Adding Goats to our Coastal Homestead

Goat ahead and call me crazy, everyone else does. Haha! See what I did there? goat? doe’s ? Yes, I have officially lost it and I am one straw away from a full bale, but I am diggin’ my life y’all (literally). Okay, no more puns but I can’t help to laugh. Sometimes I think I’m laughing at myself and sometimes I think I’m laughing with myself. I know when I share our story I make others laugh and that makes me laugh too, although I can never figure out if they are laughing at or with. Either way I am having fun.

Now if you live in the country or have a lot of farms close by you may be saying “big deal, she got a couple of goats. Want to impress me? Get a thousand.” It’s not the notion that we got goats that tickles those we know, it is our location. We live on the coast, on a small lot, in the middle of a tourist destination (by Myrtle Beach, SC). Goats, Chickens, Livestock, etc are not something you typically see around here. More like surfboards, flip-flops and golf clubs. Even gardening is somewhat obsolete because so many live in condos, timeshares, HOA restrictions, apartments and the like.

Life at The Coastal Homestead

 

Many of you may already be familiar with the term Homestead, some of you may not know the definition of Homesteading but you know that you want a Homestead of your own!

“Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of foodstuffs, and it may or may not also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale. Pursued in different ways around the world — and in different historical eras — homesteading is generally differentiated from rural village or commune living by isolation (either socially or physically) of the homestead. Use of the term in the United States dates back to the Homestead Act (1862) and before. In sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in nations formerly controlled by the British Empire, a homestead is the household compound for a single extended family. In the UK, the term ‘smallholder’ is the rough equivalent of ‘homesteader.”

Modern homesteaders often use renewable energy options including solar electricity and wind power and some even invent DIY cars. Many also choose to plant and grow heirloom vegetables and to raise heritage livestock. Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make.

So there ya have it, the broadly defined definition of Homesteading . Many people are under the assumption in order to practice Homesteading you have to own a lot of land, a farm, or live in the country, and that is not so. You can have 100 acres or live in an apartment. It is a lifestyle you can do in the space that you have.

Because so many think they must have a lot of land to experience the Homesteading lifestyle I wanted to share our story and hope to inspire you to achieve big things with a little space.

Helping Hands in the Home

 

 

 

 

When I grew up, helping with the housework wasn’t an option, we didn’t get paid to do it, there wasn’t a bribe involved, it was an expected part of being in a family and we didn’t question it. If chores weren’t accomplished we often couldn’t eat until they were and we certainly couldn’t play. If you had a close friend that always ate dinner with you, they were expected to chip in too!

In today’s society we have drifted so far away from the family core.

Eating like the Jetsons?

 

What if I told you that you could help supplement your diet with organic fruits and vegetables that you make yourself and take it in a pill???

Sounds a little space age doesn’t it? Well it’s not, in fact it’s quite simple and cost-effective. Keep reading and I’ll show you how

Chickens- getting started part 3 ordering-1 week old

Congratulations on your decision to add chickens to your homestead and on your journey to Food Independence! It is a big step and a rewarding , I am glad you decided to join us. If you have read part 1 and 2 you are ready to go, if not here is the link to one and here is the link to part 2.

Part one I discuss things to consider when ordering chickens and how many you should order. Part two I go over the supply list (copied below) and our start-up cost.

 

So you have ordered your babies, now what? Depending on where you ordered your chicks the delivery date will vary. We ordered ours from the Cackle Hatchery and they ship over 100 thousand chicks a week! I was told my chicks would be shipped within three weeks so I thought I would have plenty of time to get my ducks in a row before they came. Low and behold I received an email the very next day said I would have them within 4 days! Yikes! So it is nice to have everything you need BEFORE you order your chicks.

Chickens – Getting started part 2 Supply List

Delivery Day

 

Ready for some FRESH, Organic, Nutrient-dense, Delicious Eggs ???

You’ve decided what type of chickens you want, you know how many to order and where you are getting them from so now what?

(If you don’t know what breed or how many to order read my earlier post here . If you’re not sure where to order them I recommend the Cackle Hatchery where I ordered mine, excellent company)

If you read part 1 of getting chickens you already know my research on this subject goes from one side of the spectrum to the other so I am listing what we use, based on your own research your list may vary.

