Comments on: How I Will Combat Rising Food Prices This Year http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/ The diary of a wannabe homesteader Sun, 05 Aug 2012 18:57:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Bethany http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-935 Bethany Mon, 07 May 2012 03:35:09 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-935 Erin thank you so much for your compliments on my blog! A lot of things have changed... I also no longer have chickens. Unfortunately, they decided that they would not roost in the coop at night and when the cold weather hit, the predators came out. They killed two of my five, so them I got three replacements and then a month later the raccoons began marauding and finally when I only had two left I sold them to someone who had a fenced run. When we move to our property we'll be getting a Maremma sheepdog to guard the livestock, my folks have some and they work great. I miss them terribly! But we're only going to be here another year or less so I am not going to get replacements. So for 2012 I've taken a little change in direction - I'm working as hard as I can to grow the income that I make from home so that we can move out to the farm. We're planning on moving next spring! But that's why I'm not posting too much on here anymore, I'm over at http://homesteaderkitchen.com and also I am helping my folks with their project http://rurallivingtoday.com. Once we move out there, my hubs will be home and working on-farm full time (most likely, unless his employer offers him a lucrative telecommute job when the time comes!) which means I'll have more time freed up and I'll resume posting on here again. Anyway if you like this blog I bet you'd like those ones too! It's so funny you said you want to read the whole blog... I always do the same thing when I find a really good one and I'll spend days going through years' worth of posts :) Erin thank you so much for your compliments on my blog! A lot of things have changed… I also no longer have chickens. Unfortunately, they decided that they would not roost in the coop at night and when the cold weather hit, the predators came out. They killed two of my five, so them I got three replacements and then a month later the raccoons began marauding and finally when I only had two left I sold them to someone who had a fenced run. When we move to our property we’ll be getting a Maremma sheepdog to guard the livestock, my folks have some and they work great. I miss them terribly! But we’re only going to be here another year or less so I am not going to get replacements.

So for 2012 I’ve taken a little change in direction – I’m working as hard as I can to grow the income that I make from home so that we can move out to the farm. We’re planning on moving next spring! But that’s why I’m not posting too much on here anymore, I’m over at http://homesteaderkitchen.com and also I am helping my folks with their project http://rurallivingtoday.com. Once we move out there, my hubs will be home and working on-farm full time (most likely, unless his employer offers him a lucrative telecommute job when the time comes!) which means I’ll have more time freed up and I’ll resume posting on here again.

Anyway if you like this blog I bet you’d like those ones too! It’s so funny you said you want to read the whole blog… I always do the same thing when I find a really good one and I’ll spend days going through years’ worth of posts :)

]]> By: Erin http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-929 Erin Sun, 06 May 2012 05:56:56 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-929 I am LOVING your blog. I am a newish gardener. I'm on rock hard clay, so gave up about 30 years ago. Last year I woke up one day.....must garden.....must grow food. I started a little blog to keep track of things and to document the stupid stuff a new gardener would do. I have done plenty. But I read great blogs and books every day. I have tried to cram about 10 years of learning into one. I, like you, and interested in chickens and bees. We had chickens right after we bought the house in the 70s, but I let them go when I had my son. Neither bees nor chickens are legal here. That will be my next project. Writing town hall and going to council meeting to bring change. You and I are on the same page. There is a reason that people suddenly are feeling a pull to grow food. I feel it overwhelmingly. I love your chickens. I am enjoying your blog. I'm going to read the whole thing!!! I am LOVING your blog. I am a newish gardener. I’m on rock hard clay, so gave up about 30 years ago. Last year I woke up one day…..must garden…..must grow food. I started a little blog to keep track of things and to document the stupid stuff a new gardener would do. I have done plenty. But I read great blogs and books every day. I have tried to cram about 10 years of learning into one. I, like you, and interested in chickens and bees. We had chickens right after we bought the house in the 70s, but I let them go when I had my son. Neither bees nor chickens are legal here. That will be my next project. Writing town hall and going to council meeting to bring change. You and I are on the same page. There is a reason that people suddenly are feeling a pull to grow food. I feel it overwhelmingly.
I love your chickens. I am enjoying your blog. I’m going to read the whole thing!!!

]]> By: Bethany http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-590 Bethany Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:47:34 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-590 Oh I am with you on the raw milk. I mean, there's a raw dairy around here but I can't afford to pay $10/gallon for milk. Just don't have it in the budget. Sounds like you've got a good year coming then! Oh I am with you on the raw milk. I mean, there’s a raw dairy around here but I can’t afford to pay $10/gallon for milk. Just don’t have it in the budget. Sounds like you’ve got a good year coming then!

