Wvhomesteader's Blog

Predators on the Homestead

wvhomesteader — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 03:19:22 +0000

Predators is becoming much more of a problem here now, more than ever before. I am having coons, foxes & oppossums stealing my poultry. The foxes is coming out in broad daylight and stealing chickens. A neighbor seen a coyote & bobcat right above my place in the woods, but so far I have not caught them stealing yet. I would just say its a matter of time though. I have several dogs roaming the farm, but it seems as if they are out smarting the dogs in this game. I am raising 12 more dogs to help me out in this crusade against the predators. I hate building fences, and that is due to all the work it involves, and then the cost of fence is outrageous. But my plan is to have a peremiter (sp) fence around the property, then set in about 6-10 foot and build another fence around the property, and allow the dogs to run between the 2 fences. The outside fence is electric mesh fence, then the other fence on the inside is just a regular welded wire goat fence. Then I will see how well this can protect all my poultry/water fowl., and hopefully the goats will be protected well also.

I have another predator which I have not determined what it is yet. This predator is stealing pigeon eggs. It happened twice now to make a total of 4 eggs it has stole. The pigeons is in a chicken coop I have, and the nests are attatched to the wall up about 4 feet from the floor. The pigeon will lay the eggs, (2 eggs is all they set on at a time), and set on them a couple days or so, then they disappear. As stated above, I have not determined what it is yet, but I am guessing & leaning towards a snake or a ground squirrel. I am hoping to get it figured out soon, because I want to increase my pigeon flock.

Electrified Mesh Netting

wvhomesteader — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:12:31 +0000

I have had an awful time keeping my buck goat confined. I have spent lots of time & money trying to keep him where I want him, instead of where he wants to be. I prefer to let the goats roam where ever they want, but at times they just can’t roam. I have tried different fences, and if he wanted out he would put those horns to work and make a hole to let himself & the others out. I would get that hole patched, and then he would decide to jump over it. So one day while researching goats & fenceing methods online, I ran across a company called Premiere1, and looked over there website & ordered me one of their catalogs. Once I got the catalog, I looked through it and decided on an electric mesh for goats, which was called Estop. It is approx. 42 inches tall & 164 ft long. So I ordered me a few roles of it, was still kinda skeptical if it would hold him, but I went ahead and installed it, I did add several step-in posts just to make it sag less, but overall it has stopped the goat from coming out. I know of him getting into it one time, and he never liked that. Now he stays about 1 foot away from the fence, and he stays where I want him to stay. Also, this netting will also help keep predators out such as dogs and that sort of thing. I am gonna buy more netting very soon that is electrified, in order to fence the perimiter of my entire homestead. I think this is gonna be invaluable to keep predators away from my poultry & waterfowl.

Moving the WV Homestead

wvhomesteader — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:51:06 +0000

Ok people, now this has been fun…lol…My property here in central WV, is workable, but very hard to work on, because it is on the side of the mountain. So with the ever increasing animal population I have and the need for a garden space that is not on the side of the mountain, I have acquired another piece of property back in January of this year, and have started working on it, getting fences built, and getting a barn, coops & sheds built. Not to mention planting the approx. 1/2 acres garden I am starting with.

The waterfowl is gonna litterally love the new farm, it has a pond, which there not accustomed too. They are used to playing in a small stream or even the ditchline. I have been working on getting the pond area fenced in for them, and its just about done!

The goats will also enjoy their new area to roam in, especially the young ones, there will be small trees for them to eat from also.

My little home is gonna consist of a 24′ travel trailer, until I get the rest of the farm setup. Then I will build me a small home, nothing fancy. Just something where I can get in out of the weather and stay warm on those cold dreary days & nights.

I welcome anyone to contact me about homesteading/farmsteading. I will do my best to help answer any questions you may have.

