There have been a lot of moving parts over the last couple of months out at the homestead. In some ways, things are starting to slow down—and in other ways, they’re just beginning to pick up. Tis the fall season!
We currently have five female goats that we plan to use for dairy and breeding, though we’re not quite ready to begin that process yet. I’m happy to report that they now have a lovely play area, which we plan to improve in small ways next year. We absolutely love our girls! Their names are Dixie, Belle, Blueberry, Strawberry, and Peaches. I named the first two, as they were a surprise gift from my husband, and our son Liam happily named the other three.
Speaking of goats, we also have one meat goat that will soon be ready for processing. I intentionally avoid getting attached to animals intended for meat, and I won’t be present for the processing—that’s all my husband’s domain. I’m incredibly grateful for him, as I simply don’t have the heart for that part of homesteading. I’m the nurturer and caretaker between the two of us. Jake is a big animal lover too, but he has a stronger stomach and a deeper understanding of the purpose behind harvesting meat.
This will be our first year harvesting meat from our homestead, and we’re truly humbled by the experience. We have four pigs that should be ready between November and January, God willing. Out of the four, we plan to sell at least one. These are exciting first steps for us as we aim to grow our livestock a little more each year. We hope to eventually have more pigs for both meat and breeding, and we’d love to add meat chickens and cows to the mix. Personally, I dream of having at least one Highland cow for milking—they’re such beautiful creatures to me! All in due time.
Next year, we plan to improve the pig area and build a better structure for feeding and watering. Winter will be interesting, but we’ll make it work—hard work is no stranger to us. When we’re determined, we can move mountains. This entire journey has already taught us so much.
We also plan to make some minor improvements to our laying chickens’ run next year. For now, we’re focused on cleaning up the area and preparing for the colder months, as our hens are starting to slow down in their egg production. I wish I could say the same for ducks, but we weren’t able to add them this year. Ducks are definitely at the top of our list for next year, and I couldn’t be more excited!
We already have a growing list of to-dos and prioritized goals for next year. Needless to say, we’re big dreamers with a budget, so we’re trying to stay disciplined to minimize stress and avoid setbacks. We’re taking things year by year, one project at a time—starting with outdoor projects since we’re limited by the warmer months.
One of our biggest upcoming projects is the garden. Next year, we hope to create a garden bed layout that we can expand little by little. I plan to be much more organized than I was this year. I’m also saving some of our own seeds for next season, and I’m over-the-moon happy about it—it’s such a gratifying feeling. I want to grow more flowers next year because I love fresh-cut blooms. I’ll be scaling back on produce a bit to focus more on our personal needs. My goal is to stock our pantry, and if we have extra, we’ll offer it for sale at our farm stand.
I have lots of ideas for the farm stand! I’m not 100% sure what it will look like next year, but I trust it will be whatever God intends it to be. This is a journey, and we’re here for it. The garden is slowing down now, as expected for this time of year. Harvesting is my favorite part of gardening! We even set up a picnic table to use as a small produce stand this year, and I must say—it’s been incredibly rewarding. Seeing my son’s face light up with excitement when he helps me is by far the best part. I think it’s safe to say harvesting is his favorite part too.
One area that’s starting to pick up is deer season. My husband is not only an avid hunter but also the processor for others in the community. This man has many talents, and I’m proud to say that despite the exhaustion, he finds joy and peace in it. I’m thrilled to report that my excellent-shot-of-a-husband has already stocked our freezer with two deer this year! He started off strong with early doe—no pun intended.
We’re excited to see what this fall season brings and pray that God has plans for a plentiful harvest.
God bless, and happy hunting & harvesting!
No comments:
Post a Comment