The dream is still alive.

I can't believe it is nearly two years since I last posted.  I guess it is running around after a toddler that is keeping me busy.

A quick update on what has happened since I was last here.

• We are still on our little farm with sheep, goats, chickens and now a cow!  We have been hatching our own eggs and raising the roosters for meat.
• I have completed a couple of gardening courses learning about Permaculture and am working on applying the principles to our block.
• I am in the process of designing a forest garden within my existing orchard.  As this progresses I will share more information on how this is going.
• I have been dabbling with more preserving techniques such as dehydrating, fruit liqueurs, jams, and chutneys.

Goals for this year

• Continue to learn about and apply permaculture principles, including establishing forest gardens.
• Make cheese, butter and yogurt with our raw milk.
• More homegrown meals.

I am looking forward to charting my progress and reading some good books when time allows.  I have Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford requested from the local library and can't wait to get stuck into that.

Let me know if you have any other recommendations. 

Into the Kindle wilderness

Life has been a bit hectic since I last posted so long ago.
We are slowly building towards our more self sufficient life.  Sheep, goats, and chickens are supplying us with meat, eggs, and in time milk from the goats.
The vegetable garden has suffered from poor fencing and inquisitive goats, and that is an ongoing battle.

We savoured our small amount of medlar liqueur I made last year, and I vowed to make more this year.  I did but unfortunately the birds yet again beat me to the majority of the fruit!

In other news I am 24 weeks pregnant.  I wasn't shouting this from the rooftop as we lost a baby last year, and it was an anxious few months to get to this point.  All going well with this pregnancy, and I am looking forward to finishing paid work in a few months, and having a baby in the house again.

I have finally bought a Kindle after thinking about it for ages.  I picked one up secondhand for NZ$80 including a cover and  not regretting it a bit.  As I am loathe to pay for anything I don't have to I am on the lookout for free ebooks wherever I can find them.
Ebook Daily emails you a selection of books based on subjects you have said you are interested in.  You can also earn points to redeem for Amazon vouchers.  I like the sound of that!
Simple Savings has a vast range of information on saving money, but also has a Free Kindle Books thread.  Definitely worth a look.
You can also search the Amazon website using terms such as Free Kindle books, 0.00, free, or save books to your wishlist and check that regularly to see if they are reduced in price.

I am definitely a convert to ereaders, and the best thing is I can have the app on the computer for Miss 5 and don't have to have all her books on my Kindle device.

Must get on with the day as heading to town today for groceries.

My latest book finds!

While the weather has been a bit cooler I have had the chance to read some more books.
THe Readers Digest Back to Basics book has been on my list for ages but is never available at the library, but fortunately I managed to pick it up last week.  Packed full of information on all things self sufficient it is a fantastic reference for people sonsidering life on the land.

Also I picked up a copy of the Readers Digest Alternative medicine book.  It is going to be an invaluable reference book for my family.  I am watching some auctions on Trade Me at the moment for some Aromatherapy books and I want to explore this discipline some more.

Growing Organic; Green tips for New Zealand gardeners has been an easy to read guide to growing greener. Starting at the very beginning it looks at recommended tools for gardening, methods of gardening, projects and much more.  Written by Kiwis for Kiwis it is a great read and not too wordy and jargonistic.