Not The Farmers Wife CJ Steedman

Supermarket-free lifestyle - Episode 73

Don't forget to join the waitlist www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist to get all the information about our upcoming course.

Buying Direct Meat from a farmer https://halfacow.farm/ 

 Growing Food

Vegetable Garden:

   - Grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.

   - Use techniques like crop rotation and companion planting to maximize yield.

   Fruit Trees and Berry Bushes:

   - Plant apple, pear, peach, and other fruit trees.

   - Grow berry bushes such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

Greenhouse:

   - Extend the growing season and protect plants from adverse weather.

   Herb Garden:

   - Grow culinary and medicinal herbs.

Aquaponics and Hydroponics:

   - Use these systems to grow plants in water with added nutrients.

 

Animal Husbandry

Raising Livestock:

   - Keep chickens for eggs and meat.

   - Raise goats, sheep or cows for fibre, milk, cheese, and meat.

   - Keep bees for honey and beeswax.

 

 Fishing and Aquaculture:

   - Raise fish in ponds or tanks.

   - Utilize local water bodies for fishing.

 

Foraging and Hunting

Wild Foraging:

   - Gather edible plants, berries, mushrooms, and nuts from the wild.

Hunting:

   - Hunt deer, rabbits, kangaroos and other game for meat.

 

Food Preservation

Canning and Pickling:

   - Preserve fruits, vegetables, and meats.

Drying and Dehydrating:

   - Dry herbs, fruits, and meats.

Fermenting:

   - Make sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha.

Freezing:

   - Freeze fruits, vegetables, and meats for long-term storage.

 

Homemade Household Supplies

Cleaning Supplies:

   - Make natural cleaners using vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.

Personal Care Products:

   - Make soap, shampoo, and toothpaste using natural ingredients.

   - Use homemade or reusable items like cloth diapers and menstrual products.

Textiles:

   - Spin and weave wool from sheep, goats or alpacas.

   - Sew and repair clothing or second hand.

 

Alternative Sourcing

Bartering and Trading:

   - Exchange goods and services with neighbours and local communities.

Local Farmers’ Markets:

   - Buy directly from local farmers and artisans.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA):

   - Subscribe to a CSA for regular deliveries of fresh, local produce.

Bulk Buying and Co-ops:

   - Purchase bulk items through food co-ops to minimize trips and packaging.

Adopting these practices can significantly reduce dependence on supermarkets and contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle.

 

Episode 72 - Spring Livestock Planning

https://www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist

Shelter Maintenance: Ensure Animal Shelters are Weatherproof and Warm

Building the Perfect Shelter: Essential Features for All Seasons

   - The basics of constructing a durable and weatherproof animal shelter, focusing on materials, design, and placement to ensure protection from the elements.

   - Tips for insulation and ventilation to keep shelters warm in winter and cool in summer.

Winterising Your Animal Shelters: Keeping Your Livestock Warm and Safe

   - Insulating shelters, sealing drafts, and providing additional heat sources.

   - Bedding options that retain warmth and discuss the importance of keeping shelters dry.

DIY Shelter Maintenance: Tips and Tricks for Busy Homesteaders

   - Maintenance tips for ensuring shelters remain in good condition year-round.

   - Routine checks for structural integrity, cleaning schedules, and repairs.

Water Systems: Ensure Water Sources are Clean and Functional

Setting Up Efficient Water Systems: From Buckets to Automatic Waterers

   - Types of water systems suitable for various livestock

   - Setting up and maintaining these systems to ensure a constant supply of fresh water.

Winter Watering Solutions: Preventing Frozen Water and Ensuring Access

   - Methods for keeping water from freezing during cold months, including heated waterers, insulated buckets, and other innovative solutions.

   - Tips on checking water supplies regularly and ensuring all animals have access.

Clean Water, Healthy Livestock: The Importance of Water Hygiene

   - Clean water on animal health and productivity.

   - Advice on regular cleaning schedules, water testing, and troubleshooting common water contamination issues.

Pasture Rotation: Rotate Grazing Areas to Prevent Soil Degradation

Introduction to Pasture Rotation: Benefits for Livestock and Land

   - Concept of pasture rotation and its benefits, including improved soil health, better forage quality, and reduced parasite loads.

