Good morning!

[chanceosunshine]

I live in Ohio *and* Pennsylvania. I'm native to PA, but am living in NW OH until my husband retires and then we will return to PA to be near our family. That being said, my heart is here in OH and it will hurt to leave it.
We have 10 acres here and 46 in PA.
I read the "New Member Introduction" questions and realized just what a wannabe I am.
We currently have 30+ egg and pet chickens and 25 meat chickens. We have 16 new layers coming next week. After freeze drying 6 dozen eggs, I decided we needed more layers! I am going to love NOT buying eggs this winter and I was really impressed with how the freeze dried eggs came out.
I'm seriously considering raising rabbits for food as well. As much as I'd love to have large livestock, now is not the time because we have to travel too much.
We do hunt for deer in the fall, but the rest of our red meat comes from local farms.
We have a pretty large garden, with tomatoes being our main crop. We have 45 tomato plants and do a lot of canning.
I'm here to learn and prepare.
It's nice to "meet" you all.

 

[Mini Horses]

Nice to have you here. I'm in SE VA. It's fun and eye opening to share what we do all over the country -- and even outside USA. Many grow, hunt, preserve in many ways. I have garden, chickens, dairy & meat goats here.

 

[tortoise]

I live in Ohio *and* Pennsylvania. I'm native to PA, but am living in NW OH until my husband retires and then we will return to PA to be near our family. That being said, my heart is here in OH and it will hurt to leave it.
We have 10 acres here and 46 in PA.
I read the "New Member Introduction" questions and realized just what a wannabe I am.
We currently have 30+ egg and pet chickens and 25 meat chickens. We have 16 new layers coming next week. After freeze drying 6 dozen eggs, I decided we needed more layers! I am going to love NOT buying eggs this winter and I was really impressed with how the freeze dried eggs came out.
I'm seriously considering raising rabbits for food as well. As much as I'd love to have large livestock, now is not the time because we have to travel too much.
We do hunt for deer in the fall, but the rest of our red meat comes from local farms.
We have a pretty large garden, with tomatoes being our main crop. We have 45 tomato plants and do a lot of canning.
I'm here to learn and prepare.
It's nice to "meet" you all.

Ignore those new member questions! You're no newbie/wannabe! I'm impressed!

 

[tortoise]

Katahdin sheep is what we are considering in our future.

Sheep are pretty easy if your pasture is adequate (including when there is a drought). I just wrote out farmsitter instructions. "Check the water trough and refill if necessary." That is all. The farmsitter will probably turn on the hose to fill it once in a week. I wouldnt even ask them to come out daily except my barn cat is at least 10 years old and doesnt hunt much anymore - she needs her snacks and cuddles.

I have commercial crossbred wool sheep. DH and I shear - its too much hassle to get a shearer for a small flock. The one good (skilled) shearer is misogynist and racist so I'll never have him back at my farm.

Fencing is pretty easy. I mean, it's WORK to put fence in. But sheep are not like goats 😅 I have old beat up woven wire fence. But, if you ever have more than one ram, you need lots of space between them (never share a fenceline) or exceptionally tough gates. They'll ram each other with the gate between them and destroy the gate. 🙄

I am definitely a livestock enabler. Team sheep! And I'm shopping for goats too 😅

 

[chanceosunshine]

Sheep are pretty easy if your pasture is adequate (including when there is a drought). I just wrote out farmsitter instructions. "Check the water trough and refill if necessary." That is all. The farmsitter will probably turn on the hose to fill it once in a week. I wouldnt even ask them to come out daily except my barn cat is at least 10 years old and doesnt hunt much anymore - she needs her snacks and cuddles.

I have commercial crossbred wool sheep. DH and I shear - its too much hassle to get a shearer for a small flock. The one good (skilled) shearer is misogynist and racist so I'll never have him back at my farm.

Fencing is pretty easy. I mean, it's WORK to put fence in. But sheep are not like goats 😅 I have old beat up woven wire fence. But, if you ever have more than one ram, you need lots of space between them (never share a fenceline) or exceptionally tough gates. They'll ram each other with the gate between them and destroy the gate. 🙄

I am definitely a livestock enabler. Team sheep! And I'm shopping for goats too 😅

Yes, the ease of sheep is alluring and we definitely want to get into them. But, since I’m always looking for trouble I’d like some goats as well! Personally, I prefer goat meat to lamb, but I also want dairy animals as well.

If we chose wool breeds I would want to learn to shear them myself. I used to groom dogs and I always got the big unruly ones.

 

[tortoise]

If we chose wool breeds I would want to learn to shear them myself. I used to groom dogs and I always got the big unruly ones.

I'm a former pet groomer too. I shear sheep standing. It takes a few minutes more, but is less physically demanding. I use an Andis Excel 5 speed with a medium blending or 10 blade. DH uses sheep shears, but they're too heavy for me - and not faster for me either. However, the Andis blades can have a hard time with lanolin. When my son showed sheep this summer, we bathed them and wet clipped. Very easy, but doesnt work if you want to send wool out for processing. Okay if you wash/process fleeces the same day.

Sheep are very trainable and are generally easier to shave than big dogs. 😁

 

[baymule]

Why would neighbors give you flack for putting up fence? Good fences make for good neighbors. I want all my animals IN and everybody else’s OUT.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Welcome from WI--I too have chickens Not that many but 7 and 5 new babies.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Welcome from NE Ohio!

 

[chanceosunshine]

Nice to have you here. I'm in SE VA. It's fun and eye opening to share what we do all over the country -- and even outside USA. Many grow, hunt, preserve in many ways. I have garden, chickens, dairy & meat goats here.

Goats are my dream animal. I just can't have them until I'm in one place. What breeds do you have?

Welcome from WI--I too have chickens Not that many but 7 and 5 new babies.

That's enough! Trust me, I'm feeling overwhelmed with them right now and we have a broody hen sitting on 18 eggs.

Welcome from NE Ohio!

I just love Ohio. I never thought I would.