Farming and Homesteading

[zozie]

You cook like I do, Zozie. I've been making food from scratch all my life. I enjoy it and consider the time involved to me meditative and rewarding rather than work. I've found pressure canning, water bath canning and dehydrating to be my best methods for preserving the harvest.

I dehydrate homemade applesauce in the fall from apple trees into a fruit leather and then rehydrate it as needed to make whole wheat carrot applesauce muffins in the winter. The kids love them. I sweeten them with molasses. It takes 32 grams of the apple leather to 1 cup of boiling water in a jar to make 1 cup of applesauce. I let the jar cool and then put it in the refrigerator for a few days to fully rehydrate.

I also share your Dad's interest in gardening!

This year I have a goal to finally start making fermented foods like pickled cucumbers, kimchi, and other veggies.

 

[Magna]

This year I have a goal to finally start making fermented foods like pickled cucumbers, kimchi, and other veggies.

You definitely need to do this. I've made a lot of sauerkraut and kimchi. The great thing about kimchi is that the things you can use are so varied. I had an abundance of turnips last year for example so I made julienned turnip kimchi and it was very good. I like mine very spicy and with lots of garlic. We had a leftover dorm sized refrigerator and my wife insisted that I store the kimchi in that fridge which is located in another part of the house.

 

[Greatshield17]

10 steps to start homesteading, on the cheap

Just finished reading this this morning, thanks for it @George Newman

So it looks like the most expensive thing I need is, land. Because there's no way I can have a homestead or farm on my current property.

 

[Greatshield17]

 

[Mary Terry]

I used to have an obsessive interest in homesteading, until I tried to grow food plants. Turns out, I do better with the animal side of things, although I still require supervision to take proper care of animals. I realize I miss signs of pain and illness just because...autism. Still, raising meat and fiber animals is a love of mine, and I'm good with critters. Right now, even as I'm getting physically unable to handle farm work, I still want to pair up with an able-bodied individual on a homestead and help with the animals for the rest of my life. Its my life's dream...I wish you better luck with yours than I will ever have with mine.

Try raising laying hens. Fresh eggs are awsome. You'll need a hen house, and I recommend an enclosed chicken yard so they can free range in green grass.

 

[Greatshield17]

You know, the more I think about it, some of the fondest memories I have from my childhood almost always involved farming and agriculture in someway; be it picking berries at an orchard, attending farmers' markets and agricultural events, or just driving through farming areas in the Fraser Valley or the Okanagan. There was just something positive about those kinds of atmospheres.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know much about traditional farming or homesteading methods/advice, but in about up to date on modern methods and some rediscovered ancient ones. Some things might be worth looking into on a small scale.

1. Biochar kiln. It pretty much makes as close to instant compost as one can get. It works by basically cremating biological material, with one can full of dried material to turn into black dirt(called biochar, as it has additional properties), and an outside container filled with other organic material that once lit on fire provides the heat necessary. Most important, you can make your own with an adaptation to the brick pizza oven plans. I have been researching this for my horse because one 1-weeks worth of manure(approximately 200-250 pounds) once dry will take 4 hours to turn to biochar, and I could use the manure on the outside as the fire fuel. Cremation in humans destroys most bones, and putting them in the biochar kiln should make them more useful.
2. Bonsais(orchard/fruit) bonsais produce the same amount of fruit on a much smaller scale. You can either trim branches in the yard or restrict and trim roots. More fruit per acre, and can be grown in hydroponics/aquaponics systems. Aquatic bonsai(aqua-bonsai is the fad name for easy search) seems to be a new trend, but need expensive food solutions, but hydroponics without a root restricting system needs lots of trimming. This could be solved by having a hole drilled into whatever small container you fit for your bonsai, attach a sieve to prevent root growth, and a detachable lid with the plant to enable trimming roots. Over the sieve could be placed piping that connects it to the overall hydroponics system, stopping the need of buying food with the right fish.
3. Aeroponics. You adapt a watertight and airtight container with a fog machine (specifically made, homemade, or the type for parties) and make sure it's high enough pressure for the roots to absorb through it. While many plants can be grown this way, I like the root and underground nut vegetables like peanuts, and potatoes. If you adopted a cabinet to be water/airtight when closed and put in a fog machine you could pick these like apples. I worked on a farm as a kid, and typically the whole plant must be uprooted and then you sort what is typical potato size, what is considered baby potatoes, or too small to sell. Anything not sold is composted with the top of the plant, which is wasteful whether or not you plant some potatoes, which would need to be large enough to eat anyways.
4. Mushroom liquid cultures. Pretty much all mushrooms can be cultivated, and even for the notoriously location picky and expensive morel mushroom has reliable year round production DIY setups for inside the house on Pinterest, and liquid cultures for morels, lions mane, truffles, and anything found in the grocery store, can be bought and shipped on Etsy. Some people get a minimum wage off foraging morel mushrooms and a farm would do well as soon as you did enough tweaking to produce one harvest