]]> By: foundingfathersrule http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-588 foundingfathersrule Sat, 09 Apr 2011 13:22:28 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-588 Along with what I already do (I would normally describe these things but I'm thinking in this kind of group baking my own bread would not come as a surprise) I'd like to start making cheese. Other things I'd like to try are homemade mayo, laundry soap (anyone have a great recipe?) and pasta. We are going to build a hoop house. My husband has been researching ways to grow veggies throughout our cold northern winters. Our hens and bees had to leave since they are against the law and we were turned in by someone but are going to try out mason bees for their pollination. We are going to plant more fruit trees (dwarf varieties can be planted 4 feet apart) and we will be planting only edible things in the yard from now on. We are going to rent garden space at a church so we can grow even more produce. We try not to buy any produce from the store but we are running extremely low right not... next year we hope to make it through the whole year. The thing we wish we could have is raw milk. Cow or goats milk would be wonderful. Along with what I already do (I would normally describe these things but I’m thinking in this kind of group baking my own bread would not come as a surprise) I’d like to start making cheese. Other things I’d like to try are homemade mayo, laundry soap (anyone have a great recipe?) and pasta. We are going to build a hoop house. My husband has been researching ways to grow veggies throughout our cold northern winters. Our hens and bees had to leave since they are against the law and we were turned in by someone but are going to try out mason bees for their pollination. We are going to plant more fruit trees (dwarf varieties can be planted 4 feet apart) and we will be planting only edible things in the yard from now on. We are going to rent garden space at a church so we can grow even more produce. We try not to buy any produce from the store but we are running extremely low right not… next year we hope to make it through the whole year.

The thing we wish we could have is raw milk. Cow or goats milk would be wonderful.

]]> By: Bethany http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-584 Bethany Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:51:48 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-584 Wow, that is very cool. I'll have to watch your blog to see... I would love to do something like that but I don't think we're quite ready for that just yet. Part of it though is we just moved here so our food production here isn't into swing yet. I just wish I could afford a beehive so I could ensure pollination! Wow, that is very cool. I’ll have to watch your blog to see… I would love to do something like that but I don’t think we’re quite ready for that just yet. Part of it though is we just moved here so our food production here isn’t into swing yet. I just wish I could afford a beehive so I could ensure pollination!

]]> By: Rachel http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-583 Rachel Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:30:56 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-583 We do buy bulk from a buying club that sources local, organic products rather than buying ConAgra foods from Costco. We do buy bulk from a buying club that sources local, organic products rather than buying ConAgra foods from Costco.

]]> By: Bethany http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-570 Bethany Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:22:41 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-570 Thanks :) Thanks :)

]]> By: The Zany Housewife http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-565 The Zany Housewife Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:19:04 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-565 I'll look forward to the pictures! Hopefully I have enough space to pull that off. Good luck with the chicken hutch! I’ll look forward to the pictures! Hopefully I have enough space to pull that off. Good luck with the chicken hutch!

]]> By: Bethany http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-562 Bethany Sun, 06 Mar 2011 04:28:49 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-562 I use a 4 foot wide shelving unit I got at Costco. My lights are suspended from the tops of them, and I have them rigged so there's 2 shop lights per spot but I am usually only using 2 or 3 of the shelves. I'll take pictures when I get it put together for this spring, hopefully soon!. I have some planting to do this weekend, gotta sow my tomatoes and peppers but I think I won't set up the rack just yet since I really need to work on getting my chicken hutch finished. I use a 4 foot wide shelving unit I got at Costco. My lights are suspended from the tops of them, and I have them rigged so there’s 2 shop lights per spot but I am usually only using 2 or 3 of the shelves.

I’ll take pictures when I get it put together for this spring, hopefully soon!. I have some planting to do this weekend, gotta sow my tomatoes and peppers but I think I won’t set up the rack just yet since I really need to work on getting my chicken hutch finished.

]]> By: The Zany Housewife http://uncledutchfarms.com/2011/03/how-i-will-combat-rising-food-prices-this-year/#comment-550 The Zany Housewife Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:53:35 +0000 http://uncledutchfarms.com/?p=812#comment-550 Thanks Bethany for the advice, that's good to know! Now if only I can find a space to put it all...do you have your lights hanging overhead from the ceiling? What is your set-up? Thanks Bethany for the advice, that’s good to know! Now if only I can find a space to put it all…do you have your lights hanging overhead from the ceiling? What is your set-up?

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