The Future

This week Zoe and I have been quietly picking away at getting ready for Christmas. Baking, Creating (I can't say more as I don't want to tip the recipients off on their gifts!) While we have been working we have been talking about the future. In January I will need to get a job. And while I knew I couldn't avoid it forever,  it has reminded us that we had a page and a half full of "how to make money with/on the property" ideas.

We have read about sheep, which we are very interested in. Our community does have coyotes. While I have not seen any, I do understand they are quietly lurking in the background. We have read that llama's will herd and protect sheep while running off, or even killing, coyotes! So a herd of sheep and two or three llama's? Why sheep? I understand they do not need barn space but an outside life with a lean-to is sufficient for them. I have also done some exploring through craft markets, and it appears the wool is quite valuable and sought after. We like this idea of sheep.

Breeding dogs. It is our goal to get a dog in January, and while we were set on getting a rescue from the humane society, we reminded ourselves that dog breeding had been on our "list". So we will be looking into that after the holidays.

I had a long conversation with Kate about fostering children. That is still on our minds, but we have also heard of two families in our community who house Asian high school students for the school term. Once we get the bedrooms renovated, we will have four bedrooms with the option to expand that to six bedrooms, so both fostering and housing students could be options.

In the summer, we had thought of doing Air B'n'B for camping. Set up a compostable toilet and tent platforms in a more private area of the property.

We have started cleaning out our chicken coop. So that's a given. Laying hens to start and possibly expand to broiler chickens or hatching chicks.

We were also talking of pigs and cows. We had always planned on a cow for meat for ourselves, but are thinking about a dairy cow for milk and making cheese?

And of course, we have always wanted our marketplace with "for sale" items. We are thinking everything from our garden produce, to cuttings and seedlings, drop apples we had seen advertised this fall, fire starts, refinished furniture and home crafted woodworking, my knitted items, eggs, really anything we can think to grow or create.

I would love input on this. Anyone have other suggestions? We are obviously not stuck on "farm" only, so any ideas would be appreciated!