Sagebrush & Solar

When we sold our house last spring, I knew 2022 wasn’t going to be the time for any type of homesteading. We were living with my parents, had no structure to call home, had no water or electricity, etc.

So I dreamed about 2023.

The rabbits. The chickens. Raising our own meat and eggs. Growing a prolific garden in my hugelkultur beds. Harvesting said garden and learning to preserve it through canning, freezing and dehydration. Grinding my own grains for sourdough. Monthly Azure Standard pickups and few grocery trips.

As we sit halfway through January, I’m struggling to maintain a balance of optimism and skepticism at where we will be in a few months, and what projects we can feasibly tackle and have a chance at success with.

Livestock

I am so, so excited to have my own flock. I want to raise layers and meat birds. Both require separate housing — housing we don’t have at all. My dream coop is walk-in and predator safe. The reality of this year? Probably not going to happen. It’s expensive, and we won’t have time to build a coop.

More likely: meat rabbits. Hutches are affordable on Facebook, and a local rabbit breeding group often posts bucks and does for sale that aren’t fit for show. I’ve never actually eaten rabbit, but a breeding trio can produce several hundred pounds of meat in a year. Plus, their poop is amazing for the garden.

We split 1/4 of a cow with my parents last year; this is something I’d like to do again. I source my raw milk from a local dairy.

Garden

I need to finish my hugelkultur beds, but they won’t be ready for use until 2024. Instead, I plan on using a more temporary method: likely a combination of no dig and container gardening. I’m going to primarily focus on tomatoes and a few other minor staples.

We’ll see how my garlic did this winter, too.

I am planning on starting a worm farm for compost and to reduce scrap waste.

Preservation

With a small garden, I’m going to likely rely on local farmers and friends with excess vegetables and fruit for my preservation efforts. It’s never a bad time to acquire these types of skills. I’d like to learn how to can tomato sauce, pickles, salsa, jam and broth.

Cooking from Scratch

I’ve been getting better at working with sourdough; I’d like to experiment more with recipes beyond an artisan loaf.

I’d also like to experiment with cheesemaking and yogurt making, as well as more fermentation (sauerkraut, pickles).

The reality is: our property won’t be the beautiful, bustling, full of livestock homestead I’ve imagined this year. Or next year. Or honestly? Probably even the next. We’re trying to remain debt free, which means we must be patient and prioritize what is most important. Yes, we want all of the animals, an abundant garden and self sufficiency, but it’s going to take some time. One thing I’ve learned in this 800 square foot apartment: it’s never a bad time to learn basic skills.