This Fall is going to be the time that the homestead makes some major progress. Just got the property "pre-winterized" and I think it'll only require light maintenance before the cold (or what we Deep Southerners call "cold") starts keeping it maintained for me through February. The Fall is a great time around these parts because the hot Summer is past and the wet Winter isn't here yet. It's cool enough and dry enough to get a lot of outdoor work done without the bugs getting under your eyelids and the sweat soaking you within the first five minutes.
We are planning the chicken coop and at least five or six chickens. What we want is enough chickens (probably Rhode Island Reds) to give us the eggs we need, plus enough to slowly build a supply to occasionally give away or sell. May look into a rooster as well at some point, so we can produce our own chicks. Local predators include hawks, coyotes, possums (yes, I know it starts with an "O") and raccoons. Raccoons will pull a chicken's head off to eat the brain. Have a few watersnakes out here as well. Once we have it all down pat, whatever "down pat" is supposed to mean, we'll just increase our numbers. I'm frequently told chickens are some of the easiest pets to keep. Time to get them and put them to work for us. Luckily we have several friends who are well versed in raising them and they'll be lots of help.
Also going to be installing a rainwater catch system and getting the setup for filtration. Rain is pretty steady out here, especially during the Summer and a bit in the Winter. We have a metal roof so no worries about poisoned water runoff from shingles. If you have a shingle roof, just get yourself some corrugated plastic and build a little runoff device. Just a 15x15 foot piece will get you a lot more rainwater than you think. We plan to use Berkey water filters to start out.
Will be starting a garden, around a quarter of an acre at first. Need to look at what crops to start. Corn does well in our area. Bush beans (green beans) are easy, yield a large amount and my cans them up for storage. I'd really like to get some potatoes as well.
Going to upgrade the pistol range and add a backstop so we can do some minor rifle work. Even if we just get the ability to zero the ARs out here, that's a big step up.
Likely going to begin building a nice looking wood fence around the acre surrounding the house, maybe four feet high, then going to line it with heavy gauge wire. The wire itself is what will keep the chickens in when we are letting them roam and keep the dog in that we will eventually be getting. The dog, likely a German Shepherd as my wife has a lifetime of experience raising them, will be a working dog. Great for security and will provide a good early warning system and ward off predators.
If you look at the above plans, those with military experience will notice the "force multipliers". Storing food is good, but it eventually runs out. Being able to produce and replenish that supply without outside assistance is the multiplier. Storing water is good, but water runs out QUICKLY. Having the ability to collect it yourself and make it potable is the force multiplier. Going to the range on a Saturday morning is great for practice, but having a free range twenty feet outside your back door where you can also get some rifle work in is the force multiplier.
It's important to step back every now and then and take stock of what you've got and look for ways to take a big leap forward with a force multiplier.
No comments:
Post a Comment