Sorry for the delay in getting rolling on blogging again. Unfortunately, after my last post, I had to have surgery. Something that has been weighing very heavily on my mind, even though we are now in the winter, is the topic of box elder.
The reason why box elder has been on my mind so much is because we had a horrible incident with it this last spring because we didn’t know any better. This past spring, we had to cut a bunch of branches off of a box elder tree near the house.
Now, we have a tradition when we cut branches on the farm. Usually, all cut branches get thrown over the fence to the animals. We learned a very hard lesson that day. We threw box elder branches with leaves and seeds over the fence, and two of our goats started to compete for who could eat the most of it.
By morning, our best la mancha doe was dead, and our other milker was very ill. We learned the hard way that box elder is one of the lethal plants for any herbivore to get into. We had fed it to every animal on the farm that was an herbivore. Thankfully, most of them had the sense not to eat it, choosing to go hungry instead.
When we discovered the dead doe, I called our veterinarian in a panic because the other doe was severely ill, and I knew that all the animals had been fed this plant. The vet told me that unfortunately, there is no antidote for box elder poisoning. They will live, or they will die, and you can’t do much about it. We spent most of the day agonizing over who else would we lose over the mistake.
Thankfully, as I said, we ended up losing only one doe. Our best milker. The moral of the story is always double check that any trimmings you are about to feed livestock are not poisonous for the animals. It could very well save lives.
This little girl sadly only got to live to be two because of the mistake we made.
I know you’re questioning the veracity of this statement. I know you are. But I have an expert’s word for it. Homesteading leads to a longer life. Dan Beuttner’s Ted Talk indicates that there are six factors which lead to a life that extends past 100 years. He calls this the Blue Zone. Take a few minutes and watch his talk. Then we’ll discuss why homesteading leads to a longer life. I think you’ll see it, too.
See it? Let’s begin with why this is so important.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy in the US is about 78, which is more than a decade short of what our potential says we should have. That seems like a lot. And you know what? I think that regardless of our lifespan, we should be living those years well. As Beuttner says, with extraordinary vigor. How long do you want to live? How well do you want to live? Homesteading can contribute to living long and living well.
Factors Blue Zone Cultures Have in Common
There are six things which everyone in the Blue Zones (zones in which long-lived people live) have in common. According to the Wikipedia page, these are:
• Family – put ahead of other concerns
• Less smoking
•Semi-vegetarianism – the majority of food consumed is derived from plants
How can a homesteading lifestyle contribute to these factors? Let’s break them down and see where our choices come into play.
Family
Homesteading won’t automatically cause us to put our families ahead of other concerns. However, growing our own food, working the soil, caring for animals – all of these things can lead one to choose the concerns of others over our own. We’re aware of a broader world, including the soil and creatures around us.
Homesteading leads to a longer life when family works together toward a common goal – goals are great in all walks of life, but in homesteading they’re essential.
Homesteading creates a sense of harmony in the home. Working together makes homesteading better and easier. That said, family harmony, putting the concerns of others ahead of your own, is ultimately a choice you have to make. You may find that you have to make it daily in the beginning. Eventually it becomes a joyful choice.
Less Smoking
I have only two things to say about less smoking. One, smoking more or less is a choice one makes, just like anything else. Two, I’m going to assume (since I don’t smoke) that one would smoke less if one were a homesteader and active. The little I know about smoking is that the reasons for continuing to smoke, while varied, outside of simple enjoyment, are relaxation and reduced anxiety.
Homesteading is a physical endeavor. It works both the body’s muscles, as well as the brain. I’m making another assumption in saying that relaxation and anxiety will both change with time when one chooses a homesteading lifestyle. Even if the choice is as simple as making your own Greek yogurt and sourdough bread on a regular basis (we offer classes on both of those). I know that I’m making a lot of assumptions here, but if you’re a smoker, give it some thought. And please, weigh in in the comments. I’d like to know more about your choices and challenges. Our homesteaders would love to talk with you about why this lifestyle may help to change your smoking habit.
Semi-Vegetarianism
Growing your own food in a garden means that you’ll be eating your own food. Notice that it doesn’t say total vegetarianism. Limiting your red meat and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake help promote a longer life. Maybe you live in an apartment and think you can’t grow your own food. Let’s look at two things you can do, short term, to increase your fruit and vegetable intake.
1 Container gardening – Whether you have a balcony, a patio, or just a window, you can grow food in containers most of the year. Click this link to see the idea behind container gardens. While living in the city, I’ve always had herbs growing in my kitchen window, as well as plants in almost every windowsill in the house. Growing food inside may not replace all of your fruit and veggie budget, but it helps. It’s fresh and delicious. We’ve also grown containers of tomatoes and other vegetables on the patio. Google is your friend, as well as our site. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.
2 Farmer’s Markets – Maybe you can’t grow food indoors or elsewhere (college dorm or some other situation), but most cities and towns have farmer’s markets during the growing season. Not only do these offer fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, they can also offer grass fed meat grown locally. Explore your town and look for fresh food to take home for yourself and your family. It makes a difference.
