r/Homesteading

Picked up 25 Cornish Cross chicks in the spring thinking it would be pretty simple. Raise them, feed them, process them. It looked easy enough on paper. What I didn't expect was how fast these things grow or how much attention they need compared to laying hens. The feed consumption alone caught me off guard, and keeping the brooder dialed in those first two weeks felt like a second job on top of the warehouse. They're in a tractor now and doing fine, but I've been moving it twice a day just to keep the grass from getting destroyed.

Processing day is about three weeks out and I'm still on the fence about renting a picker versus doing it by hand. The neighbor two miles down has done this for years and says hand plucking a batch this size isn't as bad as people make it out to be. I'm skeptical.

The question I keep coming back to is whether the meat quality on pastured Cornish Cross is actually noticeably different from a slower heritage breed, enough to justify the extra time and feed next time around. I've heard strong opinions on both sides.

Anyone who has processed both have a real take on the taste difference, or is it more about the experience of raising them?

Need advice because I cannot keep doing this in this Alabama heat 😂🥵
We just moved my girls into their new coop/run and they have not figured out the routine yet. At night I’m trying to get everybody from the run into the coop, and in the morning some of them act like the ramp/stairs are a death trap and refuse to come down into the run.
I’ve tried mealworms/treats on the steps, calling them, giving them time, etc. Some get it and some absolutely do not. They’re still young and this is all brand new to them, so I know there’s probably a learning curve — but I am literally outside dripping sweat trying to herd chickens. 😭
For those of you with raised coops/ramps:
What was the easiest way you taught them to go into the coop at night and come down into the run in the morning?
Did you physically put them in/out for a few days? Use treats? Let them figure it out completely on their own? And about how many days did it take before everyone understood the routine?
Any tricks are VERY appreciated because these girls are about to humble me. 😂

I am tired of wheelbarrow tires that have to be re-inflated every time I want to use it. I would gladly pay double for a tire and inner tube that would hold pressure.

I’m trying Green Slime for now.

I have some land about 2.5 hours from where I live. I’m in the process of building a second home there. Here is where we stand now. Site has city water and sewage, electricity will be finished in 2 weeks. Site for home and barn is cleared, surrounding area for yard will be cleared in next 4-6 weeks.

The home builder says they may pour the slabs this winter but home construction will probably start next summer and be completed December 2027.

Since I have electricity and water, I’d like to get an RV to enjoy the property until home is ready (hunting, fishing, hiking, etc). Spoke to builder about spot for trailer that will be out of the way while they work and there is a good spot.

I’ve never owned an RV. I’m hoping to use it 2-3 weekends a month. 2-4 people at most. There is a town 3 miles away. I’m thinking a 30 ft trailer with slides. 4 seasons there so will need to skirt it.

I may end up keeping it if I like it or just sell it when the house is finished.

Finally my questions are:

1. Any specific features for my situation I should absolutely get or avoid. Any models?

2. If I leave during the week, do you leave the heat/AC running while you’re gone? Or better to winterize between trips? I might be able to have a local person check it daily while I’m gone.

Any other guidance or thoughts would be appreciated.

I have multiple pastures of more than adequate size with horses on them. I have put grass seed out, and have seen no results. I was told at the feed store that my soul fertility or quality must me poor. Ive been googling this all week and there are so many different methods I am a bit overwhelmed.

Does anyone here have a tried and true method or system to increasing pasture for livestock? How do I increase my soil fertility? Should I remove the horses from the pasture?

Thank you in advance!

I have been planning for my goal of a homestead for years now. I know the general area I want to buy land in, and I know what I want to do with my land, but I would really like to sit down with someone who I can just have a conversation with about my goals so I don't make a mistake and buy land that isn't zoned correctly for my dreams. I've been doing research but I'm just so lost sometimes in all the legalities. If anybody is willing to help me by either giving me who to contact or just having a conversation with me, I would really appreciate it.

Ideal location: southern Michigan, preferably somewhere in the Niles, Berrien Springs, or Buchanan area. Open to others though.

Ideal land: at least 10 acres, preferably around half to be wooded, ideally with some sort of creek/pond/water source.

Ideal amenities: something that already has a house and barn on it. I would rather not have to go through the process of building, digging a well, handling septic, etc. right off the bat. I'm fine with a lot of diy though if it's not in the best shape.

My dream is to have a little commune with some intentional community. Currently just my partner and my brother, possibly my other brother might join as well but may not be until several years later. This means I want to be able to have more than one dwelling on the property. It could end up just being the two dwellings, but the ability to have 3 or maybe even 4 would be preferred. That's where zoning laws have started confusing me.

I also, ideally, would be able to run a business from this homestead. I have a strong passion for native plants and have a dream of a native plant nursery, maybe even some intentionally planted trails on the property for visitors to enjoy and learn more about native ecosystems when they visit. I have a lot of different skills in homesteading so will likely pursue other areas of profit like vegetable gardening/preserving, wool, building small structures like coops, etc. and being able to run my business from my property and sell from my property would be a plus. I also have horses and am comfortable with their care and have considered the possibility of offering some simple pasture board as another form of income.

So that all being said,

what zoning should the property have for me to be able to do all of this?

Will I need to parcel it out to be able to build more than one dwelling?

Is it even considered a dwelling if it uses a composting toilet and collected rainwater instead of septic?

What if someone were to want to live in a camper or RV on the property for a while? What is needed for that to be allowed?

How hard is it to get a property re-zoned if it's perfect but doesn't line up exactly with what I want to do on the property?

