Well I've been in new glorious hovel six months now. So far I've gotten the hot and cold water pipes fixed in one half of the house. And I've gotten a water heater. I put in shutoff valves to all the common pipes where they go through to unheated areas. And now I have heat to a small portion of the house. Ventless propane.

I know that my next big project has to be the roof and shorn off vent stacks. That's next year's big project. But with a limited income it will have to be done in stages.

There is so much I need to do. And so much I want to do. I want to plan one rewarding project for next Spring.

I've researched goats. And will spend time with a goat herder this winter. I want two. But, when I'm honest with myself, I think it would be foolish spending money to build a shelter for them when that money can go towards roof metal. So, I've decided to spend time learning about them from my neighbor and maybe getting some milk from him to try my hand at cheesemaking. A good compromise I think.

I want a raised bed garden eventually. Good raised beds that can be enclosed with hoops and poly easily. I will settle for raised beds that are just hilled earth next Spring.

I think I will give my little place a good looksee this Winter and decide what I envision it will look like [again]. And I will plan to get the fruit trees in that I want. I feel I can't put that off.

I need to fence up a hillside. I'll look into that too. I'd like to learn more about cattle panels. But, I don't think they would be appropriate for a bit of hillside.

So..that's my little ramble. I'm trying to juggle needs and wants and wallet. But, I know that for my general well being I need to plan for at least one big, but inexpensive, project/activity next Spring.

PC

-- pc (jasper2@dog-lover.com), November 15, 2001

Answers

try two or three strand electric fence instead for the goats. Get them used to the electric in a small enclosure with cattle panels (4 will do nicely) with electric strung inside. Then turn them out into the electric. Get nail-in insulators and tack them to unwanted trees. Move them up or wherever every year or so to keep them where you want them. Use sharpened small junk trees cut off for fence posts if you have them available. Good luck! It will work. God didn't drag you this far to dump you off now. :o>

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), November 15, 2001.

So far, sounds so good!~Roof, food, fuel. You'll get the rest together, I've no doubt! Good luck!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

Hey PC, My lists change almost monthly these days. And when I'm remodeling, like now, daily. It truly is a wonderful feeling to do a walkabout on your farm and plan great and small projects for the future. Never trade your imagination for the easy road. Enjoy your lifepath and keep us posted. Iris

-- Iris (Sar_India@msn.com), November 15, 2001.

You go, PC! We've been in our hovel for three years now and the kitchen that I promised to paint the first week...well, we got one coat on it this fall. (For some reason Bren didn't want to look at institutional lime green walls anymore). The garden I got in right away, but I haven't been able to really keep up with it like I'd like. (My son's 4H garden has out-produced mine two years running, and he's only six years old). I really need to jack up the house in about ten places before I can gut and redo the upstairs...you get the gist. We're right here with you, taking it one step at a time. Overjoyed with each new gift, (enough windows for a new sunroom for $125...so I have a two year old half built sunroom!) Ain't it some fun, though? Keep the faith and enjoy your first winter, just watch out, it's the wintertime when all those grand plans come to mind....

-- gilly (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), November 15, 2001.

Thanks Gail Ann, Kathy and Isis.

My chin is up. I will move forward. :-)

My NGH is a perfect way for me to do smart, intensive living. I've only an acre and a half out back. Some hill. The front is on the street. I moved from a place that was isolated and quiet, but deep woods, and gardening was a chore.

I want to take advantage of what I have. But, I need to think small and I need to think smart.

-- pc (jasper2@dog-lover.com), November 15, 2001.

PC: Have you approached the goat owner about bartering, or trading labor for the goats? What about paying for them over several months? I'd say that if you hang around enough and help, they will make a deal you can live with.

Also... You could use almost anything as shelter for two goats. Old truck "camper tops", build out of pallets... I moved an un-used / old corn crib, and built a shed for hay on one side with scrap tin, salvaged lumber, and a couple of new 4x4s. Next we will do the same on the other side of the crib and then enclose by the time kids come.

Good luck!

-- Will in NC (carolina_homesteader@yahoo.com), November 15, 2001.

Thanks Gilly and Will..

I've got ~ 3500 square feet of new glorious hovel to deal with. 40 windows that are getting stapled plastic sheeting. Bit by bit. I will have a nice home for myself and a good seasonal rental. My down the road dreams..

Will..I could do the goats now. but I've decided I have a hard enough time taking care of myself and pups and fish and work and life. LOL. I will spend time with goat guy. Maybe foster one or two. I'll see..

-- pc (jasper2@iname.com), November 15, 2001.

Dear pc, Good job! Excellent! A raised bed idea that is cheap is to use straw or old hay bales for the sides. Sometimes you can get them for free, especially if they got rained on a little. I find that by the begining of the next season the straw is quite broken down and I can mix it into the soil, (it doesn't take much,) and replant something else. This year I am trying something different; keeping my garden going into the winter and as such have added partial bales on top of those that I used during the summer, putting metal'T' posts around with cattle panels on top to support my outer plastic, and an inner structure, ('T' posts again; smaller,) for the inner plastic. All that I planted this Fall is still alive, many kinds of lettuce, sorrel, leeks, onions, dandilion greens, broccoli and brussel sprouts - we'll see what happens. Out here goats don't need too much shelter, just from the rain, (I am in Oregon,) but I'm not sure where you live. They sure are escape artists though! Good luck with your prioritizing. Enjoy your dreaming time before the nuts and bolts of the project start. :) "Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make them come true." I do the same as you; thats how I got my place to begin with, even, and this year was able to put in two more baby apple trees. Go

-- Leslie Coray (leslie@webolium.com), November 15, 2001.

This is a quote I read once and have always remembered."Dream dreams, for if dreams die, life is a barren field covered with snow."

-- Nancy (nannyb@huntel.net), November 16, 2001.