jodief100
True BYH Addict
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Northern Kentucky, 25 miles south of the Ohio border where Cincinnati is. Cold winters, the snow usually sticks around for a few days and then leaves. Hot summers, moderately humid.
2. How many people are in your family?
Dearest Hubby and his Boy, every other weekend. I wish we could have him full time.
3. How would you define your farm?
Market meat goats, chickens, laying hens and extra roos for the freezer. We added turkeys this year.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I would like to build the mobile hen house I drew plans on and finish my plans for the self-watering goat shelter and build some of those. Right now we are building a garage/workshop and plain old regular goat shelters.
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building?
Hen, house, shelters, pens and right now helping with the garage.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
It has been a long time but I used to do all but aluminum.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
My aunt had a horse farm and I loved spending time out there. I just wanted a place of my own where I could take care of myself and my family. I love the animals and not having neighbors.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Hobby for now. Hubby would love to drop to part time if we could ever get to that point wher we can make enough to do it.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I know chickens, am pretty good with goats. I want to learn about pigs and cows. Someday I want a horse.
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Confinement operation, large scale crops.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Yes
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
In a good book, up in the barn with the goats, out in the pasture with my hens and the guineas.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Tractor, yes. Semi, no. I would love to learn.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items?
Not as much as I would like to. I sew, crochet, do paper crafts. I want to learn how to knit and quilt.
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at?
We are out in the county and can have anything we want. Anything classified wild (dear, ostrich, zebras) and we are required to have 9 fences.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
I worked in the tool room at my Grandaddys shop when I was 15, hubby designs lathes for a living. I can run a lathe, milling center, drill press and grinder, laser, water jet, EDM and a few more I cant think of right now. I can program a CNC but prefer to run the manual ones.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I do but I never seem to have time. I like to grow veggies and herbs.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
We have a pond stocked with small mouth. We use whatever bait we find under the rocks.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
32 acres in the county. There is additional 4 for sale adjoining that we would really like to buy but cant.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Jack of all trades and Master of none. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering that I use for my real job. I have a degree in Biology I got when I thought I wanted to go into the health professions. Turns out I am better with machines than people.
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Goats and chickens, adding turkeys.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
Common Sense and logical thinking. I think a lot of people could benefit from a little instruction.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
A little but Hubby is much better than I so I leave it to him.
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
I would like to see some more studies done. I think there is great potential but nothing is proven. I have seen some good research on copper and worms so I do use that.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I loved it out west, eastern Oregon and Washington are nice. Nowhere near the cities.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
We use a fireplace insert in the winter for heat.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
My favorite was always GI Joe, a group of regular guys who work hard and do their best. No superpowers, just everyone contributing in their own way. I like how Spiderman reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Some, most think I am nuts.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I love to cook but it is hard with just the two of us most of the time. I prefer what I grow myself. Second best is what someone locally grew.
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
When our first goat babies were born. They were so cute and I just couldnt wait to play with them.
My uncle was trampled by a horse in the rodeo when I was 8. He was in traction for 6 months.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I hunt deer and want to try turkey. One of the boys will bring me a rabbit every now and then.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
Stubborn and a willingness to try anything. I read a lot and try to educate myself the best I can.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
I process the chickens and have the big animals done. I want to learn how myself. I can, freeze and dry stuff.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm?
We have a few little solar power things like the fence chargers. Looked into solar panels- way too much $$$$.
35 What is on your to do list?
Building the garage, building the hen house, building goat shelters. Sleep.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No and yes
37. In what do you trust?
Me and Hubby. That the weather won't coperate and that hard work will meet oppotunity eventualy- if we keep trying.
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
I do it to save and because I enjoy it.
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits
I like animals more than most people. I have learned they are not people and you cant treat them like they are. They respond by instinct and do not think things out and consider consequences. Man is the one animal that cannot be tamed.
Northern Kentucky, 25 miles south of the Ohio border where Cincinnati is. Cold winters, the snow usually sticks around for a few days and then leaves. Hot summers, moderately humid.
2. How many people are in your family?
Dearest Hubby and his Boy, every other weekend. I wish we could have him full time.
3. How would you define your farm?
Market meat goats, chickens, laying hens and extra roos for the freezer. We added turkeys this year.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I would like to build the mobile hen house I drew plans on and finish my plans for the self-watering goat shelter and build some of those. Right now we are building a garage/workshop and plain old regular goat shelters.
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building?
Hen, house, shelters, pens and right now helping with the garage.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
It has been a long time but I used to do all but aluminum.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
My aunt had a horse farm and I loved spending time out there. I just wanted a place of my own where I could take care of myself and my family. I love the animals and not having neighbors.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Hobby for now. Hubby would love to drop to part time if we could ever get to that point wher we can make enough to do it.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I know chickens, am pretty good with goats. I want to learn about pigs and cows. Someday I want a horse.
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Confinement operation, large scale crops.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Yes
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
In a good book, up in the barn with the goats, out in the pasture with my hens and the guineas.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Tractor, yes. Semi, no. I would love to learn.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items?
Not as much as I would like to. I sew, crochet, do paper crafts. I want to learn how to knit and quilt.
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at?
We are out in the county and can have anything we want. Anything classified wild (dear, ostrich, zebras) and we are required to have 9 fences.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
I worked in the tool room at my Grandaddys shop when I was 15, hubby designs lathes for a living. I can run a lathe, milling center, drill press and grinder, laser, water jet, EDM and a few more I cant think of right now. I can program a CNC but prefer to run the manual ones.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I do but I never seem to have time. I like to grow veggies and herbs.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
We have a pond stocked with small mouth. We use whatever bait we find under the rocks.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
32 acres in the county. There is additional 4 for sale adjoining that we would really like to buy but cant.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
Jack of all trades and Master of none. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering that I use for my real job. I have a degree in Biology I got when I thought I wanted to go into the health professions. Turns out I am better with machines than people.
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Goats and chickens, adding turkeys.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
Common Sense and logical thinking. I think a lot of people could benefit from a little instruction.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
A little but Hubby is much better than I so I leave it to him.
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
I would like to see some more studies done. I think there is great potential but nothing is proven. I have seen some good research on copper and worms so I do use that.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I loved it out west, eastern Oregon and Washington are nice. Nowhere near the cities.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
We use a fireplace insert in the winter for heat.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
My favorite was always GI Joe, a group of regular guys who work hard and do their best. No superpowers, just everyone contributing in their own way. I like how Spiderman reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
Some, most think I am nuts.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I love to cook but it is hard with just the two of us most of the time. I prefer what I grow myself. Second best is what someone locally grew.
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
When our first goat babies were born. They were so cute and I just couldnt wait to play with them.
My uncle was trampled by a horse in the rodeo when I was 8. He was in traction for 6 months.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I hunt deer and want to try turkey. One of the boys will bring me a rabbit every now and then.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
Stubborn and a willingness to try anything. I read a lot and try to educate myself the best I can.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
I process the chickens and have the big animals done. I want to learn how myself. I can, freeze and dry stuff.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm?
We have a few little solar power things like the fence chargers. Looked into solar panels- way too much $$$$.
35 What is on your to do list?
Building the garage, building the hen house, building goat shelters. Sleep.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No and yes
37. In what do you trust?
Me and Hubby. That the weather won't coperate and that hard work will meet oppotunity eventualy- if we keep trying.
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
I do it to save and because I enjoy it.
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits
I like animals more than most people. I have learned they are not people and you cant treat them like they are. They respond by instinct and do not think things out and consider consequences. Man is the one animal that cannot be tamed.
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, PLEASE...
.
We'll be processing our first turkeys soon and I'd like to "compare"
