Just to let you all know, our garden didn't do so well this last year. 2008 was a bum year. But now, in 2009, we are planning on getting 100 strawberry plants, and ordered our chickens, 30 layers. Our home is going to be more self sufficient then it was last year. We just dug a new drain field, and we also, are putting up more fence, to keep our dog out of the garden, and freshly dug dirt.
The first week of March, I got a job at a local Dairy, bottling up milk. The family I work with are christians, and are very nice. I like working there, as it is helping me lose weight, and also, build muscle.
In a time like this, when the economy is down, it is nice to know you have neighbors who can help you out. We want to do the same thing.
In June, we hope to order meat birds, so that we can raise our own chicken for meat. Yum! Butchering is not a pretty sight. Yuck! But it will give the younger kids an education they need!
Until later,
Laura
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Stepping toward Self Sufficiency!
Greetings to you all! Yes, this is an exciting time for us. Instead of our desire to move, and to find a place some place else, we have decided to make it work here. Hallelujah! So now why the title, "Stepping toward Self Sufficiency"? Why, because we are making baby steps toward a life off the grid, where we can grow our own food, raise our own chickens for eggs and meat, trade for raw milk, and above all, get off the Electric Grid. Yeah, the life ahead looks like an exciting one!
But I don't have to tell you. I will show you. In this part one, you will see the stages that were made to bring about some amazing results!(More on that later)
First off, we had to build a fence. With a black lab/rotweiller mix puppy, we didn't want to take any chances of her messing up our very beautiful and hard working garden.
Then, Dad and the boys built the garden beds! Yep, that is them! Purdy, aren't they?
Oh, and then there was the tedious task of filling up the beds with wheelbarrow loads full of dirt.
Since it was late in the Season when we started, Mom and I decided we needed some starts, to start out with. So, we went to the local nursery and bought what we could find. There are in that box, Marigolds, three different kinds of lettuce, and some cabbage. Hmmm, I can already taste the salad, and Cole Slaw!
And we decided it wouldn't be proper to not have a garden without strawberry plants, so we got 16 strawberries, and planted them in the ground. Yumm, I can already taste them(next year)!
End of Part 1
Tune in later, for Part 2
But I don't have to tell you. I will show you. In this part one, you will see the stages that were made to bring about some amazing results!(More on that later)
First off, we had to build a fence. With a black lab/rotweiller mix puppy, we didn't want to take any chances of her messing up our very beautiful and hard working garden.
Then, Dad and the boys built the garden beds! Yep, that is them! Purdy, aren't they?
Oh, and then there was the tedious task of filling up the beds with wheelbarrow loads full of dirt.
Since it was late in the Season when we started, Mom and I decided we needed some starts, to start out with. So, we went to the local nursery and bought what we could find. There are in that box, Marigolds, three different kinds of lettuce, and some cabbage. Hmmm, I can already taste the salad, and Cole Slaw!
And we decided it wouldn't be proper to not have a garden without strawberry plants, so we got 16 strawberries, and planted them in the ground. Yumm, I can already taste them(next year)!End of Part 1
Tune in later, for Part 2
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Surviving: A way of life!
Greetings to all of you from the Hines Family Homestead! Living here in Sequim, has it's advantages and it's disadvantages. For instance, our seasons are longer here, then anywhere else I know of. And also, I can ride bikes year round here, as well, thus saving on the ever increasing prices of gas.
This year, my family has decided to start really getting into the gardening aspect, especially market gardening. My Dad has decided to use the method of Square Foot Gardening. If you haven't heard of it, I suggest you take a look at it : www.squarefootgardening.com This is by far the most efficient way of gardening, without it being a drudgery. I hate gardening alot, but with this method, we had learned to love it. Take a look see, and you will see what I mean!
We are also planning on getting chickens for meat and eggs. Raising farm fresh eggs holds a brighter candle to the store bought eggs. So much more flavorful, and nutrious! And our birds will be dual purpose, which means they will be used for meat as well as eggs.
All this is in preparation for our wanting to have a larger farm someday, and also, if the economy goes down, we will have a way to keep ourselves from starving. Learning to do without is a big issue as well, but we are learning that as well.
With the gas prices reaching as high as they are, we are spending more time, going to local country stores, and the dairy, and the produce stands, on our bikes. They are by far the cheapest mode of transportation. And guess what, you don't have to pay insurance for them and a licencing fee. Isn't that great? I thought so. I gave up looking for a car, since it would take all of any income I would earn, to pay for the car insurance and the gas to get me places. Now, I can get to the Library, 5 miles from where I live, on my bike, with a bike cart pulled behind. It is so awesome what you can do, to make do with the resourses you've got.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings! Here is what the Hines Family has been doing the last few months. I intend to write more, as I get time! Oh, and I will post pictures as well!
Have a great day in the Lord, and I hope He will bless you richly!
In Christ,
Laura Hines for the Hines Family Homestead!
This year, my family has decided to start really getting into the gardening aspect, especially market gardening. My Dad has decided to use the method of Square Foot Gardening. If you haven't heard of it, I suggest you take a look at it : www.squarefootgardening.com This is by far the most efficient way of gardening, without it being a drudgery. I hate gardening alot, but with this method, we had learned to love it. Take a look see, and you will see what I mean!
We are also planning on getting chickens for meat and eggs. Raising farm fresh eggs holds a brighter candle to the store bought eggs. So much more flavorful, and nutrious! And our birds will be dual purpose, which means they will be used for meat as well as eggs.