Beloved Hound Doggie–Rest In Peace

wvhomesteader — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:15:15 +0000

Hound Doggie, what wonderful joy you always had, the wonderful joy you always put in my life. Hound Doggie, you are sadly missed & my heart cries for you. I will always remember the joy your life has brought. Your Mother, Sister and Braxton, and even your younger siblings deeply miss you and the wonderful times you brought to their lives. You may not be here with us, but I know your in Doggy Heaven, and your keeping a very watchful eye over us all. Even though I had to put your body in the cold ground in my Doggy Cemetery, your presence is still very strong. You have left a lasting impression on my life, and the ruthless cold hearted person who ran over you, we pray their body rots in Hell, for doing this, and leaving my little helpless dog to lay beside the road, and never trying to get you help. But stillno matter what, you will always be remembered, just as the rest of my Dogs has been. At least your still on the property you were born on, and your still loved, because I know your in Heaven. I know you looked down from Heaven and saw Shaggy wanting you to come play, but Sissy don’t quite understand, and she misses you much, just like I do. I am sorry baby, I let you down and its a mistake I have to live with the rest of my life. I should have checked the fence, and found the corner had not been secured properly, which would have kept you out of Harms way, but I failed, and I am sorry Hound Doggie. You just always remember that I always will love you and at a great cost, I learned to walk the fence in the yard, to make sure all your doggy family stays safe now. Even if I walk that fence 100 times and its still secured, there will not be 1 day go by, that I don’t walk that fence and check it. I LOVE YOU HOUND DOGGIE–REST IN PEACE
Left this world on January 20, 2010.

My WV Homestead

wvhomesteader — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:47:10 +0000

Well even with a bit of Winter Weather, things here at the homestead are still progressing. We have a new member here now, Dana came here fromTexas, and has been an asset already. We have got several little things accomplished around & in the house.

Rain, Rain & More Rain has been coming down. The place has so much Mud. We are still going strong through all the. I certainly will be gladto see all this mucky red clay mess dry up.

Weather Delight

wvhomesteader — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:04:12 +0000

What a nice change in the weather. Its starting to warm up some. I was just outside again, and the temp. is up to 40. I certainly welcome these warmer days. I am sure the chickens & turkeys are gonna enoy it. I just turned them out. The first time they been out in about a week.

Yesterday the Geese & Ducks took advantage of the places where the snow had already melted some. They were searching for bugs and the left over weeds they could find. They must be still eating quiet abit of weeds & such, because they rarely touch the grain that is out for them.

Even the goats is out enoying the areas where the snow has melted. Now the goats is much different than the poultry, they still love chowing down on their grain/corn mix.

As the day gets warmer, I am gonna be out there and get some more firewood sawed up, just in case we get hit with another long spell of cold. I will also let my fire burn down in the stove, and clean all the ashes out before building another nice warm fire.

I save my ashes and putting them in the flower garden areas, which I am gonna be planting vegetable plants this year. I will have tomato/sweet bell pepper/hot pepper plants along my fence & mobile home. Then that gives me more room in the actual garden for other things.

I have a medium sized back yard, and it will no longer be a yard. I am gonna have it to plant corn & sunflowers in. These will be used for feed for the poultry, once it matures. The corn stalks will be good fodder for the goats.

Weather Starting to Warm…

wvhomesteader — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:14:37 +0000

Well its starting to warm up outside. Its not nearly as cold today as it has been. There is still lots of ice out there. Ice just about everywhere you have to walk. Ice on the steps, ice where I go to my little so called barn, and even ice as go to the chicken coop. You really have to watch your step. Lots of time the chickens go into the goat pen & lay eggs, but since the goat pen is up the hillside aways, I am not going up there to get them eggs. The hillside has snow on it, and a layer of ice underneath it. I know, I found out the hardway, after trekking up there to check on my little goats. After getting up there the little goats were sleeping snuggly in the corner on their hay bed.co

Flowers vs Veggie Plants

wvhomesteader — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:58:13 +0000

Now I don’t have alot of spaced cleared for a garden, so I am seriously thinking about taking my flower gardens around the place and making them vegetable gardens. It still won’t be alot of room, but I think I can still raise a nice variety of vegetable there.

The flowers I have is nothing that can be used for food, well at least food for me. Wildlife likes them & the goats like to get into them. I am considering having just having 1 type of flower here this year, and that is Sunflower. I can use the Sunflowers for the poultry.

With doing away with the flowers around my place, I am trying to utilize what cleared land I have, to grow food for humans & animals. It will be tough to start with, but in time every little spot I can find will have something growing on it that will be useful for human or animal food.

