The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: yankieGirl on January 15, 2011, 03:57:32 pm

Title: hello from America
Post by: yankieGirl on January 15, 2011, 03:57:32 pm: Hi from central Pennsylvania! I love this site. We have 2.5 acres.

I have 13 chickens (Only 4-5 eggs a day since we are in the middle of winter) and 4 goats.

In the spring we will get pigs and a few steer to fatten up for fall.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: JulieS on January 15, 2011, 04:20:42 pm: Hello and welcome from Devon :)
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: yankieGirl on January 15, 2011, 04:28:37 pm: do you get many from the USA on this site? I don't even remember how I stumbled upon it.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: Rosemary on January 15, 2011, 05:48:00 pm: Hi and welcome! Yes, we get a few folk from abroad - mostly Europe but some from the States.

I'd love to visit Pennsylvania (that's not a hint by the way ;D) - I have a sneaking admiration for the Amish and would love to see them work with horses. There are so few communities that still use the horse, in places I'd want to visit.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: ballingall on January 15, 2011, 05:51:46 pm: Hello and welcome ;D

We have 16 goats, and have reared pigs for meat this autumn, partly on goat's milk, for the first time.

Beth
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: Sudanpan on January 15, 2011, 06:41:24 pm: Hi and welcome from West Cornwall.

Another forum member from the US joined fairly recently - from Texas :) So you're possibly closer to us in the UK than him in the US ;D

How old will the steers be that you get for fattening?

Tish
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: yankieGirl on January 15, 2011, 10:56:10 pm: The Amish are an interesting group. I too admire the self reliance. However, since they drive their buggies on the main roads, it is very frustrating to follow one with no chance of passing them in the car.

This summer was dry and not good for grass fed steer. We did not slaughter the steer this year as last. Instead we sent them to market. Age...not sure. Weight... less than 1000 lbs. Too small to bother. Last fall we had much better luck. They were not that huge but very tasty!

We are hoping to find a source of free food for the pigs this year....cafeteria waste...old produce. We started with 5 50lb pigs in March 2010. Used 3 for pig roasts through the summer and had 2 butchered for fall. We split one with my brother and sold the other.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: Hilarysmum on January 16, 2011, 09:27:15 am: Welcome from Brittany, France.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: cluckingnuts on January 16, 2011, 10:05:34 am: Hello from a wet + windy Wales.
I'm always interested as to how people from different countries or cultures do things. Do you grow veg + fruit as well?
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: yankieGirl on January 16, 2011, 02:11:45 pm: Funny you ask...I just received my seed order in the mail yesterday! I can't wait to get started. I plant the usual (beets, peas, beans, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, onions, etc... This year I ordered a few tobacco seeds just for kicks. I will get my tomato and green pepper plants from the local greenhouse.

We put in a few apple trees a few years ago but have

I also plan to put in rows of mangles (sugar beets). I understand they make good winter food for goats, cows....

I have a few hop vines as well. My friend and I brew our own beer. We have yet to use my hops.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: little blue on January 16, 2011, 02:57:11 pm: hello and welcome
what breed are your goats? for milking?
:) :wave:
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: The Woodsiders on January 16, 2011, 08:54:08 pm: Hi from West Sussex, welcome to the Forum
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: knightquest on January 16, 2011, 09:04:23 pm: Hello and welcome from Birmingham :wave:

Ian
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: ambriel on January 17, 2011, 01:29:41 am: Quote from: yank on January 15, 2011, 10:56:10 pm
We are hoping to find a source of free food for the pigs this year....cafeteria waste...old produce.
Are you allowed to do that in the States? It's a big no-no in the UK to feed kitchen waste to pigs.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: robert waddell on January 17, 2011, 12:34:17 pm: hello from central Scotland
are you anywhere near the gas fields that produce the combustible water supplies
do they still produce the penzoil the purrest oil there is
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: Daisys Mum on January 17, 2011, 07:13:18 pm: hello and welcome from the Scottish Borders :wave:
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: yankieGirl on January 17, 2011, 08:06:55 pm: You folks have made me feel quite welcome!

Hey, has this been a cold winter for you guys? It has for us. High of 25 degrees F out today and it is supposed to get cold later this week (as if this isn't cold). We heat our house with a wood burning stove. We own 40 acres of woodland about 20 miles from here. My husband cuts it all with the chainsaw and brings it home to rank in the barn.

What do you heat with and are the fuel prices going up there too?

btw lillian waddell

gas fields that produce the combustible water supplies Those are mostly in western PA and northern PA.
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: morri2 on January 18, 2011, 12:44:33 pm: Hello Yank! Welcome from north Wales. Fuel prices rising here too, especially oil. We use a woodburner to heat our water and radiators like you - wouldn't be without it. :wave:
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: Sandy on January 19, 2011, 09:52:03 pm: Hello again!!!!!! we try to live as cheap a life as posible but not always able to, mind you we have NO holidays except an odd trip for me to see family, nothing elaberate such as parties, eating out, hairdressers, flash car, jewels etc etc but we may well buy a gas guzzeling car soon to compensate, do very few miles anyway so we will see it as a bit of a treat like others have!!! Petrol and fuel going up it will certainly be a treat!!
Title: Re: hello from America
Post by: faith0504 on January 20, 2011, 11:33:51 am: hi and welcome from sunny moray :wave: