My way or the highway

Over the past few years, tomatoes have been the center piece of my garden. I bet many of you feel that way about your garden. Tomatoes are the most versatile fruit when it comes to canning. we can store much more "needed" food stuff when we have a bounty of tomatoes.

But then there is that issue of trellising them. Should you are shouldn't you. And if you shall, how?

Trellising has it's benefits. Helps keep your fruit off the ground. Allows you to plant a little more tightly, helps the fruit grow larger. But how to go about trellising, what really works?

Their are several ways to train and trellis tomatoes. Most of the time however, without proper pruning, trellising just doesn't seem to work. At least for me. And most of the plant will end up on it's side at one point or another. I have done field fencing, tomato cages, large sticks tied together, you name it, I have tried it, and have never been completely happy with the out come.

Don't get me wrong, I do manage to harvest quantities of tomatoes, but most lay on the ground. Either because the weight of the plant was more than the trellis could hold, or that ever present Kansas wind has kicked up it's heels. Tomatoes do seem to be of the mind set that it is their way or the highway with you.

This year we are going to put that free rebarb to work. We can sink it into the ground deeper, it it strong, and hopefully this will help. With a little construction grade fencing, we might actually have a winner.

What type of trellising have you found successful for your tomatoes?

You Breathe in, but can't breathe out

I walked into my house to find a 4ft corn snake curled up on the living room floor. Thanks Small!

Both calves were in the garden. I got Undies out, and while trying to get Courage to leave, Undies strolled right back in. I threatened to eat him, then a long sentence that made the guys at fleet week blush.

Since there are no other sheep, Donkey has decided that I will have to do. It's like having another dog around, as I go through my outside chores, this big puff ball keeps tripping me up. We need to find him a friend.


I hurt my shoulder yet again. I don't remember it popping, but the entire length of my arm hurts, and my hand is swollen and discolored. Has a migraine on top of that, and then had to go milk. I tried to rational talk my husband into allowing me o skip that chore. "I don't wanna. hurts." Bottom lip quivering. "love me." whining. It didn't work of course. I am a grown up and have responsibilities. What a spoiled sport that husband o' mine.

The best entertainment we have is watching the kittens play. It is like watching a slo-mo instant replay of an UFM event.

Will be butchering the Cornish today.

Tomatoes are hardening nicely. I will be able to give you a head count in the next few days.

Thawing seed corn attracts gnats like you wouldn't believe.

I have no screens on my windows due to various children and dogs that think they can fit through any sized hole they come across.

Today is the last day of school for my boys. What have I gotten myself into?

Boys peeing on the toilet seat, and girls sitting in it is common theme, and much discussed around here.

Have to give a shout out to Kelle's Never Done Farm. Why? Because I had a dream and that farm was mentioned.

Speaking of blogs, Meadowlark has a contest going on, she wants to see your porch.


Another one is a neighbor calling to tell me to ask husband to stop walking outside naked, she can see him through her binoculars. What is she doing watching our property with binoculars? Husband, why are you going outside naked?

Homesteading Is Romantic

I have been reading here and there that some homesteaders are not too thrilled about something. Rewarding those whose lives are already perfect. Sounds a little odd doesn't it? But in the world of homesteading, there is no such thing as perfection, and those that claim to have it are either liars or overly optimistic.

I will say that my life is perfect for me, but I will not sit here and tell you only the flowery romantic side of this life. It is misleading and irresponsible for me to do so. I started this blog a few years back. At that time I was one of a few that talked about this life, and the only one that told you the gruesome, heartaches involved. The banner of my blog use to say "this is a beginner's tale of mistakes." The main reason I started this blog was my frustrations over perfect homesteaders and their not so truthful books. They would tell you how they did something, but didn't forewarn you of the mistakes that they made and how they got around them. It got frustrating, and lonely feeling when you made stupid little mistakes and had to stumble through to figure out how to fix it. They never tell you the true death toll of a homestead, they never tell you that you will hurt, and that building a homestead out of nothing take years of struggles and disappointments. All we ever hear is a fully edited world, or a fully established homestead that needs only maintenance and not how they ever got to that point.

