Wanting to start being a Permie, Lacey, WA.

I want to start, grew up a farmer's daughter. Goats, horses, chickens, everything but sheep and cattle. Also a varied fruit orchard. Also helped my Stepdad put in a gate. Have some fruit/veggie gardening experience. Just want to put it to the test, but don't know how. Also, I read it can take years to finish this program, is that true?? FYI, I am in the burbs currently.

Hello Ashley
I am close but a long drive away, you would have to drive north to the Narrows Bridge and then down the Key Peninsula.
See my advice here:skip work https://permies.com/t/207438/Skip-work#1732695
You already have skills that would make you valuable as a farm sitter.. Nancy in the post above mine there gives the relevant links

Yes, that is a bit of a drive! I forgot to add, that I don't have any experience with donkeys/mules, however I do have some knowledge (expanding daily) of herbal medicine. It's a love of mine. Also I strongly prefer organic if at all possible. & Idk if it means anything, but I also strongly prefer farm to table & pasture raised eggs! (No farmers= no food). Also, thank you for the advice!

Hi Ashley and welcome to Permies! (I'm the Nancy Hans mentioned above)

Ashley Redding wrote: I read it can take years to finish this program, is that true??

I'm assuming that you're talking about SKIP? Hans gave you a good link there. I don't regard it as a program that is ever finished unless you stop learning! There is always another string to add to your bow. I think Paul regards it as an alternative to a degree, but it will depend on which skills you already have (and just need to demonstrate) and which you want to acquire.

Permies isn't just about SKIP though - I find it a great place to hang out, help people and get help. I love to see what people are doing to 'make the world a better place in their backyard' whether it is economising on washing up water, or planting a tree, although I lean more to the latter perhaps . We also have giveaways (thanks to kindly publishers and manufacturers), morale boosting team activities (like Saana's Sourdough party), book and gear reviews, and small ads.

Have fun!

Welcome to the forum, Ashley!

My advice is to just start doing what you want to learn more about.

The SKIP program mentioned earlier is a great way to show off your skills.

Have you considered the Wheaton Labs?

https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp/

You also might be interested in our Experiences forum:

https://permies.com/c/experiences

These might be of interest:

https://permies.com/wiki/213640/wwoofing/experiences/WWOOF-USA

https://permies.com/wiki/bootcamp

https://permies.com/w/146480/wwoof-v-bootcamp

https://permies.com/t/2917/volunteering/experiences/Great-Resources-Volunteering

Ashley Redding wrote:I want to start, grew up a farmer's daughter. Goats, horses, chickens, everything but sheep and cattle. Also a varied fruit orchard. Also helped my Stepdad put in a gate. Have some fruit/veggie gardening experience. Just want to put it to the test, but don't know how. Also, I read it can take years to finish this program, is that true?? FYI, I am in the burbs currently.

Hey there,

I have a small farm out in Yelm and work In Olympia. What Program are you referring too? It is a never ending learning experience.

I want to start being a Permie in general. My goal is to have a homestead & little cabin in the woods, off in the mountains somewhere. Idk how to start, however. I want to, eventually, build my own log cabin. Am also trying to find a farm I can work to earn, as well.

Ashley Redding wrote:I want to start being a Permie in general. My goal is to have a homestead & little cabin in the woods, off in the mountains somewhere. Idk how to start, however. I want to, eventually, build my own log cabin. Am also trying to find a farm I can work to earn, as well.

Awesome, well if you wanna chat sometime let me know. I am on 7 acres, I am starting a small market garden and will start growing/selling this upcoming spring. It will be part time in afternoons and weekends.

Thank you to everyone that is replying. Yes, I do mean SKIP. (New here, got confused). Would like to work towards that little cabin in the woods❤️. About that market garden, that sounds perfect!!! (Q. Since I want to do SKIP, what yellow brick road should I start traveling on?):

Yellow Brick  is your choice. The SKIP program is about you documented your projects and skills all over the place...wherever YOU choose. I've met a bunch of great people on here from all over the USA(mainly East and SouthEast coasts. I could have stayed there as per the various arrangements each you unique to the person YOU decide to reach out to.


Check the 'experiences' forum(  https://permies.com/c/experiences  ) for people postings about needing help at their place. GO back a few pages into to see previous offerings which may still be valid.

here is one post (    https://permies.com/t/231231/experiences/Figure-Fair-Deal  )

Brett Hopkins wrote:

Ashley Redding wrote:I want to start being a Permie in general. My goal is to have a homestead & little cabin in the woods, off in the mountains somewhere. Idk how to start, however. I want to, eventually, build my own log cabin. Am also trying to find a farm I can work to earn, as well.

Awesome, well if you wanna chat sometime let me know. I am on 7 acres, I am starting a small market garden and will start growing/selling this upcoming spring. It will be part time in afternoons and weekends.

I would love to. I sent you some purple mooses, go check um out.

I'm new to this site, but with a few recent years experience building a homestead under my belt, if I could tell my earlier self what to do first, it would be simply start composting immediately, compost everything as David the Good always says.  You're going to get so addicted to all this that you will constantly be running out of compost and the lack of it is likely to be your biggest bottleneck.  Buying it is expensive, so compost everything.

Cj Picker wrote:I'm new to this site, but with a few recent years experience building a homestead under my belt, if I could tell my earlier self what to do first, it would be simply start composting immediately, compost everything as David the Good always says.  You're going to get so addicted to all this that you will constantly be running out of compost and the lack of it is likely to be your biggest bottleneck.  Buying it is expensive, so compost everything.

I composted in NC, when I lived in the country. I think it's funny how people think that "all compost smells", & "You can't compost meat" & my personal favorite, "You can only have cold compost because hot compost can't have meat, and it smells when the sun hits it, & in the Summer". I had a hot compost pile, with everything thrown in it. & you know what? It didn't smell. & I had everything but the kitchen sink in there! The trick with meat, is you toss it right in the middle of the pile. So predators don't get it, and so it doesn't stink up the joint.

Ashley Redding wrote:

Cj Picker wrote:I'm new to this site, but with a few recent years experience building a homestead under my belt, if I could tell my earlier self what to do first, it would be simply start composting immediately, compost everything as David the Good always says.  You're going to get so addicted to all this that you will constantly be running out of compost and the lack of it is likely to be your biggest bottleneck.  Buying it is expensive, so compost everything.

I composted in NC, when I lived in the country. I think it's funny how people think that "all compost smells", & "You can't compost meat" & my personal favorite, "You can only have cold compost because hot compost can't have meat, and it smells when the sun hits it, & in the Summer". I had a hot compost pile, with everything thrown in it. & you know what? It didn't smell. & I had everything but the kitchen sink in there! The trick with meat, is you toss it right in the middle of the pile. So predators don't get it, and so it doesn't stink up the joint.

My dog and chickens might turn on me if I don't give em the meat

Ik dogs definitely might lol. Dogs & cats (& ferrets) are still identical on the inside far as their digestive system goes. They can still digest raw meat. One of the reasons why they are getting cancer, they can't digest processed foods. (Like canned and kibble.