As you guys can probably tell I am a total newbie here and I have so many "stupid" homesteading questions that all on every subject that I'm just going to post in this forum. My husband and I are both in our late 20's with 3 children (4, 3, 7 mos, and another due in mid June) My husband is a teacher and the pastor of our small country church, I am a stay at home mom. In about six weeks we will be moving to our own 2.5 acres to finally live our dream of our own homestead. We plan on having chickens for meat and eggs, a couple of dairy goats, possibly a feeder pig and a huge garden (FINALLY somewhere with actual fertile soil instead of red clay)
Goats
1.)We were planning on using pygmy's for milk, and raise any male kids as wethers for the freezer. But then I read in someones post on here that pygmy's are not good milk goats. Why?? What I have researched online is that they were origionally bred in Africa for dual purpose, meat and milk. I'm not planning on selling it, just for our own personal use.
2.) When we first get the goats, I want to have them in the barn at night (barn already on new property, I'm sooooo excited) and on generous picket lines during the day but only when I'm there to keep and eye on them (which is just about all day every day) We have a good bit of brush to clear (good goat eating) and I would like to be able to move them from place to place until its cleared and then build a permenant goat pen. Of course, in inclement weather or when I can't be on hand to protect them they will be in the barn with plenty of hay and goat toys. Is this okay?
Chickens
1.) Is TSC a good place to get day old chicks? (again, dual purpose, for eggs and meat, maybe RIR or Buff Orps). I'm a little skittish about using a hatchery that sends them through the mail.
Garden
1.) What can I be doing now to get ready? I am in zone 7b (just moving a few miles down the road) When do I need to start tomatos, peppers, etc indoors. How about early spring things like cabbage, broccoli. etc?? I've been raising what I can in raised beds for years but I'm serious about it now that we have good soil and the room. I'm talking sauerkraut, tomato sauce, pickles etc. I grew up helping my grandmother can from their expansive garden so I am experienced in that area)
Any answers from you wiser ones would be very appreciated.
Amber, helpmeet to one, mom to 6 (2 in heaven, 3 in my arms, one still in my belly), and future homesteader.:help:
Goats
1.)We were planning on using pygmy's for milk, and raise any male kids as wethers for the freezer. But then I read in someones post on here that pygmy's are not good milk goats. Why?? What I have researched online is that they were origionally bred in Africa for dual purpose, meat and milk. I'm not planning on selling it, just for our own personal use.
2.) When we first get the goats, I want to have them in the barn at night (barn already on new property, I'm sooooo excited) and on generous picket lines during the day but only when I'm there to keep and eye on them (which is just about all day every day) We have a good bit of brush to clear (good goat eating) and I would like to be able to move them from place to place until its cleared and then build a permenant goat pen. Of course, in inclement weather or when I can't be on hand to protect them they will be in the barn with plenty of hay and goat toys. Is this okay?
Chickens
1.) Is TSC a good place to get day old chicks? (again, dual purpose, for eggs and meat, maybe RIR or Buff Orps). I'm a little skittish about using a hatchery that sends them through the mail.
Garden
1.) What can I be doing now to get ready? I am in zone 7b (just moving a few miles down the road) When do I need to start tomatos, peppers, etc indoors. How about early spring things like cabbage, broccoli. etc?? I've been raising what I can in raised beds for years but I'm serious about it now that we have good soil and the room. I'm talking sauerkraut, tomato sauce, pickles etc. I grew up helping my grandmother can from their expansive garden so I am experienced in that area)
Any answers from you wiser ones would be very appreciated.
Amber, helpmeet to one, mom to 6 (2 in heaven, 3 in my arms, one still in my belly), and future homesteader.:help: