I have been working toward the perfect subsistence homestead for more than 17 years. There is an art to homesteading that in all this time, working towards self sufficiency, I have only scratched the surface of mastering! This is an art that some modern homesteaders would insist is impossible. However, if indeed it was impossible our ancestors would have starved, and froze to death!
What people mean when they proclaim impossibility is that they are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve the ideal homestead! Often they have started out, and were faced by God, and the nature He created with crop losses, animal feed illness and death, and the inevitable cost of inexperience!
I intend to spend my time here at Steemit discussing principles targeted at the meat of homesteading, rather than the milk! I won't be covering the basics of how to grow a garden or keep a small urban flock of chickens. Now this doesn't mean there is nothing a beginner can learn here. However, it does mean that beginners must seek to move beyond their inexperience.
So much of Homesteading/Permaculture writing is designed to attract people to our way of life, and to share the dream with beginners, but that has left a huge hole into which all of those who are trying to move beyond the basics fall. So we have vast numbers of experienced homesteaders who still are looking for information that fits their needs, other than trial and error. This is where I am going to attempt to meet some of those needs, as well as, hopefully meet others who are excited about living the homesteading dream!
Now, I cannot claim that I am coming at this from a position of perfection. Especially right now, my homesteading experience currently leaves a whole lot to be desired. This is partly because of major changes that are currently occurring in our lives. We are fixing to pay off our new bare land homestead, where we are planning to build a tiny cottage. In addition, our children, which I homeschooled, have all gotten married, and started their own independent families, and lives.
So life is changing for us. Currently, I have no goats, or large livestock, because we are going to change locations. My last herd was killed by a stray dog, while I was on vacation. They were Nubians, and the dog thought chewing their ears off would be fun! Six animals dead. In addition for awhile I have had a dog that was not animal friendly.
So no matter how experienced a person is, life happens. These are the things that have an effect on a true homesteader. However, the experienced homesteader does not allow these things to defeat their dreams. The true homesteader continues to pursue!
As evidence of my experience, I present this board that I ran in the 90's, while I was homesteading rented land. So take a walk through my past here:
http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=ACountryPlace
So all of that is a lead in to a deep discussion on what I call the Syncronistic Subsistence Homestead. This means a homestead in which all systems support, and feed one another, as well as the smallholder, and family! However, it moves beyond simple production, because production is only half the equation.
What is produced must be processed, and stored. Just today, I read a post on Facewhatever, where a couple of new homesteaders planted a bunch of potatoes, and then didn't know what to do with them. However, this often also happens to experienced farmers, and ranchers as well.
When we first moved to this state, we were looking for land to buy, and I met a man, a cattle rancher, who saw that Apple trees grow well here, and put in 40 acres of them. The problem was he did not plan for who was going to pick the 10+ bushels of apples per tree, nor did he plan for how they would be packed, and moved to market, nor did he seek out a market for them. I guess he thought that all those things would magically happen themselves. When I met him, he had just ripped out forty acres of beautiful apple trees in full production!
Every system of a working homestead is interdependent upon all the other systems in that homestead, and also must either move it's production from one system to another, or be processed, and stored for future use! A simple example of this is chickens. The beginner would think that chickens produce one product, but actually, they produce many more products than that!
A chicken produces at least 5, and perhaps more products! They produce, meat, eggs, feathers, bones, and manure. Chickens also produce free labor! In order to get the most from a flock of chickens, all of these products must be processed, stored, and used! This is not a simplistic process.
In addition, the chicken is dependent on other systems for it's survival on the ideal homestead. It can eat milk produced by dairy animals, produce from the garden, and field crops, hay from the mown grass. Even weeds, and bugs, can lend to a flock of chickens health!
As we continue in this series, I will continue to try and provide information, which will truly share my ideas of the Synchronistic Subsistence Homestead! I hope many of you will come along with me on my journey to a better Homestead that is effectively managed.
In future article's we will take on the homestead system by system. Join me!!!
This article is incredibly on point! I am absolutely right there with you! The title told me I had to read it and boy am I glad I did!!! You have great information to share with fellow homesteaders! If I may make a suggestion, on Steemit, a photo included will provide a thumbnail to make your post stand out more so others will see it better. You can edit to add one. I really want more to see this great piece! I am resteeming it here in Steemit. I am also sharing on our Facebook group Homesteading on Steemit if you would like to join we would love to have you! Keep up the good work! I am following you now so I can see your future articles! Thanks for sharing!
....a great description of the meaning of Permaculture! <3
I am working on the picture issue. I tried to post a picture last night and ended up with a link to my photo rather than a photo. I will add one as soon as my knowledge catches up to my desire to post a picture:^) If someone could point me in the right direction to get photos from my device to Steemit, I would truly appreciate it. I did a search, and it was a fail. As I said, working on it, lol!
Hope it helps.Once you've posted an article you can't just add a photo in 'edit' mode. Here's the article from @greenacrehome which helped me: https://steemit.com/steemit/@greenacrehome/changing-photos-after-a-post-is-live
im finding the editing and pic part of it all a bit unweildy too.
Yes. I finally have worked out the kinks, I think. I've been using Imgbb. My biggest issue has been working from two devices. It's easier to type from my laptop, but easier to post from my phone, lol!
Ive got it under control now. I do wish we could resize pics on Steemit though. I
Me too!
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STOPVery good indeed...will also resteem! the goats ears...that was painful to read...but you are right...i had a coon slaughter and they left half of the duck carcasses in the yard..the homestead marches on...we learn and regroup..
Loved the read...Wholesomeroots gave great advice about the picture...you can take them from pixabay just site your source...
I am following also and while i do not manage the site on facebook...i joined a couple weeks ago and it is great! it helps us maintain a smaller support group for homesteading that can we can work together to feed our steemit pond.
Blessings on your new homestead location,
Melissa
Thank you so much! Yes, I totally understand the frustration of losing animals! After my goats were killed, I was just devastated! For awhile, I just wasn't ready to try again. Not to mention, the cost of replacing them had gone up significantly here!
yeah goats are not cheap...they have really gone up here ...they go for big money in central florida as they unfortunately have a big meat market in Miami...They haul them back...but at least they get used.
Have a happy night,
Melissa
Homesteading has a steep learning curve and there is always something more to do, refine, improve or develop.
Good to see folks getting back to the land (improving the eyes:acre ratio) and showing that it can be done.
Yes, homesteading is really a national economic safety net! In the US, at the time of the depression, 65% of the population either farmed, or had family that did. That number today, is less than 2%.
Now this is what I've been trying battle in my head with. I just know that it must be achievable because, as you say, it was done for years. However, just when I think I've come across homesteaders who seem to be making it happen I discover that they are still working another job to make ends meet. Once again leaving that impression that you can't subsist on just the homestead.
Thank you for this and I'm looking forward to your future articles. Thank you also to @wholesomeroots for alerting me to it!
Well, I think part of the issue is people today have different expectations than they did then. They also have a completely different idea about debt.
Yes. A lot has changed in or way of thinking.
Your article is right spot on. I am looking forward to reading much more from you. Upvoted and following.
What a great post. You are right every homestead is absolutely different. People tend to thrive in one area or another that suites their abilities and their needs. Thanks for sharing. Upvoted and Following.
Interesting post,upvoted and following.
This is exactly what we are trying to do with our property. I call it "using the whole buffalo" It is very similar to permaculture however most people think of permaculture as just the plant and animal aspects and not all of the other systems.
Exactly! You can produce as much as you want, but then it will all rot if you don't know what to do with it then!