Category Archives: Homesteading Lifestyle

Self Sufficiency on a Texas Homestead

Milking My First Cow: Using FRESH Milk!

by Texas Homesteader

Recently we had a cow give birth to a calf. Although she gave us a fine, healthy heifer calf, she was having a difficult time with her calf emptying one of her teats.

Each day that one teat grew bigger and we’d hoped that the calf would eventually latch onto it like she was the others. (we’ve had that circumstance in the past and it’s always worked out fine)

But the teat began to get so full it was large & tight and too difficult for the calf to attempt to nurse it. So she just didn’t. 

I was worried about the cow developing mastitis so I knew I needed to take action. I’ve never milked a cow before. Ever. Until now. Ain’t nothin’ to it, y’all!  I feel like an official country woman now!

Using FRESH MILK - I'd always wanted to try milking one of our cows to get fresh milk for our family, see what I did with the FRESH MILK! #TexasHomesteader

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Come With Me For A Day At The Homestead

by Texas Homesteader~

Summer is officially here and WHEW it’s really heating up lately. We’ve already endured one the the wettest springs in history around here so many of the routine tasks we typically stay on top of have been pushed back for drier weather.

Although there are still plenty of muddy areas around the Homestead, we’ve got lots to do today. So we’ll do whatever we need to do to get the job done. Did you ever wonder what a typical day at our NE Texas Homestead really looks like? C’mon with me for A Day At The Homestead…

Did you ever wonder what a typical day at our NE Texas homestead looks like? C'mon with me for A Day... #TexasHomesteader

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Successful Obedience Training For Our Ranch Dog

by Texas Homesteader~ 
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We adopted our sweet mini-Schnauzer Bailey from a local no-kill shelter a year ago and we adore her. But oh she needed some obedience training!

She didn’t sit/come/stay at all, she lunged & growled at the cows & chased the chickens. And oh my goodness any time the door was opened she skirted around our legs & busted outside, running as fast as she could for the highway with no turning back.

Now these are all bad behaviors that needed to be corrected, but out here on the ranch it’s super important to have immediate obedience from her.

Life can be dangerous for her out here. For instance in the very recent past we’ve had to call her in from the back yard as a coyote was trotting toward the house. If not for her immediate unquestioning obedience she could have easily gotten injured.

Or what about her curiosity about a copperhead snake? Or potentially rabid skunk? Immediate obedience from her is non negotiable out here. It’s a MUST.

Obedience training for our ranch dog has gone very well with persistence, positive reinforcement and yes... a training collar. #TexasHomesteader

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Come With Me For A Day At The Homestead

by Texas Homesteader~

I’ve had many people tell me they wonder what a typical day at a Texas ranch might be like.  So last year I published a post detailing a day in our lives here in our NE Texas paradise.  But that was during the heat & drought of summer, a very different kind of day than in the cold of winter.

So I thought it would be fun to let you walk around with us today to see what a day at the ranch is like when it’s c-c-c-cold outside!  C’mon, put on your mud boots, bundle up in your heaviest coveralls, grab your gloves & follow me – it’ll be a blast!

Walk around with us today to see what a day at the homestead is like! Put on your mud boots, grab your gloves & follow me - it'll be a blast! #TexasHomesteader

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Top Ten Homesteading Posts of 2014

by Tammy Taylor

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I can’t believe another year has come & gone.  This year has certainly been good for RancherMan and me as we got back to business of running our ranch after my health fiasco of last year – we are so blessed!  But now as the year draws to a close I thought if would be fun to share with you, my beloved readers, the top ten most popular posts of 2014.  Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and join me!

I thought it would be fun to share with you the top ten most popular posts for 2014. Grab a cup of coffee and join me! #TexasHomesteader

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Safety From The Storm – Part I: Seeking Shelter

by Texas Homesteader

When RancherMan & I built our home here on the homestead, I was pretty adamant that I wanted an underground storm shelter.  I mean, I was born in & spent much of my childhood in Central Oklahoma.

Although I loved it there I considered it tornado ally.  I remember many stormy tornado-warning nights that my parents would awake me and my siblings and place us in the hallway for safety from the potential hazards should a tornado come too close.

And it’s funny how those emotions carry with you into adulthood.  Even today although I absolutely love the rolling thunder and am awestruck by thick dark clouds. But when the wind kicks up I nervously pace.  And if it kicks up a lot I’m almost inconsolable.

Thankfully RancherMan can soothe me most times. But when you hear your tiny city mentioned on that radio followed by the words “Take Cover IMMEDIATELY”…   Well, I needed more than soothing – I needed SAFETY from the storm!

When bad storms hit I needed SAFETY from the storm! So we bought & had installed an underground storm shelter. #TexasHomesteader

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Weaning Day Done Properly

By Texas Homesteader

Aaahhhh spring! The grass turns a beautiful lush green and the trees start leafing out. And here at the Homestead it also means weaning time for the fall-born calves.

Weaning the calves from their mamas takes a huge nutritional drain off of the dams and allows them to regain their proper body condition in preparation for their next calf. It’s an important health step for a vibrant and healthy herd.

We like our calves to stay with their dam until they are at least 7 months old. But we’ve weaned early when the conditions warranted such as during a drought.

There's more to weaning calves than separating calf from dam. Preparation starts a couple of weeks before the separation ever happens. #TexasHomesteader

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Murder In The Barnyard: Chicken Predators

by Texas Homesteader 

It’s loads of fun raising hens so we decided to give chicken-raising another go. We purchased four young hens early this spring. Soon they were into the free-range routine and providing plenty of eggs for us.

Because we live in the country there are all manor of predator dangers present for our free-range chickens. Predators such as coyotes, bobcats, feral cats, foxes, skunks & more. But with a secured coop and by locking them safely inside each night we were spared any deaths.

Then one night when we went to lock them up we noticed the black hen was nowhere to be found. Although we hated it, we understood that there are predators out here and that it was just one of those things. We never found her. 

Then a week later we noticed the white one was missing. But this time we knew exactly what happened to her.

Mysterious daytime predators have been taking our hens. Coyotes? Hawks? Bobcats? Something else? We don't know. Offer advice if you can. #TexasHomesteader

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