Homesteading Update

We can't believe it but it has been 2 years since we have made a post.  The good thing is we are able to reflect back on our original homesteading goals with pride.  We have accomplished a lot and have truly enjoyed every second of it.

Here's where we are today:

Goal 1:  We are still recycling!

Goal 2:  We had a successful garden last year and are planning our garden for spring 2014 which includes almost doubling the garden.  Also, we are planning a medicinal herb garden (posts to come on that.)

Check out our Pinterest Board to see what we are growing this year:  2014 Garden

Black Beauty Bell Peppers

Eggplant

Zucchini

Goal 3:  Yeah, we got those chickens in December 2011.  My husband and I built a coop and purchased 4 sex link chickens and fell in love with how easy they were to keep AND the eggs! 

  

We lost a few due to chicken hawks, added new ones to the peck and recently butchered all the remaining 5 hens.  We have had a couple meals with our chickens.  Our chicken and dumplings being the first.  We all agreed that we had NEVER had a better meal.  In the spring we will purchase 4-6 new pullets.  We will butcher a couple and keep the rest for laying.

Goal 4:  We have made progress with basic housekeeping in regards to consuming healthier food.  Our garden was very productive and allowed us to can: tomato sauce, tomato soup, green beans, pepper jellies, sauerkraut, salsa, and pickles.  We have a long way to go and plan to eat less processed foods in 2014.

 

We still use a majority of store-bought housekeeping products.  We are focusing more on what goes into our bodies vs. what we use to clean the house right now.  But, this needs to be a secondary priority in 2014.