   - Overview of how to get started with basic pasture rotation techniques.

   - Monitoring pasture health and making adjustments to ensure long-term sustainability.

Health Checks: Monitor Livestock for Signs of Illness and Provide Adequate Nutrition

Routine Health Checks: What to Look For and How to Act

   - The basics of performing regular health checks on different types of livestock, highlighting common signs of illness or distress.

   - Tips on maintaining a health check schedule and keeping records.

Nutrition 101: Feeding Your Livestock for Optimal Health

   - The nutritional needs of various livestock, including the importance of balanced diets and proper feeding techniques.

   - Tips on choosing feeds, and supplements while monitoring nutritional intake.

I like to use this supplement leading up to kidding

https://www.bioworma.com/bioworma

Dealing with Common Livestock Ailments: Prevention and Treatment

   - Common health issues in livestock and offer advice on prevention, early detection, and treatment.

   - The importance of vaccination, parasite control, and working with a veterinarian.

Breeding Planning: Schedule Breeding for Spring Births

The Basics of Breeding: Understanding Your Livestock's Reproductive Cycles

   - Overview of the reproductive cycles for different types of livestock and the best times for breeding.

   - The importance of timing and planning for successful breeding outcomes.

Here is a gestation calculator I like to use 

https://www.kurraglenindustries.com.au/gestation-calculator.htm#google_vignette

Preparing for Breeding Season: Health Checks and Nutritional Needs

   - Advice on ensuring that both male and female livestock are in optimal health before breeding, including pre-breeding health checks and nutritional adjustments.

   - Discuss the importance of managing stress and providing a suitable environ

Planning Your Spring Garden

If you're new to homesteading, and maybe gardening too, but eager to get a jump on your spring garden, let me try to help.

For me, winter is the perfect time to plan and prepare, sitting in from on the fire, glass of something in hand, ensuring my garden is full of wonderful crops come spring. What can we do while it's still too cold to grow outside?

Assess Your Space

First things first, let’s take a good look at your available garden space.

- Evaluate Available Space: Grab a tape measure and figure out the size of your garden area. This will help you decide how much you can realistically plant.

- Type of beds: Do you have raised beds or ground level? Or are you growing in pots- Sunlight and Soil: Identify the sunniest spots in your garden. Most veggies need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight. Also, check your soil quality. Is it sandy, clay, or loamy? This will affect what you can grow and how you need to amend your soil.

 

Determine Your Needs

Next, think about what your family loves to eat and how much you’ll need.

- Family Preferences: Make a list of your family's favourite fruits and veggies. Involving the kids in this process can be fun and educational!- Quantity: Estimate how much of each crop you’ll need. Think about your family size and how often you eat each type of produce.

- Use apps to help: I have just started using seedtime as a tool to help me plan what to grow when and how much.

https://seedtime.us/jkmel4ukl4tonac09iap-5fs?ref=cj-steedman24

Choose Your Crops

Now comes the fun part—choosing what to grow!

- Seasonal Suitability: Select crops that thrive in your climate. Look for varieties that are well-suited to your region's growing conditions.- Variety Selection: Pick a mix of fast-growing and longer-maturing plants. This way, you’ll have a steady harvest throughout the season.

- Something new: Don't be afraid to try something new. If your family hates it you can always feed it to your chickens.

Plan Your Layout

Planning your garden layout is crucial for a productive and healthy garden.

- Companion Planting: Group plants that grow well together and help deter pests. For example, basil and tomatoes are great companions.- Succession Planting: Plan to plant multiple crops in the same space throughout the season. After harvesting early crops like radishes, you can plant another round of veggies in the same spot. The seedtime program can help with this!

Create a Planting Schedule

Timing is everything when it comes to gardening.

- Frost Dates: Find out the last frost date in your area. This will help you decide when to start planting.- Seed Starting: For crops that need a longer growing season, start seeds indoors in late winter. This gives your plants a head start before transplanting them outside.

Gather Supplies

Let’s make sure you have everything you need before the planting season begins.

