Getting Off The Grid - January Rolled Into February

Welcome to my journey to get off the grid.

The end of January and the first few days of February were so different but so predictable for Alabama. Snow predicted one day and a few days later a nice 70 degrees!

I was looking for the seed to arrive in the mail this week but they never came so I emailed them and they told me that they would arrive in 10 day with free seed. I won`t hold my breath I ordered the big boy tomato seed on January 7th.!

The baby tomatoes, beef steak, are growing and I am hopeful they will make plenty of tomatoes so I can home can enough for 2 years of tomatoes and tomato based sauces.

Monday - Although I did not get into "the bush" I did get the garage cleaned out, sometimes things I need are put there and I know not to buy more. Its good to do an inventory to refresh my memory. 

Tuesday - The cold front came in so the temperatures drop 25 degrees from the day before making it a shock to the body so I took the day off and rested up.

 Wednesday - I have new lightweight loppers and although its still cold outside the sun was shining so around 2:30 pm I went out and cut more down in the area I am working on, mostly dead blackberry bushes, saw briers and poison oak vines. I trimmed lower limbs off more of the small pine trees and took them to the one pile. 

I got to thinking if I had a wood chipper I could make my own mulch with those pine branches. I might check prices for the wood chipper.

Thursday - After work I came home and cleaned out the flower beds by the deck, I still like a couple but some work on them was better than none at all.

 Friday - I worked two jobs all day, being a landlady and a caregiver, so no work got done on the homestead at all. I ordered a wood chipper and it should be here next week, invest a little and save a lot. 

Saturday -  This was my day off so I got busy with a new project that I have been wanting to do for a while, I started on the area behind the garage. It has never really been cleaned up and junk found its way back there, like a grave yard for junk. I pulled the truck up beside the garage and I loaded it up with plain trash and unwanted junk! I do have a truck load to haul to the dump. After I got that loaded up I got the push mower out and cleaned up around the greenhouse where grass had grown up and I did not get it cut before the winter came. I am sure I worked 5 house.

Sunday - Another beautiful day with temps around 70 degrees. Behind the garage I raked and cleaned a path for the fence to be put in, just passed I continued to clip down the small bushes and make a nice pile to be dealt with later, still out of the way. I also went down to the greenhouse and cut back a few of the small bushes that the lawnmower would not cut, I started in the wooded area on that side and clipped my way through to the new clearing I already had going. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel so next week I will need to cut down more small pines with the electric saw.

That was my week on the homestead.

I am still making progress on this homestead. For now I am just selling online, so check out my online store for homemade lotions, soaps and more. All made as natural as possible. Sunshine`s Homestead Creations. 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry