Any other farmers/homesteaders out there

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

I was raised in the city but never learned to love it. The noise, pollution, crowds, traffic, endless hours left at the end of a day with nothing but TV...

Country life has a completely different rhythm. I rise early to milk and feed, I sit on my porch in my robe and drink coffee and watch the critters as they wake and stir around. I plant and harvest and can and cook, putting some meals on the table every week that were completely grown and raised right here. I turn milk into cheese and soap. I wash and hang clothes in the clean country air. I see life and death if not daily then at least weekly. I help things to live; baby chicks and ducklings, goatlings, calves...

When I read my bible I really, truly understand what it is to leave the flock and look for one that is lost, how the tares grow among the wheat, why a vine or tree must be grafted onto a strong root stock or it will not survive in it's natural state. I lay my tired body down at night and sleep the sleep of one is content.

I am not just a taker from the planet but am able to give back. I am able to give to others from the work of my hands. I count all that joy and not a burden at all. And it is those things and so many more that I did not find in city life.

There's something about the smell of the ground, the feel of dirt when planting that soothes my nerves.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

It's all in the upbringing. Growing up in my family it is viewed as nothing short of a shining compliment. A Jersey is about as good as it gets. It was a moment in time that made me feel a little proud.

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

I was raised in the city but never learned to love it. The noise, pollution, crowds, traffic, endless hours left at the end of a day with nothing but TV...

Country life has a completely different rhythm. I rise early to milk and feed, I sit on my porch in my robe and drink coffee and watch the critters as they wake and stir around. I plant and harvest and can and cook, putting some meals on the table every week that were completely grown and raised right here. I turn milk into cheese and soap. I wash and hang clothes in the clean country air. I see life and death if not daily then at least weekly. I help things to live; baby chicks and ducklings, goatlings, calves...

When I read my bible I really, truly understand what it is to leave the flock and look for one that is lost, how the tares grow among the wheat, why a vine or tree must be grafted onto a strong root stock or it will not survive in it's natural state. I lay my tired body down at night and sleep the sleep of one is content.

I am not just a taker from the planet but am able to give back. I am able to give to others from the work of my hands. I count all that joy and not a burden at all. And it is those things and so many more that I did not find in city life.

I am not a fan of the big city life. I have no use for any of their ways, but I do like the feel of a small town in the country (I am not entirely citified I suppose ). A small garden, my cats, and that is enough for me. I love to read, visiting with friends and neighbors, going to church, and being able to recognize almost everyone in town.

My Mom worked at an exotic animal farm, and I was employed to do various portions of the upkeep (I was only about 14-15) such as cleaning her small water way, mowing the grass (I did not mow around the main house), cleaning the gutters, and other small jobs. I quickly decided that I can do without the constant headache of coping with animal leavings on the bottom of my shoes, as well as other things. The part that I enjoyed most, and still would, was bottle feeding the young animals (except for that annoying baby zebra).

People like you make people like me happy people. I can come for a visit, and you can keep the animals. I hope that you have a lot of success with all of your animals. May they give you in such abundance that you have canned food in the cellar for generations to come.



Did I do good by recognizing that she was referring to a cow? Although, I was always more partial to Holsteins myself, but that is probably my Kansas years showing.

[RandyWayne]

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Jay

I am not a fan of the big city life. I have no use for any of their ways, but I do like the feel of a small town in the country (I am not entirely citified I suppose ). A small garden, my cats, and that is enough for me. I love to read, visiting with friends and neighbors, going to church, and being able to recognize almost everyone in town.

My Mom worked at an exotic animal farm, and I was employed to do various portions of the upkeep (I was only about 14-15) such as cleaning her small water way, mowing the grass (I did not mow around the main house), cleaning the gutters, and other small jobs. I quickly decided that I can do without the constant headache of coping with animal leavings on the bottom of my shoes, as well as other things. The part that I enjoyed most, and still would, was bottle feeding the young animals (except for that annoying baby zebra).

People like you make people like me happy people. I can come for a visit, and you can keep the animals. I hope that you have a lot of success with all of your animals. May they give you in such abundance that you have canned food in the cellar for generations to come.



Did I do good by recognizing that she was referring to a cow? Although, I was always more partial to Holsteins myself, but that is probably my Kansas years showing.

You did well.

A college up the road has a dairy farm and they, apparently, use a lot of Jersey/Holstein crosses because I buy my bull calves from them. Each spring they sell everything that has the audacity to be born male for about $40 and last time I got a Jersey. Jersey is GOOD meat. Some of the best IMO. But they aren't meat animals so you have to raise them for about 18 months to get any good amount of meat out of them.


This year I plan on getting 2 or 3 of them. That way, in the same amount of time, I can get more meat. I am interested to see if the Jersey/Holestein cross calves (soon to become steers) grow any faster than the Jersey we raised before.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

There's something about the smell of the ground, the feel of dirt when planting that soothes my nerves.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

You did well.

A college up the road has a dairy farm and they, apparently, use a lot of Jersey/Holstein crosses because I buy my bull calves from them. Each spring they sell everything that has the audacity to be born male for about $40 and last time I got a Jersey. Jersey is GOOD meat. Some of the best IMO. But they aren't meat animals so you have to raise them for about 18 months to get any good amount of meat out of them.


This year I plan on getting 2 or 3 of them. That way, in the same amount of time, I can get more meat. I am interested to see if the Jersey/Holestein cross calves (soon to become steers) grow any faster than the Jersey we raised before.

Jersey is great meat... I have a Jersey steer in the freezer now... yum!

The Holsties WILL grown out faster...freezer camp in about 12 months, I've even sent one at 10. Do you feed your bottle calves replacer or goats milk?

$40 is good. Last year the northern dairies were pushing bull calves out in the snow to die because it costed more to haul them to the sale then they would bring.

And Jay... I love small town life. If for any reason I could no longer manage the farm I pray that God would bless me with the opportunity to live in a small town like you describe.

[Hoovie]

Though I posted reservations about returning to the farm, I should say I am NOT a city slicker!

We live in a small town just North of the Lake of the Ozarks. Less than 3,000 souls and most are indeed country folk without a "citified" mentality.

We live about ten minutes from most of my eight siblings who have both small and large farms. My kids love going there.

[AreYouReady?]

Awww Hoovie, you know that one day you will step onto one of your sibling's farmland and decide you really do miss it. Besides, you will have somewhere to run to when/if the economy comes crashing down.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

Jersey is great meat... I have a Jersey steer in the freezer now... yum!

The Holsties WILL grown out faster...freezer camp in about 12 months, I've even sent one at 10. Do you feed your bottle calves replacer or goats milk?

$40 is good. Last year the northern dairies were pushing bull calves out in the snow to die because it costed more to haul them to the sale then they would bring.

And Jay... I love small town life. If for any reason I could no longer manage the farm I pray that God would bless me with the opportunity to live in a small town like you describe.

I actually got my Jersey calf for $25 because it was pure Jersey. The mixes sold for $40. That's why I was curious that the Holstiens might fill out faster. I hope to get a few this year.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Awww Hoovie, you know that one day you will step onto one of your sibling's farmland and decide you really do miss it. Besides, you will have somewhere to run to when/if the economy comes crashing down.

Yeah... we all tend to wander for a while but the call of the farm yells louder as the years roll by.