I have found out that I have a lot of work to getting this place set up like i want it. Almost everything I need is at my mom's place. I just have to find the time to get those things over here.

So far i have a little garden tiller that i just love. I can actually start the thing. Don't you just love the smell of fresh dirt being plowed?

So what do i want to have here for it to feel like a homestead. I believe everyone has their own special way of doing things. What they want to have or not have. I have to say that I admire the Amish women, in many ways. The care they put into their homes and yards are amazing to me. I don’t believe that they need to do those things with out the modern connivance that we have. Also I don’t believe that the way they dress has anything to do with the quality of life they have. Those are my own thoughts though. That is a goal of mine that I can keep a clean home that is simple yet very welcoming. A yard that is useful as in a garden yet beautiful as in flowers and other plants.

I came up with a list of things that I want to have here to start this homestead.

tiller is one of those things that you just have to have in order to get a good piece of land established. I don’t need a big one. First off I have to have things that I can maintain myself. I don’t have the time to wait for someone to start one for me. I found one of those little ones that starts much like a weedeater. It does only small places and that is all that i need one for. So that is one down on my list.

Second off I want to have a clothes line. I got one strung up last week. The problem is that we have a yard full of trees. So i spend the good part of the morning cutting down limbs and branches so that I could have a clear area. I have 2 lines. That should be enough even with hanging out all the beddings. Since there are not near as many beds here to tend to as there use to be.

I am still hunting that wringer washer. It doesn’t look like that I’m going to find one anytime soon. I have found a wash tub at my mom’s. The kind that has the hose that drains the water from the bottom. I know there were 2 over at her house at one time. I will have to go on another hunt for that one. Since i think that this is something that could be fun. Like most things that we don’t have to do, seems like that. I will try washing my clothes by hand outside. I will just have to get a wringer for now for the clothes. Until i can find that washer. I will post in the future how that hand washing is coming alone. I’m sure the *fun* part will wear out fast. If it does, no problem I’m not selling my washer here in the house.

I’m making my own soap for dishes and clothes.

Making my own food. I want to rid our diet from store bought food. Ever since the dog food scare, I have decided that there is no telling what we are putting in our bodies. I do believe that the water in our town is the cause of our stomach problems here, not to mention the clothes that it has ruined. I buy water in town for now. I found a bread machine at a yard sale I will be making my own from now on. Until the garden comes in, we will have to buy food in the store. One of my big things this year is canning. Not only vegetables but meats also. My mom said they canned all their meats. I will need some advice here on how that is done. I have never used a pressure cooker so that will be a new challenge for me. Anyone out there that has canned your own meat let me know about it.

Herbs is another thing that I have planted a lot of. For medical purposes and for seasoning food with. I’m reading about the medical part of it now. No we are not going to stop going to a doctor. There are things that I believe that I can do to prevent us from having to go in the first place. Now if these people here will believe that, will be the trick!

well that should keep me busy for the time being. I admire all of those out there that are living this way of life. I believe that it will bring a great joy to my life here and to my family also.