We’ve been quiet in Blogville, but it’s not because nothing is happening. SO MUCH is happening. We’re starting our second spring at Bellfern, and–dare I say it?–it feels like we’ve got our feet under us. Our disasters are fewer and farther between. The Farm Update In early April, we castrated the piglets, and yes weContinue reading “Spring projects: piglets and kitchen remodel”
Tag Archives: DIY
The Books That Make Us
At the urging of a homesteader friend, I recently reread Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I hadn’t read it since second or third grade when I read the rest of the Little House series, but I was surprised to discover how many of the stories were still vivid in my memory as I reread themContinue reading “The Books That Make Us”
Custom Greenhouse and How to Lay Pavers Imperfectly
Its not until July 4th in northwest Washington that you can bank on warm weather. June around here goes by another name…Juneuary, because it is frequently 50’s and rainy. That is a hard pill to swallow when the rest of the country is already comfortably swimming! Of course, its also cold in JANuary when tomatoes are toContinue reading “Custom Greenhouse and How to Lay Pavers Imperfectly”
The Myth of the Self-Sufficient Homestead
“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton Many people start homesteading because they want to increase self-sufficiency, and decrease dependence on systems that seem fragile or likely to fail. Should The Big One strike (referring to the devastating and periodic earthquake along the Cascade Fault ofContinue reading “The Myth of the Self-Sufficient Homestead”
101 Uses for Pallets on the Homestead: #1-3
When purchasing the farm 7 months ago, we inherited a lot of stuff. From outbuildings to questionable lumber, from electric fencing to old roofing, from drainage problems to really smelly compost. Now, Paul Wheaton says, “If it stinks, you are doing it wrong.” And my experience says that is true. I spent summers growing up in theContinue reading “101 Uses for Pallets on the Homestead: #1-3”
The Yellow Submarine: Salatin Style Pastured Poultry
The inaugural launch of our (Joel) Salatin style pastured poultry pontoon occurred in mid-August of this year. Typically, broilers are done in the Spring when the grass is growing fast and the temps are warming nicely. But, since we didn’t move onto the homestead until May and were busy setting up 4 pastured pigs andContinue reading “The Yellow Submarine: Salatin Style Pastured Poultry”
Bellfern Homestead 