As we often do with the new year looming, there are goals to be set and met. Do you feel it? For some, like myself, the new year brings the feeling of “freshness” and “new challenge”. This year, I feel challenged to make and reach some homestead self-reliance goals for 2019, and I thought I’d share those with you!
If you are anything like me, you probably have a zillion goals that you would like to make for your homestead. Chances are, though, that we probably won’t meet every one of them. However–it’s not a bad thing to make a fantastic list of goals that motivates you. Plugging away at that list each day, week, and month will yield many more results than if we hadn’t had the list at all! So let’s get to it.
My Homestead Self-Reliance Goals
I don’t tend to call my goals resolutions, but you can! The word resolutions has never helped me get anything done, but the word goals…now that’s the word that helps me stay focused. Silly, huh? Whatever works, is what I say! Here’s my list of goals:
- Make a new habit of grinding grains/baking bread once per month
- Cook regularly from the canned and dehydrated foods in my pantry
- Use all 6 of the available raised bed gardens for my spring gardening
- Start my seeds indoors, and on a regular basis so I’ll have transplants when I need them
- Reinforce the chicken coop from predators/egg stealers
- Collect seeds for at least 10 of the vegetables I grow
- Learn more about allowing our broody hens to hatch eggs
- Make enough soap for our family’s use, and to give away at Christmas
- Can and/or freeze winter squash that was harvested in the fall
- Dehydrate more herbs for use in making my own seasoning blends
- Make more convenience foods with my dried potatoes and beans
- Use our wood stove for heat over the winter
- Learn to make candles and use them for Christmas gifts
- Increase my goat herd
- Make all of our mozzarella and butter for the year
- Learn to make cheddar cheese from goat milk
- Make lip balm and other facial/body products to use as Christmas gifts
- Make it a point to use what we produce on our farm more often
- Learn to eat what we produce more, and rely less on the grocery store
- Stock up my apothecary with homemade herbal medicines
- Eat something from the garden daily
Obviously, I won’t do all of these in January! My focus at this time of year will be on starting my seeds indoors and getting my garden areas ready for spring!
Some Things We Already Do Here
Our family is in the habit of doing plenty here already, and it’s great to take stock of it all every year to see what areas we need to grow, and how we are doing in others.
- Grow a pretty sizeable garden year-round
- Grow lots of citrus: meyer lemon, a few types of oranges, and limes
- Preserve the harvest regularly (Canning, dehydrating, pickling, freezing)
- Raise chickens and ducks for eggs
- Use our canned tomato sauces and meat broths regularly
- Walk and get exercise regularly thru hiking/walking, and sometimes yoga
- Start many of our own seedlings (like tomato and pepper) for the garden in spring
- Compost our kitchen scraps or feed to the chickens
- Raise and breed goats for milk and extra income
- Cook from scratch regularly simple meals with simple ingredients
- Make soap, butter and cheese from goat milk
- Grow culinary and medicinal herbs
This is probably more than many do, but in my eyes it’s not enough seeing as how we are so blessed with what our land provides for us. Not much goes to waste, but it isn’t always used in the best way either. I feel that making more use of what we already have will improve our health, physical and mental, and teach us to rely on ourselves more than we already do for what we need!
You do so much already, Kristi! I love the goals you’ve set for the New Year, too. 🙂 I hope to someday have goats again, but I don’t think it will happen where we live right now. Gotta love the neighbors, lol!
Hi Kristi,
I love your goals for 2019 and I think we should all start setting self reliance goals for our own health and the health of the environment. I hope you are able to meet each and every one of them.
There are so many new things I want to try for each season. Love making goals and learn new ways to live a better life.
Thanks Kristi, for the great ideas for self reliance in the new year!
Love the ideas and goals. It’s encouraging to me to see what others are doing. Thanks for sharing…i’m taking some ideas from here too.
What great goals, Kristi! I’ve got to get mine going on! If you don’t mind, I’m getting some ideas from you! 🙂
Not at all, my friend! We can encourage each other!
Your goat babies are so cute, Kristi! They’re wearing such adorable kid coats. 🙂 Your list of goals is really good and wow, LONG! Good for you! I hope you reach each and every one of them in 2019.
Aw thanks. They are from last year. I’m hoping for two batches this year (two separate goats), and believe me, there will be MANY photos of goat babies in sweaters to come! 🙂
Kristi – I love your goals. I agree with your herb goals – one of mine is to establish an herb garden to do just that. We don’t have goats, but I do have a Jersey, so making cheese is definitely on my list as well. I will be following your progress closely, as I have so much to learn!!!
That’s wonderful! We can track together, Julie!
Great goals for the coming year! There are definitely some in here that inspire me, too! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you also, Lacey!
Your lists of what to improve and already do are great. It’s inspirational!
Thanks Robin! It’s taken years to get here, but I almost feel like I should be much further along. It’s ok, though–2019 is going to be a GREAT year for our homestead!
You have a great set of goals. Having a broody hen is awesome, and I want to learn how to make soap too! I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the supplies I need to purchase. Advice?!
Yep! Start simple! If you are afraid of lye, try melt and pour. If you want to try lye, start with very simple soap recipes. Don’t worry about scents and colors right now, just master using lye so you can do it easily and without hurting yourself. 🙂
I absolutely love making homemade cheese and I’m excited that you added it to your goals for this year. I’ve never thought to make cheddar with goats milk. Our goats milk usually becomes chevre. I’m hoping that this year I can make our own feta.
Stephanie, I really wish I loved chevre–I just don’t! If I did, I would make that instead of anything more involved, that’s for sure! Have you tried making mozzarella? It’s so good, and much easier than cheddar, I think.
Awesome goals! I have yet to set mine. :(. But I will get there.
Check out fresh eggs daily if you haven’t already. She offers lots of info in chickens. And I remember ready about broody hens and securing the pens.
Oh yes, I used to work close to Lisa years ago on different things, so I’m super familiar with her work. She is great–so much knowledge! Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll have to revisit her blog! Thanks Carey!
This is an exciting list! I should think about my own list, but I already know what’s on the top of it: growing more of our own food. I’m moving my garden to a new location this year, and it’s going to be huge. I’m hoping we can grow a tremendous amount of food for us, and perhaps enough for a small salad CSA. Happy new year and best of luck with your goals!
Oh, that sounds really exciting, Maria! I would love to sell some of our produce to our community, that would be really fun! But yes, moving a garden and mass-producing would be a huge undertaking! It looks like you’ve got your goals all set for now!
I have a lot of the same things on my list his year, and you’ve given me extra things that I need to add. Thanks for sharing with us on the Homestead Blog Hop. I hope we see more this Wednesday.
Thanks for visiting Kelly!