Tracy0052
Chillin' with the herd
Hi all! I'm fairly new to this site and have posted a bit and already gotten some great advice. I've been reading these journals, enjoying them and think this is a fun idea. That's what I do with FB now journal my family's life. So anyway I thought I'd start one since we are really just starting out our backyard farm. 
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
We are in NW Ohio....I love that we experience all four seasons here. We can go from sweltering muggy hot to ice cold!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I'm married and we have four kids: Martha 14, Caleb 11, Lukas 7, and Ava 4.
3. How would you define your farm?
We live in a small farm town and are raising rabbits and chickens. They started as 4-H projects for the kiddos. We would like to have a couple goats too. Eventually someday I hope we can find a place in the country.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I would be a full time stay at home mom. Soak up every minute if my kids and sew everything I've wanted to sew/quilt but haven't had the time.
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I had to work on my house for 6 months before I could move into it back when I was a single mom. Currently the hubby is building a new coop and run for the chickens.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
My grandparents were farmers, had a small place just outside of town. Grandpa farmed the land and had sheep, cows and chickens. They had both grown up on farms. I guess it's in my blood. 4-H gave us the opportunity/excuse to get started.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Hobby for now. Hubby is a truck driver and I work as a nurses aide.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I love history, always have. I love to sew, quilt,knit, crochet, spin, needlepoint, rug hook...just about any handy craft. I teach sewing classes and have won awards. I love to cook and bake and can...like my Grandma taught me. My sister and I have just started making our own soaps and lotions and I'm trying to learn more about using essential oils.
I'm always trying to learn more about our chickens and rabbits. It's been quite the learning experience so far! We eventually want goats and to start bee keeping.
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Idk...I can't think of anything I'd actually turn down the chance to try if the opportunity was right.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Most definitely! We have a garden and I can a lot! Our chickens provide us with eggs and the rabbit will eventually be giving us meat. I want goats for milk.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
If I actually get the time I love to put on one of my favorite movies like Gone with the Wind or Pride and Prejudice and sit down at the sewing machine or do some hand work. But most days I take a minute or two and sit on the tree swing my hubby built me and just watch my kids play or the chickens peck the ground.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Hubby can.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
Like I said above I sew, quilt, knit, etc...and I love teaching classes!
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
We are in town and ordinance says no farm animals. But we are allowed rabbits and chickens as long as our neighbors don't complain. We had two roosters that we just rehomed because we were afraid they were getting too loud. I asked the town if we can have goats and was told no but a local farmer told me to just do it anyway! Lol
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Yes, I vegetable garden on the side of the house and I love to can. My flowers are all out front. I grow and dry lavender. I also have raspberry bushes for pies and jams.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I used to with my grandpa.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
We have a small house on a small lot but it's on the edge of town so we don't feel closed in.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
I'm an STNA.
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
We are just learning rabbit breeding. I want to get into dairy goats.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
I majored in history right after high school but never got to finish. I wanted to be a museum archivist.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
No
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
Yes, right now we give our chickens an herbal wormer.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I would buy my grandpas old farm and fix it up.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No, we want a wood stove for hear eventually.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
I was always partial to Dean Cain's Superman...
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
They all find my lil farm amusing at this point.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I try to cook with wholesome good foods. And we love our eggs!
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best, watching my kids show and place at the fair last year. Worst losing babies this summer.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
No, unless you count black raspberry pickin!
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
We try to use reclaimed wood for our building projects. We are still learning.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
I can...hubby is going to learn to butcher rabbits soon.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
Hubby is very interested in solar power.
35. What is on your to do list?
It's so long I don't know where to start! I guess finish the coop, we have fair coming up for the kids, lots of sewing projects, etc etc etc
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No but it's a dream.
37. In what do you trust?
God, my family, myself
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Of course!
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
Very much. Sometimes I think where I am now and I can't imagine myself 10-15 years ago doing this either because of fear or thinking I couldn't. It amazes me how I've changed. I love it, it's like coming home!
