Ditch The Store

Strategic Livestock and Crop Planning - Show Notes Breeding and Mating Cycles - Define Breeding Goals: -Diversification:Encourage homesteaders to diversify breeding goals beyond productivity, considering traits like temperament and adaptability. - Market Alignment: Discuss aligning breeding goals with market demands to optimize returns on livestock investments. - **Prepare for Mating Seasons:** -...

Yearly Overview Holistic Homestead Calendar - Emphasize the importance of creating an annual calendar. - Integrate breeding cycles, planting schedules, animal care, and maintenance tasks. Prioritization Techniques - Identifying and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. - Using tools like Eisenhower's Urgent/Important matrix. Creating a Homestead Calendar - Developing a yearly, monthl...

Pre-Holiday Garden Maintenance: Before you embark on your homestead holiday, giving your garden a little extra love can go a long way. Here's your guide to pre-holiday garden maintenance. Pruning and Weeding: Trim back any overgrown branches and tackle those persistent weeds. This not only beautifies your garden but also reduces competition for resources. Mulching for Moisture: Apply a generous la...

Homestead Holiday Guide - Animals   Finding Reliable Caretakers: Finding trustworthy caretakers for your animals is a top priority when planning a holiday away from your homestead. Here are some tips to ensure your animals are in good hands.   Reach Out to Fellow Homesteaders: Homesteaders understand the unique needs of caring for animals. Connect with local homesteaders who may be avail...

Importance of Planning Ahead: Now, we all know that homesteading requires careful planning and dedication. Planning ahead for a holiday is no exception. The key here is foresight and organization. Start by assessing your typical daily and weekly tasks on the homestead and identify what can be done in advance. I like to have systems in place for everything, from feeding animals, to making bread and...

The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Prepping 1. Exaggeration and Extremism: - We might get accused of having a penchant for Doomsday scenarios, but we prefer to call it 'imaginative preparedness.' No harm in being ready for the unexpected, right? - Sometimes, being a little extra with preparedness means we're just taking a proactive approach to life's uncertainties. - Tinfoil hats might not be our go-to...

Hard Livestock Decisions and How to Avoid Them   Introduction - Welcome and introduction to the podcast. Episode 39 - Brief overview of the importance of keeping livestock healthy on the homestead.   Segment 1: Getting Started with Livestock - Discuss the initial considerations for new homesteaders thinking about raising livestock. - Choosing the right livestock for your homestead and pe...

Homestead Hiccups What can go wrong? When you are homesteading with animals just about anything can go wrong.  CJ runs through a list of the disasters that have occurred lately on the homestead.

Making Money from Chickens - Making money from your chickens can be as rewarding as it is surprising. Here, we'll explore various avenues for turning your feathered friends into a source of income. From selling eggs to sharing your chicken-raising knowledge, the possibilities are numerous. Sell Eggs - Selling fresh eggs can be lucrative. It's often best to start with friends or local acquaintances...

Nature has its own way of surprising us with an overabundance of goodness, a phenomenon we often overlook in our busy lives. It's a beautiful cycle in agriculture, where nature presents an oversupply of her treasures, whether it's the burst of summer berries or the fall apples. This abundance is nature's way of saying, "Enjoy this gift to the fullest!" But what happens when your backyard chickens...

Fowl to Human Diseases in Backyard Chickens - Protecting Your Flock and Family In this podcast, the host delves into the realm of chicken diseases, debunking myths and addressing concerns regarding the transmission of diseases from chickens to humans. The host emphasizes that while the risk is low, it's essential to prioritize prevention and management over treatment. The podcast provides insights...

Raising Meat Birds Segment 1: Getting Started Discuss the motivation behind raising chickens for meat in an urban setting Urban homesteaders often raise chickens for meat to have a direct source of fresh, ethically-raised, and locally-sourced protein. This aligns with the desire for a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle. By raising their own meat, urban homesteaders reduce their depende...

The chicken or the egg? The egg did! Chickens are the closest living thing to dinosaurs. And eggs are how dinosaurs reproduced… So I’m going to say the egg was first.   I was asked why I sell bleached eggs with my farm-fresh brown ones. It's a common misconception that brown eggs are always farm-fresh, but egg color depends on the chicken's breed. Both brown and white eggs can be fresh and de...