Constant Moderate Physical Activity
Our homesteaders tell us often that they’re more limber and agile, well into their 50’s, because of their homesteading lifestyle. It’s a very physical lifestyle, requiring planting, tending, harvesting. If one includes animal husbandry, there’s daily care for the animals. If you read this blog on a regular basis, you’ll see how that plays out over time. One cannot be a homesteader and lead a sedentary life.
George, our homesteader, is working with his sweet potato crop. George spends a lot of time outside year round.
Also, constant physical activity, while contributing to a longer life in general, is actually relaxing. Spending time outside with the plants and animals is relaxing and rewarding.
Social Engagement
While it would be easy enough to isolate oneself as a homesteader, it’s better done in community. Here are just a handful of ways one can homestead in community.
• Seed saving – the sharing of heritage seeds involves interaction with others
• Animal husbandry – there’s always more to learn about the care of animals, and especially when one of your flock is ill or pregnant – interacting with a homesteading community is an education, as well as life saving
• Swapping goods and services – it’s nearly impossible to grow everything which you and your family need, so bartering for the things you don’t produce can be both fun and beneficial
I’m hoping our homesteaders weigh in, in the comments, with other ways to engage socially as a homesteader.
Legumes
This one was a surprise to me! But it shouldn’t have been. Legumes, or beans, are one of their biggest staples on the farm. Legumes are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and protein. One can probably exist on beans alone if need be. And man alive are they tasty if cooked right! Stay tuned for recipes in the future. It’s our goal here at HomesteadingEdu to add recipes to the coursework, enabling you to truly utilize what we’re teaching.
Tarahumara Purple Ojos beans Beans, beans, the charmed legume Eat a few and clear the room
Homesteading Leads to a Longer Life
Do you see it? Do you see how homesteading leads to a longer life? If you don’t, please weigh in in the comments. One or more of our homesteaders would love to chat. I suspect, since you’re already here and reading our blog, that you’re probably considering homesteading and its benefits. Why don’t you join us here on our journey? This blog is always free, and the classes aren’t expensive. Our homesteaders are thorough and interactive. Join us!
Oh, and I’m Flea, one of the former urban homesteaders. We sold our city house and are in the process of buying five acres in the country. So I’ll be learning right along with y’all! You’ll probably see my journey here, complete with the mistakes I’ll make. I look forward to walking with you!
Homesteading can be more than just a way to feed yourself. You can both save and make money by homesteading. We’ve helped ourselves out by raising as much as we need and more. Some we barter, some we keep, and some we sell. So, what do we raise or grow extras off, and where do we sell them?
Well, for starters, we raise extra chicks, turkey poults and ducklings. We hatch twice a year and we bought the absolute best stock we could get. These, we sell on Craigslist, by word of mouth, myneighbor.com, and every once and again, the auction barn. We rarely sell through auction though because we get a lower price at the auction than we do through private sale. We see our livestock as cash on the hoof.
We also got licensed to sell seeds, so we raise extra plants to be able to sell. In our state, it’s only $35 to get that license. Aside from selling sprouts, cuttings, and seeds, we also raise rabbits, goats, and occasionally with the goats’ milk, we bring up a calf to sell.
Because we raise dairy goats and chickens, we have milk and eggs frequently available from the farm gate. We also sometimes have yogurt and cheese, and maybe soap for sale. We also have it known in our community that we sometimes have fresh vegetables available at the farm. They just have to ask. Another thing that Jerreth said to tell you all to look into, is a stand at a local farmers market. If you don’t have enough extra to need a stand, you might see if a friend who has a stand might be willing to let you sell yours from their stand. Another thing that we do that is an excellent way to raise a little extra cash, is raise red worms. Fishermen love them. Gardeners that know enough to know, love them too.
I’ll post again next time with a few more things you can do to either save money or raise money with your homestead.
Until next time,
Emily
Hey all,
I’m sharing part 2 of my multiple part series on simplifying your life and making your homestead not turn stressful for you. You need to keep a balance. So, with that said, here are some more things that we’ve found have helped us on our homestead.
As I mentioned in the last post, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in your garden or livestock that it becomes overwhelming. We do need to take a break for our loved ones. Stuff is just stuff. Sometimes the garden will need to wait. Be present for your family. Take time for friends. When they remember you, you want them to remember you not for the way your homestead was always immaculate, but for being a warming, loving and caring person who took time out to really love them.
Also, while you are working on your homestead, look for deals. Lack of money can be a big burden. You don’t always have to go pricey on everything. Sometimes, you can find a great deal on just one component of something you would like to have, and you can get the pieces over time to make something, or you might be able to barter with someone to get an animal that you would want. For example, we’ve bartered meat before in exchange for a doe on the hoof that we really wanted. Craigslist can really be your friend. Keep your impulses in check and don’t buy something before you are sure that it is exactly what you need.
Also, be a learner. Being a learner means that when you have something horrible happen on the homestead, because bad things can and do happen to good people, you take it as a learning opportunity. A learner maintains a positive attitude, and asks questions about how to solve their problems. Learners try to make sure they are linked in with community because everyone can still learn something, and sometimes someone else in your community will have the answer to your difficulty. A learner is a person with perseverance.
That Ozark Homesteader 