We had a few days of extreme heat and humidity. My productivity dropped not just because it was uncomfortable outside, but also because I spent most of my time perseverating about my animals. I always worry a bit about Winnie,…
Week 58 at Farm 96: New Farm Puppy!! & Reclaimed DIY Potting Sink
It was a very busy week with many projects completed, despite the fact that we took a day off to pick up a very important package in Vermont: Tater, a 10-week-old Australian Shepherd. My adopted mom has been dog-less for…
Week 57 at Farm 96: Chicken Eviction
I had a couple hours of finishing touches left to complete on the chicken run, but I could not live with the chicks in my house for one more day, so I headed outside earlier than usual. First, I took…
Week 56 at Farm 96: Building a Dutch Door
When I woke up on Wednesday morning to a hazy orange sky, I felt like I was back in Denver – where forest fire smoke is (unfortunately) a common occurrence. As the day progressed, the smoke surpassed any experience I’ve…
Week 53 at Farm 96: Shoveling Compost
Sometimes, I put myself in a prison of my own making. When the garden fence was completed on June 18th, I set a rather lofty goal for myself: install and plant ten 4×18 beds by July 1st. This week was…
Week 52 at Farm 96: Year One as a Solo Female Homesteader
It has officially been one year since I realized my lifelong dream to purchase a farm of my own. My goal is to build this property into a semi-self sufficient homestead, and along the way I’ve been posting weekly progress…
Week 51 at Farm 96: Fence Posts & Baby Chicks
As is fitting for an exciting week at the farm, I came down with a cold. It’s just mild enough to impact my stamina, but not bad enough to keep me inside. This is why it is important for me…
Week 50 at Farm 96: The Precipice of Major Change (again)
Much like this time last year, I am on the precipice of major change – but the context is so very different. In early June, I am eager and anxious. My mind runs wild in anticipation of the many tasks…
Weeks 41 & 42 at Farm 96: Cosmetic Eyesores
Here in Connecticut, we are on the cusp of the full spring bloom – much needed after such a dreary winter. As spring approaches its peak and a winter of planning comes to fruition, I feel like real progress is…
Weeks 32 & 33 at Farm 96: Ordering Chicks & New Kitchen Table
To write these updates (mostly for my own records, although I do hope that some aspiring homesteader out there is reading and enjoying these), I keep a list of tasks that I get done on each day – and of…
Week 31 at Farm 96: Buying a Chicken Coop & Staying Warm
I vividly remember the October 2011 snowstorm that cancelled Halloween and closed school for two full weeks. Our house was without power for nine days. The appliances were electric and the gas fireplace had an electric starting mechanism. We were…
13 Useful Ideas for My Homestead from Self-Reliance Magazine (2024 Issues)
As I prepare to close on my very own 10-acre farm, I’ve been revisiting some of the materials I have collected over the past ten years of working towards this purchase. I’ve read hundreds of books and watched thousands of…