Ditch The Store

Homesteader Gift Guide for Christmas High-quality gardening gloves https://amzn.to/3P7w6ZG Sturdy aprons (especially cheeky ones like yours!) https://amzn.to/3ZL1vpP Heavy-duty work boots or muck boots https://amzn.to/3P6ZEqa Wool socks or thermal clothing www.sukworkwear.com.au/ Water bottle https://amzn.to/3DCHjPi A good-quality pocketknife or multi-tool https://amzn.to/41Iy22p Hand tools like a...

Today’s episode dives into a topic that isn’t for the faint-hearted: dispatching and processing chickens. If this isn’t your cup of tea, no worries—feel free to skip this one. But for those curious about taking full control of their food supply, stick around for practical tips and advice on humane dispatching, plucking, and preparing your chickens for storage. Links Apron for dispatching - https:/...

Raising Chickens as a Gateway Chickens are an accessible starting point for homesteading, offering a path to self-sufficiency and sustainability. Personal stories highlight how raising chickens leads to broader self-sufficient practices. From Egg to Plate Pasture-raised chickens provide superior flavour, health benefits, and ethical advantages over store-bought meat. Beginners can achieve high-qua...

G'day everyone and welcome to another episode of Not The Farmer's Wife. , recording on my own today. The handy helper has got some chores that he's doing around the farm so I've, , sent him on his way to do those. , but also too we have set up a different background here. As you can see my desk has moved and, , I am now facing a different direction in our lounge room. We live in a tiny house so, f...

Why You Should Start Raising Your Own Meat Chickens Today" Discussion on the benefits of raising meat chickens, including health, cost savings, and self-sufficiency. "From Egg to Plate: Why Pasture-Raised Chickens Are Worth the Effort" The difference in quality between store-bought and home-raised chicken. "5 Surprising Health Benefits of Homegrown Chicken Meat" Focus on how pasture-raised chicken...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed significant changes to the U.S. food industry, including banning harmful additives, promoting sustainable farming, and overhauling nutrition guidelines. These changes align closely with homesteading values such as transparency, sustainability, and consumer health. While these reforms could support healthier food systems, their success will depend on public accept...

Podcast Show Notes: Off-Grid Water Systems   Introduction to Off-Grid Water Systems - Overview of off-grid water systems for homesteads or small farms - Importance of sustainable water management for self-sufficiency   Annual Water Usage for a Family of 4 - With conservative water use, a family of four can consume between 150,000 to 220,000 litres (40,000 to 58,000 gallons) per year, or...

Hospital Food  Is it making you sick. While many hospitals are beginning to recognise the importance of providing nutritious food to support patient recovery, the transition away from processed options like bread and cereals can be complex. Increased advocacy for better food quality, education around nutrition, and the adoption of innovative food service practices can help facilitate this cha...

Farmers vs Supermarkets  Why You Should Shop Direct   The relationship between farmers and supermarkets is often unbalanced, with large retail chains exerting immense pressure on farmers to lower their prices. While this benefits the supermarkets and consumers who seek the lowest possible prices, it often comes at the expense of the farmers’ livelihoods. In this post, we explore how farm...

G'day everyone and welcome to another episode of Not The Farmer's Wife, Episode 86 this week. And we're talking all about self-sufficiency and we're also trialing something new. I've got the handy helper here with me. Say Hello. Hello. I'm here today because it's pouring rain outside and I don't want to do any work. It's been actually really raining quite hard here at the moment, which is a good t...

Beginner Homesteading: How to Start Your Journey   Easy First Steps for Beginner Homesteaders   Start Small and Simple   Begin with small projects that fit your current lifestyle, such as growing herbs, composting kitchen scraps, or raising a few backyard chickens. These manageable steps will build your confidence.   Understand Your "Why"   Define why you want to homestead...

Buying Rural Land If you’re dreaming of a self-sustainable lifestyle and planning to buy rural land for a homestead or small farm, you’re not alone. First-time rural buyers often feel excited yet overwhelmed by the process, especially if they've never lived outside a city or suburban area before. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to consider when buying rural land, covering everything from finan...

