SuburbanFarmChic Journal - update and rant 5/5

[SuburbanFarmChic]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?

Eastern Panhandle of WV. Moderate is probably the best descriptor. Oh and we actually have seasons.


2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?

Married. Nobody else here but us chickens. We've talked about kids. And talked and talked and talked. Still talking.


3. How would you define your farm?

Backyardy.

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?

I would create. All day.


5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?

I want to play around with stack wood construction.



6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?

Nope.
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?

All these animals I kept collecting.


8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?

A hobby that needs to be a little more self supporting.

9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?

My knowledge base is really random.

10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?

The large scale w/ lots of poop kind.


11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?

Yes. I would like to provide our food for the year. Some year.

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?


13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?

Tractor yes. I think I could drive a semi if I knew how. I just can't back anything up for crap. I always turn the wheels the wrong way. Always.


14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?

Yes and YES. I sew and knit. Crochet and I don't get along. Neither do I and anything that has a pattern. That being said I make historical costumes, scarves, bags, blankets, quilts, rugs, wall hangings, clothing, household stuff. I want to try shoes but it's that damn pattern thing.


15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?

Legally? Uh... Who knows. I think we are totally unzoned though. So aside from wildlife permits I believe I'm good.

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?

Nope.

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?

Development is built on an old shale quarry. I'll grow anything that's willing to survive here.

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Surf.

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?

Ci-country-burbia We own it and it's not nearly big enough. But there always seems to be more work to do so I guess for now it is.


20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?

Um, well. Like patterns, homework and I have creative differences. I can ace the tests but heck if I can turn anything in. I fall into the "Some College" category.

21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?

Farm specialty. Don't really have one. Success would be the one I'd like to learn.


22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?

Self sufficiency and task completion.



23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?

Nope


24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?

To some extent.


25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?

I'm awfully fond of Ireland but Appalachia is about as close as I'll get for now.

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?

NO. And I am NOT happy about it. I was vetoed on a wood stove. Stupid wood hauling issues. I even found stove pipe for a silly price and was GIVEN a Vermont Castings. GRRRR. (this isn't a sore spot or anything)


27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?

No clue.

28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?

Yes, for the most part.

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?

Used to cater. Catered my own wedding in fact. Couple others too.


30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?

When I got our crow to talk again. We had a rescue crow that we took in as a baby (Shhh, don't tell) and around 5-6 months old it disappeared for about 2 weeks. Before he left he wouldn't shut up. Talked all day long. After he came home. Silence. For about a week. He just wasn't right. We think somebody caught and caged him but we really don't know. He and I made lunch one day and raided the fridge for crow nummers. Need to get a crow to talk again... Bacon bits.

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?

Yes. And trade butchering services.


32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
And I'm a finder of stuff.

33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
Yes and usually freeze.

34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?

I would like to some day.


35 What is on your to do list?

Greenhouse. Hay storage.
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?

I haven't but would like to. Not sure how to deal with the grain issue.

37. In what do you trust?

Myself.

38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?

I try to.


39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?

Aside from less vacations. Not really. I am pretty much the same as before we had animals. But I can't actually remember a time in my life when there wasn't SOME kind of animal around

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

And.... we have baby bunnies.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

We have a lot in common! I knit too, and I HATE using patterns for sewing. I just make it up as I go along and it turns out great (MOST times)!

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Yeah, patterns drive me nuts. Cook books too. I like to look at design, cooking, sewing books for ideas and then just wing it. 99% of the time it works.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Yeah, patterns drive me nuts. Cook books too. I like to look at design, cooking, sewing books for ideas and then just wing it. 99% of the time it works.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Well we still have 3 babies. I think one will be white, one black and one black and white. The white one is the smallest but the toughest. It has been out of the cage twice and is still going strong. It's the wiggliest little thing ever. Which is probably why it was on the ground twice. I think I have all the holes blocked now and she has a proper nesting box. Ahh... whack a mole.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Still have babies. Wiggly little things.


Made arrangements to borrow an Nigerian buck that used to belong to a friend of mine. Never seen him throw less than twins and the babies are super small at birth. Going to do a test batch on the pygmy girls and we'll see if anybody is a milker.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

I will preface this with the following - My sister is currently in Mexico as a 4-H ambassador and is working within the university and school systems to set up a 4H program in their area.
http://mexicoifye.tumblr.com/post/10536689549/and-here-we-go#disqus_thread Here is her blog of the trip. She's been there 2 weeks out of 6 months.


I was reading Em's blog on a quinceanera party she went to and I was thinking about how in America we as a culture don't have a lot of celebrations of the transition from child to adult. We tell teenagers that they are still under our roof but have to be responsible. That they are expected to be hormonal arses for about 3 years and then magically snap out of it and run their own **** at age 18 when we are preparing them less for the real world than ever before. Home sciences and trades classes are falling by the wayside in preference for academics that we are also failing. With the economic troubles of the last couple years I think parents and children are taking a harder look at how kids are sent off into the world but feel like as a culture we need to better celebrate the stages of life that we and those we love are in. Kids should be encouraged to be kids for as long as possible. Responsibility can be taught without imposing adult behaviors.

