Patch of Heaven Farm ~My journey to become more SS~

[PatchofHeavenFarm]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Mississippi..climate is hot and hotter with a few days of freezing rain mixed in..
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Remarried and there are 6 in my family (I am the only female! )
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
I think anything I can do for myself and not have to rely on others is a great step in SS. I will never become 100% SS but my goal is to work a lil lcoser to 90% one step at a time.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
What is spare time? it doesn't exisist around here but if I had any I would read a book!
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I helped build a house. Built a chicken coop by myself
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
no
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
my dad
8 Cloth or paper? depends
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
garden and making my own laundry soap, chickens...I want to learn to can and bake more
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
I am not sure.. I would never choose to live with no electricity or running water if I had the choice
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
YES!
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
A book!
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Tractor
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
no but would love to help others
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
yes and lots of horses and a few rabbits and chickens
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
no
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
YES! EVERYTHING!!
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
LOVE to and baits... are explosives even legal? Don't think they are in this part of the country lol
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
I have 3 acres that I own but live on another 3 at my job site
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
no
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Love to learn to can
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
Not sure..
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Not really...I made raised beds for my garden and built my chicken coop but wood working isn't my specialty
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
Right here with my family
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
no
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
My DH..he saves me every day
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Sadly no
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes and yes and yes!
30. What was your MOS?

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Fish and Dh hunts
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
gardening
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
the one in my head
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
no
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?

36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
no and some days I think I would...
37. In what do you trust?
God and family
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
yes i make laundry soap
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?yes

 

[PatchofHeavenFarm]

Hi my name is Jessica and I live with my family in a little sleepy town of Mississippi. We live on site at my job (animal sanctuary) so even though we own a few acres it is about half an hour from us and we are limited on what we can do where we live. We plan to put a couple of calves on our land to raise for meat this spring. Our goal is to have a small homestead again in a few years. I love to learn new things and feel the satisfaction of making or doing something for myself/family instead of just running out and buying it. I want to give my family the best food I can and buying at the whole food store just isn't a option for us. So we are going to grow our own food and learn to eat what is in season.

Thanks for reading!

Jess

 

[Beekissed]

Very nice to meet you!!! Welcome to the forum! You sound like you'll fit in great here.....

 

[PatchofHeavenFarm]

Thanks Beekissed.. I was a member here and BYC a couple years ago but I forgot my log in so I guess I am starting over.

 

[PatchofHeavenFarm]

#1 raised bed (16 ft by 4 ft) more to come!
Have cabbage and lettuce and carrots planted

a few white and yellow onions

tomorrow I will be planting broccoli and adding bed #2 - 20ft by 4ft

 

[Beekissed]

SFG!!! Excellent pic of it! Please post pics of this when they all get bigger and fill in the squares? I hope to be maximizing garden space again this year in much the same way but probably not so neatly done as yours.

 

[Denim Deb]

You mention horses. Do you own them, or are they just on the property?

Bee, it took me a minute to figure out what SFG was, then the penny dropped.

 

[BarredBuff]

You'll fit right int!! Nice picture by the way....

 

[snapshot]

Hi Jess! Welcome to the forum from my sleepier (or smaller) town near you! Once we are settled somewhere, I bet I can help with canning experience! I love your garden and I plan to start one even though I know nothing about gardening. I'm glad you are doing a journal!!!!

 

[PatchofHeavenFarm]

Thanks everyone! I will post pics as everything grows and I get more beds up. I am loving this spring weather!!

ETA: Deb I have a horse rescue. I have 8 at the moment My partner in the rescue has 16. I have two ponies here on the property the rest are about 5 miles at my partners house.