Introduction  Episode 83 Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) play a crucial role on small farms and homesteads by protecting valuable livestock from predators. In this episode, we’ll break down the essentials of LGDs for beginners—everything from choosing the right breed to caring for your new farm guardian. Whether you're worried about foxes, hawks, or stray dogs, LGDs can be your first line of d...

Milking Goats for Homesteaders  Earlier episode - Why Drink Raw Milk https://www.mojohomestead.net/podcasts/not-the-farmers-wife-2/episodes/2148160617   Introduction     - Brief welcome and introduction of the podcast.    - Share a personal story or common experience of homesteading families considering goats.    - Overview of the podcast...

Goat Breeds for Homesteaders  Introduction - Why Goats?     - Goats are versatile animals that can provide meat, milk, and fibre.   - They are relatively low-maintenance and adaptable, making them a popular choice for homesteaders.   - Overview of the three main categories of goat breeds: meat, milk, and fibre.   Meat Goat Breeds    ...

The Doe Code Episode 80   "The Doe Code" is a lighthearted and humorous interpretation of the behaviours exhibited by goats, particularly mother goats, as they approach labour and delivery. Although it's not an official or scientific guide, it provides an amusing take on the quirks and unpredictabilities of goats during this time.   Many goat owners believe that this secret code is passe...

Meat Birds Kill Cones -  https://amzn.to/4fUYt9N Butchers Aprons that we use -  https://amzn.to/3SXujZp Rubber Fingers for Plucker -  https://amzn.to/4cwIwnk Butcher Knife that we use -  https://amzn.to/46VIFzd   Raising chickens as meat birds, also known as broilers, requires careful planning and attention from day-old chicks to processing. Here’s a comprehensive list of...

Holidaying with Chickens If you’re a chicken owner planning to go away for a weekend, you need to ensure your chickens are well-cared for during your absence. Here’s a complete list of considerations:     Feeding    - Automatic Feeder: Invest in an automatic feeder that can hold enough feed for the duration of your absence. Ensure it’s filled with enough feed for the weeke...

Raising Day Old Chicks     Housing & Space Requirements    - Brooder Setup: A brooder is a warm, enclosed space where the chicks will live for the first few weeks. It can be a large plastic bin, a wooden box, or a designated area within a coop.    - Size: Ensure the brooder is large enough for the chicks to move around freely. Approximately 0.05 square m...

Chicken Feed E76 Waitlist www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist  Are you interested in a meat bird course? Let me know The best diet for backyard or pasture-raised chickens should be well-balanced and nutritionally complete to ensure optimal health, egg production, and overall well-being. Here are the key components of an ideal diet: High-Quality Commercial Feed - Starter Feed: Provide a high-protei...

Egg Truth Episode 75  Join the waitlist  www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist Super Size Me 2 : Holy Chicken  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7215262/   The Truth about Free-Range Eggs The terms "barn-raised," "free-range," and "pasture-raised" refer to different methods of housing and raising chickens for egg production. Here's a breakdown of each: Barn-Raised Eggs - Housing: Chickens...

Avian Flu - Episode 74 On 22 May 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of a laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (clade 2.3.2.1a) by the International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of Australia. This is the first confirmed human infection caused by avian influenza A(H5N1) virus detected and reported by Australia. In...

Supermarket-free lifestyle - Episode 73 Don't forget to join the waitlist www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist  to get all the information about our upcoming course. Buying Direct Meat from a farmer  https://halfacow.farm/     Growing Food Vegetable Garden:    - Grow a variety of vegetables and herbs.    - Use techniques like crop rotation and companion...

Episode 72 - Spring Livestock Planning https://www.mojohomestead.net/waitlist Shelter Maintenance: Ensure Animal Shelters are Weatherproof and Warm Building the Perfect Shelter: Essential Features for All Seasons    - The basics of constructing a durable and weatherproof animal shelter, focusing on materials, design, and placement to ensure protection from the elements.   ...

Planning Your Spring Garden If you're new to homesteading, and maybe gardening too, but eager to get a jump on your spring garden, let me try to help. For me, winter is the perfect time to plan and prepare, sitting in from on the fire, glass of something in hand, ensuring my garden is full of wonderful crops come spring. What can we do while it's still too cold to grow outside? Assess Your Sp...