Most of us are poor. Homesteaders in general are poor in finances. We have to be super creative in what we have and what we are able to do. At times we bite of more than we can comfortably chew. We can be told baby steps over and over, but if they don't give you an example, an anecdote from their own mis-adventures to serve as a warning, we get overly excited and jump with both feet.

But then you have those that start homesteading with a good deal of money backing them. These are hobbyists more than homesteaders. Homesteaders build from the ground up, while hobbyists can afford to pay out to have things finished before they even step onto the soil. They can afford to have other's do the work that they should be doing to be called a homesteader. And some of the complaining I am reading are toward a select few of hobbyists. I have no qualm with them. I am happy to see that some people are able to by-pass the horror that is building from nothing.

I don't read those perfect blogs. I don't feel a connection with them. Besides homesteading, what do I truly have in common with their edited perfection? We can use my blog for example. I have more comments when I have messed up or have had a bad day, then I do on my lovely days. And why is that? Somewhere you and I have built a connection. When I talk about the evil, you can relate because something similar has already happened or you feel that it could happen to you.

For me I feel that you have to be honest with the people around you. You can not edit life to make it sound like you have no problems. You can not live life to the fullest if you never take a risk, or step out for an adventure. Then you might just stumble, and when you do there is a lesson to be learned, something that makes you more human, something to help you grow and become better. Sometimes these stumbles are bad, vicious if you will. And you cry and you want it all to stop. You feel like you need to throw the towel in and forget it all. And yet there is something there that pulls you to over come it. You put the bodies in the freezer and return to the bloody scene. You know what you did wrong, and the next time you will not make the same mistake. There might be a different one, but you accept that. This is part of homesteading and never allow anyone to fool you into thinking that you are less then they are because of the mistakes.

How can we be competent people if we live only perfect lives? Where is the adventure if you always play things safe. How can you prosper if you never live to the fullest and accept the consequences that occur?

Some of you do read some of the blogs I read so might have a clue to what all this is in reference to. Several blogs have brought this up, and so have a few emails I have seen. Book publisher be warned, many are not happy about your choices. But we know that many will be suckered into reading about things that are perfect. They will be fooled into thinking that homesteading is easy and happy. That when you are a homesteader, you will never cry or bleed, sweat or freeze. You will never get lost on your way to a chicken coop in a snow storm, or dust storm. That you will never be up to your knees in flood water, while lightening and thunder blind and deafen you as you try to save your goats from the rushing water. That you own dogs will never snap and kill half your livestock. That a cow will never kick you, or stick a horn in your side. That butchering your own, means watching a paid professional do it. That weeds, rabbits, raccoons, deer and domestic cats will never be a problem for your garden. That your life isn't a 24 hour test of your convictions. That you will never hold an animal in your arms, covered in blood or saliva, and cry as it dies. No, none of that ever happens.

Homesteading is romantic.

Maybe Just Happy

Husband and I put 90 squash/pumpkin plants in the ground yesterday. He did a lot of work, attempting to make a natural water shed and irrigation.

I looked at all those squash, and informed my husband we are going to need a larger garden to hold every thing I have started. He already has plans for a separate bean patch. I do hope every one like squash. Luckily they are versatile, you can make both sweet and savory entrees and desserts with them.

I was asked how many tomato plants I would be using this year. I don't know, I haven't counted them yet. But I will tell you as I get them in the ground.

The hog panel trellis was also asked about. Our panel is to short to bend. Right now they are straight. The beans will grow up and then we will add panels to the tops to allow them to crawl over and keep our lettuce and such shaded. After 2 moths, my lettuce seeds are just now sprouting. I was about to give up on them, and plant something else, but here they come It is a little late, but I do hope that shading them will keep them from bolting too soon.

Last night I went to a seminar for activism. It was more like an eighth grade civics class. I was unable to stay for the entire 5 hours as I was falling a sleep and passing notes to my mother. Not something you want to do when you are at a lecture. My mother wasn't sure how to leave without offending anyone. I told mom I would be happy to say "I am now making a graceful exit." She wouldn't let me. She just told one of the instructors that we couldn't stay. I will write about it more on the Kansas Preppers Network. One cool thing was that I met the founder of the Wichita Chapter of the 912ers. I was tired and anxious and a sag, I tend to speak without thinking it through. But I merely embarrassed myself, or actually it should have embarrassed me. But since I am uncouth in public, it didn't faze me.