Title: A Guide to Animal Nutrition Made Easy Understanding Nutritional Needs: To take good care of goats, it's important to know what they need to eat at different times in their lives. Goats go through different stages like being babies (kids), growing up, being pregnant, giving birth (lactating does), and being fully grown (adult bucks). Taking Care of the Place They Eat (Forage Management): Mak...

 The Nutritional and Health Benefits of Raw Milk: A Homesteader's Guide   In the world of homesteading, the idea of producing your own food is deeply ingrained. Few things symbolize self-sufficiency more than having your own cow or goat for milking. One of the primary products homesteaders can enjoy from their animals is raw milk, which has a rich history and a host of potential health b...

In "Bees and Other Pollinators," we explore the critical role of these tiny creatures in urban homestead gardens. Pollinators are the unsung heroes behind bountiful harvests and flourishing landscapes. For urban homesteaders, understanding how to attract and support these vital insects is essential. The episode begins by introducing various pollinators found in Australia, emphasizing the diversity...

Livestock Breeding and Reproduction My favourite thing on the farm is managing the livestock and especially the breeding process. We discuss breeding cycles and timing, selection of breeds, issues with breeding etc.    Products you can buy from Mojo Homestead Beeswax Wraps Available at   https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07TRHHBMZ?ref=myi_title_dp 24PC Kitchen Storage Accessories ...

Seed and Plants Let's talk about prepping your growing season in time for spring by sorting out seed saving, grafting and using cuttings to grow new plants.  If I can learn to grow plants anyone can, because I absolutely have a brown thumb.  Products you can buy from Mojo Homestead Beeswax Wraps Available at https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07TRHHBMZ?ref=myi_title_dp 24PC Kitchen Storage Ac...

Why are so many people anti-farming? Especially when there are so many other things you could be against? Why not be anti paedophile, anti-thief, anti-scammers or just anti-arseholes!! Anti-farmer seems weird given without farmers we'd be hungry, naked and sober.   Iowa Dairy Farmer https://www.instagram.com/iowadairyfarmer/?hl=en SunStone Orchard and Rabbitry https://www.instagram.com/explor...

Spring Bee Preparation Cleaning and Inspecting Beehives and Equipment    - Thoroughly clean beehives and equipment from the previous season.    - Remove any debris, dead bees, and mold.    - Inspect frames, foundation, and boxes for damage or wear.    - Ensure hive components are in good condition. Ordering New Bees or Queen Bees  &n...

Fruit and Nut Orchard Prepartion Podcast Pruning your fruit trees before spring growth . Pruning involves trimming away dead or diseased branches and those that are growing too close together. This helps improve sunlight penetration and airflow, leading to healthier trees and better fruit production. Remember, different fruit trees require different pruning techniques, so do your homework for each...

Episode 24 - Livestock Preparation     This is my favourite time of year when all our babies are born!   But there is a lot of work that goes into the birthing season, shelters, fencing, medical supplies, feedstock up's and the planning processes.       Special mention to Datadoo Anglo Nubians   https://datadoo.myshopify.com/  

Podcast - Episode 23 - Garden Preparation   CJ discusses what we do at Mojo Homestead during the month of August to prepare for our garden's prime growing season.   We discuss soil and garden bed preparation, seed purchase and starting seedlings. Also crop rotation, garden structures and watering systems.   Garden Suppliers Eden Seeds - Australian supplier https://www.edenseeds.com....

Joel Salatin - Polyface Farms https://polyfacefarms.com/ Allan Savory - Holistic Management https://savory.global/holistic-management/ Peter and Stuart Andrews - Natural Sequence Farming https://www.tarwynparktraining.com.au/ Richard Perkins - Ridgedale Permaculture https://www.ridgedalepermaculture.com/about-us.html    

Home Biogas Link https://www.homebiogas.com/product/homebiogas-2/ Denise Duffield-Thomas Money Bootcamp https://www.denisedt.com/   Being frugal is not cheap!  There is a difference between frugal and cheap. Frugal means being economical with regard to money and food.  Integrating Frugal Practices into Homesteading Lifestyle Since self-sufficiency means survival without needing assi...