The life of a homesteader....

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
Weird old day today.

My best bud is away to see his kids for a couple of days so I am seeing to his place. He has a new load of POL chooks corralled in his free range outdoor run. He mentioned they were corn raised and I observed in seeing to them today that they aren't big on layers pellets. Mixed a couple of handfuls of mixed corn into the pellets and they fell on it with a vengeance.

Called into the new neighbours whilst up that end and they were having horrors with wasp nests (they had found one in the loft and one in the dyke) - he is a bit allergic and she dangerously so. Home for the bee suit (greeting BB who was working on the windows up our scaffolding tower) and some permethrin and did a quick treatment

Home to sharpen up the three chainsaw blades I blunted harvesting firewood from that thirty foot tree stack I told some of you about.

New neighbours lad calls round to ask about a strimmer - wifey gave him a quick lesson in petrol brush cutter use and sent him on his way with 2 stroke, harness, helmet et al.

I then broke out apple peeler and corer (brilliant bit of kit - peels, cores and slices an apple in ten seconds) and sorter out all the windfalls into the dehydrator (with a dip in lemon juice and a shake of cinnamon).

A very quiet "thump" signalled BB had got the rabbit thats been eating my swedes.

A quick curry and rice (lovely)

Then over to the neighbours to give those wasp nests a good spray down at dusk when the wasps are in residence.

Home for 9pm






Still better than working in an office.
 

Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
26
Cumbria
An interesting day for sure! Good times though I reckon :).

I bloody hate wasps as well- little blighters like the look of me I think. I had about three of the sods stinging me on the head about 4 years ago. No particular reason I was just sat on a bridge over a little beck. They got me good with my short hair too. Angry little gits.
 

Alreetmiowdmuka

Full Member
Apr 24, 2013
1,106
13
Bolton
Sounds like yer get something different everyday too keep you on your toes.new problems too solve adapt and overcome.you must have developed a varied knowledge of all sorts of thing over the years.how long have you been homesteading?


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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
Full time about five years.

What I didn't know at the beginning was staggering.

Nowadays I am just really, really ignorant of most of the skills a good homesteader should have.
 

Alreetmiowdmuka

Full Member
Apr 24, 2013
1,106
13
Bolton
That's just it though gathering from some of your posts I bet theirs alot of skill sharing goes on with your neighbours.scratching each other's backs and what not.


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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
That's just it though gathering from some of your posts I bet theirs alot of skill sharing goes on with your neighbours.scratching each other's backs and what not.


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Oh yeah - for sure. I am rubbish with engines for example - but a neighbour does all that - from rotovators to chainsaws to tractors he can sort them all
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
What is this "office" you speak of?
.
tron-28-office-cubicles.jpg

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battery-hens3.jpg


.
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,243
386
74
SE Wales
Judging from the pictures of your cellar you won't have a long search for something to warm you through, eh? :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
Indeed not - inside now.

Some piccs from today

Our wonderful apple peeler / corer / slicer. I'm not one for gadgets, but this really speeds up apple processing

Apple Peeler by British Red, on Flickr

...and the output. One large jar of dried apple rings dusted with cinnamon and another of plain. I like to do this with our apple "sunset" which is a pippin derived eater with a sharp taste. Makes the best apple rings ever.

Dried Apples by British Red, on Flickr

One of the neighbours dropped off some "surplus" today

Beetroot and cucumber by British Red, on Flickr

He warned us there was another plague of rabbit kits around - we had noticed a couple but there's more than that :(

Started in on them - got two today to go with the one the missus got yesterday

Rabbit by British Red, on Flickr

No photos of me in a bee suit up a ladder doing second treatment on the wasps nests - I had other things on my mind :)
 

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