So, you're a homesteader?
That's a yes and a no. I like the term: "hobby farmer." Some of what I do definitely has a homestead feel to it. I built out my flock of chickens right off the bat, because I wanted fresh eggs. It was a romantic idea, and it really didn't take much to get the ladies up and producing. In other instances, such as starting a rabbitry, what I'm doing is more than simply creating a sustainable food source for myself. There's a definite business model in place, and I'm working with particular focus to create a profitable business from raising rabbits.
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I'm constantly experimenting, and more often than not, I learn through some comical failures. My first foray into the garden started gangbusters, only to end with a bunch of empty planter boxes and row after emptry row of gopher-ravaged soil. So I grow and learn from both successes and failures, and if I can help in any way through those experiences, then I'm happy to share them here.
Meet the Gentleman Farmer
I was born in a small town in Southern Illinois. As a teenager, I couldn't get away fast enough. But after nearly a decade in the Navy and 20+ years living and working traditional jobs in large, urban centers, I found myself missing something essential. Just as Thoreau went to the woods to live deliberately, I, too, decided it was time to return to my rural roots.
It all started here:
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Five fallow planter boxes welcomed me to the top of the hill. I started off simply enjoying the view from the top of this California hilltop studio apartment. I figured I'd plant a few of my favorite vegetables; some tomatoes, maybe a couple cucumber plants. I knew I wanted some chickens, so I'd already planned on converting the dog run into a chicken run. I really thought that conversion would be all I'd ever do. But the land owners here said I could open up the fence (visible in the backround of the picture here) and work the 750(ish) square feet of open garden space there. Suddenly, I was aware of the fact that I could do more than I'd intended. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was a "gentleman farmer." I like to call my little hilltop retreat my "hobby farm." Thanks for joining.