Lancelot Acres

4/19 - Homesteader's questions

Homesteader's questions...

I found this on an old post at http://www.homesteadblogger.com/countrylife/ I hope Karen doesn't mind if I repost it here...

Do you pasturize your milk?

Right now we buy from the store, but yes, we pasteurize when we are milking.

2. Are your hens laying?

Yes, our 2 new hens laid 7 eggs in 7 days, that is a grand total, between the two of them. (we just bought them last Saturday)

3. Do you still use your clothesline in winter?

I don't currently have a clothesline but Lance is putting one up in the next couple weeks.  I use a drying rack year-round though.  I do dry my cloth diapers in the dryer as I couldn't keep up with washing them and waiting for them to air dry.

4.When is the last time you left your homestead?

Yesterday, picking up Lilli from school and heading to a nearby town for a fun evening of bowling with my family :)

5.How many dairy animals do you have?

  Two - two Alpine does

6.Laundry soap-homemade or store bought?

7.How much canning did you do this year?

We canned just over 100 quarts of tomatoes this year.  We are still using them and I currently have goulash cooking on the stove with 2 quarts of them right now.  :)

8.What type of meat is in your winter store? Home grown or store bought?

Home Grown...we have pork, beef and fish caught on DH's vacation in Canada last August.  We are out of home grown chicken and I am missing it.  We hope to raise a year's supply to put in the freezer this fall.

9.Plumbing- outdoor or indoor?

  Indoor

10.How often do you tend to the animals each day?

Three times right now, more in the summer. 

Lance does a morning round checking on critters and feeding the piglet.  Then he does an evening round where he feeds and waters the pig, goats, cattle, and dogs.  I usually do a round in the afternoon to feed/water the chickens and cat and check on the critters. 

In the summer I do a few rounds per day on the hot days to make sure the critters have fresh water and we always spray the pigs down with the hose...they love that.

11.Chickens-free range or chicken house?

We currently have our two hens locked in their covered house/pen while they adjust to their new home.

Usually we free range when we are home, and keep them in their covered house/pen when we are going to be gone most of the day or until after dark.

12.Chickens- butcher yourself or have it done?

We have it done by an amish place in Indiana, they are very reasonably priced so it is worth the drive down there...Lance would like to try it ourselves sometime, and depending on rising gas prices it may be sooner than later.

 13.How big was your garden this year? 

We had about 40 tomato plants and 10 green peppers, some kohlrabi, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash, pickles and zucchini.  We ate out of the garden when it started to produce, but we really let it go this year.  DH was too busy working over time and doing animal chores, and I was busy with a baby.  We always hope to do better the next year...maybe this is our year :)

(We bought tomatoes from a local farmer for our canning to use in addition to our own).

14.How many acres is your homestead?

   10 acres

15.Do you rise with the chickens?

Yes, usually.  Lauren is my early bird and we are usually up between 5 and 6AM each morning.  I do lay back down on the weekends if I'm able, but it's rare.

16.Last time you made a new quilt?

  I've never made a quilt, but would like to someday.

17.Last time you did any sewing?

  Not in a very long time.

18.How many wild berries did you pick this summer?

We didn't pick any but I did buy strawberries (56 pints I think) and blueberries (10 pounds) from local farm stands, for the freezer though.

19.What kind of jelly or jam did you make this year?

I made blueberry jam last year.

20.What wild animals did you kill this year(for food)?

  None this year, DH decided since we had 3 full freezers that we really didn't need the venison right now.  We do have fish in the freezer, but I don't think that counts as wild animal...

21.Washing laundry- by hand or machine?

 Machine.

22.Is using the computer a waste of time for you?

23.Most hated chore on your homestead?

vaccinations, disbudding, whethering, hoof trimming...and cleaning out the chicken coop...

24. Favorite chore on your homestead?

 harvesting/canning and hatching chicks (kidding and milking are in there too)

25.How do you plow your garden?

 Tiller

26.How often do you hoe your garden?

27.Do wild animals raid your garden?

Not too bad, a groundhog or two, and sometimes raccoons/possums.  The deer don't come that close since the garden is surrounded on two sides by high tensile pasture fence and one side by our yard/house...the other side is where they come from...LOL. 

28.Favorite homestead pastime?

Sitting on the porch swing throwing the chickens food and watching Lilli (and Lauren this year) play with the animals.

29.Do you like being a homesteader?

Yes  

30.When was the last time you purchase any food item from outside of your homestead?

Sunday...we grocery shop each week and stock up on the sale items and other necessities.

31.How close is your nearest neighbor?

I can just see the roof of our closest neighbor's house...they are right next to our lower pasture.

32. What color is your barn?

 aluminum/gray

33.How many of your animals are bred at this time?

None right now since it's spring, but we hope to breed our two does in late summer/ early fall.

34.What were the last three animal births on your homestead?

Goats, Chicks, Cats (all last year, none this year ... yet)

35.How much TV do you watch at your homestead?

A lot.  Lance and I don't really watch a lot, but the girls like Sprout and it's on a lot, even when we aren't necessarily watching it.  Lance and I have certain shows we like and I like to catch the news in the mornings, but otherwise we don't watch much.

36.Can you make good bread from scratch?

 No, but I do use the bread machine a lot, does that count?

37.Are you afraid to go  outside at night?

Sometimes, but I often have to do it anyway...scared because I'm scared of the dark, not because it's dangerous. 

38. How do you define homesteader?

Someone who tries to live a simple life.  One who tries to raise their own food and depend on themselves for their needs, while relying less on store-bought foods and factory farms.

39.Were you raised in the city or country?

A little of both I guess.  I did have chickens growing up, but we weren't far out of town.  We had 2 acres and dad and I always kept chickens for eggs and because we just loved to watch them...

Questionaire

{ 10:09, 2008-Apr-21 } { Posted by Belle }

That is so funny that you found this! I made up that little questionaire about one years ago! I thought nobody had it on there blog anymore!

When I made up that questionaire I did it through my mom's blog, we used to share a blog together, but now I have a blog of my own.

Belle