Getting Off The Grid - Defining The Homestead This Summer

What does it mean to get off the grid and have a homestead?  I am sure many will say " to live free!" And that would be the ideal situation, however, we cannot live for free.

Why not? 

Here is a small list of why not`s :

1 - Someone has to pay property taxes, there is no way around this, unless you are over 65 years old, then you get an exemption card to mail in. Most of the people I know that are off grid or on the way like me are far from being retirement age, we have to have some type of income.

2 - Food and Preserving. While we can grow and kill our own food we still will need some type of foods that are store bought. We will need jars, seals,  salt and sugar. I know as time goes by we learn to adjust down the amount of salt and sugar we eat but, yes there is that but, if we make jelly we can make money also by selling it.

3 - Clothing is something we all have to have, so there has to be an income, even if you make your own, you will need fabric and thread.

Those three are the main reasons I did not just do it! 

What does off grid on a homestead mean to me?

No more rushing! I will be out of the rat race, the daily grind of work that pays the power company, the water company, the middle man for food (aka grocery store) and in some cases the doctor.

How Has The Homestead Evolved? 

While this year I didn`t have a vegetable garden to eat fresh foods I still had all the home canned foods in the pantry from last year and the year before, some 3-4 years old, because like the good old tin cans the jars keep foods for 4-5 years.

With the time I would have used to gardening it was not wasted by any means. I have been home canning what the woods has gifted me with and collecting plants for medication as well as items I can sell to make money. 

Learning how to use many of the plants for medication, making medication from those plants as well and using it, especially for my skin, seems everything causes an allergic reaction and these new products do work, all natural and free.

When I look at the homestead now, I don`t see how I am to work the land to get the best benefits, instead I see how can this land work for me and use what it has to offer already. Even what people look at as "the trash of the woods" I now see what it has to offer me.

What Is New?

Most know I named my homestead,  Sunshine`s Homestead,  with the online store, and soon to be physical store, Sunshine`s Homestead Creations. I have one more thing up my sleeve but I won`t reveal till its happened.

Anyways....

As I mentioned above I have made some forms of medication, for my skin. I get ant bites, I get poison ivy rash, even grass breaks me out after mowing so I made a wonderful line of salves. The most organic ever is the plantain, and in my opinion the best to stop an itch and heal a rash within days. 

I do have a link for anyone interested.

September I added a new line of salves. Click for  Sunshine`s Homestead Creations online store. Now what new products can I get ready for October? 

Remember I do have lotions, body washes and even deodorants, with scent and without added scents, never any dyes! And none to very little preservatives. 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry and pixabay

Getting Off The Grid - So Close You Can Taste It

Getting Off The Grid - So Close You Can Taste It

Getting of the grid took a huge turn this year, for the better. I have put into place different methods of growing as well and learning new ways to make this a real earning homestead.

I don`t have farm animals on my homestead, not even a chicken. I am completely plant based at this point. I am good with this because I am still learning how to use the land and the plants God provided me with, plus I am not spending money to keep the animals up, however, I was given a goat but I have yet to get her to the homestead.

What is happening?

I did do a small test with a growing method. The one where you use bales of hay to grow food, or heaped on the ground. The method is supposed to be work free, water free and an abundance of food. 

It failed! The plants died.

Another thing about this, rats are attracted to the straw and bed in it. I also have to mention that snakes love to bed under the straw so you really have to watch sticking your hands down close to the base of any plants.

This method is not for me.

Another was "just dig a hole and plant" when the grass grew up, mow it.

In the past this has worked but this year there was some sort of pest that killed my beautiful tomato plants, they were filled with huge green tomatoes and the plant just died. 

I have yet to find out what did this. 

I was blessed last year with a wonderful amount of food, I am still eating from the freezer and the home canned foods.

 I am going to try and get the garden tilled for a fall planting.

What Is In Season?

At the moment I don`t have anything on the homestead to can or freeze, I will have to check out the farmers market to see what is offered up.

When will I get off the grid?

I know, I know! I have been talking about this for years. 

I have bought a small set up for emergencies. I have bought many solar powered items. 

I was just reading about a government plan that "might" be of help to me, I just have to see if its offered for my state.

It seems my go "make a living" job is taking much of my time.

What am I learning?

Plants! Yes I am learning about plants. What they can do for me.

So far I have tested out many and will have them for sell soon. Oh, I never sell anything until I test, so my salves do work!

How To Make Money?

Its my goal! to make money off the homestead, I started with the online store, now its time to have a physical store, so coming soon!

Click the link to shop now, September I am adding a new line of products. Sunshine`s Homestead Creations 

What is happening on your homestead? 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - Are We There Yet?

fig preserves

Hey Y`all! I know I have sort of disappeared for a while only checking in  a couple times a month but I am still here and still going strong on the homestead.

While I did not have a garden this year I am still blessed with what nature already had waiting, all the wild foods and the fruit bushes and tress. I have not been idle at all.

