What do you WANT to learn to do?

[hqueen13]

Geez, almost all of these things I want to learn!
Keeping livestock (I have a horse, so I've got that down, but I eventually want chickens, sheep, goats, cows, alpacas (and the obligatory llama that goes with them), and someday yaks, too.), farming, spinning, bee keeping, building, repair work on the house, driving tractors, driving a trailer, learn to sew better, learn to knit better (JUST attempting socks, I've already taken the toes out 3 times...!), learn more about homeopathic remedies and health through diet, butchering animals (scared of that one...), canning my own veggies, and in general keeping our own property. I can't wait to have our OWN space that we can work with and work the land in harmony with everything. And this is just the short list, LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

hq - that is the short list?


wow
but ya know it is all good. anything you learn to help yourself and be more SS is always a great skill.

 

[hqueen13]

LOL, yeah.... I wanna learn to do everything!!

 

[Gypsi]

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.

Complicated hobby that engages your brain: beekeeping, but clear your schedule for several months first.

Smocking for OP: hard but doable. Get some cotton fabric, scrap, to practice on. mark evenly spaced dots (you remember playing dots in school right - where you make squares and put your initials in them?) Anyway, using a water based washable marker or a pencil, make dots every half inch, vertically and horizontally. You will need a hand needle. Work horizontally, sewing through the dots and folding as you sew. Knot at each end. Adjust smocking to desired fullness. Pin to a piece of flat fabric. Topstitch by hand or on machine in desired pattern. And that is how you do smocking. Many many years ago I had time. And I own a book somewhere that I bought in the 70's or 80's that is full of how-to's about sewing, laundry, etc. I believe it is the encyclopedia of household hints and dollar stretchers. It has a lot of sewing, knitting, crochet stitches and how-to's in it. As well as laundry stain removal, brass polish (which I either did wrong or it didn't work), etc. I paid about $15 new. Worth looking for.

 

[the funny farm6]

I want to learn how to make more of the stuff I buy, laundry soap is is what I am trying now.

Would like to work on my canning- do things that require water bath but I have always been afrade of the pressure canner.

Would love to keep bees ( we are very close to dadants bee and candle supplies in hamilton illinois- plus hubbys uncle is a top dog there)

There was other stuff let me think......

 

[Gypsi]

Beekeeping eventually. Right now I'd like to learn how to get through to the kids to pick up after themselves...

Me, too!!

I used to declare my teenagers floors black holes. Actually only one daughter, and only once. Everything on the floor went in a big black bag. The only things not thrown out were school text books. Which means she had to explain to her friends that their clothes were gone forever. And I do mean forever. I hit a behind grocery store dumpster. Clothing, makeup, shoes and all.

I think she forgave me 5 years later. But I only had to do it once. (the room was 3 ft deep, plenty of warnings had been given, she was 15.)

 

[FarmerChick]

My Mom almost did that to me but at the last second I saved everything.

you know I learned! whew.......

sometimes you have to go full speed to get any knowledge into a teenagers brain.

 

[DianeS]

I want to learn how to play the bagpipe! (OK, not self-sufficient, but it's on my bucket list anyway )

I do want to learn how to process a large animal. I can do chickens and rabbits, but the idea of larger animals with recognizable cuts of meat is a bit intimidating.

I want to learn how to tan hides. I have a freezer full of rabbit pelts so I can learn, just have to assemble all the parts to it and take that first step. I'm always chilly, so the idea of a self-tanned rabbit scarf and earmuffs is pushing me along on this one.

Things I can do but need more practice on include spinning, crocheting, and knitting. I've pulled my spinning wheel back out and am working the rust out of my fingers with that. Have yet to pick up a crochet hook or knitting needles in years, though. When I learned them years ago I didn't get any further than washclothes and scarves. I'd like to do something with curves to it, like socks or a sweater.

 

[Gypsi]

My Mom almost did that to me but at the last second I saved everything.

you know I learned! whew.......

sometimes you have to go full speed to get any knowledge into a teenagers brain.

I am proud to announce that my bull-headed daughter, whose room was 3 ft deep and I had to pull the black hole cleanup on, who I was quite sure would not live to 18, is now 28. And in about 2.5 weeks she will graduate college with a masters degree. Except for my providing my income data for Pell grants and scholarship applications, she is bull-headed enough to have done this all herself, and I am very, very proud of her. Her masters is in accounting, she worked 8 years on the same job and has since switched to something that will let her use that major, she owns her own home, and has made an incredible life for herself. She also postponed a few things, and just last weekend discovered that she is pregnant. She very much wants a baby. I am as proud as a mother could be.

Stubbornness is also perseverance, if we are never challenged, we never develop our full potential.

 

[FarmerChick]

Gypsi you are so lucky she is leading into a great path in life. Best any parent can hope! Your daughter sure sounds ambitious. That is wonderful.

AND

CONGRATS Grandma to be! I know you can't wait to get your hands on that cute baby coming!!


Is this your first grandchild?