One of the cows figured out how to open the feed bin. I was unable to get Murrial into the stanchion last night, I think she was a little full of her treat.

I ain't did nuttin'

It was a typical lazy day at the Neophyte homestead. I was allowed to sleep in until 630am. Morning chores were laid back,merely watering seedlings, adjust light, feeding and watering the brooding chicks, and make breakfast for the family plus one pre-teen guest.

It was such the easy going morning that I actually had plenty of time to play around with my husband. (I will allow a gutter thought moment for you, but then please move on) we laughed and were ornery in play. The kids flung the doors to the house wide open, and ran through and around like mad men. They were loud and joyous and only rarely did someone get mad or cry.

My morning chores took me outside, to feed the sheep and goats. I added more water to the cattle tank and fed and watered the chickens, gathering eggs along my way. The sound of a grinder on metal played harmoniously in the background (and no I wasn't listening to Static X). Husband was fixing the cellar door, that at some point during the winter, broke its hinges. I wrote down a list of things to pick up at the hardware and farm stores.

We checked on propane, and discovered a nest with several chic-a-dees newly hatched on top of the gauges. I laughed, and remembered the first time I had every saw these baby birds. I thought a chicken had bred with a duck, they were so odd looking. We managed to check the gauges without disturbing the nest too much, and mother bird was seen later flying in and out of the propane tanks cover.

The cows were very cooperative, Murrial came when called and when she spied that treat bucket, leaving poor Courage to wonder why her mommy has to leave her for 12 hours a day. Mama was just as easy, as I stood out in the field yelling "MAMA!" like a lost child, she quickly followed her training, and was in the barn, ready to work. Undies has grown use to his mother leaving, but he knows where he can go to at least see her and talk to her throughout the day. Donkey the Sheep has taken on the role as babysitter for Courage. When mom's away, Courage takes solice in the large fluffy pillow the trots along side her.

Milk was then skimmed, and husband and I took a break from the outside work, to shake a jar of cream into butter as we walked along the property discussing the issues at hand. We thin there is a disease in the chicken coop. One that the adult birds are immune to but the chicks are not. We have lost all of our laying chicks to it, so I new place, and new tractor is in the works. I looked through my homesteading books, but there was nothing in any of them about a tractor. It's a good thing I married whom I married, he already knows what he wants to do and doesn't need no stinkin' book to tell him what is right.

With the butter shaken to its appropriate consistency, I strained, chilled and rinsed it, before storing it back into the fridge. Then made lunch for every one, while I did dishes and laundry. Then Large and I headed into town. The store didn't have everything on my list and we had to venture to three different stores to get everything. Once we returned home, my little brother was here, and he and husband had dragged the welder out. I handed over the brackets, and was rewarded with a good ribbing from husband and brother.

I grabbed hog panels to put into the garden. Oh the wonders that is the Claw. I broke up the hard soil, and tied the hog paneling in place. My little brother helped me, he is such a good thing to have around. He help me plant 15 pole bean plants that I had started in the house. We water and mulched and watched as the wind beat them against the hog panel. I then weeded the onions and grape vines, and the click click hiss of the welder played in the background.

Husband finished welding the new hinges on, and gave the boys gray primer to paint the door. They did so with enthusiasm and vigor. They were actually being allowed to spry paint something, and mom wasn't going to jump on them for doing so.

It was then declared hat we were going to fence in the garden and orchard, this way we could still have cows in the front yard. I mean I do have a reputation to protect. Fencing was gathered from various spots of the homestead, leftovers from this and that. And stretched to see where it fit. The goat pen was then dismantled, as it floods so much to be unusable. T-post were pulled and a gate removed, then put into place in their new home around the garden. Things were stretched, holes were dug, and posts pounded into the ground. Then we had to remove Mama from the area. She is always up for a good chase, and seems to become a youngster once again. Donkey and Courage however where left until later. With the fence up, they were waiting at the new gate to be let out.

By now it was getting dark, dinner was made as mud covered children drudge through the house. They were promptly washed, fed and put to bed. Then I went out and milked two cows. Husband and I pushed the welder inside, then I strained and refrigerated the milk. Content of the amount. By 11 pm, were were finally able to remove out boots and lay down.

It was a good day.