What did you do to be/become more self-reliant today?

I didn't teach him to knit (yet). He was jealous of the time I was taking to knot a blanket for Baby. I told him I would knit his scarf for as long as he worked on his writing (his least favorite schoolwork). I need to learn to put a buttonhole in and then it is done. <3

We've had a string of almost completely homegrown meals. Everything except oil and spices. They're very satisfying! We are dehydrating apples still. The kale we picked after the frost smelled like badly cooked broccoli while in the dehydrator, so we gave up on that. Potatoes are all dug up. We'll be eating potatoes and squash for every meal for a while! We had eggplant parmesan (with our homemade tomato sauce!) tonight.

DH isn't seeing much deer activity on the game cams. We need 2 deer this winter.

I have decided to cull 2 rabbits - they're small but enough for one meal. I don't want to kill them though.

I can't say I blame you. That's why I don't raise rabbits. It's hard enough for me to cull the roosters.

Well, I have 4 roos "waiting" for me to make the call -- they don't know that! But, couple weeks or so because I have some more pressing things first.

I have been emptying some frozen goat milk into my piggies feed, which they love!, and so do I as I need freezer room. Still milking, so don't need more frozen. I also stopped at the bread discount store and got a whole groc basket of bread/rolls for $5. The chickens & pigs are loving that. Don't get it often.

Since I'm having some heavy repair work done on a combo machine & livestock barn, I decided to replace all the T-111 with new & use the few good pieces on athat expansion section for a moveable pig shelter for when I move them next month to the larger field.
(they are only 3 mos old now) Instead of spending more on new wood for that, I can trim ends on these, cut smaller and use nicely. Plus, the rebuilt shed will then be all alike.

Of course, DIY fencing replacement is working today & tomorrow. Fencing had to buy but, gates, solar hot box & hot tape are from an awesome (!) deal I found on craigslist last winter/spring. Got 3 large gates, a 100 gal & a 40 gal trough, a solar hot box & tape....for $150. !!! The hotbox retails for $235 alone. All were excellent condition. I scored on that one.

Congrats - that is an awesome score! Don'tcha just love Craigslist?

That does sound like a good deal!

I want to do some reason research into what (if anything) I can grow here in Fall/Winter veggie-wise. My green thumb is itching and I'm getting tired of shop-bought stuff. My two hens have been awesome in supplying the eggs though, most days we get an egg and sometimes 2

I want to make some ACV, does anyone here do it themselves? @Beekissed?

sumi said:

I want to do some reason research into what (if anything) I can grow here in Fall/Winter veggie-wise. My green thumb is itching and I'm getting tired of shop-bought stuff. My two hens have been awesome in supplying the eggs though, most days we get an egg and sometimes 2

I want to make some ACV, does anyone here do it themselves? @Beekissed?

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I have done so, though I haven't for some time now. Used to have an orchard where I lived before and happened to have some of the old, glass vinegar jugs so it all made sense to make my own.

I just juiced some apples, jugged it, placed a paper towel over the mouth secured with a rubber band and left them in a dark corner in my bedroom, next to the chimney. They grew a great mother and turned to vinegar just fine...took some time but can't tell you exactly how long as I just left them alone, swirled them every now and again, and eventually used them.

I am re-upholstering an auction find rocking chair. We've had it sitting around for ages and I tried to do this once before but didn't do it right. I'm using fabric already have and don't care for because fabric I like will take a 90 mile round trip, and a very expensive trip to a fabric store. No way I could get out of there for less than $100. so.... ugly chair. *sigh*

I knit a hat for baby. (legit need) and knitting a hat for DS8 now because he's jealous. my SS move on this one is making DS8's hat 2-tone, rather than buying more yarn.

Planting fall vegetables - Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Napa cabbage, green cabbage, rainbow swiss chard, red cabbage, carrots and peas. (and anything else I might try to get away with!) Still need to pick up some onion sets. I think I've got radish and lettuce seeds that I can put out too - might have some Kale. I think I need to go dig through the seed drawer and see what I can come up with. We've already put up a new fence around the raised beds to keep the dog out... silly dog... she's a digger.

We harvested mature green beans to use as dry beans. I cooked some today! They were destined for the goats, but with a lot of time picking and shelling, we'll get at least a dozen meals out of them.

I finished DS8's hat and started another with the rest of the yarn scrap. I'm not sure I have enough to finish it. I'm making a man's hat. DH keeps saying "I have hats", so I might drop it off at the new homeless shelter in the nearest city.

I made a cake to use up 5 old eggs in the fridge, and while the oven was on, I put in a squash. We have so many squashes from the garden! I need to cook a couple each week and start making stuff with them. Like pie. because I hate squash.