A New Year Full of Promise and Progress

Becoming self sufficient is a process and a journey.  I want to know where our food is coming from, and I would really like to get away from spending hundreds of dollars a week at the grocery store!  It is a fun challenge to become self sufficient and live a life that is back to the basics.  I am not an extremist though.  I still plan on using toilet paper and taking showers in whatever length they need to be for me to feel clean.  No sharing of the bathtub water here.  However, there are things that we can do that will help us live a healthier life style.  I just don't mean physical health either.  Our goal is that our family will be spiritually, physically and mentally healthy! 

2013 was a great year for us because we were able to realize our dream of owning a small farmette!  God has been good to us indeed.  We are looking forward to what 2014 will bring.  Our goal of becoming self sufficient still weighs heavy on my heart.  It helps to reflect on what has been accomplished in a year's time.  Although we are on our way to becoming self sufficient, we still have a long way to go.  This is what we accomplished in 2013:

• Purchased 10 acre farm
• Purchased laying hens (we are currently getting 2 dozen eggs a day)
• Put in a wood stove to heat our house (It is only heating part of the house)
• Planted apple trees
• Planted berry bushes
• Planted and harvested a small test garden
• Set up chicken coop and surrounding area
• Installed storm doors for the house to help with utilities
• Bought a new dishwasher and oven
• Began setup of outdoor kitchen

Goals for 2014

• Put in a much larger garden and can enough fruit and vegetables for a year
• Make our own cleaning supplies, including soap (Maybe to sell)
• Test products for future Farmer's Market booth
• Purchase more laying hens and hens for meat
• Expand and grown our chicken coop
• Set up the rainwater system
• Put in another wood burning stove or heater to eliminate need for gas
• Plant more apple trees
• Plant more berry bushes
• Make more homemade foods (get away from processed)
• Reduce our grocery bill significantly

We thank you, friends, for following us this past year, and we hope you continue to do so this coming year!