Dreaming Out Loud

So, my big dream is to be able to have my self-sufficient homestead. While having that, I want my kids to have every advantage of modern life. I don't want it to be huge, but I want to be able to expand.

I'm thinking:

10+ acres, most likely in Washington State.

A house (duh)

A barn ('nother duh)

Garden areas (multiple)

Pasture

Smokehouse

Underground cellar

Orchard

Poultry 'out' houses (separate from barn).

I want each type of animal to have its place. I also want to focus on heritage breeds that are dying out. (Which is why I turned to albc-usa.org.

With cattle, I was leaning towards Dexters, as they are gentle, small, and multi-purpose. However, they are recovering at an insane pace and are hugely popular now, so I have been researching other cattle breeds. Right now I am leaning towards Kerry cattle, or Milking Devon cattle.

With horses I have my passion-- which is Shires, but I also have a passion for the English Pony breeds. Dartmoors or Exmoors are a thought. However, if I can only do one breed-- Shires are critical endangered. And they are my favorite horse breed. Ever.

With pigs, I have a total obsession with Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs. They are amazing, with big old ears. They remind me of the illustration from Charlotte's Web, when they are at the fair and meet the HUGE hog they are competing against.

I would like to do some sheep, and my current interest is in the Leicester Longwool.

I want to have a variety of chickens, like the American Buckeye, and the Russion Orloff...

Ducks, I haven't decided yet.

Geese, I am between Pilgrim and American Buff.

Turkeys, I want the Jersey Buff.

Curious about what any of these are? Check out albc-usa.org.

It's Dream Day

Today I have really been thinking about the motivating Dreams that are behind the actions-- the whole reason why I am putting so much time and effort into making Shaklee work for my family.

I've talked about my little self-sustaining homestead a lot, but on days when I feel like I am making no progress, I like to go and really LOOK at what my dream would look like.

I research where I want to live and what it will take to live there. I research Milking Devon cattle (I want one), and shetland sheep and Dartmoor ponies. I go to ALBC and research the livestock that I want to be part of the conservation effort for.

I practice home-grinding wheat and making things from scratch. I experiment with homemade cheese and butter.

Then I am able to get my head back in the game, because this is what I really want. I would do practically anything to make it reality.

What is your Dream?

In Harmony With (My) Nature...

When I was sixteen years old, I bought my first horse. I named him Pacem (aka Dona Nobis Pacem). He was a three year old chestnut arabian colt. When I got him he was very skinny and his coat was rough. My trainer repeatedly told everyone that visited the barn that he was mine and that he had 'the worst coat in the barn.'

Once he was fed up enough to handle it, I started giving him a mixture of bran with a blend of Shaklee's soy protein powder, alfalfa, calcium, Vita-lea, and B-complex. I mixed it with water and he would go crazy over it, licking the feeder clean and nickering for it every day.

After only three weeks, my trainer started pointing out the 'best coat in the barn'.

Pacem was allergic to fly spray, so I turned to Basic-H as a solution. This made his coat even shinier, and he was never pestered with flies.

Shaklee is all about being in tune with nature and nurture. For me, all of this is what makes Shaklee the company for me. My big dream in to own a self-sustaining small farm, where we can produce our own water and energy, raise animals, make jam and cheese, and still have all of the niceties of modern life.

I would be using the Shaklee products for my farm anyway, so why not make it part of the dream? And better yet, the part that helps make the big dream come true?