Most of my knowledge pertains to seafood as my family hails from the USA west coast rainforest although I was raised in the midwest. if you want anything about inland seafood, let me know!

 

[Greatshield17]

One thing I've been of doing, is planting a hedgerow of fruit trees and berry bushes around my field; would that work? Would there be any problems with that? I realize may have to distance it from the edge of my field to avoid attracting wild life, and maybe plant another role of evergreens to obstruct its view.

 

[Magna]

One thing I've been of doing, is planting a hedgerow of fruit trees and berry bushes around my field; would that work? Would there be any problems with that? I realize may have to distance it from the edge of my field to avoid attracting wild life, and maybe plant another role of evergreens to obstruct its view.

I wouldn't think that would be a problem. Just remember though: If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now.

 

[Amphilyke]

I've been wanting to do much the same thing but I've always been frightened of the possibility that the soil might be contaminated. I've been suggested to look into the history of an area. Recent construction is a risk, as well as other things I'm a little foggy about. I always wanted to just go ahead and test the ground for contaminants, but wasn't in a good place long enough to work out how to do that or save up whatever money I would need. I do have a nice mulberry tree in the backyard at my parents' house, and I've eaten from it with no apparent health effects. I love that tree. Got very upset with my parents when it got trimmed one time lol. But it's not like it's an apple tree, it's not exclusively a captive cultivar, but a normal tree that grows wild and native to the area. I've also grown beans down there, peppers, flowers, and I've got a trillium plant I thought I might not see bloom this year since I was planning to live somewhere else, but I suppose I will most likely still be here when it pokes its head out of the ground.

Ah, but there is construction going on in the lot RIGHT behind the house and even though it's downhill from us, I might give the mulberries a pass this year, maybe a few more in the future. No shame in being too cautious, considering the trouble I get myself into.

 

[Magna]

I've been wanting to do much the same thing but I've always been frightened of the possibility that the soil might be contaminated. I've been suggested to look into the history of an area. Recent construction is a risk, as well as other things I'm a little foggy about. I always wanted to just go ahead and test the ground for contaminants, but wasn't in a good place long enough to work out how to do that or save up whatever money I would need. I do have a nice mulberry tree in the backyard at my parents' house, and I've eaten from it with no apparent health effects. I love that tree. Got very upset with my parents when it got trimmed one time lol. But it's not like it's an apple tree, it's not exclusively a captive cultivar, but a normal tree that grows wild and native to the area. I've also grown beans down there, peppers, flowers, and I've got a trillium plant I thought I might not see bloom this year since I was planning to live somewhere else, but I suppose I will most likely still be here when it pokes its head out of the ground.

Ah, but there is construction going on in the lot RIGHT behind the house and even though it's downhill from us, I might give the mulberries a pass this year, maybe a few more in the future. No shame in being too cautious, considering the trouble I get myself into.

It's becoming popular to grow in raised beds using "no-till" methods. With this, people put down some sort of organically approved weed barrier right on top of the ground, grass, etc. Then they put the raised bed on top of the weed barrier and fill the raised bed with organic compost, soil, etc. The plant roots stay in the raised bed medium for the most part.

