The next year, 2015 will be an ear mark year for me. It is the beginning of two major changes in my life. One is to liquidate everything I own, slowly, about 10% or a little more each year. I plan to do this through my farm store, starting with small antiques and clothing. I have no idea if people will come to the farm store. I can only believe they will. I also will sell some farm meat and eggs, and occasional produce, depending on how the garden fares and if there is plenty.
The other major change is to become self sustainable. I have everything I need. Technically, I should not have to purchase much in the next 10 years, other than dog and animal feed and medicines, some groceries and the odd pair of boots or jeans.
I plan to make the soap I use both for personal washing and for laundry. I already make soap, so it is a matter of tweaking some recipes to fulfill the farm needs. I am learning to process the wool and will either felt clothing or spin the yarn and knit or crochet things. I have lots of fabric as well, so I can sew everything or anything I need. I should not need to shop much at all with the exception of items for the Inn.
The farm produces eggs, and now with Elsie, the cow, I can try to do cheese, butter, yogurt, kefir and cream. Most of the farm is as set up as it is going to be. I have enough seeds to plant a large garden, a skid steer to ready the plots, and plenty of time.
This winter's project is to begin to sort through the boxes from the move three years ago and ready them in lots for sale. Each month some new items from the next lot will arrive in the store. There will be essential oils, essential oil blends, soap, body butters, and skin care products, maybe even lipstick or lip gloss.
So, on to the next part of this venture - to work towards owning nothing. I will try to keep smaller numbers of sheep and goats too, so the feed and care bill is less. Right now it costs 100 dollars a week to feed the dogs, seven dogs, 5 of them the size of small ponies. I will have to be careful if I want to reach that goal of sustainability. I was thinking, rather than sell the sheep to others for food, One sheep should feed the dogs for two weeks or longer at only $75 per week, so a little could be saved there. I do need help with the slaughter and cutting of the animals. All meat for the dogs that is sheep or goat must be cooked well so the spread of tapeworms is not rampant.
And so, let the journey begin.
The other major change is to become self sustainable. I have everything I need. Technically, I should not have to purchase much in the next 10 years, other than dog and animal feed and medicines, some groceries and the odd pair of boots or jeans.
I plan to make the soap I use both for personal washing and for laundry. I already make soap, so it is a matter of tweaking some recipes to fulfill the farm needs. I am learning to process the wool and will either felt clothing or spin the yarn and knit or crochet things. I have lots of fabric as well, so I can sew everything or anything I need. I should not need to shop much at all with the exception of items for the Inn.
The farm produces eggs, and now with Elsie, the cow, I can try to do cheese, butter, yogurt, kefir and cream. Most of the farm is as set up as it is going to be. I have enough seeds to plant a large garden, a skid steer to ready the plots, and plenty of time.
This winter's project is to begin to sort through the boxes from the move three years ago and ready them in lots for sale. Each month some new items from the next lot will arrive in the store. There will be essential oils, essential oil blends, soap, body butters, and skin care products, maybe even lipstick or lip gloss.
So, on to the next part of this venture - to work towards owning nothing. I will try to keep smaller numbers of sheep and goats too, so the feed and care bill is less. Right now it costs 100 dollars a week to feed the dogs, seven dogs, 5 of them the size of small ponies. I will have to be careful if I want to reach that goal of sustainability. I was thinking, rather than sell the sheep to others for food, One sheep should feed the dogs for two weeks or longer at only $75 per week, so a little could be saved there. I do need help with the slaughter and cutting of the animals. All meat for the dogs that is sheep or goat must be cooked well so the spread of tapeworms is not rampant.
And so, let the journey begin.
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