The 5 Animals No Homestead Should be Without(IMO)

Today I want to write about our animals friends that may or may not become our supper. We will start with the ones that won't be "whats for dinner".
   1. Dog: Every hopeful homestead should have a dog, one that is big enough and mean enough to protect you and your livestock yet friendly enough not to want to eat your friends. If you find one that is multi purpose that is even better. What do I mean by multi purpose one who can herd the chickens and goats without eating them, yet if a coyote rolls through they will protect the same chickens and goats. When choosing a dog I don't think breed really matters in most cases, some are bred to do a lot of different things but if you don't train them to do those things they wont, now I am not saying run out and buy a beagle they will eat your chickens the hunting instinct is just too strong. I love a mutt one that you rescue is even better, if you get it as a puppy.
 
2. Cat: Why a cat? One or more cats will keep mice away and moles out of your garden. If mice eat all the food(both yours and the animals) then you have done all this work for nothing. I personally have several cats and while my neighbors complain to me about mice I have only seen a couple(knock on wood). Cats are working animals who you will have to feed to keep around if they are left outside but not too much or they will not catch the mice.

3. Rabbits: Rabbits are cute and cuddly but they have amazing poo! It is never "hot" so you can mix it into the garden without composting. They also are a source of meat, protein that is very very lean. If we have a food shortage, people will take to hunting like no tomorrow and there will not be enough to go around, so if you have your own rabbits they will produce quickly and eat everything so you will be ahead of the game.

4. Chickens with a rooster: If you don't want to buy chickens every year or two you will have to get a roo. Chickens have excellent poo for your garden they eat EVERYTHING and are easy to care for. They can be supper or can supply breakfast. I have several different kinds of chickens,  Rhode Island Reds for eggs, Orpingtons for meat and eggs and Silkies because they go broody more often than other chickens. If you don't have power for an extended period of time yet still want to have chicks a Silkie will sit on all eggs from other chickens to ducks. You will need 1 rooster for every 8 to 10 hens unless you want to have a lower chance of fertile eggs.

5. Goats: A couple milk goats are on my list of things to buy. When you add up how much you spend on dairy product every week at the store they will pay for themselves sooner or later depending on how much you spend. We spend alot on cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream and butter so at least 2 nannies is something we need. If you get a mixed goat you have the chance for milk and meat. Caution always have the nanny the bigger of the mix or you could lose both the nanny and kid during birth. Also when you mix the breeds you may have less milk than you expected.

These animals are my top 5 yours may be different and that's ok, having a homestead allows you the freedom to have what you think you can care for and will serve you the best. The order I placed them in isn't the order in which I think they belong but how they came to me as I typed. After I typed all this it came to me I should have done 6, I left out an important one that is on my list too, Bees.

 The time before last I said I wanted to find something I buy to make at home and since then I have come up with 3. Lip balm, lotion, and clothes detergent. I will give the recipes after I have made them and tried them out to be sure I don't tell you wrong.

 The goal this time is to smile at everyone who thinks you are crazy for wanting to live a more self sufficient life one that is better for you and the Earth that we share.
             MoonFlower