 

[Greatshield17]

I’m going to start growing potatoes soon, but I need some help and advice regarding how exactly to start; also how do you reproduce them at harvest time?

 

[Magna]

I’m going to start growing potatoes soon, but I need some help and advice regarding how exactly to start; also how do you reproduce them at harvest time?

Potatoes are easy to grow. They don't like muddy soil but they do need periodic watering. If you water them too often they'll crack or grow hollow inside. Beware of potato beetles and remove them if you see them on the leaves.

Planting them is easy because you can take a whole potato and cut it in pieces making sure each piece has an active "eye" on it. The "eye" will be the new plant. That means you can make a number of new plants from a single potato. You harvest them after the plants above ground start to lose their vigor. Then you just dig the harvest out of the ground. One potato plant will grow numerous tubers in the soil.

Also, it's common to "hill" potatoes during their growth cycle. This means you can move additional soil around the plant while it's growing. You do this to prevent any of the growing tubers from being exposed to sunlight. The parts of the potato exposed to sun will turn green and be inedible. Green potatoes develop a neurotoxin that isn't good to eat.

I hope that helps. There are many tutorials on Youtube that are helpful.

 

[Mary Terry]

It's becoming popular to grow in raised beds using "no-till" methods. With this, people put down some sort of organically approved weed barrier right on top of the ground, grass, etc. Then they put the raised bed on top of the weed barrier and fill the raised bed with organic compost, soil, etc. The plant roots stay in the raised bed medium for the most part.

I'm expanding our garden with the no-till method. I hope it works. I cut open a huge cardboard box that our new garage freezer came in, laid it flat on top of the ground adjacent to the existing garden, and covered it with 6 inches of cypress mulch. It is supposed to take 6 months to a year for the cardboard to biodegrade, kill the weeds underneath it, and soften the soil so the mulch can be incorporated with the soil. So far, so good. We'll see if it really works when we plant our fall garden. It will expand our garden by another 100 square feet or thereabouts.

 

[Greatshield17]

Here’s another plant I’ll be growing when I’ll finally be back at my place.

I have a collection of heirloom seeds back at place; when I get there, I’m going to show everyone here what seeds there are, and would like help knowing which seeds I can plant right away without have to grow them first indoors and then replant outdoors during planting season.

 

[Greatshield17]

I’m going to start growing potatoes soon, but I need some help and advice regarding how exactly to start; also how do you reproduce them at harvest time?

Real quick, I have potatoes; where should I store them until I’m ready to chit them? Some place dark I assume?

 

[tree]

Growing Potatoes: How to Plant & Harvest Potatoes - Garden Design

How to Plant and Grow Potatoes | Gardener’s Path

 

[Greatshield17]

Well I’ve started, I think my potatoes have already started sprouting, haha! Here’s three of them that I’ve put out to chit:


I’ve also started with the onions, they’ve already grown a fair bit overnight:

 

[Varzar]

Hey Greatshield,

I moved from the city to a farm to do subsistence farming.
For me, ground crops have certainly been the easiest to get going with. Potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.
Potatoes are particularly forgiving it seems. When I harvest them in the fall, I just keep all the little 1/2" - 1" sized ones as well (in the root cellar or fridge), and those are what I replant the following year.
Onions I found easier to start from sets than seed. So I just buy a bag of sets each year.
Garlic, you just plant the cloves in the late fall and cover them with some hay or leaves or something (in case it's too cold), and they'll poke up first thing in the spring.

Do you know what your growing zone is where you are?
If you want to grow stuff that's more sensitive than your growing zone, you'll want to look at a greenshouse, but for smaller spaces, this little hoop house works great!

I built one of these and actually put it inside my greenhouse, so I can start growing heat loving plants like watermelon, basil, and peppers starting in February.

 

[Varzar]

Oh, I just saw where you are. We're practically neighbours. lol.
I'm over in the Kootenay Boundary area.
You'll definitely want a greenhouse