Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

 

[Mini Horses]

to you BOTH!! It will work out, you won't have food worries & sounds like you won't have $$ issues, just less "throw away" $$. That's what we all need to do, money wise.

It will make you consider your own downsize plans for livestock, has for me, anyway. I'm thinking way, way less would be nice.

So, can DH milk for you, too?? Hmmm, "milking 101" class.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

So, can DH milk for you, too?? Hmmm, "milking 101" class.

I think he might be about to learn, lol. I'm not milking steadily right now anyway - I just sneak some for the bottle babies and for coffee.

He does have issues with his left hand after it got injured in his car wreck - but I do have one doe that milks like a dream. She has long teats, large orifices and just empties out so easily. He will surely get a lesson!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yay! You don't have a milking machine? My husband will not learn how to hand milk but he would use a machine if I needed help for some reason.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I do and when I get rid of some of these babies and can really milk I'll start it back up. I've got it all cleaned up and ready to put back in service. He can really milk for me then - at least mornings. I enjoy the 'quality' time with the does so I can't let him do it all, lol!

He is supposed to do hand exercises to strengthen that hand - and I told him there's no better hand exercise than milking a goat!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh nice! I'm the same way, I don't want to give up my goat chores.

That is a good hand exercise!!

 

[lcertuche]

Isn't it funny about how men will do anything if it has some kind of motor (milk machine) attached to it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's the truth!

 

[MoonShadows]

OK...watch it ladies!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We'll be nice, lol.

Started ultra frugalism today.
Step 1: No more going out to lunch 3 or 4 or 5 times a week. At an average of $10.00 - $12.00 a day I should save a minimum of $50 a week. (and hopefully drop a couple lbs!) I picked up a couple of frozen meals to keep at work to ease temptation on days when I might forget to bring something from home.

Step 2: Better meal planning so I will have something available to bring with me. I'll have to concentrate on actually getting meat out of the freezer to thaw so that I can cook what we already have instead of running to the store to get something that doesn't need to be thawed.

Step 3: No more morning stop at the donut shop for a sausage kolache a couple times a week. Not a big deal, but a good $10.00 a week saving.

Step 4: All these have to do with DH not going to work. He won't be buying lunch every day, no gas to go back and forth, and thank goodness - no dry cleaning bills for awhile. I've tried for years to teach him how to iron - but he won't do it (and neither will I)!! Savings there should be close to $100 bucks a week!

Step 5: Did some price comparison on feeds today. I buy from a feed mill so I get good prices already. But, I went to tractor supply today to check out a few things. They are cheaper on corn by about a dollar a bag. The pigs and the chickens get corn along with their pellets, but I rarely give it to the goats. Might start to use a little as a stretcher. Actually, the pigs are getting mighty little feed at all right now. They're pasturing! I won't compromise much on the critter feed - but if I give up a little - they can too, lol.

Step 5: Thermostat is set a couple degrees higher. Poor DH - he hates heat, but he'll survive. He'd keep it at 70, or lower, if I'd let him, but 74 will have to do for now. He's got a fan at his desk.

Step 6: I'll probably drive his car to work on days that I don't buy feed. He gets over 30mpg and my truck sure doesn't!

Step 7: I already started this - but hanging clothes out instead of running the electric dryer. Should save a good $30 a month on the electric bill.

Last but certainly not least: I'll be starting some homemade wine this weekend! ARGH! My favorite wine costs about $12 a bottle and it's easy to knock back a bottle of wine between the two of us several evenings a week. This one is gonna hurt, lol. But again - might help us drop a lb or two.

There will be other ideas as we go along. But, there are some things we can't cut down on. His meds...they will always be a necessity. The co-pay for surgery and doc appts.

I need to start selling eggs again too. I don't sell tons of them but it'll help defray the feed cost for sure.

Looking forward to this weekend. We're supposed to get a cool front!