If you have read other posts here on the site, you already know I am dealing with a tree covered mountain. When I originally set this place up, I had no plans of homesteading here. I worked every day 12-16 hours 7 days a week and even worked Holidays. So therefore I never needed alot of yard space to take care of. Now I look back and think everything I have done here, is totally backward from the way I need it now. Then to compound the problems I already have for not planning about what I would be doing with the property in the future, I also had a beautiful 19 acre farm located 6 miles away from my current property. It had a Huge 2400 square foot home on it, big oversized 2 car garage, a huge barn,chicken coop and a 1/4 acre pond. Lovely rolling meadow that were fenced on 2 sides, it also has nice areas, for baling hay, which I just gave the hay away for someone to mow it & take it away,it also had a nice garden spot. They average about 60 large rolls a Summer of the hay. So I thought I don’t need that place and let it go, only to find 3 years down the road I wish I would have kept it.

So, I guess this is what happens when you really don’t know which way your life is gonna take you. But I will survive with this place, its just taking that much more work. I guess my main reason was for getting rid of it, was the financial standpoint. I had a huge monthly payment, and my other place had no mortgage. I was self-employed and panicked when the economy started to unravel. I was thinking about what would happen if it came to the point I could not rake up $1700 each month for the payment. You know things the way the economy is it really makes a person wonder what to do, then they turn back around & wonder did I do the right thing? Well from my view now, no, I never did the right thing.

Photo at the top is the 19 acre farm I got rid of.

Cold & Snow

wvhomesteader — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:18:43 +0000

Well is it ever going to let up? That is my question. I am so tired of all of this cold & snow. Its very hard to get anything done when its so cold out there it takes your breath. I need to get lots of things done, but am not gonna spend much time out there. I spend enough time to get my feeding done & gather the eggs, but anything else will ust have to wait to a warmer day.

I sure hope that the 3rd week in February is not this nasty. I have 2 breeds of geese coming then. They will be day old babies. They sure can’t take this cold.

Neighbors….

wvhomesteader — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:10:08 +0000

My parents own a small cabin on some property next to mine, that is a rental property. Well the poor lady that lived there was pretty much lonely, and eagerly watched my animals, the ducks, geese, chickens, guineas, turkeys & goats. Well then she started buying things to feed them to bait them closer where she could see them better from her couch. I would notice them down there & I would go round them up & bring them back up closer to my house, where they was supposed to be. After me going down there and getting them back up where they belong, I came in the house to get me a cup of coffee. Well I had just set down, and the phone rang, that lady from the cabin said why did you do that? I was not sure as to what she was talking about, and ask why I did what. She responded by saying you called the animals home. She said that upset her because the enoyed watching them in her yard. So after that day, I really never worried about them being down there, I could still keep a good eye on them and there is a small stream there they played in also, so them being in her yard became no big deal at all. Well now they animals is accustomed to going and visiting there & being fed. So now that poor lady has passed away, I rented the cabin to an Artist out of Pennsylvania, and when she came and looked at it, she was all happy. I told her I had ducks & geese, her responce was, there is ducks where I live in PA. So I never thought anything about it, until she was in to the cabin for a couple days. She then went home and emailed me, telling me she made a post on her blog, included the link in the email she sent. So I went and read it, and here in my opinion she is having a tizzy because the ducks quacked & the Geese honked. She had stated how she was wanting quiet here but it was disturbed.

Well as soon as this very cold weather is over, I will move my birds, to where they won’t be disturbing this lady. I will give her peace & quiet from my animals as best I can. I can’t stop the roosters from crowing, and I am not gonna be building new pens for every creature I got. They were here first. Now you have to remember that when I started this Blog Site, I had more than 100 breeds of poultry, now I have more than 175 breeds in the works.

Now I do not know what that lady is gonna do when the noise starts from my new house, barn & a couple other sheds that is gonna be erected this Spring & Summer here. I am already so frustrated with the whole deal, I am ready to just refund her money and lock the doors and let it set empty.

Right next to that cabin, but on my own property, I had a pond put in about 3 months ago, so now that is gonna just get to set unused until this lady is gone. Never will I rent to an artist again.

So I guess this goes to show some of the problems you have when you have animals & you have neighbors.