If I were to find the perfect property but need to request some sort of zoning allowance for things like additional dwellings, etc. can I make the sale contingent on that zoning being accepted? And if I do that, how likely am I to actually get the property? Seems like a seller would more likely just go with someone else at that point.

Is there a point of contact in that area who I could ask all these questions to?

Aside from zoning I guess any other advice on what i should be prepared for with buying a large property, things I probably haven't considered, etc. would be nice. I have a lot of the skills, but I've never done this before and I know there's going to be a lot of learning to do. Im also aware that my idealized dream might be too big, and that's fine. I don't expect everything to end up exactly as I hoped, but I might as well have something to reach for. So if there are things I should just give up on now, feel free to tell me.

I'm hoping to buy in the next 1-2 years so I have some time still to prepare.

I've spent a lot of time around container placements, mostly delivery/site stuff, and I feel like homestead container advice usually skips the boring parts. Which is weird, because the boring parts are what actually cause the problems.
Where containers make a lot of sense:
Feed storage. Rodents can’t chew through steel, and that alone is a pretty strong argument. If you’ve ever lost grain/feed to mice, you get it.
Tool storage on land you don’t live on yet. Probably one of the best uses. Lockable, solid, and you’re not leaving everything under a tarp.
Building materials. Same thing. If you’re still building the real structure, a container is a pretty good dry place to keep lumber, tools, bags of whatever, etc.
Where they kinda suck:
Anything you want to be comfortable in. It’s a steel box. Summer = oven. Winter = freezer. A workshop can be great, but price insulation/ventilation before you get excited about the container price.
Root cellar. I wouldn’t bury one. Containers are strong through the corner posts, stacked straight down. Dirt pushes sideways. Totally different load. The walls can bow in, and the roof is not made to hold wet soil.
Livestock housing. I know people try it, but ventilation and moisture become a mess fast. Animals breathing in a steel box overnight is not the same as storing tools.
The big thing people underestimate is condensation. Warm humid air hits cold steel and suddenly the ceiling is sweating. Vents on opposite ends help a lot. Getting the box off the ground helps too. Don’t just drop it straight on wet soil and expect it to stay dry inside.
Delivery is another big one. A tilt-bed truck needs a straight run to slide the container off. Usually you need about another container length behind the final spot. Not around a corner, not through a tight farm gate, not under low branches. A 40ft high cube is already 9'6" before you add trailer height.
Also put it on blocks under the four corners, on solid ground. The corners carry the load. If the box sits twisted, the doors start binding, and then you’re fighting it forever.
One more thing: decide which way the doors face before delivery. That usually gets set when the yard loads the trailer, not when the driver shows up. Put it in writing on the order.
For buying, used wind-and-watertight is usually fine for homestead storage. No need to pay for pretty one-trip unless you care about looks or condition a lot. But check the floor, especially if you’re storing feed. Container floors are often treated plywood.
And don’t pay full price upfront to some random seller. Payment on delivery or a reasonable deposit is normal. Full wire payment before anything shows up is where people get burned.
Anyone here using one as a feed shed? Curious how it’s doing with humidity.

Is this sub ok for sharing homesteading ideas? I currently only have a small garden but plan on having a homestead over time. I'm just looking for a place to share ideas, talk with others, and such without getting banned or anything. I just want to feel welcome. I am on another homestead subreddit but most likely leaving due to the hostility I get whenever I share an idea I find and how I would modify it.

I have a metal roof with ( APOC 243 4.75-gallon White Elastomeric Reflective Roof Coating ) on it to keep the interior cool.

Is this stuff as bad as asphalt roofing for rainwater collection? From the researching ive been doing asphalt shingled roof is a big no-no and leeches chemicals that filters wont remove (such as a berkey). Ive read the datasheet on this product but it does not tell me as a laymen anything and the company wont respond, but does have a lot of scary chemical names in it.

Would you drink filtered water with a roof with such a coating or am I overthinking this? Ive still been using unfiltered roof water collected to do dishes / wash, etc but not drink.

We finally got the yard regraded last month and realized the new slope runs straight toward the house pad where the AC condenser sits. It's been on the original gravel pad for years, but now water pools around it after any decent rain. I'm not sure whether to raise the pad, reroute the condensate line, or put in a small French drain uphill to steer the flow around it. The unit itself is fine, but I keep picturing it sitting in standing water all summer. Anyone else had to move or protect equipment after a grading job?

I have spent the better part of 6 months looking for acreage I could use for a small homestead. Mostly owner financed options. After diving down several rabbit holes in this search, they all somehow all end up leading me back to west Texas.

- Larger parcels (20+ Acres)
- Almost no restrictions other than waste water
- Easy financing through seller
- Low cost
- Remote but within reasonable distance of a town

Well what’s the catch?

It’s in West Texas.. Arid, desert land in the trans-pecos region. Wells can be prohibitively expensive. Meaning most likely having to haul, store, and treat water on site. Temperatures can reach 100+ degrees. Gardening would require much more involvement and a climate controlled space. And power would almost certainly need to be solar.

After some research, I actually find the region to be quite beautiful. It doesn’t hurt that it directly abuts a Dark Sky Sanctuary. Assuming I would be willing to look past the shortcomings. What are the realities of homesteading in this region? What are the hidden costs? Cheap land is usually cheap for a reason. I was hoping to hear from some people actively homesteading in this, or similar high desert regions. I find the idea quite romantic but I’m sure I’m missing something.

TIA