What changes will you make next year on your homestead?

[TRAILRIDER]

Hey all, what changes do you plan to make to your homestead, homesteading activities, live stock purchases?

This past year I didn't properly prepare my young fruit trees for the year. I will definately use the dormant oil this coming year. Also I'm starting all my garden plants indoors early for a quick start. I'd also like to put up the stall and goat yard BEFORE getting a couple of goats. (In the past I've had a habit of bringing home animals before being prepared. ) I have alot of plans for the next few years, but have to go slow.

I'd like to hear what everyone else plans to change. Mary.

[BlueHeronFarm]

I am going to try to have a big garden - if I can figure out what gets planted, when. (still not too good at the gardening thing.) This year I had peppers, tomatoes and herbs only - next year I'm going for broke.

We may also get a Dexter. At least that's my story - and I'm sticking to it.

[A'sta at Hofstead]

I plan to find out how and when to spray my apple trees, the apples are all buggy, and I really do have a few nice trees, but the fruit was only good for animal feed.
We are going to be layering the garden we started this year (lasagna method) we had a garden of mostly weeds this first year.
We plan to plant tomatoes in the area the pigs were in this summer, and prepare a new pen for next seasons pigs which we will then plant the next year.
I hope to hatch out some narragansett and blue slate turkeys from the ones we are overwintering, also we hope to hatch some ducklings and chicks.....
I reallllly need more goats.

[Oggie]

I'm starting all over again, with a smaller place.

[goatsareus]

If we do not get any rain soon, we will get hooked up to county water We have a spring development with a 1400 gallon holding tank. Right now the spring has stopped flowing/dripping. We would consider this a major defeat to have treated water coming into our house.

We will not make any major plantings. This year we planted 25 baby blue spruce trees for our future christmas trees. So far, all have survived. But still no rain in sight.

We already garden for drought conditions, so will keep that up.

[Spinner]

I've been wanting to add more fruit trees. I don't know if I'll get it accomplished, but it's in the plan.

I'm also going to start growing mangles to help feed the animals. I finally have the seeds and I can hardly wait until spring to get them in the ground.

This fall I'm moving some fences to put them to better use.

I'm doing some painting to make the place look a little better too.

I'm still working on the bathroom remodel. It's been in progress for 2 years now. I hope to complete it this fall.

I still have a tree down that needs to be cut up. Maybe that will happen now that the temps are down a bit. Still hot here, but the nights are getting down in the 60's so it won't be long until the days start cooling off too.

[james dilley]

My plans depend on the Next 8 weeks. If things go good for me , I'll then Have A area set up for Seed corn and Sunflowers production. And the Incubation Bldg. will be on Tap as well as A few sheep & goats. I would like to get 5-6 Dairy calves to raise for sell. And If I can swing it There will be A NEW 3 bedroom house built $15,000 cost to build . The mesquites will be cut out for the most part. These are Plans I hope to get done. If things don't work out I'll have to rethink my plans.

[jlxian]

We plan to enlarge the garden and also work on amending the soil which tends to be mucky alternating with hard. We plan to set up the greenhouse we bought in recent months and use it for starting seedlings and for winter growing.

Add grapes and strawberries as well as more fruit trees.

We currently have one bee hive. We have had up to four, but this one continues to thrive and be successful. We hope to increase to 2 or 3 that can live through future winters.

Set up a rain water catchment system from the barn roof for irrigating the garden.

We also hope to get some chickens. And DS is going to take the plunge with an FFA animal --- probably a goat or two.

[bqz]

Hoping to add some livestock,But got a long way to go yet .

[Farmerwilly2]

Originally Posted by A'sta at Hofstead

I plan to find out how and when to spray my apple trees, the apples are all buggy, and I really do have a few nice trees, but the fruit was only good for animal feed.

I spray with oil/sulfer in March (used basketball finals as a reminder) after I prune out any winter damage (keep the prunings for the rabbits/smokehouse). I spray next just after blossoms fall from the tree. A check every 2-3 weeks after that as needed. Usually spray when the jap beetles show, trees and grapes.

[Rowdy]

Well, I hope to finish fencing next year. Once all of it is done I should have three one acre paddocks, two 3/4 acre paddocks along with about 1/2 acre up by the road for the goats to rotate on. Then I'll keep clearing brush and amending the soil as the goats travel from on paddock to another. Also the shelters to go along with it. I hope to have the water line ran to the back paddocks by next winter so I won't have to haul water all the time.

