Hello to all! from a bit west of Chicago

hey there!

I've finally come looking for permaculture specific info and a more liberal online community. I've spent several years over at homesteading today(ht) and learned great skills from wonderful people - but I'm more liberal than most of them and it's hard to avoid arguments sometimes. I don't want to argue! And I don't feel that everyone is out to get 'mine' and that the number of bullets you own defines your security. I'd much rather define security by sharing knowledge and skills with my neighbors and friends. I believe in community I've seen Paul Wheaton's posts on HT and finally went a looking... and here I am!

We've been doing all sorts of homesteading stuff for the last 5 yrs and looking for ways to increase our wisdom about resource use and finding balances. Currently we've got a small flock of chickens, a pair of turkeys, a pair of feeder pigs and a huge garden on an acre on the edge of the 'burbs. Top bar hive awaiting a nuc come spring. Dreams of a pair of mini-mancha goats. Nice herb garden started.

I run a meetup group, foraging and herbs, and love learning how to care for and feed my family and friends. I like to make things. To get dirty outside and to eat real food.

Cathy

Thanks for the intro Ms Cathy,

Can you tell more about your herbs and forage group?

I'm thinking about "cultivating" wild, organic raspberry leaves for tea. Mow and harvest mainly. Is this the kind of thing your group does? We also harvest a fairly broad range of wild botanicals for homemade meds and teas. Over the years we have been amazed at the diversity and volume of wild material available in a short radius around us.

jay

Ah, and here I was calling you Cagle in the other thread! Cathy it is! I'm jealous of your livestock as I'm stuck here at school, but I'm using the time to research and gather a wealth of knowledge as I push forward.

On a side note, what's a feeder pig?

Hi Cathy - I am originally from Elgin Ill. Welcome to permies!

Hi, again, Cathy...I moved to Arkansas from Carlock (Bloomington/Normal area) in the early seventies. In high school I used to take the bus to Chicago quite a bit...then the el to the Loop and wander around the Art Institute and surrounding area. I always thought we would take our kids up there for a taste of a big city but never did. Is the soil where you are that good Illinois black stuff?

Hi Judith!
no, unfortunately our soil is scraped suburban land - nothing on top and then sticky thick clay that barely drains. This was wetlands before development, lovely. We're gardening by building up as it is the place to go. I really haven't explored much of illinois at all - I'm really a transplanted wisconsinite moved down here 18 months ago and making a home, surely and slowly.

thank you for the kind welcome

Adam, a feeder is a weaned young pig ready to be grown out for butchering. Sometimes called weaners or feeders. When they get larger they get called pigs or hogs. And could also be called barrows, gilts, sows, .... The nomenclature of each species can be overwhelming! So we have two pigs (they've grown tremendously this last month!) that will be ready for butchering between mid-december and mid-january. The first suitable weather weekend, but not chrismas, and we'll no longer have pigs till next fall.

And I have a wee spot of envy about being in school. Learning is such a wonderful thing! And school can be so dull. So it's a wee spot.