Homesteading Heaven in 2011!!

[happyhomestead]

Hello all! I am new to the forums but have been a longtime lurker. I have been completely fascinated with homesteading for the past two years and this year I am going to put fourth my best effort live a more self sustaining lifestyle.

I live in Las Vegas and although I cannot raise chickens due to an HOA, or garden much because of the wether, I have not let it stop me. I have been urban homesteading/city steading in the meantime to prepare for homesteading in the future.

I am a bit upset but the time to start gardening in LAS VEGAS IS TWO WEEKS AGO! I am a bit behind but I would love to grow a few things to see how it works out earlier in the season. Last summer I tried in a raised garden but I had no success growing tomatoes, and onions. I started way too late so this year I will try again. The wonderful part is in the desert we have two growing seasons, and I can start alot of lettuces and cabages in the wintertime! I am getting a later start then anticipated but growing anything is better then growing nothing IMHO. For now I shop only at farmers markets to stimulate the local economy.

I have learned to cook from scratch!! Cooking alone is a feat for me and a few years ago I would not be caught dead in a kitchen. I am actually quite disgusted that I ate so many processed and boxed foods for so long without caring. I hope to be able to exchange recipies with many of you!! I actually enjoy cooking now!!

I have a crazy idea for meats and chicken, fresh eggs and dairy but it will take a little research to get it done and I will need the help of a friendly farmer. I would like to contact a local farmer and "adopt a chicken or a few" Donate and Help feed the chickens, etc, in exchange for their eggs and meat (when the time is due)

I am very artistic and I am learning to sew, quilt, and crochet. Being able to make your own blankets, rugs, etc saves alot of money and is a great hobby! For home furnishings, I refuse to buy new! I want to freecycle/recycle as much as I possily can!

If anyone has any tips for the beginner and urban homesteader it is absolutely appreciated.

There is so much to learn and the posters here never seem to amaze me with their ideas and ways. I hope you will enjoy reading about my adventures in urban homesteading. I am starting out little by little in hope of being able to homestead in a rural community one day

[Timberline]

Welcome! Sounds like you are off to a great start already. I don't know anything about gardening in the desert, but here in the mountains where it's arid and the sun is brutal, lettuce, spinach, peas and such like afternoon shade and wind protection. I can't grow tomatoes outside very well here, the air is just too dry. They do great in the greenhouse where I can keep it more humid and the wind doesn't dry them out.

Just keep trying new things and a failure won't be a complete loss as long as your learn something from it. I think I've learned more about gardening in my climate by my failures than successes.

[Windy in Kansas]

Welcome to the forums. You should say hello to Nevada who frequents several forums, particularly the computer forum.

[Callieslamb]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you decided to join up!
If you can't grow it yourself - look for markets where you can -even if you have to drive a ways to get to them. My sister lived in LV. She treated summer as her "winter-non-growing time". If you are two weeks late - that isn't much. Planting is a window. Look for crops with a shorter maturity time - like spinach, broccoli, cabbages. That 2 weeks might count with tomatoes that won't pollinate when it gets too hot, but there are still plenty of things you can grow before 'winter'.

[Tricky Grama]

Welcome! Hope you love it here as much as I do.

Patty

[||Downhome||]

get a copy of "opossum living" might give you some inspiration.

[ronbre]

welcome, here in our Michigan area the Amish families will allow you to adopt animals and reap from them..you can even adopt a cow and get fresh milk..as they can't sell the milk but if you own the cow you can get milk from them.

cool eh?

[Texasdirtdigger]

Howdy from Texas!! Sounds like you are already off to a runnin start! I like the adopt chicken idea!!

[Nevada]

I live in Las Vegas. (Man, it was cold this morning! It was 40 when I got up, but the realfeel was 34.)

I left my "real" homestead about a year ago. I left because I live with an elderly woman who is susceptible to pneumonia, so I wanted to get her to a more mild climate.

We selected Las Vegas for a few other reasons too. I used to live here, so I was already familiar with the town. The housing bust was also working in our favor, since Las Vegas is ground zero for the mortgage crisis. We found a house we could get for cash. It's an older home, but the neighborhood is good and I'm living mortgage free with no HOA.

While I could claim that I was more of a homesteader up in Elko, since I built my own home with my own two hands, I still continue the same attitude here. I installed a new central heat & AC system in the house myself, and I'm doing a general restoration of the house myself.

Understand that even up in Elko I was never a farmer or a rancher, outside of planing a few apple trees and feeding my neighbor's horse & goats. I was more interested in doing my own construction, and also working towards self-reliance & sustainability. I had (still have) a doomsday food stash and constructed my own solar panels.

I'm not against your having a garden, but I find plenty to keep myself amused just restoring my home myself.