, he is awaiting his vet papers for interstate travel, and we will go pick him up then. If you would have told me that we would be coming home with two Great Pyrenees pups and a Dexter Bull when we left for the job on Wednesday, I would have not believed you. Well, we are now another couple of steps away from realizing our goals. Thanks to the Lord, the lady with the Pyrenees, and the awesome family we bought Maraschino from. All-in-all, what a week! Welcome to the family Maraschino, Rylie, and Sarah.

Better Late Than Never

Here we go. This adventure is more than a decade in the making and this blog is at least 7 months behind. That being the case, here we go!

Over a decade ago, my wife and I decided to embark on an adventure that has evolved to its current description. This little adventure has taken us over 3,000 miles and 7 homes. We planned to buy land (pay cash and not owe). Start a small family farm for sustainable living. Live happily ever after. Over the next few years, the goals shifted and we were then happy to find a small piece of land that we could pay payments on and have a small garden. When we least expected it, the perfect piece of land was dropped into our laps and the means to pay cash and not owe was realized. We found 40 acres in an area we had looked years before. The price was right and all 'felt' right.

In December of 2008 we purchased 5 acres of the 40 with cash and planned to start building our dream home. An unplanned financial issue hit and removed over $45,000 from our budget (most of the budget to be correct). We went from 29 employees in 2007 and 14 in 2008 to ZERO in 2009. The economy hammered our small family business. We barely had money for food and gas. This seriously slowed our big move and forced our family to live with relatives for a much longer period of time than we had originally expected.

Our oldest child decided that the family goal of sustainable farming was stupid and is now openly rebellious to the entire concept. Our second oldest is wavering a bit and is more overwhelmed than anything else. The other three children are still young and seem to be enjoying the journey as much as can be expected.

My wife and I are plugging along and refuse to let 'opposition to all things' bring us down. Things are moving seriously slow but we are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. We will be out on the homestead in a few days we expect and we will be living a very spartan lifestyle. Swiss Family Brandli.

Our homestead right now is an almost finished outdoor bath house with shower. Gray water supply, well water, and a nice garden. You should see the tomatos. We plan to build our house in a dog-trot style. We will begin with the kid's bedrooms that we plan to have ready by the start of school this fall. Next will be the kitchen, then the livingroom and center dog-trot deck. Finally we will build the master bedroom.

Our goal is to run Buff Orpington chickens, red poll cattle, guinnea hogs, nigerian dwarf goats, and meat rabbits. This next spring we will add one test acre of commercial strawberries and about 15 acres of commercial watermelons. If the strawberries are as successful as we expect, we will increase the acreage.

Our goal is to have a u-pick farm, petting farm, cheeses, u-fish, candles, milk (pending the raw milk law in Arkansas), eggs, honey, and other farm goods. We have lofty goals and plan to plug along until we see it through. Wish us luck and bend a knee if that is your thing.