We are still house shopping. Its really hit and miss, a lot of homes overpriced for this economy and even more that need more work than would be sensible for us with a toddler roaming about. We're looking pretty much anything within an hour of Indianapolis that has greater than 4 acres. Its a smaller list of homes than I would have anticipated.
Our realtor is also sending out letters and making phone calls to the houses that border our lot and see if anyone has been considering selling. To us, that sounds like a pretty good option too.
We are putting in a poultry order this weekend for shipment in April. If we are still in this apartment by then it should make life REALLY interesting; keeping chicks in a small apartment isn't my favorite idea but fortunately its only until we get away from frost and they gain some feathers to keep them warm or until we get a place where we have room. So far the order looks like it will be 25 meat chickens (a mixed bag of heavy breeds), 10 layers (2 americanas, 2 blue andulusians, 6 buff orphingtons), 2 geese, 7 ducks and 7 turkeys - all whatever breed they give us. Should make an interesting brood! I'm following the advice of Joel Salatin to get only as many birds as you can eat in a year on your first bunch being as we are new at this. I'm really hoping we get a decent breeding set of chickens, turkeys and ducks out of the deal so we can either let them restock us next spring instead of placing another order.
I'm still working on my seed inventory. I think I've got most of the garden covered though. I'm going to try picking up some organic sweet potatoes and starting my own slips this year. I completely forgot to grow them last year and they will be a brand new experience for us. I kept all my smalls from my regular (and by regular I of course mean Cranberry reds, All Blues, Yukon golds and Russett burbanks) to plant this year and I'm really hoping they'll be good by time planting comes 'round. I think I found a use for all that hay that was ruined last year....garden mulch! Surely we can use it for mulch and maybe it will breakdown and help improve our garden soil.
Praying you find your homestead and soon if you're getting poultry in April.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you are farmiliar with turkeys, but I will give you a heads up they are NOT hardy and of the 7 you ordered if you get 2-3 to survive you're doing good.
Sounds like you headed in the right direction, you just need a place to call home. Good luck and our prayers are with you while you search.
Blessings from,
The Never Done Farm
I was expecting the turkeys to be a bit of a challenge, really hoping that most of them will make it. Fortunately, even if we don't find someplace right away we still have our acreage so if all else fails we will build a couple of "tractors" and keep them there and visit them twice daily. Thanks, I hope we are in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteI am praying that you find a great house soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you were kidding about the chicks being in your apartment, but if not, be aware that they grow VERY fast. We put our first flock of chicks in our basement for a few weeks until warm weather came around, and I was shocked and appalled by their growth. They were flying almost as soon as we got them. And regardless of how many times I changed their bedding, they stunk up the whole house. Regardless, your toddler will have a ball once they arrive!
Good luck with all things garden, fowl, and home. Between your research and your great attitude, I have no doubt that everything will work out just fine.
haha! I hope I'm only kidding too! I think we will probably have purchased a house by then...we have one in mind right now that all goes well I share more about soon.
ReplyDeleteThe other plan is to use my brother's garage. With the exception of a day or two they won't be here long.