Homestead Bucket List

@kiaraantonoviche has done it again! Created a super cool Homesteading Challenge for us to participate in!

The challenge is to share our Homestead Bucket List. Like, what kinds of things we hope to achieve and have on our homesteads. There's a ton of things that I would love to do and have on my homestead. Now, because this is a bucket/wish list, for my homestead... I probably wont have too many images of my own... :( Super sad. I hope you understand!

Raised Garden Beds

Because, obviously, if you read my post yesterday... You'd know that I can't seem to garden due to silly critters eating everything! So raised garden beds are really needed. I am currently Saving Up SBD for Steem Powered Raised Beds! It's a serious need.

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Cut Flower Garden

I love flowers, and I do love arranging them as well. When I was young, I would have to drive by a cut flower market garden all the time. They even had a stand on the side of the road selling bouquets for like $5. I thought that was the coolest thing. When I got married, I went to that garden and picked out my own flowers for my wedding bouquet. Maybe if I had a roadside stand, it would inspire people to give each other flowers again. Image Source

Coturnix Quail

Yes, I do already have some quail, but they are bobwhite quail. Coturnix are a faster growing breed that mature in 6-8 weeks. They're full grown and start laying eggs. I would like to use Coturnix Quail as a meat bird, and their maturity rate seems a bit more sustainable than the 20+ weeks of my current Bobwhite Quail. Image Source

Heritage Breeds

Have you heard of Heritage Breeds? Well, they're pretty much breeds from "the old world". Here's a great definition from The Livestock Conservancy.

Heritage breeds are traditional livestock breeds that were raised by our forefathers. These are the breeds of a bygone era, before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. These breeds were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well-adapted to the local environment and they thrived under farming practices and cultural conditions that are very different from those found in modern agriculture.

Traditional, historic breeds retain essential attributes for survival and self-sufficiency – fertility, foraging ability, longevity, maternal instincts, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to diseases and parasites.

Heritage animals once roamed the pastures of America’s pastoral landscape, but today these breeds are in danger of extinction. Modern agriculture has changed, causing many of these breeds to fall out of favor. Heritage breeds store a wealth of genetic resources that are important for our future and the future of our agricultural food system.

I dunno about you, but to me, the thought of being able to help a breed exist and thrive is exciting! I think it's important to do some good if you can. I haven't the pleasure of trying any meat from any heritage breeds, but I hear they are richer in flavor. They grow proportionately and while it's not fast, it's more "natural".

Dexter Cattle

Dexter Cattle are the smallest breed of cattle available. They are also a great dual purpose (milk and meat) breed! Thankfully this breed, according to The Livestock Conservancy is recovering in population and isn't threatened to extinction at the moment.

I think this breed would be great for families who aren't trying to do large near-commercial type selling. Since they're smaller, they'll eat less, and therefore be a "cheaper" meat in the long run. Well, I could be wrong about that, because I haven't had any cows before, but that's my theory. Image Source

Faverolles Chickens

While I do have some Faverolles hens, I would like to breed them. So I would need a nice breeding set of Faverolles. Faverolles are another heritage breed, and their status is considered threatened by The Livestock Conservancy. They're a dual purpose (meat and eggs) bird that are said to lay well over the winter! They're kind of dumb, and they tend to be at the bottom of the chicken totem poll, but I do love them! They're hilarious to watch.

Langshan Chickens

Yes, I do have some Langshan hens also, and I even told you about them in my Update Post a few days back. I want to breed them, they're such a cool bird - So, like the Faverolles, some good breeding stock is needed. Thankfully they're not so endangered anymore and are on the "watch" list for The Livestock Conservancy. They're a large and hardy dual purpose (meat and eggs) bird that are said to be fantastic foragers. Mine are dorks, but they're becoming more and more adventurous every day.

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There's some other things on the list, but these feel good to write for now. The other things, I don't know if I will ever be able to get... Like... Water Rights, to tear down this manufactured home, and build our own. Things that are certainly out of reach for a while if not forever. Not to be a downer! It's just the truth. Haha. I would love to have my cut flower market garden and a roadside stand to sell my chicken eggs in though. How fun would that be?

Thanks for this fun challenge @kiaraantonoviche! I wasn't certain if I was going to do it, but, then I had a spark of inspiration. You work hard at these challenges and your Weekly Homestead Newsletter! Thanks for all you do on Steemit for our Homesteading Community!

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SBD for Steem Powered Raised Beds Progress:

$36 out of $124 earned so far.

Check out my most recent Steemit Posts.

• Finally a Farmstead Update!
• Little Quail Adventures
• 3 Tips to Steemit Success
• Saving Up SBD for Steem Powered Raised Beds

Please Consider Supporting:

• @rhondak, she runs a much needed and severely underfunded Dog Rescue in the backwards thinking toward animals area in the Appalachian Mountains. She uses the funds she makes on Steemit to save lives.

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As always @farmstead here blogging from FarmsteadSmith!

Photos by me using my iPhone 8+, unless stated otherwise!

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