Am I spreading myself too thin?

[CornerstoneAcre]

I started out raising Boer And Boer/Kiko cross goats. I've sold 4H wethers, breeding stock and for meat. I purchased a pair of Asian Heirloom Hogs this fall and we are working on getting them bred for summer. We will be using some for our freezer and selling off the rest for either pet or meat stock. I raise a decent size garden and sell a limited amount a produce as well as some seeds when I have them. I sell eggs from our chickens and hope to have a broody hen or two this year to hatch out some chicks both for myself and to sell some. I can tons of flavors of jellys, jams and sauces. I am working on getting a market to sell them both individually and in gift baskets. We also have five (soon to be 3) horses that are just for pleasure riding and driving. In a couple of years I'd like to breed our Great Pyrenees LGD and offer some quality guardian dogs as well.
I want to get bees someday. I had a chance to do some bartering - bees for goats - but husband is deathly afraid of bees and said no. (I will have to wait until I have a bit more property and can keep them out of his sight I guess.) I also would like to get a cow for both milk and meat purposes. I found a nice Irish Dexter that I would love to have, but again husband said I don't "need" it.
The bulk of our "groceries" could come from right on our property (or in the nearby woods). I don't work outside the home and to be honest probably spend too much time on the computer (although all my HT time I consider "schooling").
Mostly I've tried to spread out my "additions" so that I get a handle on the most recent one before adding another. My goats have now almost paid for all my intitial investment (fenceing, goats and tools) and are starting to pay for their own feed as well as that of the pigs. We do our own hay so although that is a real expense I haven't figured that into my goat costs (I know that's probably cheating). The chickens about pay for their own feed (almost - I sell my eggs pretty cheap at $1 a dozen). If I start selling some chicks they might just balance out. The pigs will have to prove themselves or even our breeders will end up in the freezer. Unlike selling pets, I think I can usually find somebody to take a freezer pig if I price it decent enough. I did have a Jersey cow for awhile but decided she was too large for our needs and as I said I really want a Dexter. I have "my" money (money from the sale of farm goods) to purchase the cow but husband still says no.

A few notes: We do have the room - although not TONS of it, enough to support what we have and what I want to have (as listed above). Hay is really not an issue for us. My husband also works at home (he makes implements for tractor buckets). And no I don't intend to "get rich" but would like to grow/raise most (if not all) our own meat, local fruits and veggies while letting it be somewhat self supporting.

SOOOO I guess my sum up questions are - (I'm not looking for validation here, just your honest opinions)
Am I spreading myself to thin and perhaps asking for trouble?
Could my husband be right in putting a kibash on new additions? (In essence saying that investing the "farm" money back into it isn't a good idea ?)

[olivehill]

How do you feel? Your mind and body will tell you when you have too much.

[Kazahleenah]

Well, you're nicer than I am.
If it was me doing all the work involved, and I had the money to buy AND feed it, then I would get it. I'm not real good at "asking permission". I talk things over... or let him know... but I don't ask permission.

[RebelDigger]

You sound like me. I have plans to pretty much go where you want to go. I already have chickens and rabbits and when we get the renovations done to the farmhouse and move in I will be starting on clearing the old pastures behind the house and fencing so I can have feeder pigs and a milk cow. I am 50 years old so I will be taking it slow to make sure I don't get overwhelmed physically.

One thing you have to remember is a milk cow is a huge investment in YOUR time. No matter what, she has to be milked twice a day, everyday. So, if DH is not on board it could become an issue if something happens to you, like need to be somewhere else for a few days or getting sick and, you need him to do the milking. I was raised on a farm and remember there being times when Daddy had to be elsewhere at milking time so that Uncle Jesse had to drive over from his place after doing his own milking to help me with ours.

I too, am the type that does not "ask permission" of DH for things. However, I do discuss ideas with him and if he thinks something is a really bad idea, I find out why and really listen to his reasoning. We have polar opposite personalities, I am the one who tends to get excited about ideas and jump in and he is the steady, thinking one. Many times he has kept me from going off half cocked and getting myself into something that I would regret later.

I would suggest having a good, long discussion with your hubby and hashing out the pros and cons, deciding what your joint expectations for the homestead are and, coming to a mutually agreeable plan for it's progress. You cannot do what you want to do alone, it will take both of you and at times even the two of you will get overwhelmed so you need his cooperation IMO. (Not to mention the strife ingoring his wishes could cause in your marriage which is a whole nother discussion).

[jeremynj]

Not to come off as rude but maybe there is a more pressing issue in your relationship than in the time and effort of the farm work.

[Post Carbon]

What you're doing is a lot like what I'm doing, except that you aren't charging near enough for your eggs. There's no way you should be charging less than what your feed costs you--that's cheating yourself of your time (you're worth it!) and also undercutting any neighbors that are trying to sell eggs--undercutting the market is a no-no. At least charge cost--your customers will understand.

