tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post2744296359004210542..comments2023-11-28T20:13:15.814-05:00Comments on e-i-e-i-omg! The final chapter?: When everything goes to Hell in a handbasket.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12573143203599624833noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-67333081616673380322013-11-17T23:15:26.598-05:002013-11-17T23:15:26.598-05:00I don't know how you do it alone too! Even our...I don't know how you do it alone too! Even our urban homesteading, small scale, has been a real learning curve. Stupid mistakes, lack of attention. Ah well, we just keep plugging away :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00576053785355324560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-50595652010408720412013-11-17T09:28:49.160-05:002013-11-17T09:28:49.160-05:00Second!Second!Jenyfer Matthewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10769550148821002722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-73515811146868439562013-11-15T23:41:18.931-05:002013-11-15T23:41:18.931-05:00I'm sorry to hear about these hardships. Sure,...I'm sorry to hear about these hardships. Sure, things will eventually pass, but I sympathize with how things pile up and are overwhelming sometimes. FWIW, you've got my very high admiration for what you do. LindaCOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316183776592482615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-9395193693079805002013-11-15T18:26:28.299-05:002013-11-15T18:26:28.299-05:00Oh you silly little sausage - you forgot the most ...Oh you silly little sausage - you forgot the most important thing in all of homesteading in your essay!!!!!<br /><br />LEARNING HOW TO FORGIVE YOURSELF, learn AND MOVE ON<br /><br />having a plan is good, preparation is even better, but in order to be successful, rather then carrying the guilt around like sloppy buckets of manure that you "mentally dump" on every poor living animal soul with lavished attention, you have to forgive yourself, learn exactly what happened, and move on. We all have to. <br /><br />otherwise we would have to live in the city ;p <br /><br />You are one tough homesteader - keep it up, youre doing good. Nothings burned down yet, right ;) ?<br /><br />(((HUGS)))<br /><br />ps are you catholic? because that catholic guilt thang' transfers onto the most weirdest issues...like milking goats...Janice Grinyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14363741660626407979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-25979491251888173972013-11-15T14:52:55.072-05:002013-11-15T14:52:55.072-05:00I agree with everything you've said and the co...I agree with everything you've said and the comments too. A good lesson to us all to review and rethink how we do things. The good news is your lifestyle has riches undreamed of by lesser mortals not least of which must be confidence in one's self to achieve so much despite the hardships.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12830177691014290662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-57348024938371646472013-11-15T12:58:29.345-05:002013-11-15T12:58:29.345-05:00I'm sorry you're having a "WHY do I h...I'm sorry you're having a "WHY do I have a farm?!" kind'a moments (or days...or weeks....or...). But I agree with everything everyone else has said and thank you for your honest telling of how things REALLY are. I know it's kind'a cliche, but I've always said I don't regret what I've done, they are all learning experiences. Sometimes it just takes a little more "learning" than other times to figure things out though :)Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14436557172029575513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-42144701954669889962013-11-15T11:47:57.035-05:002013-11-15T11:47:57.035-05:00Hang in there. Regroup. Breathe. Hang in there. Regroup. Breathe. thecrazysheepladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10835269631172344336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-61348564604250404642013-11-15T11:28:12.365-05:002013-11-15T11:28:12.365-05:00Having a plan would make everything more disappoin...Having a plan would make everything more disappointing when it didn't work out. You are an inspiration to woman homesteaders! You have more energy than most people and you have a great sense of humor! <br />In my situation, in the two years having goats my house hasn't been very clean. They are a lot of work. I can't imagine having an outside job and doing what I do everyday. You are WONDER WOMAN!!!Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12326069783582536184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-2298902712702839112013-11-15T10:07:27.435-05:002013-11-15T10:07:27.435-05:00I think every comment above mine has said what I w...I think every comment above mine has said what I wanted to say to you.<br /><br />It doesn't matter how good "a plan" you have, as Jocelyn said, "Things don't go the way you think they will." Period. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about some circumstances. So stop beating yourself up about what you see as your shortcomings (which are not shortcomings!).<br /><br />You have done WONDERS in your few years of homesteading. One person to do everything that gets done, most of your waking hours spent at a job off the homestead, being a good friend, supporting your parents in so many ways . . . I don't know how you do it.