What is something you wish you knew when you first started?

[user 4021]

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a great day. I have been living a country life for a while and am hoping to have a small homestead one day. I am doing a lot more than I use to and feel very blessed that I have had some great people teaching me over the years. I think the one thing that I wish I had known when I first started living a simpler country life and now starting to do some homesteading things, is that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. Boy have there been good days and bad days. There have been some learning curves, but I really do learn as much from the wins as I do the harder lessons learned. I think my favorite saying now is "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it, yet."

What is something you wished you knew when you all first started out?

I hope everyone has a great night.

 

[LadyLocust]

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a great day. I have been living a country life for a while and am hoping to have a small homestead one day. I am doing a lot more than I use to and feel very blessed that I have had some great people teaching me over the years. I think the one thing that I wish I had known when I first started living a simpler country life and now starting to do some homesteading things, is that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. Boy have there been good days and bad days. There have been some learning curves, but I really do learn as much from the wins as I do the harder lessons learned. I think my favorite saying now is "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it, yet."

What is something you wished you knew when you all first started out?

I hope everyone has a great night.

That’s a great quote!
As far as things I wish I’d known sooner would just be financial knowledge. I grew up on a ranch so have learned that side of things but I didn’t grow up with financial savvy parents so I had to research and learn a lot in that department on my own.

 

[jazzy]

one thing that would have helped me would to have taken a blank notebook and start making lists as to importance. starting with basic needs for 3 months. then 6 then 12--you know? includsing learning skills
then keep updated list of whats been accomplished.
its easy over time to get angled up and forget some stuff. especially getting older as in---how come i got 5 can openers?

 

[Caribou]

My parents were preppers and my grandparents were preppers though they never heard the word. Being raised as a prepper I didn't really know I was prepping it was just a way of life. I have followed a lifelong quest for knowledge and skills. Let me pick one. I spent quit a bit of time away from people in remote Alaska. I felt the need for medical skills. I took an EMT class and was recruited by the fire department for the ambulance squad as a volunteer. This provided a lot of training opportunities. I have never regretted gaining that skill and knowledge.

I eventually fell in with this den of reprobates and figured out that I was a prepper. It has all been uphill from there.

 

[Magpie]

I'm running out the door here but thought this was a brilliant question, and I'll be mulling over it all day! Not exactly an answer, but OH and I commented recently, when reading an article about keeping chickens, how difficult they made it sound. Diseases, feeding, do this have that, stimulation etc etc- if we had read a chicken book when we started I doubt if I'd kept them. I copied what my parents did and used common sense. So my tuppence is do not let people or books scare you off. The one thing we didn't do was put in good fencing back in the day, because we didn't have the money. I should have scrounged it from somewhere. The big things - sheds, fencing, storage areas that will last nearly a lifetime are worth it. and plant trees, lots of trees!

 

[bkt]

Magpie nailed it for me, too: don't let naysayers slow you down or stop you from doing something you feel you should be doing. For me, it was mostly family who tried to talk me out of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. They saw it as a waste of time and effort. They have since changed their tune. I'm glad I still did get on with prepping, even if it was later than intended.

 

[INresponse]

Install a drip line irrigation system as soon as possible. Depending on your property it may be one large system or several systems with their own valve or timer. Battery hose end timers work great and last a long time, as long as you drain them and put them away during cold weather. Use slow drip emmitters instead of larger ones. If you need more water let it run longer or run it twice a day. If a tree or plant needs more water than the other plants give it two or three emitters and space them out a bit.
EDIT: @Magpie mentioned to plant trees, I will add you need to plant them yesterday. And because they take a long time to grow make sure you are positive of the placement before you plant it. Will the branches eventually rub against the house, will leaves fall into the gutters on your house, will they be clear of power lines, will the roots eventually damage your house foundation or driveway or septic system.

 

[sonya123]

We should have bought a 4wd tractor with a loader on it when we first started. It would have cost more but been worth it. Now none available used and what is there is way too expensive

Farming is dangerous and you have to be super careful not to hurt yourself .

