I got up today and realized my stomach was gurgling. I was still compelled to go hang out with old friends today till...I met up with the magical potty closet. My friends dont mind and I have no shame but I think it is pretty rude to go and blow up someones bathroom when I knew I wasnt feeling good before I came. This may seem irrelevant but everywhere I go for advice on starting up my little farming project, I hear "blah blah blah do it rain or shine, sick or well." I understand where theyre coming from and I know the consequences. Just making sure everyone else reading knows as well. I also thought...what are my future plans besides college and a family? What comes after? What will be on this crazy farm I want?
I decided against a cow. While I could provide milk for my local family and myself, it is just otherwise a bad idea. My dearest loving boyfriend would likely drink himself sick for number one. I dont actually drink milk. It makes my stomach hurt for the most part. I want a milker just to keep him from drinking my milk (which is usually hemp milk) when he is out and because it does wonders on dry hair. Yeah you heard me right. Yes I have used milk in my hair before. It was wonderful! The way it shined and bounced...oh it was beautiful. Besides milk, I also wanted something with meat output. We do eat quite a bit of beef (although with healthier choices, meat will be severely cut down) but eat much more chicken. The goat meat will be for the pets. I am leaning towards pygmies because of their lower meat and milk production.
And yes chickens! We eat chicken, dogs eat chicken, we eat eggs...where would we be without chickens? I hear they arent worth the work...(but neither are most things according to the people around me.) Cows arent worth the work for us because we just dont need that much meat or milk. But chickens? Free range organic chickens are a pretty penny. I have no doubt in my mind that we will be raising a crap ton of these for yums with some supplemental chickens from local co-ops. Besides the point of growing stuff at home is to be as self sufficient as possible. With a bunch of new people, there is no way this will happen right off the bat. I have been leaning towards Rhode Island reds but have taken a look at leghorns as well. Both are common in this area (along with New Hampshire reds.)
I have greatly considered owning some turkeys but not quite sure. Where I grew up, turkeys are protected by law and are even more stupid and aggressive than normal. They think it is ok to run in front of your car (they wont cross the street if it is empty...only in traffic) and think it is ok to kick it on your porch. If you try to tell them otherwise, the males get all jumpy and fluffy. They attacked our pets if we took them outside in the morning. I told my old manager about this one day and the wild turkeys in her area (just a few miles out) were nothing like that. If anything, theyd adopt your cat or your yard. Our local feed store says the same thing about pet turkeys. Apparently I just lived around some psychos or something crazy. By the way killing them is a $500 fine. I do hear that non psychotic pet turkeys can be very rewarding, especially around thanks giving. I havent quite found a breed but am heading towards heritage types.
A horse is also high on the list but I like things to have multiple purpose. It will probably be for short trails and riding around the area, checking fences along with getting food to everyone. I have greatly kinda thought about it. I have settled on either an expensive gypsy, a cheap mustang (probably for later), or a dales pony...which would also be expensive. And of course a dog that can actually protect the other animals from things like coyotes and cats that can protect our fields from things like reapers bunnies.
Of course I have my pets that are simply around for pleasure too. I havent forgotten my current dogs, nanas dog Beau, and the dog that will be tagging along that dearest loving boyfriend doesnt know about yet. I also still want that beautiful goldfish or koi pond. Did I also mention that I want a few maple and oak trees as well as some rose bushes? I know these arent pets but it is still something to take care of!
