Alright, this go around I answered questions on butchering tools, remediating soil, small farms vs. homesteads, hanging meat, milking a cow, cow illnesses, registering animals, feeding sheep, predation, silvopasturing, plucking ducks, goats, financially shifting from a farm to a homestead and more.
Thanks for answering my question. I agree that people need to become more resilient, and that may be why I am seeing the bubble of homesteading and self sufficiency. My worry, to get more into the weeds ... is as you mentioned in another question, the point of building community and you just can't control that. In my community I am opening up my doors and am going to be growing a lot more food that I have in the past, offering it for sale and dropping hints on barter. I'm expecting to be able to beat grocery store prices on produce ... but I predict I will have a lot of unsold food because folks are just in the habit of going to the No Frills. Anyhow, that's my thinking, I'm going to put it to the test to see, I hope I'm wrong.
Thanks for this, Tara! The question about registration was mine and I was indeed referring to registering the farm in Ontario as opposed to specific animals for their breeds. My thinking has been along the same lines as you on this but I was curious about any potential benefits as I’m quite new to raising my own food. I would like to raise true Chantecler chickens but we will be farming mostly for our own food security and bartering--not as a farm business--so that is settled. Im such a rule follower by nature and am having to unlearn that these days due to all the craziness in Canada (and everywhere really!)
Our land has a wetland running through it meaning that we are technically supposed to do nothing with the vast majority of the property without onerous conservation area permits. I chatted with CA staff and was completely unimpressed with their lack of knowledge about silvopasture and forest stewardship so will probably go rogue with respect to that too and just really do my research on wetlands, beavers, silvopasture etc. to ensure we’re leaving things better than we found them!
Such amazing and comprehensive information. I’m nowhere near raising and butchering my own cattle but it is so beautiful to receive this knowledge as it sinks into my own cells and touches my deep ancestral knowing.
Thank you for answering my milk cow questions. What is the black castille soap you use? I love the more natural route even though so many people swear you have to use all the iodine, bac wash, teat wash and milk with gloves to keep your cow healthy. My friend had a cow and did all the things and I swear they were always dealing with ketosis, milk fever or mastitis. The mastitis ended up being staph a. I am so worried my new girl will get it since the only way the other cow got it was from the soil or human hands! Ugh milking with gloves sounds terrible. Do your calves chew up your cows teats? One of our calves has his mommas teats cut, bleeding and dry.
Thanks for answering my question. I agree that people need to become more resilient, and that may be why I am seeing the bubble of homesteading and self sufficiency. My worry, to get more into the weeds ... is as you mentioned in another question, the point of building community and you just can't control that. In my community I am opening up my doors and am going to be growing a lot more food that I have in the past, offering it for sale and dropping hints on barter. I'm expecting to be able to beat grocery store prices on produce ... but I predict I will have a lot of unsold food because folks are just in the habit of going to the No Frills. Anyhow, that's my thinking, I'm going to put it to the test to see, I hope I'm wrong.
My favorite take away from this one is simply "don't listen to the people" 😂
So true. We all have to individually figure out what works for us. Thanks, Tara. 💚
THE BOOK LINKS!
THE BLACKFLY SONG!
I havent the chance to get through all the QnA audio yet but THE PEARLS, there are many!
THANK YOU! XO!
Thanks for this, Tara! The question about registration was mine and I was indeed referring to registering the farm in Ontario as opposed to specific animals for their breeds. My thinking has been along the same lines as you on this but I was curious about any potential benefits as I’m quite new to raising my own food. I would like to raise true Chantecler chickens but we will be farming mostly for our own food security and bartering--not as a farm business--so that is settled. Im such a rule follower by nature and am having to unlearn that these days due to all the craziness in Canada (and everywhere really!)
Our land has a wetland running through it meaning that we are technically supposed to do nothing with the vast majority of the property without onerous conservation area permits. I chatted with CA staff and was completely unimpressed with their lack of knowledge about silvopasture and forest stewardship so will probably go rogue with respect to that too and just really do my research on wetlands, beavers, silvopasture etc. to ensure we’re leaving things better than we found them!
These answers / discussions are very helpful. Thank you
Thank you so much for your great answer to my question. ❤️
Such amazing and comprehensive information. I’m nowhere near raising and butchering my own cattle but it is so beautiful to receive this knowledge as it sinks into my own cells and touches my deep ancestral knowing.
Thank you for answering my milk cow questions. What is the black castille soap you use? I love the more natural route even though so many people swear you have to use all the iodine, bac wash, teat wash and milk with gloves to keep your cow healthy. My friend had a cow and did all the things and I swear they were always dealing with ketosis, milk fever or mastitis. The mastitis ended up being staph a. I am so worried my new girl will get it since the only way the other cow got it was from the soil or human hands! Ugh milking with gloves sounds terrible. Do your calves chew up your cows teats? One of our calves has his mommas teats cut, bleeding and dry.