- Seeds and Seedlings: Order your seeds early. Focus on heirloom and organic varieties for the best flavour and sustainability.- Tools and Materials: Ensure you have essential gardening tools like a spade, hoe, and watering can. Don’t forget soil amendments and fertilizers to keep your plants healthy.

 

Mojo Homestead has a range of gardening products available for sale at our online store

Not The Farmers Wife

 

Prepare the Soil

Good soil is the foundation of a thriving garden.

- Soil Testing: Test your soil for pH and nutrient levels. You can buy a simple test kit online or from a garden centre.- Amendments: Add compost and organic matter to enrich the soil. This improves soil structure and fertility, giving your plants the best start.

 

Set Up Irrigation

An efficient watering system can save you time and ensure your plants get the moisture they need.

- Watering System: Consider setting up a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses. These methods conserve water and deliver it directly to the plant roots.

 

90-day planning for July - Aug - Sept

The link I mentioned is for Seedtime, the below link is an affiliate link (I'll get free seeds)

https://seedtime.us/jkmel4ukl4tonac09iap-5fs?ref=cj-steedman24

July Garden Preparation:

- Soil Testing: Test soil pH and nutrients, adding lime or compost as needed.

- Seedlings: Start cool-season crops like garlic, onions, leeks, and broccoli indoors.

- Pruning: Prune dormant fruit trees and berry bushes.

Livestock Care:

- Shelter Maintenance: Ensure animal shelters are weatherproof and warm.

- Health Checks: Monitor livestock, particularly pregnant ones, for signs of illness and provide adequate nutrition.

- Day Old Chickens: Get them ordered and the brooder ready.

General Homesteading:

- Tool Maintenance: Sharpen and repair tools for the upcoming planting season.

- Workshops: Attend or host workshops on sustainable homesteading practices.

August Garden Activities:

- Cold Frame Construction: Build or repair cold frames for early spring planting.

- Direct Sowing: Plant hardy greens like spinach and lettuce under protection.

- Check Seeds: And decide what you need to buy to cover your planting

Composting:

- Compost Turnover: Turn compost piles regularly to maintain decomposition.

Livestock Management:

- Breeding Planning: Schedule breeding for spring births.

- Chicks: Should be in the brooder house and growing up a storm

- Pasture Rotation: Rotate grazing areas to prevent soil degradation.

- Shearing: For animals that need shearing, the end of August or early September

September Garden Planting:

- Transplant Seedlings: Move hardy seedlings outdoors when temperatures rise.

- Weeding and Mulching: Keep garden beds weed-free and apply mulch to retain moisture.

Livestock Care:

- Spring Preparations: Prepare birthing areas for livestock.

- Chicks: Should be spending some time outside as the weather warms.

- Water Systems: Ensure water sources are clean and functional.

Milking Barn

- Prep for Milking: Make sure the milking stand doesn’t need repairs

- Bottles and Pail: I like to clean everything in preparation for milking

- Food: Ensure you have the correct food for milking goats.

E 69 - Winter Livestock Feeding

Link to Allan Savory TEDx talk


Nutrient-Rich Winter Forage Options

   - Growing and preserving nutrient-dense forages like hay, silage (with higher moisture content), and food scraps, etc.

 


Supplementing Livestock Diets with Homegrown Feed

   - Incorporating farm-grown grains, legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils), and byproducts (cuttings) into winter feed. Note: Horses should not consume cuttings, but cows, goats, sheep, and chickens can.

 


Fermented Feeds for Improved Digestion

   - Techniques for fermenting grains and forage to enhance livestock nutrition. For chickens, soak grain in water and let it ferment for about 3 days until bubbles come to the surface. For goats, fermenting helps boost nutritional bioavailability, increases vitamin absorption, and reduces feed amounts. I tend to only feed grain to my pregnant does, while hay is for everyone else.

 


Rotational Grazing in Winter

   - Strategies for managing pastures and grazing land during colder months, such as strip grazing.

 


Home-Made Mineral Blocks and Supplements

   - Mineral blocks are beneficial because our soils are often depleted, meaning livestock doesn't get enough nutrients from grasses alone. You can make your own mineral blocks, but the pre-made ones are very efficient. As you improve your soil, its nutrient content should also improve.

