All I want for Christmas is ....

[Farmfresh]

... so what DO you want?

When I was a teenager I asked for a new wheel barrow for Christmas. Everyone around me laughed. I REALLY needed a new wheelbarrow at the time my old one had rusted and busted and I was cleaning out the stalls for SEVEN horses everyday by dragging a muck bucket!! Thank goodness my Aunt Janice came through for me that year!

Lets face it we just DO not want a new pair of dress shoes or a tie - most of us have other ideas. Things that would really help us in this lifestyle that we have chosen. The problem is convincing those OTHERS out there how important that wheel barrow or 5 gallon bucket can be!

Perhaps this thread can be a go to. A place to send family and friends for ideas. I know I am pushing the season, but this gives us some time to shop.

So here are the rules.

Lets try to keep this list REAL ... something your family can ACTUALLY afford and do.

Tell us what little Sufficient Self thing would make YOUR holiday happy?

Then tell us WHY you need/want the item.

Ready get set ... GO!


I'll start you off.

For Christmas I want some more Gamma Seal lids! The kind that the rim is hammered on your five gallon bucket and the top screws off and on.

I bought a few for myself last year and now I am HOOKED. I need them because I keep finding new things to store in the buckets. For example 50 pounds of loose salt for tanning hides, bulk bags of rice and sugar, chicken feed, grass seed .....

Your turn.

 

[Blackbird]

Great idea!

I want a microscope so I can test my own ANIMAL'S fecal samples. And some good books on natural medicine, but those can get fairly spendy.

Last year I wanted a goat for my birthday and everyone said 'something practical'. So I added books and cds to my list and everyone complained that they needed larger items to choose from.

I did get two Buff geese for my birthday one year though!

My mom's birthday is tommorrow and I caught a wild turkey for her the other week.

She said she liked it anyway..

Edited so I don't freak someone out..

 

[Farmfresh]

Now that sounds like MY kind of Christmas gift!

Do you have any picked out or are you still looking?

I don't think you need a really powerful one to check feces. 100x or 200x magnification should work my daughter (the vet tech) says. You will also need solution to "make a fecal float" and ... well "there is a LOT to learn." She also said "the best way to learn is to have someone (read... veterinary professional) who really knows their stuff to teach you."

 

[FarmerDenise]

Those gamma seals sound good. I have never seen them, but it sounds like we culd sure use them. I have a huge sack of flour and also a huge sack of rice sittin in my pantry, they could bothstand to be put in safer places. I also have lots of homegrown dried beans to store and sunfloer seeds. I could go on.
OK so here is my list so far:
Gamma seals
Extra large canning jars
Gallon glass jars with lids
a pressure canner
a deep freeze
crocks with lids
crocks without lids
wine making supplies
sealable bottles (swingtops)
small glass jars for spices etc
a 100 FT good quality garden hose
water timers
water proof pants
a dutch oven (cast iron) for use in our open fireplace

Ok that's enough for now

 

[Blackbird]

No, I haven't picked one out quite yet. I'm going to see if I can get a used one at the lab where my mom works.

If I need someone to teach me my aunt is a vet tech, so that is available if I need it. I know quite a few people who've successfully taught themselves with the help of online guides though, so I'm going to see what I can learn by myself first.

I just realized that catching a wild turkey is probably illegal.. Oh well, never stopped me before.

 

[Farmfresh]

Sounds like you have the recipe for success BB! Now all you need is that scope.

Oh add some swing top bottles to my list too!

 

[sufficientforme]

.

 

[jenlyn9483]

Usually by now I have a list for xmas for my honey, but alas My mind has not wandered past wedding so I guess this is a good time to think about it.

hmmm...

A dutch oven

A bissel Pet hair eraser vacuum cleaner

Shoe under

Magic hangers

A peice of fine gemstone jewelry from QVC, lapis or Turqoise or some other rare peice

a bread box

a rotisserie

Thats all I can think of for now

 

[keljonma]

I never have a big list.

I have a couple books I want - ss related
pressure canner

DH always gifts me a nativity to add to my collection.

DH wants a couple sweaters, a couple pair of jeans, and some books.

Our rule is don't buy anything you don't have the cash in hand to purchase. So we purchase throughout the year.

 

[FarmerChick]

I want a million things.
Then I don't want that million of things because of clutter.

Then I want alot...LOL

But won't get it.


Only thing I am getting is a juicer from Nicole and Tony. A cheaper model.

Not spending alot. Tony wants some hunting rifle or new deer stand or something he mentioned. He will get that.


We don't do Christmas presents for adults. So Tony and I get one thing we like (we each pick out our own model of whatever it is) and that is it.