As a homesteader, I’ve grown to appreciate the spring season. It’s the time of year when flowers are in full bloom, and garden fresh vegetables are readily available in your home. The temps are not too cold or not too hot, but just right. This summer Bradley’s Homestead turns 3 so I’ve decided to make this post more of a reflection of our journey and what I’ve learned. Interestingly enough I too am curious to see what I’ve discovered! Where should I begin?
Let’s start with the animals and farming…
Well if you followed me from the beginning you know that my farm animals were my pets. Also, I had this notion that I would keep them clean as if they were a house cat or dog. Well, I quickly discovered that pigs love to wallow in the mud and rabbits will poop in their shelter. Oan ducks are DISGUSTING! Just gross.
Within a year, I welcomed the idea of actually eating my pigs because every animal serves a purpose on the homestead. Speaking of purpose, I have a hen now that will be Sunday dinner soon. Why? Because she no longer provides us with eggs so she must move to her next stage of farm livin’.
We just purchased another pig in January. This time we are trying out the heritage breed. Quicker turnaround for market size. We will be able to butcher him by July.
I am not overfeeding this boy because I want more meat and less fat, unlike before.
Gardening…
I know so much more now! I can honestly say I am a self-taught gardener. I know all about seeds, soil, composting, PH levels, organic crops etc. Trial and error were my first lessons when we started. I recall January 2021 going to Lowes and Home Depot and seeing their vegetable starters and becoming so excited to buy them for the garden. Never thinking about the last frost or the fact that we were still months away from the 1st day of spring. The frost didn’t even stop us, we were buying $50-$100 in starters every few weeks. Now reflecting back our first spring/summer garden yielded us the most vegetables we have seen on our homestead. We had a beautiful yet very expensive garden.
What I’ve changed? By the fall of 2021, I knew I needed to educate myself on gardening, so I read books, took online classes, and even watched YouTube. The 2022 spring/summer garden was more productive. Yes, it was a productive garden because I created a more cost-efficient garden. I planted seeds, creating my own starters indoors under heating lamps. I was still able to start gardening in January but in a more responsible way. I quickly learned that a pack of seeds (yielding several plants) is much cheaper than store-bought starter plants. I now buy seeds directly from nurseries so I am able to grow common, unique, and exotic vegetables and fruits. Hubby transforms our rabbit waste into fertilizer for the garden. Also, we have been growing a fall garden as well and using the winter months to repair garden boxes and turn the soil. We call the winter months offseason on the homestead and tend to not entertain but focus on ways to efficiently run our operation.
HOME LIFE! The reality of my life…
It’s official, I’m a country girl! My 2023 resolution is to be a fantastic farmer! I plan to do a better job with harvesting and storing my vegetables by freezing, dehydrating, and canning them. By end of summer, my goal is to have enough vegetables stored for the year ahead. Also, I would like to not be so generous with our next butchered pig so that we have meat until our next pig is ready for the market. Ideally, I want to master the vegetable and meat rotation concept. Also, we have incorporated a digital journal to log our vegetable and animal production, and most recently we numbered our garden boxes so we can record where everything is located. We believe that moving forward record keeping is important for our overall operation.
What’s Next? Herbalist training…
Since the fall, I have been studying herbs and medicinal medicine. I am currently working towards becoming a Certified Herbalist. I’ve added herbal boxes in my mediation zen den so that I can start producing more of my own herbs to convert into botanical products like teas, tonics, tinctures, salves, and lotions. I would even like to incorporate the herbs in spice blends for healthier seasoning options. I am inspired to live a green witch lifestyle and I plan to share my knowledge and experiences with you!
Bradley's Homestead 