I suspect that if we had more of a finite point where we said "It's ok to be a dorky kid before you are X age" and that was culturally accepted we'd have far less skankariffic 13 year olds. I like the idea of something around 15 that says, it's ok to start putting child hood behind you. I know hundreds of years ago and still in some parts of the world, 15 is legal marrying age. I know at just shy of 17 I was moved out and living with the guy I very nearly married a couple years later. (not my current husband). There will always be those that sway the curve. But I think that with a bit of work the majority could be pushed to take the leaps into adulthood a little later. As adults we need to take more seriously our position as mentors even if we are childless ourselves. Just because you don't have kids doesn't mean your behavior isn't being noted by them. If you value ignorance and violence then somebody is going to pick up on that and foster it with in themselves.


Not really sure where this is headed, it's just where my mind is this evening. And I'm kicking my own pants as well. I am lazy about a lot of stuff and need to have much better follow through. I need to deal with mistakes when I make them and not just ignore them. So anyway. That's what my brain is swirling around tonight.

 

[Ms. Research]

I will preface this with the following - My sister is currently in Mexico as a 4-H ambassador and is working within the university and school systems to set up a 4H program in their area.
http://mexicoifye.tumblr.com/post/10536689549/and-here-we-go#disqus_thread Here is her blog of the trip. She's been there 2 weeks out of 6 months.


I was reading Em's blog on a quinceanera party she went to and I was thinking about how in America we as a culture don't have a lot of celebrations of the transition from child to adult. We tell teenagers that they are still under our roof but have to be responsible. That they are expected to be hormonal arses for about 3 years and then magically snap out of it and run their own **** at age 18 when we are preparing them less for the real world than ever before. Home sciences and trades classes are falling by the wayside in preference for academics that we are also failing. With the economic troubles of the last couple years I think parents and children are taking a harder look at how kids are sent off into the world but feel like as a culture we need to better celebrate the stages of life that we and those we love are in. Kids should be encouraged to be kids for as long as possible. Responsibility can be taught without imposing adult behaviors.

I suspect that if we had more of a finite point where we said "It's ok to be a dorky kid before you are X age" and that was culturally accepted we'd have far less skankariffic 13 year olds. I like the idea of something around 15 that says, it's ok to start putting child hood behind you. I know hundreds of years ago and still in some parts of the world, 15 is legal marrying age. I know at just shy of 17 I was moved out and living with the guy I very nearly married a couple years later. (not my current husband). There will always be those that sway the curve. But I think that with a bit of work the majority could be pushed to take the leaps into adulthood a little later. As adults we need to take more seriously our position as mentors even if we are childless ourselves. Just because you don't have kids doesn't mean your behavior isn't being noted by them. If you value ignorance and violence then somebody is going to pick up on that and foster it with in themselves.


Not really sure where this is headed, it's just where my mind is this evening. And I'm kicking my own pants as well. I am lazy about a lot of stuff and need to have much better follow through. I need to deal with mistakes when I make them and not just ignore them. So anyway. That's what my brain is swirling around tonight.

I think a lot of people feel what you are feeling. I was thought "odd" when I decided to be a "stay at home" mom. I was thought "odder" when I decided that one was enough to be able to be a "stay at home" mom. Well, I made their heads spin when I decided to homeschool my child. I let him be a child for as long as I could, but when it was time to learn to be a grown up, being a close knit family and all the sacrifices that we as parents made, helped our child deal with an adult situation at a very young age. Many know our story. Many see how we conduct ourselves now. Hoping our example will wake some up to what a gift they are given and the true responsibility it is to care for that gift.

Thanks for posting these very important thoughts. I think more light should be shed on this very important issue. Action is the key. Showing the children that there's more to life than "keeping up with the Joneses".

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

I do child care part time and last week I was asked by a potential client if I could please have her son reading before he went to kindergarten next year if she chose to go with me instead of a lady down the street that does a very school styled preschool. I politely told her that I didn't think we'd be a good fit and I think this was also contributing to my current mental swirly. I don't get this big push to teach just wrote memorization "reading" at some silly age. I watched a friend do it with her kid. It doesn't work. (yes, there are exceptions) But she's now going into third grade and still is terrible at sounding out words. She has absolutely no base to work from just these flash cards of words she recognizes and takes a guess at when she's reading. She sees a word that starts with th- and starts running through the possibilities until she hits the right one. Anyway. I could rant for hours about education and not get anyway realizing that here I am mostly preaching to the choir.


So we still have 3 baby buns. Haven't had time to work on much of late between cleaning out our storage unit and starting the antique store. Talked to the husband a bit about plans. We're really good at making lists of stuff we want to do. Less so with the follow through. So plans include a big property clean up once the grass dies back to so we can run some black plastic and mulch around areas that are a pain to mow/weed wack. Probably do a big dump run.


Might have found a roommate. Would be lovely if it works out.


Goats are still goating. Finally found a free day when I can take Thelma in for an ultrasound so next Thursday it is. It is shockingly hard to find time to load a goat, drive 20 min, unload goat, reload goat, drive 20 min, unload goat.