Pagan Gardening

        Pagan Gardening

  In the comments section of my last blog I had someone ask about gardening and it took forever for me to decide how to word what I do to have a successful garden and what is successful anyway.
  Last year was my first real attempt and it failed horribly. This Spring I tried again and again epic fail. Those two times would have sent me running for the hills if not for one thing I listened. I listened to the old timers, to the people buying seeds, but more importantly for a Witch I listened to the plants and animals in my yard and to the Spirits of my Ancestors. So basically the voices no one else heard the sounds of songs in the wind, the patter of rain, that had I stopped and paid attention I would have known was coming and to the stirring inside my hands and stomach when I started a plant.
  Every failure brought me one step closer to having what others would say was a success. I was tickled pink with the tiny watermelons and few pumpkins I got last year but for all that work I knew deep down it should have done better. So I sat and thought about it, meditated even, and came up with a new plan. When the deer dug up all the potatoes and started stepping on the pumpkins I called to them, with a promise of food, if you will work with me on letting things grow I promise I will share. When the bugs started to eat everything left, I called to them if you only eat this plant out of these I will not bother you. That seemed to work so I was happy and thought I had it in the bag, until...
   This Spring we hired an older gentleman we know to till the garden, make it huge, and add horse and rabbit poo to it. I then got out there with a hoe and made the rows, it was so pretty, then I proceeded to plant 100's of seeds( the whole time I said words of encouragement and  of growth). Then I did the worst thing I could do, I called for rain, anyone who has ever tried this knows you only do it when it is needed and you make it specific, not me. I called for rain( in April mind you) big ol drops of water to fall and make my life easier, since I wouldn't have to haul buckets of water to ensure the seedlings have enough. Well you get what you ask for, I got 2 weeks of rain, heavy rain, my life was made so much easier in fact because the seeds rotted in the ground or simply washed away  (FAIL).
   I wont be defeated, I know I have the know how and the power to grow things, so I went to town and bought some sad tomato and green pepper plants. I say sad because they knew they were dying you could feel their pain at being stuck in the small plastic pots, so yes here I am in the Walmart talking to tomato and pepper plants and asking them if I take you home will you grow, I hear back "that's all we wish to do", I now have one  tomato plant that is taller than me and the rest are not far behind and two of the 4 are producing. The peppers where farther gone but at least 1 will have peppers in it and the other 3 I'm still talking to about it.
   That brings us now to the Fall garden that has been going for about a week. I have pumpkins, mustard greens, Roma tomatoes, and green beans growing. Carrots in a couple pots and getting ready to add more veggies to the list. The things I have learned have out weighed my failures by a truck load.
   Do I have advice for someone who wishes to grow something? Sure I do but first are you willing to talk to bugs and deer? Are you willing to look to the trees for signs of rain? More importantly are you willing to listen to the voices/feelings only you can hear/feel?  If not there is nothing I can do, or anyone else really until you are ready to commune with Nature instead of fighting it then that is all you will do and yes you may grow some really good fruits and vegetables but the lessons you could have learned will be lost.
  This was so long that I'm not going to post a recipe or tip, but the goal is to go outside and bask in the glory of the sun and moon and listen.

The Witch's Way: Homesteading with a Pagan Flair

 Just started this tonight! Here you will find hints and tips, what we are doing at The Witch's Way, a little Magick here and there, and really whatever stikes my fancy at the time.
 Tonight I want to talk about the difference in homesteading and prepping. It may seem like a fine line but really it's not, I homestead/farm I do not prep. I am not hoarding tons of food in my closets and under beds, I am not saying the zombies WILL attack anytime and we must be ready. So here's what I am saying: Wouldnt it be fantastic to walk to the pantry and have some sweet wonderful tomatoes from this summers garden in the dead of winter, shouldn't we be aware of what our children are eating and shouldn't what they are eating be good for them, have little to no "mileage" on it, shouldn't we be able to not only spell what is in our foods but know exactly what the ingrediants are, and lastly for us meat eaters shouldn't that animal have lived a grand life for after all they have given it so that we may eat.
 Preppers are all about gloom and doom and what if"s, they will tell you to stockpile ramen noodles and spegetti oh's because they have long self lives and can be cooked easily. Preppers it seems have taken over the internet and TV's with their stories of spending thousands of dollars to be ready for when TSHTF(the shit hits the fan I added that because I really had to think on it, lol). I am not saying they are wrong because if it helps them get through the day then more power to them. I on the other hand can not imagine a world for myself or children that is all about fear and worry. Wondering if the world will end whenever so lets stock up on the most unhealthy foods we can get our hands on because think of all the extra calories in that innocent pack of soup, not for me and I hope not for you either.
 My goal is to end each blog with a hint or tip, a goal to complete before the next time, and a recipe. Today's tip is: use baking soda and cinnamon to freshen your carpets, the baking soda gets rid of the smells and the cinnamon not only smells good but also encourages money flow and love. The goal is to look at one food you love and think about how you can grow it or make it yourself. You will be suprised at how easy things really are to make homemade. Today recipe is:
Basic Muffin Mix:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar or stevia if you wish
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 egg or 2 egg whites
3/4 to 1 cup of milk to get the cosistancy you would like but it should be pretty thick
1/3 cup of oil or drained applesauce to keep the fat down
Mix it all together.
After you get this far you can add whatever you want chocolate chips, blueberries, coapple chunks and cinnamon the options are limitless!
Use cupcake liners or you can butter or use non stick spray the cupcake tin
fill the cups about 3/4ths of the way and bake for around 15 to 18 mins depends on your oven. They come out really yummy!!!