Hello Folks,
I am to introduce myself today. When I started the blog it was normal to have a handle, which why I am now known as FarmGal
However real name is Val, feel free to use either. I am 45 and am coming in on 14 years on the current farm we live on. I have five acres that belong to the farm, and I have been “gifted” use of six wooded acres across the road with creek. I also have permission to forage, plant and harvest and ride my horses in all the local hay fields ( which adds up to close to 200 hundred acres at least) I am within easy walking distance to a creek and short ride or drive to the bigger river.
I was raised in Alberta either on small farms or in the northern bush area’s, I moved to the Rockies for a while in early 20’s and moved to Yellowknife NWT for a year before moving to Iqaluit, Nunavut for almost six years before coming to our current farm.
I have lived, worked, hunted, foraged in all the places I have lived. The farm is a mixed farm, we have livestock, garden, fruits tree’s and 3/4ths of an acre of mix food hedges, food forest, permaculture, livestock fodder producer etc.
I teach classes on canning, preserving and other homestead skill sets from making cheese to milking sheep to starting seeds to saving seeds and so forth.
We raise a beef calf from week old till butcher weight once every two years, we raise a pig or two yearly. My largest flock is my sheep and a smaller herd of goats, we had a milk cow for a few years but that did not work out.. Sheep and goat for milk is much better fit. We have meat rabbits, ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, red wigglers worms, mealworms.
We have lots of gardens.. so many gardens… I love our 12 foot bean teepee with its outer garden ring.
I do my own butchering and processing of the livestock raised for our own use and I send out if we are selling at farm gate, as per the law locally.
So now I am to talk about what I want to do on this challenge. I am keeping simple here so that I can make sure I will make happen. I will do at least two new content posts related to homesteading on some way weekly, I am going to pull out my most popular posts over past seven plus years for at least two days of the week. I need to do a weekly round-up.. anything above that is gravy 🙂
Now what are my goals?
- Build one new hugelkultur bed
- Butcher out rabbits and one yearling goat
- Cross fence at least one more line to make another smaller paddock
- plant at least two new fruit tree’s
- Start new fruit bushes ( I want to put in a new row of elderberries)
- Plant the main garden
If I get that done on top of all the regular farm work, I will be very happy. Is there something you want me to cover?
Just another Day on the Farm 
I will be reading your posts with interest. I have soooo much to learn!
Thanks Craftytadpole I am always learning, its never ending but that is a good thing I think
Hi Farmgal Val, I am a fellow participant in the self reliant challenge (in South Africa) and look forward to reading about your progress! I loved the bean plant teepee!
Hi Frank, I tried to leave a message on your site, I will see if I can figure out why it didn’t post, I enjoyed reading your post today, interesting in both the water collecting and the seed starting. I have done solar drying in dryer climates in Canada but I use power now that I am in Ontario where I find the humidity gives me issues. I am looking forward to seeing how it goes for you.. thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
I’m impressed by all you do, Val! I butchered a young goat once…a yearling would be a handful!
thanks for the kind words, I find a two year old beef yearling to be a massive job. I had to order in new lifting gear an had to use the truck hitch to lift it up to dress it. its a lot of work for sure
You’re an amazing homesteader! Good on you! Cows are the only thing we haven’t tried. With only two of us it’s easier for us to go in on quarters for a beef cow.
We live in north Texas–a few acres in the middle of nowhere. We’re retired now so more time to spend on crops and critters.
Looking forward to reading more from you!
nice to meet you 🙂 If I had access to reasonable priced local beef, I would do the same. I look forward to reading your blog as well
Big Congrats on taking the next step, FarmGal Val!
Look forward to following along with the challenge!
Hello Val! It sounds like you are well on your way to being self-reliant! You have some great goals and seem busy! Good luck on the challenge! I look forward to your posts!