Sometimes I have to lay something aside to complete a homestead project, there is just no way I could do it all, all by myself. God works in mysterious ways!

The homestead has to make money, that was the point of a homestead in the first place, to "go" off to work less and make a living at home with what I grow, or is already living free around me, and what I can prepare to sell. This summer has been a real learning experience, so much so I am writing a book, no peeking its not finished. :)

So what is happening?

1 - Its fig season here in central Alabama! I have canned a couple cases of fig preserves, I have given away figs and I did not get to the top of this bush, that is actually now a tree, so the birds are fed as well as the ants. This fig bush/tree has fed us, people, insects and animals at all levels!

2 - I am collecting wild plants for later use, and to make products for Sunshine`s Homestead Creations, drying them naturally, so I am doing this as I get a rack dried, I go get more.

3 - I am prepping for the up coming announcements, a new stage for the homestead. I had to make signs and I drove one into the ground and I made a gate, I hope to hang soon. 

What is next?

This evening I plan to dig the holes for the posts that will hold the gate and if I have time trim the overgrowth down the driveway. 

Later in the month :

deer eating on  acre #2 a few years ago

Since the summer has been mild I will get back to clearing the over grown bushes, I just have to watch out for snakes, its breeding time so they are out! Snakes blow a stink to run people off, so if you are out and about and smell a sudden rotted or harsh nasty scent, a snake will be near by.

I will also begin the foundation to the first building in a clear area at the back of the second acre. This will be a happy day for me! I do have the lumber ready.

The Learning

I have learned this year that it does NOT take much to live, I am sure it would take less if I were actually all the way off grid with a well but I am taking one step at a time, no need to rush in when I know I am not ready.

I am learning to be prepared for the unexpected.

I am learning that man made is not always as good as homemade.

The Selling 

honeysuckle jelly

I have put out the word for the homestead, as you know word of mouth is just as good, if not better than a neon sign, about the jellies, jams and preserves I make and sell. So far those sales are up. You may purchase my  homemade lotions, soaps, sunscreen, insert repellent and more online, so check out the online store. All made as natural as possible. Sunshine`s Homestead Creations.   For special Jelly/jam orders contact me personally as those are not listed online, available honeysuckle, rose, mint, seedless blackberry and fig.

There is the update and I will try to get back here to let you all know how life is going on this homestead. 

How is your homestead this year? 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - Good And Bad

Its been a while since I have taken time to talk about the homestead. Busy with working and life has taken much of my online time, which can be a good thing or a bad thing.

The Bad  

I did not have the garden plowed this year. We have had a lot of rain, then none and now a lot again. 

I did plant a few tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, cucumbers,  squash and green beans.

I got one good batch of tomatoes but the rain grew the grass up and almost over the plants, allowing pests to attack the plants, they died.

The squash made a couple messes but they just did not make, the rain?

The corn is short but it does have corn, I am watching it.

The rabbits ate the green beans. Seems like the deer or rabbits are always feasting on the green beans! 

The bell pepper are doing okay, small but making.

The cucumbers bloom but I have yet to find one.

The Good

I had an awesome blackberry patch this year! I picked daily for a while then every other day, always a pint but up to a gallon a day.

I made several cases of no seed blackberry jelly so far, I froze the rest till I can make more jelly or just home can them for pies and such.

I did pretty good with the honeysuckle and roses, I made cases of jelly also.

The chamomile did okay and I got a quart jar dried.

I did get a case of poke salad home canned and I still have plenty to pick or just eat.

The Bad

The rain. Yes we need rain and I get that but I have so much grass! As soon as I mow it rains and then I have to do it over again.

Seems I am mowing to keep control of the fields more than anything else.

The bushes! not the ones you want to grow but the privet, those useless invaders. I have piled them to the road for pick up each moth and there are more and then they grow from the base, it seems to be an endless fight. 

The rain brings bugs, allows them to breed, so I have had more than one red bug this year.

The Good

Since I am not tending a garden I am learning more about what lives in my yard, what I can use for many different wild foods and how to make money with what I do have. 

I am also learning what I can grow in a flower pot and what I cant. How the herbs do better or not in this hot Alabama sun.

And while I do have some down time, due to the rain, I have went back to writing the book I have worked on for a while now. I can say that I have more than a couple chapters finished. 

Plus, I am making raised beds for the fall garden, not there yet but I am hoping it will help as far as the grass part goes. 

I am making new products for the online store as well as making progress with the physical store. To visit just click on : Sunshine`s Homestead Creations  

                                                 ~~

Life is never perfect and not every year all your plant thrives, its all trial and error, we learn from each season of each year about how the weather will allow the plants to thrive or not. If its Gods will to have a lush garden full of vegetables or you skip a year. 

This year its Gods will for me to skip the summer vegetables on my homestead and help some other homesteader out by buying from them.

How is your garden growing? 

By Andria Perry
Photos by Andria Perry