If you live in a rural area away from stuff you will do a lot of driving to get things, so you need a reliable vehicle. I would have probably bought a newer SUV when they were still available and cheaper ( before covid)

 

[BBLife]

When I bought my first house one of the things I wanted was a fish pond. I went through about a dozen iterations of filter systems and greatly underestimated the power of water and the pressures and suction it can produce. I actually knew water was going to do whatever it was going to do but never thought it could break some of the systems I created like it did. All of those lessons did lead to an extremely strong and easy to maintain system in the end which came in very handy when I bought the land I have now and built the 2,000,000 gallon pond. My thought in placement, uses up and downstream, etc. will make a dozen iteration small backyard fish pond experience worth a lot.

 

[Morgan101]

I'm with Jazzy on this one. I wish I had done much more and much better record keeping to keep better track of all my preps. Keeping track of what I have, how much I have, and where it keep it. I can't tell you how many times I have been cleaning a place and found stuff I had completely forgotten I had, and more than likely duplicated. I always say a prayer to St. Anthony for helping me find it. I think he is rewarding me for cleaning up in the first place.

Now I have packing lists in all of our BOB's, and a 3" three ring binder with lists, and locations of the things we would need if we ever had to grab and go.

Great thread. I love threads that make you think and analyze.

 

[user 4021]

That’s a great quote!
As far as things I wish I’d known sooner would just be financial knowledge. I grew up on a ranch so have learned that side of things but I didn’t grow up with financial savvy parents so I had to research and learn a lot in that department on my own.

I started budgeting and doing fugal things later on as an adult. Great things to learn wish I had known that earlier too. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

one thing that would have helped me would to have taken a blank notebook and start making lists as to importance. starting with basic needs for 3 months. then 6 then 12--you know? includsing learning skills
then keep updated list of whats been accomplished.
its easy over time to get angled up and forget some stuff. especially getting older as in---how come i got 5 can openers?

I do have notebooks where I wrote things down. Really did help. I was able to go back and read how I did things and what worked and what did not work. Never too late to start. You can write down things that is important and one day hopefully someone can learn from what you have done in your lifetime. I hope you have a great day.

 

[BBLife]

I do have notebooks where I wrote things down. Really did help. I was able to go back and read how I did things and what worked and what did not work. Never too late to start. You can write down things that is important and one day hopefully someone can learn from what you have done in your lifetime. I hope you have a great day.

My wife has started a notebook for all she is doing in the greenhouse and plans to do the same for the garden. Planning to use good ole crop rotation knowledge to minimize the need for fertilizer. Fish heads, cow manure, 2nd year wood chips, coals and leaves are all you should ever need if done right.

 

[user 4021]

My parents were preppers and my grandparents were preppers though they never heard the word. Being raised as a prepper I didn't really know I was prepping it was just a way of life. I have followed a lifelong quest for knowledge and skills. Let me pick one. I spent quit a bit of time away from people in remote Alaska. I felt the need for medical skills. I took an EMT class and was recruited by the fire department for the ambulance squad as a volunteer. This provided a lot of training opportunities. I have never regretted gains that skill and knowledge.

I eventually fell in with this den of reprobates and figured out that I was a prepper. It has all been uphill from there.

Wow that is a great way to get the skills you need and to help people. I have taken first aid classes several times over the years. I work with kids first as a nanny and now as a babysitter. I took the two years that was needed to take classes in Early Childhood Education. The first kids I worked with as a nanny were special needs. I was able to get the training I needed to really help. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

I'm running out the door here but thought this was a brilliant question, and I'll be mulling over it all day! Not exactly an answer, but OH and I commented recently, when reading an article about keeping chickens, how difficult they made it sound. Diseases, feeding, do this have that, stimulation etc etc- if we had read a chicken book when we started I doubt if I'd kept them. I copied what my parents did and used common sense. So my tuppence is do not let people or books scare you off. The one thing we didn't do was put in good fencing back in the day, because we didn't have the money. I should have scrounged it from somewhere. The big things - sheds, fencing, storage areas that will last nearly a lifetime are worth it. and plant trees, lots of trees!

