general tips for a newbie urban homesteader?

[rainbowmoon]

I am just starting out..any advice?

[bqz]

Not to sound mean, but what exactly would you like to know about in general ?
If you are looking to learn ,I would suggest you go this link
http://www.carlaemery.com/orders.htm
and consider ordering this book,"Encyclopedia of Country Living "I have personally bought it and read it all the time it has great insight on loads of
homesteading things.

[wy_white_wolf]

Don't take any wooden nickels

[BlueHeronFarm]

The first advice we got was NEVER throw anything away. You will find a use for it someday. ...We have reused old fencing, old wood, etc. - so she was probably right.

[rainbowmoon]

Originally Posted by bqz

Not to sound mean, but what exactly would you like to know about in general ?
If you are looking to learn ,I would suggest you go this link
http://www.carlaemery.com/orders.htm
and consider ordering this book,"Encyclopedia of Country Living "I have personally bought it and read it all the time it has great insight on loads of
homesteading things.

not mean at all. I am just looking for general info., things you wish you knew before you started. sorry to be be so vague. so far I have chickens and started a small orchard (bareroot so we'll see how it goes) and grapes which are doing so well. I also am planning to get a goat or two. I would like to eventually sell eggs, chicks, seedlings, produce and milk as my kids grow (we are homeschoolers so I thought it would be great for us as a family) we have a fairly long growing season here. I just need to figure out how to make a little profit. lol. btw I am a widowed mom of 2 doing this on my own! so figured I need all the advice I can get! :baby04:

[rainbowmoon]

Originally Posted by wy_white_wolf

Don't take any wooden nickels

lol. love this!

[rainbowmoon]

Originally Posted by BlueHeronFarm

The first advice we got was NEVER throw anything away. You will find a use for it someday. ...We have reused old fencing, old wood, etc. - so she was probably right.

this is not so great advice for me personally as I am a freaking packrat!

seriously, it's bad. and I am slowwwly breaking the habit!

[DenverGirlie]

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/

[tyusclan]

I think you're on the right track by starting small with things that you can handle, and with things that won't bankrupt you when mistakes happen or something unexpectedly goes wrong. And sometimes things go wrong no matter how long you've done it.

Read all the forums on here on the subjects that interest you. You'll probably find an answer to something you've thought about, or you'll see something that triggers a question to ask. As specific questions come to your mind about your situation, ask on here. Someone will surely have an answer for you.

[sheepish]

Never buy a farm with stone fences.

[Madame]

Being that you are in Arizona, buy rain barrels, and, if/when you can afford it, a cistern. You folks have had some awful droughts out there in recent years.

If you don't already do this, set up an emergency savings account so you'll be able to handle unexpected bills.

[Wolf mom]

Cool! another Arizonian.

Interesting that people don't realize AZ ia half mountains, not all desert, although we are in a 7 year drought with not enough rain for rain barrels in some areas.

My best advice aside from reading everything here and other sites is to have patience. This is a process. Ya' gotta love it.

Good luck!

[seedspreader]

How to get a million dollars homesteading...


Start with two million! LOL.

Read this site... a lot.

Buy books read them... a lot.

Stop reading and go out and do it, don't worry about doing it wrong. Most of the plants and animals don't know what the "official homesteaders" believe is right or wrong.

After you do it and have a problem come back and ask more questions... only take about half of the advice you are given... half of us are crazy. It's a different half every day... so don't ask for who.

One day you will be crazy too. Welcome aboard.

[rainbowmoon]

thanks for the advice! (keep it coming! )

I love the pathtofreedom site. seriously, it is so very inspiring.

I am getting rain barrels next month. I am in the high desert in the mtn's (well kind of we are at around 4,000ft) and we get monsoon rains. last year was actually a record breaker here actually.

[rainbowmoon]

what are your favorite books (besides the carla emery one)?

[Cheryl in SD]

Try a search on Urban Homesteading.

Start small but jump in with both feet. For instance, if you want chickens for eggs, get enough to give you your eggs. If you only get 1-2 a day and need 6=9 you will still have to buy eggs. So start with just chickens (if that is your starting point, example only) & double the number of chickens per eggs you need.

Turn your yard into edible/medicinal garden space. Just because you think you want to become a homesteader doesn't mean you will love to garden, try it now first.

Aim for percentages, this year you become 10% more self sufficient, next y year 25%, etc.

Do the easy things first. Put up a clothes line and stop using the dryer. turn off all lights but one in a room. Start shopping locally, see what you can get that is grown in 50 miles of home.

Learn to use what you grow as you grow it. A large garden you don't know how to put up or use won't do you any good.

Mulch in AZ is your friend.

[Frontierpoultry]

Did somebody say "profit"... First let me say the obvious, it won't be easy. In some ways, or most, you are going into buisness for yourself. Knowledge is vital! Learn all you can via books, some good suggestions already. Search out people in your area who are of like mind and interests. Evaluate the market area for any "real" potential source of income that falls inline with your plan.

A few suggestions as you begin:
1. Define what Homesteading is to you. The overall vision of how you see your homestead.
2. Create some realistic goals for you homestead. Start small and "ALWAYS" keep them realistic. Base them on knowledge before desire.
3. The plan.... Write one ... or several. A good plan has the ability to to be adjusted and still bring you to your "GOAL". A plan for each facet of your homestead; livestock, chickens, goats etc. Crops, fruit trees, grains, veggies, etc. will allow you to more easily manage. As I suggested, break the plans down into several then you can create one overall plan from that.
4. Take time out for yourself, your kids.....a day of play is sometimes a much needed thing.

I guess that my suggestion is "PLAN". And remember, " obstacles are what we see when we lose sight of our goals". Keep the focus.

Best wishes

[moopups]

The best advice I can give is that when you have a question, just put it into the search feature. If you can think of the question so have others before you, its been asked before here. Every subject relevant has been spoke about.

[rainbowmoon]

great advice. thank you!

I am definitly going to start small. I guess I should clarify that I don't expect to make any sort of profit for a long while (if any! but I can hope right?) my goal is to be as much self sufficient as possible within 15 years. so lots of time I will need it as the desert is HARSH at times!

I definitly will use the search feature and do a search on many things, thanks for the dialouge though!

[COSunflower]

My greatest inspiration and help guide is Countryside magazine and Backyard Poultry. Both are very worth their subscription price!