I also have to state we are raising our chickens organically. They will forage for most of their food and we will supplement with organic feed. We will treat illness, pest and health issues naturally.  If this is your desire then my list and recommendations should be good for you.

You can make owning chickens as expensive or as cheap as possible. Either way you go the chickens health should be top priority, so while it’s a good idea to cut corners to save cost some items you shouldn’t skimp on.

Here is my start-up supply list:

Chickens-Getting Started part 1

Getting started with baby chicks

Working Towards Food Independence

(The chicken picture above is not mine but it does look exactly like the chicks I got. I’m working towards getting a fancy smancy camera to help me in my blogging endeavors until then I have to rely on Google to provide the visuals and a “thank you'” to those with awesome photography skills that I borrow from.)

When we (I should say ‘I’ because I don’t think hubby ever really decided as much as tricked into) decided to raise chickens I did months of research. I bought all of the magazines, downloaded books, followed chicken bloggers (yes, there are chicken bloggers-lots of them), talked to local farmers, everything I could do to make sure I was well-informed. A couple of things I found out quickly was that everybody has a completely different view; from what bedding is used, what breed is best, what to feed them and so on. It is very confusing. Another problem I ran into is I couldn’t find all of the information I was looking for in one central location, even the information packet I received from the hatchery was very vague. I am a newbie, first time chicken owner, I need step by step instructions and some guidance.

If you’re like me, well then good luck because there isn’t a central location that answers all of your questions. Sure there are a lot of reference places to go to (Back Yard Chickens is one of my favorites) but you have to read through a lot to get your answers.

My desire here is to share with you our experiences on our journey to food independence and hope that it will help you.

Although I was raised with chickens, I am no chicken expert nor will you ever hear me claim to be, however, I do pride myself on the research I put into a subject and fully believe 100% in the statements I make. I encourage you to do your own research to base your decisions and what works best for you.

I am more of a measure twice and cut once type of gal, look left,right, left and again for good measure before making a decision. So while this post may be lengthy and detailed its how my brain works best and covers all of the details that are important to me.

First things first, questions to ask yourself before making a decision to buy chickens:

Things you should consider before getting chickens:

The Coastal Homestead is adding livestock!

Can you say chickens? We can, and 15 of them! When you read this post please do so with the same excitement as a 5 yr old on Christmas morning, as that is the spirit in which it was written with the occasional high-pitched squeal from time to time. Have you ever had an off the wall idea you wanted your spouse to be on board with but they weren’t? Did you give up, Stomp your feet, Bribe, Guilt, or Beg your way into getting it? Well with this one I think I did all of the above! I have to admit hubby has been more supportive in our endeavors than I ever could have imagined 6+ years ago, but I think going through all of the physical hardships we have suffered has put a lot of things in perspective for us both.

“Honey, I want to grow worms for compost” Done. “Honey, I want to rip up our beautiful landscaped yard and grow food” Done. Honey, I want to collect rain water and gray water for irrigation” Done. “Honey, I want to grow a colony of beneficial bacteria on the kitchen counter and have you drink it every day” Done. “Honey, I want to get some chickens so we can have our own fresh, organic eggs” Ummmm not so much. I have pulled out all the stops with this one; leaving magazines out, talking loudly about how much we are spending a month on fresh eggs, showing him a place in the yard that would be perfect, posting coops on his Facebook page, having his friends talk to him about their chickens. Nothing. I was beginning to doubt my abilities.

A step towards food independence

Declaration of Food Independence – introduced into Common Law on Friday, March 2, 2012, and signed by the People

In a spirit of humility and with respect for both the just law of the land and Natural Law, we declare that, inherent in every individual is the God-given right to procure the food of one’s choice from consenting farmers and producers.

The undersigned respectfully declare that we will peacefully reject laws and regulations that infringe on this God-given right.

We are willing to suffer the consequences rather than comply with laws and regulations that deny people the sovereignty to choose their own foods or deny producers the authority to engage directly with consumers.

For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of God, we mutually pledge to each other our commitment to protect and secure this right ourselves, all individuals, and our mutual posterity.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035129_Declaration_of_Food_Independence_raw_milk_freedom.html#ixzz348f2ldAF

 

Can I get an Amen? I said can I get an Amen????