Your favorite?

[StarofHearts]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are planning our homestead, having had enough of paying $10 for 2 gallons of milk and 2 dozen eggs we decided it is time! It could be a year or two before we can get things really going but I want to have things planned so that our homestead can get up and running quickly! So I am looking for advice from you more experienced homesteaders so that I skip over some of the pitfalls that you guys may have experienced.

My question is this: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ________ FOR HOMESTEADING AND WHY?

I say favorite ____ because I know that everyone is going to have a different essential item/animal/tool/plant/etc for homesteading and I want t hear it all because I am a city girl, grew up in the suburbs. My husband grew up on 20 acres, they occasionally had livestock but not the usual kind of animal so while he is familiar with chickens dairy anything is out of his experience.

[Horseyrider]

First, a caveat: This is so impractical.

But since you asked what my favorite __________ is, and because they are truly essential to me, I'll say my horses. I have 3.5 now (mare is bred for an April foal) and they are four legged independent parts of my soul that walk, whinny, and carry me through trees and troubles. My DH says I need horses like other people need air to breathe; so I'll say my horses.

I also enjoy my gardens, chickens, turkeys, canning, freezing, etc. But my horses are the heartbeat of my homestead.

BTW, my DH also says horses are a black hole for money. But, you asked....

[jwal10]

You will spend a lot more for that milk and eggs than you will ever get back. That being said you know what you have and the satisfaction from doing it and knowing you can. You have to live somewhere it might as well be in the fresh air where you can do what you want. It will be a lot of work. This will also let you go as far as you want with a more self relient life. Good luck. I have milk goats, chickens, rabbits and pigeons for manure, eggs, milk, meat and fiber. I don't like one better than another but I need the goats milk to live....James

[StarofHearts]

I learned to ride when I was younger, I miss it so much. I know there will be at least one impractical wallet eater in my homestead.

I'd have one now but .27 acres isnt enough to keep a horse on. :P

The horse will be the last on a rather long list of to buys but it will be there.

[jwal10]

I should have said you will pay more for that milk and eggs than if you just bought them. You will get back what you put in. It can be very rewarding....James

[chickenista]

I agree with the above poster.
Your milk and eggs will cost a lot more, but..oh well.
No one really does it for the $$ anyway.
(unless you can sell enough eggs to pay your feed bill)

And my favorite thing, and I had to think, would be the permanent tomato supports.
They are a little over 7 ft and are a frame of PVC imbedded in concrete.
We hang frames of 2X4 wire on them for the tomatoes to grow up.
No more fussing and fighting with flimsy supports.

It has just made the summer a breeze!

[Callieslamb]

My favorite_______ is gardening. No where on this place can I do so much with so little. I have a small orchard that is finally producing fruit. I have small fruits and berries. And then there's the vegetables. I love my garden. It keeps me busy all year round, though I only have to pull weeds for 6 months.

2nd would be my sheep. I love spinning their wool. I love their faces. I hate cleaning up the barn after them.

3rd - I get chicken fever every year in Feb. I have to have new chicks. They are the most expensive animals on the farm though.

[ronbre]

my favorite state is Mich
my favorite tool is a garden fork (use it for everything)
my favorite equipment is the tractor
my favorite plant is a fruit or nut tree, provide more than others.

[Jennifer L.]

Best animal is any animal that can support themselves most of the year without a feed store. On my place, that's a cow.

Guess there's any amount of other things I could list as "best", but that's a start.

[farmerDale]

I see some saying the milk and eggs will be more costly. Well, that depends on a lot of things, specifically what you feed them, and where you get it from. We grow most of our own feed, so it costs us less than a dollar a dozen eggs. And we sell packs of 18 for 5 bucks. Chickens are very efficient, but they need to be well fed.

If you can not grow your own, find a nearby farmer, and ask for some grain at market prices. There are cheaper ways to feed animals than out of a bag.

My favorite? I like the efficiency of my hens and meat birds.

[simi-steading]

hhhmm.. My favorite blank for homesteading... Eh.. it's not what my favorite thing is to have.. but rather it's the fact of being away from the cities... Fresh air... land for hunting... distant neighbors...

As far as it being cheaper than going to the store... LOL.. I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to laugh...

you should watch this... It's perfect for those new to homesteading and farming.. BTW, you think the feed is cheap, wait until you find out what the sweat equity is gonna cost you..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcZntiFSgvc

I won't imbed the video because there is a little language in it... take the link if you can deal with a little adult language.. It's hilarious...

[Tabitha]

Which state do you live in? Not everything applies everywhere.

You say milk and eggs. I would get a goat. Our favorite. We get the milk at very low cost as the goats forage 8 months out of the year. Right now I am feeding them.

[EDDIE BUCK]

The Peace and Solitude.The week B 4 Christmas, the Fed X guy calls and asks, "is there anywhere back there to turn around?" Yes my wife replied,but just leave it at the mailbox, we will pick it up shortly.Thanks

[StarofHearts]

Tabitha: we are in MI now but plan on moving the **** away from our over involved families. *rolls eyes* Oy. Love them better from a distance for sure.

As far as I can tell from my research the animals we are choosing will be content and healthy on a free range/grass diet with free choice supplements in the evening. We have also been planning on seeding our pastures with more nutritious grasses than may be all ready there. I am planning on chickens, a Mini Jersey cow, and several Nigerian Dwarf Milk goats. We may do some rabbits and goats for meat as well but thats for later. Why all the dairy? I have 4 kids. 7-5-3-1 I can go through well over a gallon a day and it will only increase as time goes on.

[Awnry Abe]

Milk, eggs, protein.