What do you WANT to learn to do?

[Chickachee]

I would like to learn:

Weaving. I have a floor loom and did take a class once, but have forgotten everything
Beekeeping
Grow mushrooms (or find them, then I wouldn't have to grow them!)
Basic Carpentry (don't know if it'll happen - patience is not my strong suit)
To use a firearm (I'm chicken)
To use a chainsaw ( " " )
Make cheese

 

[Theonegrey]

Okayyyy...I want to learn to build my own solar panels, and I also would like to build a alternative fuel vehicle from the ground up and the fuel processing equipment to make my own fuel. I suck at sewing. I have cooking down already. I'm getting bored of my old hobbies. I want a complicated hobby that engages my brain.

I met a guy the other day who made a solar Heater for one of the rooms in his house, that was so simple I was surprised the idea hadn't been used before. He simply had 2 old sliding glass doors and made a 2x4 frame and put them on hinges. He spray painted the inside black ( to hold the heat), and added one partition down the middle of the box. cut a 4 inch hole in the top and in the partition then used Dryer vent pipe to pull the heat out of the box. inside he simply made a wooden cutout to fit in the window and attached a old computer fan to the front and the vent pipe to the back, with a simple thermostat to run it.

 

[the funny farm6]

I would LIKE to produce 75% or more of my familys food as organic and natural as possable. To do that I need to work on the presure canner. I got my milk goats, so next year I can add milk and will need to learn to make cheese.

I would also like to make as much of the things I buy at the store as possable. I make laundry soap and fabric softener, but would like to make soap with the goat milk also.

I did basket weaving in high school art. And really liked it. If I could get supplys I would like to give that a go again.

 

[baymule]

I am impressed with all the talented people we have here! And I love everyone's to-do lists! I can grow anything, just need more space to do it in lol. I keep chickens, can, dehydrate, put up veggies in the freezer, make pickles, can sew anything, do upholstry and refinish wood. We have horses and dogs (holes in our pockets haha) but there is nothing like a ride with the wind blowing in my face, or the gentle nudge from a friend wanting to be petted. I have helped roof our house (35 squares) twice over the years, can change out door locks, built my chicken coop.....8'2"x6'11"x7'10"x7'1".....
(never said I was GOOD at carpentry, just know how to make cuts and drive nails), can finish sheetrock, hunt-take a deer from the field to the plate, fish, butcher small animals, and know all sorts of home remedies. Whew! I didn't realize I could do all that! lol

What I want to learn, how to run a chainsaw, make soap, knit, crochet, would love to raise sheep, shear them and spin the wool. Would also like to know how to weave with different fibers. I want to build a root cellar and learn how to store fruits and vegetables for us and our future livestock. Oh, I would LOVE to learn how to drive that John Deere cab tractor I drool over and learn all the implements, cut hay and all that fun stuff. It would be a hoot to know how to drive a mule wagon, how to harness them up and be a mule skinner I want to learn aquaponics. I want to learn how to grow sugar cane and press it for syrup.

That's a lot of stuff to learn.......better get started........my poor husband, he humors me........

 

[Joel_BC]

Chickachee and others:

Here's a woman starting a chainsaw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z1Bt8-HbnM

Another woman using a chainsaw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwrPmiagBag
She's well prepared and seems quite skilled with it. I can't remember seeing a woman running one, but I believe I know at least two woman who do it... because they need to. Best to have someone show you how, and emphasize the safety aspects. I had a mild kickback injury once, by forgetting one of the principles of safety. But for just "bucking" (cross cutting) logs, chainsaws can be pretty safe.

 

[hqueen13]

Thanks for those links, Joel, that is on my to-do list, too. I'm a tiny person, so I need a saw that can work for me that I don't have to fight the saw or muscle it.

I need to know what to do simply in the event that I need to, living on a farm and having lots of trees, things need to be taken care of from time to time.

 

[lovely]

I'd like to learn how to make wine. I think that would be fun!

 

[Dawn419]

Hello and Welcome to the forum, lovely!

Here's a couple of threads you may be interested in :

Any winemakers/homebrewers here?

Beer, Wine and Mead Makers Thread

Make yourself at home here and enjoy!

 

[the_whingnut]

i would like to learn whatever anyone is willing to teach. Because if you aren't learning something you aren't growing.

 

[pinkfox]

distilling is on my list...i want to make my own essential oils and steam distilling is the best way to get the best quality out of flower oils (rose, chamomile ect)
i can make enfused oils, but id definatly like to make my own pure essentials.