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What does your homestead do best?

 
Steward of piddlers
Posts: 8306
Location: Upstate New York, Zone 5b, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall
4969
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I was inspired by a recent Youtube video from the Farm Hand's Companion discussing Figuring Out the Things Your Homestead Can Do Best.

In summary, the video discusses looking at the things you accomplish on the homestead and narrowing down to two or three enterprises that you do best.

For example, raising hogs and milling lumber could be some of the main things that someone enjoys both during the process and with the finished products the processes create.

What things do you consider to be your favorite endeavors on your homestead? You may not sell the product, but bonus points if it created a stream of income for you.
 
gardener
Posts: 3046
Location: Zone 4b/5a
1816
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Potatoes and squash!

Maybe pokeweed too?
 
Timothy Norton
Steward of piddlers
Posts: 8306
Location: Upstate New York, Zone 5b, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall
4969
monies home care dog fungi trees chicken food preservation cooking building composting homestead
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For my current setup, I say that raising laying hens and building soil organic matter have been my most fruitful endeavors.

I have a semi-consistent supply of eggs that feed myself, my local family and work family. Tending chickens is a pleasurable endeavor that I imagine I will continue to do for years to come.

Compost/Biochar/Chop and Drop are my second best. I enjoy helping things rot. What a strange thing to say!
 
master gardener
Posts: 6940
Location: Carlton County, Minnesota, USA: 3b; Dfb; sandy loam; in the woods
4368
8
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Potatoes and raspberries are the only things that both: just loves it here AND is something people would recognize as a possible enterprise.

Maybe garlic if I had better weed-control practices and more compost.

Milkweed. Sugar maples in 50 years. Wild mustard, horseradish, dandelions.
 
master steward
Posts: 8929
Location: southern Illinois, USA
3838
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sanctuary…for me, my wife, the deer, our shelter pup, and our shelter and foundling cats. We have a slightly s shaped driveway through trees and overhanging vines.  People have told me they are afraid to use my driveway … which makes it perfect for me.
 
steward
Posts: 19674
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4940
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my property does the best prickly pear tunas.

It also does a lot of acorns that my deer love.  Those deer also like the tunas.
 
pollinator
Posts: 3024
Location: RRV of da Nort, USA
982
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John F Dean wrote:sanctuary…for me, my wife, the deer, our shelter pup, and our shelter and foundling cats. We have a slightly s shaped driveway through trees and overhanging vines.  People have told me they are afraid to use my driveway … which makes it perfect for me.



Ha!....yes, I can relate.  Wife's endeavor has been rescue...primarily pigs, but many things that have either wandered onto the property or come along with other visitors for the ride.  We live in a sub-region that does not "do" gated driveways.  But our animals have free run of the fenced property so the gate is a must.  On more than one occasion, a delivery person has opened the gate to enter.....even with large chest outside the gate that says "Please leave all deliveries here".  Most contractors and delivery people are so accustomed here to walk onto a property (with owners typically gone) to install cable services, read meters, etc.  But the sanctuary part is the main focus....from mammals to birds to monarch caterpillars.
 
Posts: 991
Location: Sierra Nevada foothills, 350 m, USDA 8b, sunset zone 7
272
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Sheep, figs, firewood.
 
master pollinator
Posts: 465
Location: UK
169
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Figs and soft fruit, probably. The fruit trees are getting there but they need a few more years yet. The figs though, they just do their thing with very little fuss.
 
pollinator
Posts: 1691
Location: Milwaukie Oregon, USA zone 8b
214
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Tasty dinners, starting baby trees from seed/pit, calendulas.
 
pioneer
Posts: 281
Location: Wisconsin Zone 5a
112
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My current homestead does best at growing perennial foods and medicinal herbs. We are pretty good at caring for chickens and kitties too. We are good at making soap.
 
I think she's lovely. It's this tiny ad that called her crazy:
Own 37 Acres in AZ - good water wells - 44% discount, only $22k!
https://permies.com/t/96159/Acre-site-Northwestern-AZ-sale
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