I am with you on doing things right the first time. When I first started wanting to have animals, I saved up for first the rabbit pen and then the chickens. I almost got enough saved for the pen for the ducks I want to get. It really is baby steps here to get what I want to have for my small little homestead, but I am enjoying learning as I go. I hope you have a great day.

 

[BBLife]

My parents were preppers and my grandparents were preppers though they never heard the word. Being raised as a prepper I didn't really know I was prepping it was just a way of life. I have followed a lifelong quest for knowledge and skills. Let me pick one. I spent quit a bit of time away from people in remote Alaska. I felt the need for medical skills. I took an EMT class and was recruited by the fire department for the ambulance squad as a volunteer. This provided a lot of training opportunities. I have never regretted gains that skill and knowledge.

I eventually fell in with this den of reprobates and figured out that I was a prepper. It has all been uphill from there.

Medical skills can be a life or death matter in the Homestead / Prepper world. I was known as the Animal Whisperer when I was young (10 to 18) because I'd patch up and release animals that were injured from cars or dog attack and in one case a tree falling on a beaver that ran the wrong way after cutting it down. No training, just kind of was a natural gift and ability. Military was great for battle wound training. Knowing how to treat bleeding chest wounds, blown off arms and legs, broken bones, etc. may come in handy some day.

 

[user 4021]

I am with you on doing things right the first time. When I first started wanting to have animals, I saved up for first the rabbit pen and then the chickens. I almost got enough saved for the pen for the ducks I want to get. It really is baby steps here to get what I want to have for my small little homestead, but I am enjoying learning as I go. I hope you have a great day.

Magpie nailed it for me, too: don't let naysayers slow you down or stop you from doing something you feel you should be doing. For me, it was mostly family who tried to talk me out of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. They saw it as a waste of time and effort. They have since changed their tune. I'm glad I still did get on with prepping, even if it was later than intended.

Hi good morning. My family have been very supportive. Thank goodness, but they always have been. I have family members who have animals that they raise, and I learn a lot from them. But even if they didn't, I would still do what I am doing. When I worked as a nanny and moved all over the country the one thing, I knew I wanted was to live a simple life and providing for myself the best I could. Learning as much as I could over the years. Well worth it to wake up in the morning and enjoy a cup of coffee either inside or on my porch. I love living in the country. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

Install a drip line irrigation system as soon as possible. Depending on your property it may be one large system or several systems with their own valve or timer. Battery hose end timers work great and last a long time, as long as you drain them and put them away during cold weather. Use slow drip emmitters instead of larger ones. If you need more water let it run longer or run it twice a day. If a tree or plant needs more water than the other plants give it two or three emitters and space them out a bit.
EDIT: @Magpie mentioned to plant trees, I will add you need to plant them yesterday. And because they take a long time to grow make sure you are positive of the placement before you plant it. Will the branches eventually rub against the house, will leaves fall into the gutters on your house, will they be clear of power lines, will the roots eventually damage your house foundation or driveway or septic system.

I am lucky the house I live in has a lot of trees around it but not so close that they would damage anything. Also have fruit trees around too. My dad loved planting fruit trees. So do my brothers. So, plenty for fruit to put up for the winter months. My mom used to make the best fried pies from the fruit my dad grew. She dried the fruit or canned it to use later on. I do that too. There are some pecan trees here too. I was able to put a good amount of them in the freezer. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

We should have bought a 4wd tractor with a loader on it when we first started. It would have cost more but been worth it. Now none available used and what is there is way too expensive

Farming is dangerous and you have to be super careful not to hurt yourself .

