What about the livestock?

[2Buckeyes]

Hey guys & gals! While we are not on a homestead YET, that is our ultimate goal. I've been wondering though, what about feed for your animals when, as you say, TSHTF? I imagine that the feed stores will quickly run out of food. What are you doing to ensure that you have enough to feed your animals in such a situation?

And what about sugar for feeding bees if you can't buy it at the store?

(Just some questions rattling in my tired head!)

 

[dragonlaurel]

I don't have them yet either, but a bunch of people plant their own patch of hay, sunflower seeds, mangel beets, or whatever their animals will eat. Depending on what they grow- they can harvest it at once, or a little at a time for the critters.
Some also fence that area off while it's growing, then just let the animals in later- to harvest for themselves when it's needed.

You would have to be extra careful to not take to much from the bees, so they get through the winter if TSHTF. Or keep a jar of the honey back to give them if they start getting low.

 

[dragonlaurel]

I just realized you're new. Welcome!
I'm sure more people will be along with lots more experience. You can also go up to "search" and type in "growing your own feed" or something similar, since people have had threads about it sometimes. You can look through these for a start:

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7329
http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5923

It's good that you're thinking about the food now. Remember to have a source of clean water for you and them, that doesn't require public utilities. In a power failure, a hand pump may be more valuable than lots of fancy equipment.
fixed typo

 

[sunsaver]

Being self sufficient, in the ultimate form, means that you have no need for money or barter in order to live. I am very close to this goal. I sometimes have to work for cash to buy the technological devices that keep me connected to the outside world. Or, i may have to purchase flour, cheese, milk, butter, and other things that i don't produce myself. If i had a larger plot of land, and a family to help with the chores, i would have the livestock, grow and mill the wheat, produce the milk and cheese, etc. I find it easier to live a mostly vegetarian lifestyle, growing my own organically, and just go to work every now and then, to get the money for staples or a special pork roast!
I expect that grass or hay are the most SS forms of livestock feed.

 

[valmom]

If TSHTF, we would have to downsize the horses! We have 8 right now, (but one old mare is on her last summer ) I have a bookmarked site that sells nice scythes- from someone on here. But I haven't bought one yet. I would be cutting and drying grass for the horses. The chickies the first winter would have to make it on whatever we find to eat ourselves shared with them. The second winter we would be better prepared, I hope, in growing something for seeds for them. I am following Wifezilla's amaranth growing!

Depending on what season TSHTF up here it would make a big difference. If it hits in the fall with no time to prepare for winter we would all be screwed. If it hits late winter/spring we might make it.

 

[freemotion]

Learn to forage, too. Make sure your animals know how to forage.

 

[R2D2]

Sunsaver, being as close to total self suffciance as you are,don't you still need money to pay property taxes...? Thats a big hit for myself.

 

[BarredBuff]

Well I have a large patch of corn for the poultry in the garden. The rabbits get the staulks. Then I have sunflowers growing in the garden, the huge headed tall tops, seeds for poultry and staulks for the buns. Then I gather grass clippings for them. My poultry forage and get normal feed (mainly because of my growing meat ducks and stewin roos). But they have all foraged for a while. So Im prepared.......I think.

 

[rebecca100]

Basically you just need to make sure you only keep enough animals that the land is not overburdened. You could probably keep quite a few chickens if you free ranged. My worry is more along the lines of deworming. My stock is not particularly resistant, and I don't know about herbal deworming. I know pumpkin seeds are supposed to be good, but that alone won't be enough.

 

[freemotion]

My biggest challenge with self-sufficient herbal deworming so far has been in trying to get my wormwood seeds to sprout! :/ Part of herbal deworming success is to start NOW and cull your herd, keeping the ones that are easiest to maintain chemical free. They are not always the biggest producers. In my little herd of four does, the moderate producers are the easiest keepers. Ginger doesn't give the most milk nor does she have the longest lactation, but she could get fat on air, I suspect.

Maybe a thread on this might be started....