 


Cost-Effective Winter Feed Storage Solutions

   - Techniques for storing hay, grains, and other feeds to prevent spoilage.

 


Nutritional Needs of Pregnant and Lactating Animals in Winter

   - Ensuring adequate nutrition for breeding stock during winter. Provide mineral blocks and fermented feed for pregnant does. I also supplement with BioWorma to encourage healthy guts and transfer some immunity to the kids.

 


Hydration Tips for Livestock in Cold Weather

   - Ensuring access to clean, unfrozen water and tips for preventing dehydration. Urinary problems in wethers, similar to kidney stones, can be prevented by providing lots of water. Adding some apple cider vinegar to the water can also help.

 


Reducing Feed Waste and Maximizing Efficiency

   - Strategies to minimize feed waste and ensure all livestock get their fair share. Keeping feed in bale holders and off the ground helps prevent worming issues.

 


Maintaining Body Condition in Winter

    - Monitoring livestock health and adjusting feeding practices accordingly. Even though it’s cold, spend time with them; it’s the best way to monitor their body condition. I take sliced apples or carrot sticks with me and check on all of them. Don’t forget regular worm checks too!

Winter Garden Care for Gardeners

Take a Well-Deserved Break! Winter is a natural pause in the gardening calendar, and it's the perfect time for a holiday. After all, many plants can't grow during this season. As I've gotten older, I've come to embrace a more holistic view of life. I genuinely believe that nature gives us winter as a time to slow down, regenerate, and relax. It's wise to take advantage of this period to recuperate and restore your energy before diving back into the busy spring months. Enjoy this downtime, and let it rejuvenate your spirit.

Winter Garden Planning, Record Keeping and Utilizing Winter Downtime Productively

- Reflecting on the Season: Evaluating what worked and what didn’t. - Garden Journals: Keeping a garden journal to track progress and plan for next season.

- Planning for Spring: Preparing seed orders and starting seedlings indoors.

- Setting Goals: Setting realistic goals for the next gardening season.

- Education and Learning: Reading gardening books and attending webinars.

Preparing the Garden for the next growing season

- Clearing and Cleaning: Remove dead plants and debris to prevent pests and diseases.

- Soil Preparation: Adding compost and mulch to enrich and protect the soil.

- Tool Maintenance: Cleaning, sharpening, and storing garden tools properly.

- Protecting Perennials: Mulch and cover perennials to safeguard them from frost.

- Cold-Hardy Vegetables: Best vegetables to plant for winter kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts.

- Cover Crops: Benefits of planting cover crops like clover and rye to improve soil health.

Cold Weather Protections and Greenhouse/ Cold Frame Gardening

- Building a Cold Frame: Simple DIY cold frame designs and uses.

- Greenhouse Basics: Tips for setting up and maintaining a greenhouse.

- Row Covers and Cloches: Using row covers, cloches, and other protective gear.

- Mulching Techniques: How to use mulch effectively to insulate plants.

- Windbreaks and Barriers: Creating windbreaks to protect plants from harsh winds.

- DIY Plant Covers: Making affordable plant covers from household items.

Watering Strategies in Winter

- Frozen pipes and hoses

- Irrigation Systems: Setting up drip irrigation or soaker hoses to minimize water waste.

- Watering Frequency: Adjusting watering schedules for winter conditions.

- Preventing Overwatering: Recognizing signs of overwatering and root rot.

Australia Eden Seeds - huge range including heirloom varieties, and they encourage seed-saving https://www.edenseeds.com.au/

Diggers Club - lots of heirloom varieties, membership only on some

https://www.diggers.com.au/

UK, Aus and NZ Mr Fothergills - all non-GMO and some organic - also available in UK and NZ https://www.mrfothergills.com.au/

USA and Canada Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

https://www.rareseeds.com/store

Johnnys Selected Seeds

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/

https://www.notthefarmerswife.com/products/seeding-square?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web

https://www.notthefarmerswife.com/products/greenhaven-raised-garden-bed-outdoor-galvanized-planter-boxes?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web