The plan

Use draft animals for traction as much as possible.  We have three young Belgian draft horses all of which ride and drive.  These are supplemented by a Kubota L3710 compact tractor with 4wd.

We started 4 chickens a year ago. We are just using them for eggs now and working towards flock regeneration and a culling schedule as the flocks age and numbers increase.  Starting with chickens, pork, and lamb; selling the excess animals to offset the cost of raising our own meat. We'll start beef when we are able.

I never promised you a rose garden but I do vegetables. I have had several successful back yard gardens in the past but not much lately.  Success is is generally proportional to the time spent on it and in the last few years it has been hard to work gardening into my routine. 

Honey, I love honey.  Honeybees from what I have read shouldn't take too much effort.  It will just be something else to learn how to do.  A lot of it will happen behind the scenes with a little time investment.  We haven't started yet.

I am such a sap. Maple syrup anyone?  We have about 15 acres of woods.  I have identified several Sugar Maple trees that are able to be tapped. However it will take many more trees to make tapping them worth while for a commercial project.  I figure this will be a project in need of long term preparations before hand.

Hard work and a warm house.  We harvest our cord wood from the property.  I have invested a lot of time since we have been living here out in the woods.  We use two wood stoves to keep us warm during winter months.  I would say that for the past twenty years or so we have been somewhat exclusive in using wood as a primary heating source.  We don't use it for hot water yet but it is planned on.  I am aware of sustainable forestry techniques and I am trying to implement them in maintaining and managing our small woodlot using only animal traction for the last four years.   

Not much happening in the way of sustainability yet.  I am sure there are other aspects of this project that I am missing off the top of my head and I will update as the details become available.  On a small scale though I guess it is a start.

In park waiting to be unloaded