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
We are in NW Ohio....I love that we experience all four seasons here. We can go from sweltering muggy hot to ice cold!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I'm married and we have four kids: Martha 14, Caleb 11, Lukas 7, and Ava 4.
3. How would you define your farm?
We live in a small farm town and are raising rabbits and chickens. They started as 4-H projects for the kiddos. We would like to have a couple goats too. Eventually someday I hope we can find a place in the country.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
I would be a full time stay at home mom. Soak up every minute if my kids and sew everything I've wanted to sew/quilt but haven't had the time.
5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I had to work on my house for 6 months before I could move into it back when I was a single mom. Currently the hubby is building a new coop and run for the chickens.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No
7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?
My grandparents were farmers, had a small place just outside of town. Grandpa farmed the land and had sheep, cows and chickens. They had both grown up on farms. I guess it's in my blood. 4-H gave us the opportunity/excuse to get started.
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?
Hobby for now. Hubby is a truck driver and I work as a nurses aide.
9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?
I love history, always have. I love to sew, quilt,knit, crochet, spin, needlepoint, rug hook...just about any handy craft. I teach sewing classes and have won awards. I love to cook and bake and can...like my Grandma taught me. My sister and I have just started making our own soaps and lotions and I'm trying to learn more about using essential oils.
I'm always trying to learn more about our chickens and rabbits. It's been quite the learning experience so far! We eventually want goats and to start bee keeping.
10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?
Idk...I can't think of anything I'd actually turn down the chance to try if the opportunity was right.
11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?
Most definitely! We have a garden and I can a lot! Our chickens provide us with eggs and the rabbit will eventually be giving us meat. I want goats for milk.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
If I actually get the time I love to put on one of my favorite movies like Gone with the Wind or Pride and Prejudice and sit down at the sewing machine or do some hand work. But most days I take a minute or two and sit on the tree swing my hubby built me and just watch my kids play or the chickens peck the ground.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Hubby can.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
Like I said above I sew, quilt, knit, etc...and I love teaching classes!
15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
We are in town and ordinance says no farm animals. But we are allowed rabbits and chickens as long as our neighbors don't complain. We had two roosters that we just rehomed because we were afraid they were getting too loud. I asked the town if we can have goats and was told no but a local farmer told me to just do it anyway! Lol
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Yes, I vegetable garden on the side of the house and I love to can. My flowers are all out front. I grow and dry lavender. I also have raspberry bushes for pies and jams.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I used to with my grandpa.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?
We have a small house on a small lot but it's on the edge of town so we don't feel closed in.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?
I'm an STNA.
21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
We are just learning rabbit breeding. I want to get into dairy goats.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
I majored in history right after high school but never got to finish. I wanted to be a museum archivist.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
No
24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?
Yes, right now we give our chickens an herbal wormer.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I would buy my grandpas old farm and fix it up.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No, we want a wood stove for hear eventually.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
I was always partial to Dean Cain's Superman...
28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?
They all find my lil farm amusing at this point.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I try to cook with wholesome good foods. And we love our eggs!
30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?
Best, watching my kids show and place at the fair last year. Worst losing babies this summer.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
No, unless you count black raspberry pickin!
32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
We try to use reclaimed wood for our building projects. We are still learning.
33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?
I can...hubby is going to learn to butcher rabbits soon.
34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?
Hubby is very interested in solar power.
35. What is on your to do list?
It's so long I don't know where to start! I guess finish the coop, we have fair coming up for the kids, lots of sewing projects, etc etc etc
36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?
No but it's a dream.
37. In what do you trust?
God, my family, myself
38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?
Of course!
39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?
Very much. Sometimes I think where I am now and I can't imagine myself 10-15 years ago doing this either because of fear or thinking I couldn't. It amazes me how I've changed. I love it, it's like coming home!
She'll do better next time!
