Home, Home on the Homestead

You know, back when we decided to make this big move, I went searching the internet for all the homestead blogs I could find because apparently that's how I learn things (also I kind of wanted immerse myself in a culture like this, and blogs are a great way to do that!). And there weren't very many, particularly not ones that actually stay updated...

Duh. Because it's really hard work and who the heck has time to blog after working hard all day?

Anyway, there are a couple - I love The Prairie Homestead and have been reading through all the archives to learn all the things. And Cari and her clan are a few steps ahead of us on this same path, so I've been having a blast listening to her new podcast and basically just copying everything she and Ken are doing...

Which made me want to make a list of OUR goals for the next year or ten - hopefully we can get things accomplished sooner rather than later, but if you're one of those with "wannabe-homesteader-syndrome" (it's a thing, according to Marti and I totally believe her) then read on!

First, here's what we've (mostly Andrew & his mom's husband) accomplished so far:

Painted downstairs (walls & trim)

Installed screen doors in the front & back

Removed giant antennae from top of house

Sanded & painted patio railing

Before pictures

Weeded most of raised beds, planted herbs (mostly my mom!)

Before

After (herbs)

After (still needs finishing, but we unearthed the tomatoes and then decided to wait to do the rest until they were dead)

Weeded & mulched front path

Before

After

Installed one ceiling fan

For this fall & winter:

Plant bulbs in front path (maybe crocuses on the front lawn, too?)

Finish clearing out raised beds, plant a few more herbs, plant LOTS of garlic. LOTS. We eat SO MUCH garlic.

Plant fruit trees & blueberry bushes (SO MANY OF THEM! SO EXCITED!)

Prune existing fruit trees

I'm told this one isn't beyond hope... So we'll see?

Maybe clear a path to the creek

Landscaping around house

This side of the porch just really calls for bushes or a nice mulched bed with bulbs & other perennials, don't you think?

Now I understand why they sell those funny little tiny wooden wells - I'm pretty sure people put them around their well heads to cover them up!

Convert back of barn into chicken coop

Thin out pine trees to potentially let some fill out and become future Christmas trees.

Research how to grow decent Christmas trees.

Resign ourselves to the fact that we'll have Charlie Brown-ish Christmas trees for the rest of our lives but at least they'll be free!

Bonfires, bonfires, bonfires!

Install shelving & coat rack in mudroom (cubbies for shoes, too?)

Paint girls' dresser

Kitchen shelving

Install ceiling fans

Plan garden - where the strawberry patch will go, where the asparagus will go (because that's pretty much permanent!), whether to start seeds ourselves or just buy seedlings, how we want to fence it all to keep rabbits & other pests out

For the spring:

Plow land for the garden & plant!

Chickens! Maybe just do the whole rent-a-chicken thing so that we can learn slowly and then buy the chickens if we like them?

Yeesh. It's a lot. But we've got months! We can do it! If you've got ideas, I'd love to hear them - there's so much around here (especially with the land) that's pretty much a blank slate, so it gets a little overwhelming imagining all the possibilities!