We get so many questions about being homesteaders. Some are fascinated with our lifestyle and some not so much. Some people do think we are a little on the crazy side for trying to do everything ourselves. Most of those that think we are crazy have a lot of homesteading misconceptions. However, we love living this life style and becoming more independent vs dependent and relying on someone else to provide food for us (i.e. grocery store). At this point in time we are in the learning phase of our homesteading journey. We have been doing this for a few years and have learned SO much. If home ..read more

If you’ve ever transported an animal you know how interesting that can get, especially if you’re transporting goats. If you’re lucky, it is smooth sailing with no issues, if you’re not so lucky well, I hope its a short trip you have to take with that animal. This trip to the breeders, we thought, was a smooth one, until about a week later when my car started to heat up from the summer heat and we could smell the remnants of that trip…. On our homestead we have four Nigerian Dwarf Goats, at the time we only had the three females, but we now have the wonderful Sir Gavin, our (fragrant) stud ..read more

Once upon a time when I was not so (composting) smart, I thought all composting included, was throwing your table scraps in a barrel and after a few weeks ta-da! Compost! Well, I was wrong, so very wrong! The only things you’ll get going that route are new unwanted smells, which I’m sure will have you nominated for neighbor of the year instantly, lots of flies and unwanted curious creatures (i.e. the bandit panda aka racoon) Knowing the basics of composting can save you from wasting time and eventually wasting your money. Composting container We used pallets to make our compost bin ..read more

When Spring rolls around I get a little excited knowing my clothes will have that wonderful smell which only fresh air can provide. But which is better, hanging your clothes out on the line or drying them in comfort of your own home? I’ve had a few people ask me which I preferred and honestly they both have their pro’s and con’s. Cost If you’re like my husband and I, you’re trying to limit your use of electricity as well as cut down on any extra cost, no matter how big or small the savings. Every penny counts, right? Dryer: This is where the dryer doesn’t stand a chance compared ..read more

Here on 2 Ravens Farm we have four Nigerian Dwarf goats. We were having issues trying to dry up our oldest goat BB as we suspect she is pregnant and want to give her a break. After reaching almost to the end of the internet we came across one technique we never thought of considering, and it actually worked. We tried drying up our dairy goat without having to milk her. This was so much easier than what we were trying before. Introducing our sweet Nigerian Dwarf Goat Beatrice (or BB for short). She is the mother goat on our farm. We thought her two kids Daisy and Petunia were fully ween ..read more

As with anything you do there are the do’s and don’ts you read for beginners. I have been a bee keeper for 2 years and still consider myself a “beginner” Who else to tell you what to do or not do when going in to a bee hive than a beginner? I’ve said this in many of my post about bee’s, you can ask 10 bee keeper the same question and get 12 answers. Do: Have a Game Plan Go in there knowing what you want to get done and how you want to get it done. This may seem like something extremely simple, but when you go in without a plan and you’re taking your sweet time going through the hive you ..read more

It’s that time of year when tractor supply and other farm stores start selling those adorable little peepers! This is one of my favorite times of the year. Our local feed store posts the list of chicks they will have for sale well in advance and we start researching which egg layers we want on our farm to replace the old hens that are about to stop laying. We usually buy most of our birds once every two years, the in between years we pick up a chick or two to replace the birds that may have committed suicide by trying to play with our family dog or who have otherwise succumbed. But what el ..read more

Have you ever gone to someones house to find that it always clean, possibly thinking to yourself, this person must have their life together! Then looking around hoping to find some sort of cleaning service card lying around so you don’t feel so guilty about the beautiful chaos you call home. Well, we have all been there at least once in our life. If you’re reading this, there is a chance you are in that moment now. Lets look at you reading this blog as a step toward recovery. Now the question is how do I get there and maintain it with as little effort as possible. Here are the 5 things I do da ..read more