If There is a Down Side

Tending a garden, seeing wonderful creatures out every window, no drive to work and no hour of getting ready for work, dinner can be simmering half the afternoon, and laundry can be in the washer while I'm writing an article. All of these things and many more are just some of the perks of homesteading. I've mentioned several times about morning chores in the rain or the silly behavior of my animals before the storm is coming.

When I received the second chance to walk in my call, I didn't think life could get any better. Then when I found out, fourteen years ago, there was more to my call than I was doing, I was thrilled. I truly love being a servant of the Most High G-d. He is amazing! There were steps to take and progress to make before I was ready for this, and I'm so glad He led me in The Way. My beliefs aren't just a religion and my lifestyle isn't just a trendy green hobby, it truly is my way of life. I had to learn this raising raspberries and tomatoes at a little inner city mission, before I had the self-discipline to handle this responsibility.

Some days answering questions and writing articles does feel like work and some times chores are just a chore! I do it anyway, and I'm grateful. Even on those days that chores are a challenge, it still only takes the time it used to take me to drive home from work. Some days when the articles don't come easy, I'm still thankful that I'm not sitting in a cubicle somewhere, struggling with an assignment. And every evening when it's all said and done, I'm so thankful that I've been given this life and this assignment from my Creator.

Here I sound all PollyAnna in the article with a title about the down side. I'm getting to that. If there is a down side to homesteading, it's raising my own meat. Chickens aren't such a challenge, because too many roosters are a hazard to the well being of the flock. Roosters will literally kill each other or the hens they are fighting over. On the flip side, too many roosters fighting to be "cock of the walk" will leave them ignoring the hens and the procreation slows down, so extra roosters do have to find their way to the skillet, the oven, or the freezer. They don't just take off their feathers like a coat and jump in the pan . . . I am glad to have the knowledge to put meat on the table and the strength to do it!

I began raising dairy bulls a few years ago, for the beef. Butchering day is a much bigger project than a chicken in the pot, but it's also a part of my faith and the vision, I'm believing will unfold. I buy these from a dairy when they are just a couple of days old, then bottle feed them goat's milk for 3 months or so. Then they graze until that start acting bullish, then it's time for steaks. With GMO and so many potential health issues in our food supply, I'm glad to be raising my own food, but there is something special to the addition of calves on the homestead.

I believe at some point, there will be a special reason and a crowd to enjoy the fatted calf.