All this is in preparation for our wanting to have a larger farm someday, and also, if the economy goes down, we will have a way to keep ourselves from starving. Learning to do without is a big issue as well, but we are learning that as well.
With the gas prices reaching as high as they are, we are spending more time, going to local country stores, and the dairy, and the produce stands, on our bikes. They are by far the cheapest mode of transportation. And guess what, you don't have to pay insurance for them and a licencing fee. Isn't that great? I thought so. I gave up looking for a car, since it would take all of any income I would earn, to pay for the car insurance and the gas to get me places. Now, I can get to the Library, 5 miles from where I live, on my bike, with a bike cart pulled behind. It is so awesome what you can do, to make do with the resourses you've got.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings! Here is what the Hines Family has been doing the last few months. I intend to write more, as I get time! Oh, and I will post pictures as well!
Have a great day in the Lord, and I hope He will bless you richly!
In Christ,
Laura Hines for the Hines Family Homestead!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Fun with Gabriel!
This is the picture of Sarah and Gabriel, Momma and Son!
This one is of me and my little nephew. We are singing away, and someone snapped this photo!
A House all decorated up, done the street from where we live!
My cute and cuddly nephew, ready for a nap!
Grandma Cheryl and Grandson Gabriel. This is my Mom's first grandchild!
You can see what kind of fun we had for a few weeks, over christmas season! I would do it again!
Laura H.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Blessings of Family!
Working in the family, with the family, is the most rewarding thing to do! When you have a great family like mine, a large family, with two brothers in law, and a nephew. When you have a large family, everyone shares the work.
Sometimes, when you are putting the children to work, it is like pushing a wet noodle up a fridge. You moms and sisters would know what I am talking about. They would rather play, then work. I know, I was there once. I still preferr to play, then work, but I know that my family will suffer, if I don't get supper ready!
I don't know how many of you are pack rats, but I surely am. I have a hard time keeping my room clean. It is a small room, with a small corridor on either side of the bed, and a tiny closet. I have a dresser, a desk and a bookshelf tightly squeezed in there. On top of that, I don't have the space for all of my things, sewing machine, bins of patterns, and material, and yarn for projects. I am an avid writer, so I have stories floating around my room!
Then I look at my little sisters' room, and I see them mirroring me, and I am thinking, " This is bad!" I don't want them to end up like me, a pack rat," and so I go and clean up my room. I get motive, and an incentive, to clean my room! Thank the Lord for little children!
And we are working in a family business, making energy bars for hikers, bikers, skiiers, and any athletic sport! It is starting to pick up, and we are so excited. It is the best energy bar out there, Bar None! We have several stores, and now Mount Rainier has ordered them for emergency stash. It is so fun, to see what the Lord has been doing with His business! We are His instruments in this business! Praise the Lord!
And now that my nephew has been born, I look forward the the possibilities of being an aunty. I have not seen him yet, but hope to someday soon! Or maybe for Christmas!:)
And just being a part of a family, is the most important thing in anyone's life! I, being still single, living at home, with my family, I realized the importance of the family, and life without them, would be bleak!
Just to let you know, do not take your family for granted! They are placed on this earth, for your developement and nurturing of your soul. They sharpen you, and you sharpen them! So don't knitpick them! And don 't say they don't understand! They do, they are the ones who know you the most!
Enough for you for now! Now you know a little bit about me, and my family!
Laura for the Hines Family Homestead!
Sometimes, when you are putting the children to work, it is like pushing a wet noodle up a fridge. You moms and sisters would know what I am talking about. They would rather play, then work. I know, I was there once. I still preferr to play, then work, but I know that my family will suffer, if I don't get supper ready!
I don't know how many of you are pack rats, but I surely am. I have a hard time keeping my room clean. It is a small room, with a small corridor on either side of the bed, and a tiny closet. I have a dresser, a desk and a bookshelf tightly squeezed in there. On top of that, I don't have the space for all of my things, sewing machine, bins of patterns, and material, and yarn for projects. I am an avid writer, so I have stories floating around my room!
Then I look at my little sisters' room, and I see them mirroring me, and I am thinking, " This is bad!" I don't want them to end up like me, a pack rat," and so I go and clean up my room. I get motive, and an incentive, to clean my room! Thank the Lord for little children!
And we are working in a family business, making energy bars for hikers, bikers, skiiers, and any athletic sport! It is starting to pick up, and we are so excited. It is the best energy bar out there, Bar None! We have several stores, and now Mount Rainier has ordered them for emergency stash. It is so fun, to see what the Lord has been doing with His business! We are His instruments in this business! Praise the Lord!
And now that my nephew has been born, I look forward the the possibilities of being an aunty. I have not seen him yet, but hope to someday soon! Or maybe for Christmas!:)
And just being a part of a family, is the most important thing in anyone's life! I, being still single, living at home, with my family, I realized the importance of the family, and life without them, would be bleak!
Just to let you know, do not take your family for granted! They are placed on this earth, for your developement and nurturing of your soul. They sharpen you, and you sharpen them! So don't knitpick them! And don 't say they don't understand! They do, they are the ones who know you the most!
Enough for you for now! Now you know a little bit about me, and my family!
Laura for the Hines Family Homestead!
Friday, July 20, 2007
More Gabriel Pictures!
Clay, Sarah& Gabriel John Saffer
Gramma Linda & Gabriel
Sucking his thumb!Thought you would like to see Gabriel, after a week old! He is such a darling, and I look forward to many rewarding visits from him!
Laura for the Hines Family Homestead!
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