I also don't have a cow, although I've thought seriously about it because dairy products are just about the only thing I buy the grocery store. Then I read a book about keeping a family cow (that might have been the title) which stated that everything associated with dairy cows (purchase, housing, hay, bull visits, vet bills, etc etc) would most likely cost me the same as just buying the dairy products in the store. And since I like going away occasionally to see my family, I decided I would forgo any dairy animals, since it's so hard to find a farm sit. I decided I would just buy the more expensive dairy products that are local so I know where it's coming from. So I've exempted myself from that twice a day commitment and the processing of the product, and so I can spend more time doing other things, and that's how I control my own "being spread too thin-ness."

Cost out your expenses before you jump into a new project. If you have the facts and can show the hubby that it will pay off, and that you have the time to do it well, he will see that you have a good case.

[stamphappy]

*No, you're not spreading yourself too thin.
*Compromise and get dairy goats.
*No on the bees if DH is afraid; that's not playing fair IMO in a marriage.
*FYI, I buy eggs -mixed color if that matters - and pay $3 per doz.
*One litter of dogs shouldn't be spreading yourself too thin; it's not like you're looking to do a breeding business.

[oregon woodsmok]

It is very possible to turn a nice life style into too much work. As soon as that happens, it is no longer any fun.

I suggest consolidating what you are already doing, getting your routine worked out, and then adding just one more project at a time. After each addition, wait and see how that goes before taking on anything else.

It would be extremely inconsiderate of you to get bees if your husband is afraid of them.

[CornerstoneAcre]

Well thanks everybody. I guess sometimes it's nice to hear these things from somebody you know is impartial LOL.
My marriage is not in any danger LOL. I guess my situation is more or less like rebeldigger mentioned: Hubby can be the voice of reason while I'm the impulsive one. However sometimes he's more than just "reasonable" when it comes to me trying to make a small income from our little "farm". Of course he thought the goats were going to be a waste of time and in just a short time they are already starting to pay for themselves.
I have one dairy goat and love the milk but husband won't touch it (I do sneak it into cooking once in awhile though). I'd love to have the cow for both the beef of her offspring and the butter and cream I can more readily obtain.
Well, I guess I will wait on the bees until I can convince him that we need them or he if he doesn't mind them being on the far edge of the property (when we make our property addition).
I didn't really thinkg about it as "undercutting" my neighbors...but since I've only seen one sign out for 1.50 a dozen I'm not being too awful. Perhaps I will increase my price just a little to make it more profitable. (and mine are brown and blue and green eggs )
In all the time of raising animals DH has only one day had to do any work (other than running the hay equipment) directly related to them. I suppose if I looked at it "if anything ever happened to me" senario I wouldn't have any animals. But I do have a decent network to get help if I needed it on part-time basis.
And lastly - I physically and mentally do not feel spread too thin. Last spring/summer was a bit harsh as it was our first summer since we moved here with all the critters. But all that initial work is now done and it won't be as bad next year.

[lazysheep]

Just offering my two-cents worth to all the other very valid comments~ you don't mention your age, but give a thought to what might happen if you end up with an injury or something more life threatening like breast cancer. If your partner doesn't share your love of a certain "project", it will be a major downer, or a significant stress on the whole family when you have to abandon a project (like a breeding herd or flock) to the sale barn, or give them away to friends, neighbors or strangers. At 50+ I now have to evaluate what I take on in the perspective of "could I manage this alone?" or "would my DH be able to/or want to handle this alone" if I could not be there to take care of it? My DH could not handle a birthing animal in distress. He will not milk. anything. In most cases he would rather bury an animal than shoot it in the head and put it in the freezer. I think you are asking a very valid question. What I could and would do at 30 or 40 is certainly not what I am now barely capable of. A simple tear in a rotator cuff can be debilitating. How about a long-term back injury? Or a long-term recovery from cancer? Our lives are so easily filled with personal fulfillment, and so quickly removed from it. Build into your life Time - time to enjoy just doing nothing, time to enjoy your family members, time to enjoy listening and experiencing the animals and children we have, rather than filling every day with go-go-go. My heart is with you as you think about the question you have asked!

[CornerstoneAcre]

lazysheep - all good points. I am 41. I however have to say I can't live my life thinking what if. My looking forward really just consists of - If sometihng debilating were to happen to me are my animals easily saleable? Other than the horses I've got to say yes. If my husband or I weren't overly concerned with getting top dollar or "to a good home" we could easily move - chickens, goats, pigs and cows. Honestly they are/could be a decent source of cash for quick liquidation if needed. I think looking at it that way -yes bees would be harder to get rid of (and DH would never ever touch them - of course short term they wouldn't need much care).
I'm certainly leaning towards holding off on the cow - even though the perfect one has recently come along. I will wait until two of our horses (that are sold, but being boarded here until spring) are gone. I can't however see that a cow is a bad investment - as long as she remains healthy.

[SilverFlame819]

Maybe hubby wants to spend more time with you, and all your projects are taking away from that. Have you asked him how he feels?