Lifestyles of the cheap and frugal

[leftimatic]

Wow. This independancy is really amazing. Consider getting 3 ducks and 2 chickens for eggs? Rabbits for meat? 5 acres is amazing and I can't begin to imagine what to do with that!!

The fireplace heater is probably one of my favourite ideas. Growing food beats it, though. Probably the best part of everything aside from the inspiration, of course.

Thanks. We have about 30 hens for eggs. We sell them on the side, pays for the food so we get ours for free and then some. Lots of pasta. Ducks were more trouble then they are worth. Sitting on ten turkeys should be ready for Christmas. Probably sell a few to pay for raising them. No cows don't have enough pasture yet. maybe a goat or two in the spring. They say rabbits look too human when you skin them. Wife and kids wont go there.

Its a good life, pretty much any money we make is ours. I live more comfortable now then when I was working 10 hrs a day six days a week. Couldn't afford cubans back then.

[Maplepie]

Probably sell a few to pay for raising them. No cows don't have enough pasture yet. maybe a goat or two in the spring. They say rabbits look too human when you skin them. Wife and kids wont go there.

goat would be nice. if you could stand the taste of the milk... Deer is always a good idea. filet an entire one to eat for weeks.

One thing that should help with freezing is making sure you do it immediately. When my mate gets me certain top cut sirloin for $4/pound, i'm forced to freeze it. What I do is keep two plates of metal in the freezer and put the beef in between them for rapid freezing. the quicker water turns into ice, the less cells are punctured by the expanding water crystals.

....... ever considered farming snails? The first animals farmed were snails by the French (Gaul/Germanics). draw a line in the ground and the snails won't be able to move past it. Best animal wall ever. Depending where you are in the world, you may be able to grow some awesome tasting snails.

You can probably distil your own liquor, too!! Rhum, Gin, Vodka, and every malt whiskey. Sure a place around you may sell some Oloroso for you to age yourself. Keep in mind that ageing in smaller barrels require only 6-18 months for it to taste as smooth as some 12 YOs.

........ The things I would do if I were on your land.....

Take pictures! I'd love to see everything you have. Start a thread - it'd be so nice to skim through it every once in a while.

[leftimatic]

goat would be nice. if you could stand the taste of the milk... Deer is always a good idea. filet an entire one to eat for weeks.

One thing that should help with freezing is making sure you do it immediately. When my mate gets me certain top cut sirloin for $4/pound, i'm forced to freeze it. What I do is keep two plates of metal in the freezer and put the beef in between them for rapid freezing. the quicker water turns into ice, the less cells are punctured by the expanding water crystals.

....... ever considered farming snails? The first animals farmed were snails by the French (Gaul/Germanics). draw a line in the ground and the snails won't be able to move past it. Best animal wall ever. Depending where you are in the world, you may be able to grow some awesome tasting snails.

You can probably distil your own liquor, too!! Rhum, Gin, Vodka, and every malt whiskey. Sure a place around you may sell some Oloroso for you to age yourself. Keep in mind that ageing in smaller barrels require only 6-18 months for it to taste as smooth as some 12 YOs.

........ The things I would do if I were on your land.....

Take pictures! I'd love to see everything you have. Start a thread - it'd be so nice to skim through it every once in a while.

Love the taste of goats milk, never considered snails we have more slugs then we can handle here on the Island so it wouldn't be hard. Working on mushrooms.

And I was going to look into one of them tabletop electric stills, not sure if worth the time. Smiley's Home Distilling has them for sale. Canadian company so no shipping issues there. Have a barrel place lined up too. The tobacco is the big one for me next year, maybe a few more fruit trees.

I do have a blog thing that I'm to lazy to update. Just type in homesteading in merville and it should pop up. Now that summers gone should find the time to post a few things we did this year.

I should host a herf! LOL The wife and ma-in-law would have my hide but it would be fun. The possibilities are endless, I fear I may get eccentric.

[maxcjs0101]

Its amazing that you could be self sufficient but when i finished reading, i think the best part was your wife is being so supportive.

Hard to get/find someone like that these days.

[leftimatic]

Its amazing that you could be self sufficient but when i finished reading, i think the best part was your wife is being so supportive.

Hard to get/find someone like that these days.

More enforcing than supportive. LOL She's a pit bull when it comes to getting things done. None of it would've happened without her. We make a great team. The kids and I love her with all our hearts.

[zdpa]

Growing what you need..... tobacco -> cigars ?

[StingMeadery]

I live it up large when in the city eating in gourmet restaurants, dressing in style...then balance life out by disappearing into the bush beekeeping for weeks at a time living in a remote cabin without amenities, Camo fatigues and gumboots

When bush we eat simple homegrown organic veg and fruits from the orchard, drink from the river, hunt, fish and share resources with locals.

Fresh wild boar is on the menu tomorrow as a mate shot one last night

[maxcjs0101]

More enforcing than supportive. LOL She's a pit bull when it comes to getting things done. None of it would've happened without her. We make a great team. The kids and I love her with all our hearts.

Good for you, man.

Hope i could find someone like that too.

[Maplepie]

And I was going to look into one of them tabletop electric stills, not sure if worth the time. Smiley's Home Distilling has them for sale. Canadian company so no shipping issues there. Have a barrel place lined up too. The tobacco is the big one for me next year, maybe a few more fruit trees.

I should host a herf! LOL The wife and ma-in-law would have my hide but it would be fun. The possibilities are endless, I fear I may get eccentric.

Just googled Merville.......... and I wish I could be there! If only a trip there wasn't the same cost of a trip to Europe

Don't need one. I can show you a good way to be by using some copper tubing, an old keg, a straight condenser, and a bit of welding/soldering knowhow! Never one to discourage home distilling (always discourage selling, though)

[Hash]

You are living the good life.

