WELCOME, NEW BLOGGING FRIENDS!
I read once that many people don't bother reading what's on a blogger's sidebar. You would really be missing out here, because I have listed links to so many inspiring bloggers, agrarian resources, and real food sites. I appreciate ALL of my favourite blogger friends, but let me notify you of the latest additions:
JOYBILEE FARM, JUST ANOTHER DAY ON THE FARM, HOMESTEADING ON THE INTERNET Welcome, ladies!
And don't forget to visit those agrarian icons, Herrick Kimball at The Deliberate Agrarian and Mrs. Grossman at Granny Miller!
And thank you to all my other blogger friends who are so far ahead of me on the learning curve! I want to learn so much from you: Anita, Scott, Richard, Noah, Janice, Kim, Jill, Kendra, Clint, Mr. H, Lisa, Linda, Quinn, Leigh, Annie, Cindy, "Bonnets and Boots", Jessica, Sheryl, Claudine, Wardeh, Shannon, and so many more! Also, many thanks to my dear "followers"! It's such an encouragement to know that you are reading what I post :-).
PREPARING FOR THE MOVE!
We are planning to be on our new property by the first week in April, Lord willing! Dear son will be living in the cabin, but we are still looking for a suitable travel trailer to live in, while we get our fledgling farm up and running. It turns out that my dream trailer had a soft spot in the floor due to water damage and we're not sure how extensive the floor rot is (under the laminate flooring).
As a new homesteader, I'm trying to heed the advice of others who say not to try to do too much the first year. We won't be trying to do it all. The plan is to have the well dug (a must!) and prepare a garden from scratch. I'm also hoping to have a greenhouse/hoophouse or at least some cold frames. Then add chickens and my son's beloved pigeons. Maybe pigs?
COW SHARE PROGRAM
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| Click here for general cow share FAQ |
At first, I was disappointed to hear that I could only buy 5 litres per week. I wasn't sure if that would be enough to make much cheese and yogurt. But, I was advised by a very experienced farmer with dairy animals, that it would be enough to practise with. We only use milk in our tea, so I can still make some soft cheeses and yogurt. I read that it takes 5 quarts of milk to produce 1 lb. of hard cheese. But maybe we can cut back our consumption one week and use more the next week to make some hard cheese?
If you have bought into a cow share, I would love to hear of your experience! Also, if you're a cheese maker I would like any advice you have to give. For just the first year, this could work! Then we can add a dairy cow or goats the following year.
FINALLY, A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
Instead of trying to destroy family farms, the government during the war was encouraging small scale homesteading. Read more here. How times have changed!
10 comments:
Ooh...the milk share sounds kind of pricey. Considering you are buying into a 6 yr share, and likely you will not need all of that time, perhaps you can "pass on" your share to another?
Not sure what the cost of a gallon of raw milk goes for here, as we were only really involved in a share with the Amish when we lived up north. I miss those days! To buy into the share was a one time fee of $15. Then it was $2.50 gallon, with no limit. I suppose we could still drive up there, but it would be about a 45 min drive from here. And the roads are not so good here in Michigan in the winter!
As for getting your own cow, I have heard crazy stories about how much milk you will get! Like gallons per day! You could open a cheese shop with all of the cheese you could be making!
Likely, you would have to have a friend/neighbor (or two or three!) who would purchase a share from you!
I guess I am now having to live the farm dream vicariously through you, dear friend!
And chickens would be my first acquisition, for sure!
As long as you light up their hen house a bit in the winter, you will get eggs all year long. My Isa Browns were the best layers...
xoxo
Are you thinking of getting milk from Mike? I've never heard anything bad about his milk, BUT my friend who used to get milk from him was really ticked at how often he didn't have enough milk for the local people. He likes to keep a lot of the milk for his Ottawa customers because they pay more.
Personally I wouldn't touch raw milk if it was free. There are reasons we started pasteurizing. I do want to convince Colin to get a cow (we drink so much) but I would pasteurize it before we used it.
Cindy:
Wow, that's quite the price difference in cow share prices! And I forgot that we don't plan to need cow share milk for the next six years, duh! So, it's more like $250 for 1 year!
I know that cows give a lot more milk than we'll need. I'm actually leaning more towards dairy goats, but I haven't found a "goat share" program (is there such a thing?).
I hope that you will have more chickens one day! I had urban chickens and loved it. My 5 layers still gave eggs all through the winter even without a lamp. My Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks were good little layers.
Thanks, Cindy, for the eye-opening info!
Paula, yes it is Mike's cow share that we're considering. I'm disappointed to hear about your friend's experience with him. If I pay all that money, I would want to get all the milk that I can.
As for raw, unpasteurized milk, I appreciate your concern. But I've heard so many good things about the health benefits, I think that I'll try it first before I consider pasteurizing it. I used to drink raw milk from my aunt's dairy farm when I was growing up with no problems. Thanks for the head's up, though.
Look forward to hearing more about it.
Welcome, oldschool!
I'm checking out your blog. I'm sure that I can learn a lot from your experience. Thank you for stopping by!
Hi Brenda
I pay $250 per year for my cow share in Ottawa and get up to 10 litres per week at $3.00 per litre. Currently the farmer has lots of milk and I'm getting 14 l a week. Love the raw fresh milk!
Hi cntrydad:
The cow share that we are considering is Ilgert's Organic Acres. We will be picking up directly from the farm, since we're nearby. I know that Mike has pick up locations in Ottawa--is that who you buy your milk from?
Wow, you must be happy to have so much milk! I can hardly wait to try some raw milk.
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your info :-)
Hi Brenda
We get our milk from Alpenblick Farm. We share it with two of our children and their families.
Hi cntrydad:
I have heard of Alpenblick farm. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I see that your blog is private. If you are willing to invite me as a reader, you can email me here: btremblay04 at yahoo dot ca. I am connecting with a few other bloggers in Renfrew county and Lanark county. I would like to develop a sense of community with other like-minded homesteaders in the area. We can help and encourage one another. But it's okay if you want to stay private, I'll understand :-) No pressure!
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