Today I made myself wonder something. Do I want too much? Do I spend so much time and energy wanting that I don't appreciate what I do have? The better part of today was spent pining over properties in my area. Twenty or more acres each, and I wanted them so badly I could taste it, but alas, I am broke and we just can't afford to buy a nice property with acreage right now. It would be so nice, because with the 1/4 acre of workable space I have I can't keep lambs and goats, both of which I would like to get into someday. Should not having 20+ acres make me unhappy or discourage me from pursuing my dreams? After I started really thinking about it I felt like such an ungrateful, shallow brat.
It's true that I don't have the land for a flock of sheep or a herd of goats, but I have plenty of room to start raising rabbits and even some poultry. If I work hard and really budget myself, I could save up money for a down payment on a nice piece of property in ten years. That's the time I said that I wanted to accomplish my goal. What could possibly keep me from accomplishing this? Absolutely nothing other than myself. I'm the only thing that can hold me back, and unless I change some of my old attitudes, I will hold myself back.
Right now I'm going to promise myself something. By the time my 34th birthday rolls around, I will buy myself 20+ acres of land. I don't have to have it perfectly cultivated. I don't have to have a fully-functioning, off the grid homestead on it. I will, however, purchase it. Making it into a homestead can happen gradually after that, but I will have it by then. Until then, I'm going to do everything that I can to make this small property I have now into my own little homestead. It won't be a huge homestead, it won't be perfect, but now and later, they will be my homesteads and I will love them just as I make them, with any and all their "imperfections".
I Love Lighting and Lamps In My Apartment!
3 weeks ago
2 comments:
It's human nature to want what we can't have.
Not a thing wrong with having goals & dreams, as long as you keep your perspective & appreciate what you have.
As for goats.... one of my kids classmates mom has goats on 2 lots (less than 1/4 acre). She has a breeding trio of rabbits for meat. 4 hens, & she borrowed a rooster for about a month this year and has one hen sitting on eggs right now.
She has 2 nigerian does (one is cross with something...we think Nubian) that she milks. The goats share a pen with the chickens (though she has a coop with a chicken sized door so the goats can't eat their food). She paid $25 for them to be bred to a local pygmy & sold the kids as bottle babies which covered her grain & hay.. and brought in milk.
She does amazingly well on her tiny place.
I know the broke issue all too well though, so even if its not feasible to buy stock right now, you can at least know your small space isn't useless. With a but of creativity, you can make it work. :)
Don't know if your a Freecycle person, but I got most of my rabbit start up items FREE by posting want ads on my local Freecycle..A few good wire cages, J feeders, water bottles, and even one rabbit!
My friend I mentioned above built her goat barn out of wooden pallets she collected lil by lil....her pen is like my kid pen....the tall chain link panels. She had one, bought 3 more used on CL for really cheap...Took her a year to gradually collect free materials & cheap, used items, but she's got this cute, functional setup with minimal cost on a tiny spot.
You'll get there eventually....just don't give up! That's the chant I say to myself all the time!!!! ;)
Thank you for the encouragement. I know that it's human nature, but when I catch myself thinking like that I just have to kick myself and remind myself that what I have isn't bad at all. Not my ultimate goal, but still wonderful in its own way.
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