[IPORTER]

Fairplay to you mate. My Bro in law lives in the fast lane, big job, responsible for 5,000 people, 25 direct reports. He has however, a farmhouse in the Catalan countryside which bit by bit is building up with his wife and kids. horses, pigs ,turkeys, pigeons, chickens, etc.Makes his own wine and beer. grows all his own vegatbles. Basically what he earns goes into the country house. Wife doesn't work. When he is not running around after 5,000 people he is working the land proper!

He is 53 now and and wants to retire next year. He is getting tired! His idea is to live from the land, forget about the corporate mumbo jumbo and be basically self sufficient. I think it's definitely the way to go. Hope I can do something similar one day.

Hats off to you mate!

[leftimatic]

I live it up large when in the city eating in gourmet restaurants, dressing in style...then balance life out by disappearing into the bush beekeeping for weeks at a time living in a remote cabin without amenities, Camo fatigues and gumboots

When bush we eat simple homegrown organic veg and fruits from the orchard, drink from the river, hunt, fish and share resources with locals.

Fresh wild boar is on the menu tomorrow as a mate shot one last night

Sounds awesome, we are the same. Hit the big city and the gloves come off! I may pull on your coat a few times about beekeeping. It's something we have been developing the courage to get into. I built a small barn and entry stairs for a couple who keep bees was thinking of getting them to set up a satellite hive and show us the ropes. Our gardens are abuzz from early April till well into October. And there is an organic farm across the road that may benefit also.

[leftimatic]

Fairplay to you mate. My Bro in law lives in the fast lane, big job, responsible for 5,000 people, 25 direct reports. He has however, a farmhouse in the Catalan countryside which bit by bit is building up with his wife and kids. horses, pigs ,turkeys, pigeons, chickens, etc.Makes his own wine and beer. grows all his own vegatbles. Basically what he earns goes into the country house. Wife doesn't work. When he is not running around after 5,000 people he is working the land proper!

He is 53 now and and wants to retire next year. He is getting tired! His idea is to live from the land, forget about the corporate mumbo jumbo and be basically self sufficient. I think it's definitely the way to go. Hope I can do something similar one day.

Hats off to you mate.

It's like eating an elephant. You do it one piece at a time. Sound like he's doing it just like we did. Develop a strategy, arm yourself and attack. It is a great life, I hope you make it one day too.

[leftimatic]

Just googled Merville.......... and I wish I could be there! If only a trip there wasn't the same cost of a trip to Europe

Don't need one. I can show you a good way to be by using some copper tubing, an old keg, a straight condenser, and a bit of welding/soldering knowhow! Never one to discourage home distilling (always discourage selling, though)

I'm in. Send me some plans. We used to turn wine into shine on the stove when we were younger with a pot some soup bowls and a bag of ice. Always used red so you knew when the alcohol was depleted it would turn pink. I am looking at doing some brandy from the fruit trees we have maturing. I figure two to three more years and I will be full swing with pears, apples, cherries, peaches and plums.

[cigardude]

I commend you for living how you want. Well done!

[Maplepie]

I'm in. Send me some plans. We used to turn wine into shine on the stove when we were younger with a pot some soup bowls and a bag of ice. Always used red so you knew when the alcohol was depleted it would turn pink. I am looking at doing some brandy from the fruit trees we have maturing. I figure two to three more years and I will be full swing with pears, apples, cherries, peaches and plums.

Actually, should be easier. Just cut a hole on top of the keg, seal in copper tubing with high grade epoxy, twist the condenser through, and it should be fine. I use a completely glass distillation set up, personally. But it should be fine if you don't have a temperature gauge. Be awesome if you could make plum, peach, pear, and cherry brandy!!

shoot me a PM if you have any issues. and i think i can contact a distiller near me if you want to get a tad more complex.

Addendum: With a basic set up like that, you must monitor the drip rate. MUST. I helped a mate of mine install a septum nozzle so if pressure built up, the septum popped out and vented all the pressure.

You're lucky that you can probably distil outside decreasing the liklihood of alcohol fume explosions.

[leftimatic]

Actually, should be easier. Just cut a hole on top of the keg, seal in copper tubing with high grade epoxy, twist the condenser through, and it should be fine. I use a completely glass distillation set up, personally. But it should be fine if you don't have a temperature gauge. Be awesome if you could make plum, peach, pear, and cherry brandy!!

shoot me a PM if you have any issues. and i think i can contact a distiller near me if you want to get a tad more complex.

Addendum: With a basic set up like that, you must monitor the drip rate. MUST. I helped a mate of mine install a septum nozzle so if pressure built up, the septum popped out and vented all the pressure.

You're lucky that you can probably distil outside decreasing the liklihood of alcohol fume explosions.

Looks like I have some studying to do. My concern with all we do is safety and elaborate construction, not a lot of time left some days.

So now I have two things to get ready for next harvest a tobacco shed and a alcohol still. Thanks will do some research over the winter.

[Maplepie]

My concern with all we do is safety and elaborate construction, not a lot of time left some days.

no need for too much safety in a still if it's outside. only concern for stills is if they're indoors.

Only safety concern after that is just making sure you dump the methanol, propanol, and various esters that can also make you blind.

[habanolover]

WOW to the entire post! Lefti, you had a plan and the requisite mate and skills to make it happen...I applaud you and your family and wish you guys continued happiness!

[leftimatic]

WOW to the entire post! Lefti, you had a plan and the requisite mate and skills to make it happen...I applaud you and your family and wish you guys continued happiness!

Thanks.