If you live in a rural area away from stuff you will do a lot of driving to get things, so you need a reliable vehicle. I would have probably bought a newer SUV when they were still available and cheaper ( before covid)

I don't have a tractor, but my bother does, and he comes to help me whenever I need something done. I have raised beds in my greenhouse, so I don't need one for that, but it really came in handy when I had a tree fall down close to my house. He was able to get it cut up and moved for me in hardly no time. Very grateful for that. A good truck is a must here. Can get a lot done on my own quite easily. I am very grateful that I have family around who look out for me. A true blessing. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

When I bought my first house one of the things I wanted was a fish pond. I went through about a dozen iterations of filter systems and greatly underestimated the power of water and the pressures and suction it can produce. I actually knew water was going to do whatever it was going to do but never thought it could break some of the systems I created like it did. All of those lessons did lead to an extremely strong and easy to maintain system in the end which came in very handy when I bought the land I have now and built the 2,000,000 gallon pond. My thought in placement, uses up and downstream, etc. will make a dozen iteration small backyard fish pond experience worth a lot.

Thats great. Fish ponds are nice. There isn't once here but several close by. I used to love going fishing with my dad and brothers. Great memories. I hope you have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

I'm with Jazzy on this one. I wish I had done much more and much better record keeping to keep better track of all my preps. Keeping track of what I have, how much I have, and where it keep it. I can't tell you how many times I have been cleaning a place and found stuff I had completely forgotten I had, and more than likely duplicated. I always say a prayer to St. Anthony for helping me find it. I think he is rewarding me for cleaning up in the first place.

Now I have packing lists in all of our BOB's, and a 3" three ring binder with lists, and locations of the things we would need if we ever had to grab and go.

Great thread. I love threads that make you think and analyze.

I like to keep a good record of what I do around here. What works and what didn't work. Good way to look back and see how far you have come and to keep track of things that can help you keep things running smoothly in the future. I hope you have a great day.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I wish I had been a better judge of character when I was young. It would have helped me avoid a number of costly mistakes.
I wish I had purchased land when I was young.....

 

[user 4021]

My wife has started a notebook for all she is doing in the greenhouse and plans to do the same for the garden. Planning to use good ole crop rotation knowledge to minimize the need for fertilizer. Fish heads, cow manure, 2nd year wood chips, coals and leaves are all you should ever need if done right.

Great to keep records of things. Plus knowing the best ways to keep your growing seasons going well to be able to produce what you need for the months to come. I hope you and your wife have a great day.

 

[user 4021]

I wish I had been a better judge of character when I was young. It would have helped me avoid a number of costly mistakes.
I wish I had purchased land when I was young.....

I wish I had been able to start earlier too. I loved being a nanny. Was really one of the best things I have ever done but would have been easier to start at a younger age with starting a homestead. I hope you have a great day.

 

[Biggkidd]

That this lifestyle needs a family not just one person trying to do it all all the time!

 

[user 4021]

That this lifestyle needs a family not just one person trying to do it all all the time!

It is easier with more than one person for sure. I do as much as I can by myself. Not always easy, but thankfully I have a big family (7 brothers and sisters plus lots of other family members) and if I ever need help, they are always there for me. Great blessing.

 

[Hooch]

That this lifestyle needs a family not just one person trying to do it all all the time!

I can relate ..

 

[HippoTwilight]

It's a mentality, not a checklist.

Make one of those probability-severity charts and start with the events with the biggest impact. Predictable/routine natural events are always a bigger impact than a giant asteroid...b/c they are a sure thing. You'll encounter many weather events while you're waiting for that extinction-level space rock.

Be realistic. The internet is full of extremist, fear mongering, click bait survival porn. No, you don't need to bug out moments after a lightning strike knocks out power to your suburban neighborhood.

 

[Weedygarden]

I wish I had been a better judge of character when I was young. It would have helped me avoid a number of costly mistakes.
I wish I had purchased land when I was young.....

This is me. I have not been a good judge of character and I have paid for it.

Yes, I wish I had purchased some land as well that I could have developed over the years. Everything takes time. I do have a home and have planted several fruit trees and worked on amending the original poor soil.

 

[Biggkidd]

I wish I had been a better judge of character when I was young. It would have helped me avoid a number of costly mistakes.
I wish I had purchased land when I was young.....

What do you consider young? I bought this place at 36 or 37 BUT if I had spent one one hundredth of the money I spent racing in my 20's & 30's I could have gone a much different route.........