<br /><br />Don't consider yourself a failure at anything you've tried. The failure part would be if you hadn't had the gumption, energy and spirit to follow your dreams.<br /><br />Candy said it: Don't think about losing a bit of money (or even a big bit -- Sue has already said your sanity is worth more than dollars, hard won though those dollars may be), get rid of those animals that aren't bringing you joy. Know when it's time to get rid of what's not working. (If only we had understood how important that was in years past!) <br /><br />Tyche, and all the rest of us in similar circumstances, stand and applaud you for being honest. She has a good point in saying we all benefit from hearing "the truth." Perhaps it is only folks who are not attempting the homesteading thing (and ALL that encompasses) look at our honesty as whining and complaining. A whiner and complainer would never have been able to do all you have.<br /><br />Hubby and I have been at this style of life for nearly fifty years now and we're still working waaaay too hard and constantly hitting road blocks that seem to come out of nowhere. Boy howdy, could I "whine and complain" about the bugaboos and glitches in our days lately! We talk now and then about writing a book detailing the hard physical work and the three-steps-forward-two-steps-back emotional drain of (nearly daily) happenings. Oh, yeah, that would be a best seller, wouldn't it? (Most people think we're stoopid for our lifestyle as it is!)<br /><br />DFW thanks you for an honest and heartfelt post. Me, too!Mama Peahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-43458943784958268502013-11-15T08:33:20.112-05:002013-11-15T08:33:20.112-05:00Thank you for a honest & heartfelt post. Many ...Thank you for a honest & heartfelt post. Many of us are heading in the same direction you went & any advise & shared experiences is always welcome.DFWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18345712839702427280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-87609909685562799842013-11-15T07:37:43.963-05:002013-11-15T07:37:43.963-05:00It is hard to do the farm gig and the off-farm gig...It is hard to do the farm gig and the off-farm gig at the same time. And it's double hard to do it alone. There is a reason farmers had families back in the day. Some things really do take a village. I see the blogworld as a little part of my village these days. All the old guy farmers in the area gather at the local McDonalds every morning to shoot the breeze. Good old-fashioning networking, information sharing and village-supporting. You can bet they help each other out when it's needed. But there aren't any women in their circle. I come to the internet. Next best thing. If I were local to you, I'd help you wrangle those goats in a heartbeat. As is, I can listen to your woes though, no problem. And I really soak up all the experiences other people share, so that I am a little better prepared if I decide to try something. If I had any good information myself, I'd share it. :) Tyche's Minderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14672047171988985103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-24026906373770882002013-11-15T07:34:09.299-05:002013-11-15T07:34:09.299-05:00It is way too easy for us middle-aged, want to exp...It is way too easy for us middle-aged, want to experience it all homesteaders to take on more than we should sometimes. Been there, done that. Perhaps it's time for the goats to move on down the road to someone else's farm so that you can concentrate on the critters that truly bring you joy! And don't beat yourself up, I think you are doing a fabulous job, especially all by yourself! {{HUGS}}Candy C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07863818451136277378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-58561230598596750462013-11-15T07:06:49.258-05:002013-11-15T07:06:49.258-05:00I think this just goes to show that some people ar...I think this just goes to show that some people are tough--and prevail no matter what. You've had it tough. Maybe a plan might have helped---but hubby and I had a plan and stuck to it and we had endless wrenches thrown at us from all directions as well.<br />I always hate reading blogs from people starting out that you KNOW are going to fail...and fail BIG---because they go into it full bore, from a totally sheltered life , with NO BACKUP (friends, family, whatever). You're fortunate to have had a good support system and a JOB and a tough as hell mindset.<br />You're an inspiration to many. Keep that great attitude. And get rid of the things that aren't working......even if it means taking a loss. Sanity is worth far more than that!Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030352031960855220.post-84745094545968631162013-11-15T06:26:31.930-05:002013-11-15T06:26:31.930-05:00Very honest. It's hard to be honest about you...Very honest. It's hard to be honest about yourself sometimes, I think. Homesteading is not easy. It is not cheap. Things don't go the way you think they will. All this is true. The blogs that make it all look so pretty and tidy and like everything goes well all the time drive me crazy, because it just ain't so. Thanks for your post, it was refreshing and real.Jocelynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14823007336688773304noreply@blogger.com