Homestead mailing list

[Lisa Kae Van Meter Perry <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

Nothing for weeks and then 21 posts in a single day--when I didn't check
email.

I went back to school (online) last fall. Completed two classes last
semester. Completed one this semester and beginning the second one as soon
as I log off this morning.

Hubby and I are joining a few other families and getting our first chickens
for meat around March 15. We'll place a group order and eventually slaughter
together--to commiserate and learn. We're starting small, beginning with a
dozen or so for each family. We welcomed hunters to our land and took 4 deer
this past fall--the freezers are full. Finished the last of the pressure
canned venison from a year ago. We probably ought to pressure can some of
the steaks sitting in the freezer. Love making stew from canned venison.

Until this morning, we've had 5 hens for the last 13 months that had just
begun to lay eggs again. Today we have four. We don't turn the lights on, so
we've resorted to buying eggs which is stupid when you think about it. Bev
is probably right. Maybe a happy medium of turning the lights on for a week
to get production up and then off again. Maybe we'll try that, if I
remember. Which is less expensive... to pay for eggs or electricity for the
hens?

The peach tree was diagnosed in early autumn w/ peach tree borrer. The tree
stands a 50/50 chance of making it, but is already 20 years old give or
take. This next year we'll plant two new peach trees. This past summer the
borrer killed our two plum trees, we were told they are much less hardy than
peach and go fast. They bloomed, then in mid-summer something looked wrong
and then they were dead. They were pretty trees but never bore fruit,
planted long before we bought the farm. They were different varieties, but
bloomed when a hard frost came along.

Our 100 year old Stayman Winesap also has health issues and appears to be
dying, in sections, from old age and disease. It's possibly treatable, but
we have to take off 2 huge arms (of 5) with a chainsaw and after that the
tree also has a 50/50 shot to survive. We've debated this situation on/off
since last fall. The arms have to be sawed off in chunks and the tree (in
our front yard/field) will look disfigured after this is done. Fortunately,
the other apple & pear trees (& two mulberry & one cherry) on the farm are
still healthy as are the blueberry bushes.

We decided to get rid of the dwarf apple trees in the garden as they take up
prime real estate and don't produce much. We have other apple trees not in
the garden, so no big loss. Frankly, they've been a pain to take care
of--though pretty in the spring. Someone has spoken for them and they are
supposed to get them this month. Fingers crossed.

My Vintage '09 peach wine failed due to operator error of which I am not
proud. There are still several very drinkable bottles of Vintage '08 dry
peach wine in the pantry. I figured out my mistake and aim to make mulberry
wine with merlot yeast and peach wine as well, if we have peaches this year.

Planted Jerusalem artichokes and more daffodil bulbs last fall that we'll
look forward to this year.

We primed the bathroom for a new coat of paint--long overdue. We've decided
to sell our farm to relocate elsewhere in the county on less land in a
smaller, off-grid home. We'd like a smaller mortgage--one that can be paid
off in less than 10 years. We've posted it online and have had lookers but
no takers yet. Time to get serious, as I understand it, the capital gains
change for the worse in '11.

Spencer will be 20 next month and attends college part-time, he works
full-time in the local health food store (2 years in May). He says he's
enrolling in the welding program at the local comm. college this fall. He's
dated a nice girl since last summer. He lives in our rustic cabin and eats
dinner w/ us most nights (he cooks on Wed.) when he's not house sitting. He
scored a great house sitting gig a year ago, the family is gone for 2 months
a few times a year and they pay him. He was gone since after T'giving
(though he comes over weekly, usually) and he returns to the cabin soon.
Supposedly he's looking for an apartment, but we don't think he's put much
effort into looking.

Emerson will be 15 this summer and thinking of possible part-time summer
jobs. He is still home schooled and more active w/ his friends than his
brother was. He played the Ghost of Jacob Marley in a local youth theatre
troupe production in A Christmas Carol in Dec. He is looking forward to
playing soccer again this spring. He thinks living a bit closer to town
might be nice since it would make it easier for him to get together with his
friends.

Scott closed The Pickin' Porch as a retail music store last May, he kept the
name for his fretted instrument lesson studio in an arts center where he
rents a small room. We sold the house last August which was home to his
store and my former mortgage biz. He trimmed back from 50 students to 40
students per week and wants to start giving lessons on Skype to people
anywhere in the world. He is booking gigs for this year and next. We still
threaten to use our passports for this purpose.

We've gone skating a few times on the frozen pond, even played 'hockey' one
day w/ croquet mallets & the ball. I managed to stay upright, I grew up ice
skating. Looks like winter is far from over, we're expected to get more snow
this weekend.

I still believe the Greater Depression has started; my husband and I
occasionally say there's no one we'd rather go through the Greater
Depression with than each other.

Looking forward to beginning cole crops and tomato seeds shortly thereafter.
Nothing is more inspiring and exciting than germinating seeds.

I'm glad to know you all are well and still alive. I've missed you guys now
and then.

Lisa
sw VA