I hope to get some more chickens to add to the rotation as well. I also need to build a range coop for them.

Keeping adding grass everywhere.

Dig a small stock tank whenever next I can borrow a dozer from my brother.

And about a hundred other things like the garden, and etc. :-)

[moonwolf]

Try and prepare and plant up the no till garden about 2 weeks earlier.

Increase the number of cornish x broilers, and have more earlier ones that are smaller, but also have a good number of very large ones for multi use freezer camp (fat rendering, chicken burger, and such).

Keep the clover pasture improved and add bees to the stead for honey.

Keep at the 'simple living' plan, more self reliance, less fuel consumption, and keep at growing/raising that food stuff organically as possible, tasty and control what I know goes into making it for good health and life.

[bgraham]

Before Christmas I hope to insulate the attic.

After the first of the year we plan to replace the windows (current ones were installed in 1978) and remodel the kitchen.

My new chicks just came in today so I'd like to increase the size of my chicken run soon.

I also hope to improve the garden soil this year, plant more strawberries and grape vines and do some landscaping.

Beth

[simplefarmgirl]

Well since we bought a bull dozer today I guess the pature cleaning project is a go.. We have 8.5 acres which most of it useable land, we have cut trees off fomr it for fire wood now going on 7 yrs, enough has been cleared so we can bring back the land to pasture,, biggest goal. The animals will come since we have 40+pigs now, mulitpying is petty easy. Have to breed the cows, no bull,,want to increase my chickens , which I really have doubled my flock I have had one lonely chicken for over a yr, now I have a rooster to go with her. Want to get bantams, DH likes them, rabbits do their own thing since they are all free range, just gave a way 2 puppiesout of 3 DH wants to keep 3rd one, we have to put his dog Specks down soon andhe knows it,,he is over 11yr sol and getting so he cant walk, and has no control of his bodily functions anymore and I really have a proble with a dog peeing in my house every time he moves. Going to increase garden, Have had the meat market increase for our hogs so that a good thing. If everything works right(crossing every body part that can cross )Dh wont have to drive log truck to make ends meet any more,, Praying really hard on that one. We will be able to make it working the farm selling aimals and jobs we can do with tractors. God only knows what tomorrow will bring

[A'sta at Hofstead]

Originally Posted by Farmerwilly2

I spray with oil/sulfer in March (used basketball finals as a reminder) after I prune out any winter damage (keep the prunings for the rabbits/smokehouse). I spray next just after blossoms fall from the tree. A check every 2-3 weeks after that as needed. Usually spray when the jap beetles show, trees and grapes.

That's why I love this place... thanks!

[chickenista]

Soon I plan on putting some pigs in where I want the orchard next year (apples..early mid summer and late, plums and figs) Increase the flock and build three more coops in the barn and pens. Seriously increse the garden space and put in ..on the south face f the house..a hot box and passive solar unti to pump hot air into the crawlspace. Maybe work on a greenhouse to attach to the south face of the barn. Redo kitchen.
OPEN STORE!!!!

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Fence and a new barn. Fencing is a never ending project.

[Rae Jean]

I'll be moving some fencing to expand horse pasture. Expanding deck and maybe start on expanding house so I can have a large mudroom and a big bathroom with a whirlpool tub! Start a new garden. Plant some trees and bushes. Fix up sauna house. Buy a new tractor.

[sammyd]

I have been told that we will be adding a pear tree to our little orchard.
We are going to take a long look at our garden ideas this winter and sort out what we really need to grow as one kid should be leaving soon and another won't be far behind.

I would like to tear down the current chicken coop to make way for something bigger and run water out to it.

We may move away from the idea of having a dairy cow and run a couple of goats instead. Using the pasture to grow replacement dairy heifers that we will sell at 500-600 pounds. May also look at some land right behind us for pasturing.

We will not have as many bunnies next year, but will probably boost our CornishxRock numbers and sell more than we did this year.

I hope to add a few things to our little line of machinery like a small grain drill, a disc, a hay wagon or two, and if possible an old chopper with a hay head.

I am scheduled to get the bathroom installed upstairs, remodel the one down, and improve the kitchen. A wood stove has been talked about but that's as far as that has gone.

[hillsidedigger]

For the first time, I think by next season (mid-May thru mid-September) that I will be able to spend no more than 20 hours per week on my job and have the bulk of each week in the gardens.