I intend to teach soapmaking (been soapmaking since 1978 - still fairly basic soap but I enjoy it), animal husbandry & butchering, gardening, wildcrafting, pruning, canning, breadmaking, cheesemaking, tofu making, how to cut/split/stack wood, beekeeping, mule-gentling and various other skills I've come to enjoy. Additionally, I sew, knit, dabble in woodworking, hide-tanning and tire-crafting among others.
Three days ago I caught a young mother raccoon in my live trap - I baited it with a fresh egg (still in the shell) and caught her. There's no relocating on a farm - raccoons will come back from over a mile to their food source. Especially when I've lost baby chicks, eggs, cat food, etc just this year. So If you take your problem animal to someone else's area? It's now their problem. It's unfortunate, but she went to meet my Maker. Two days ago when the two WWOOF'rs and I took a walk in the woods, Ruby Jayne dog alerted me to two baby raccoons high up in adjacent trees fairly close to the barn... ADORABLE, lovely little things - but mama had more than likely taught them well so we sent them to meet up with mama. I always am saddened to take such measures, but without checks and balances (and a good aim), the predators will rapidly overrun your farm.
Working a full-time job, being a part-time student and a full-time Smallholder takes a lot of time and energy (but it's ENJOYABLE time and energy!). One of the WWOOF'rs may possibly come in September to help get me ready for a local festival, the Feast of the Hunters' Moon. I'll have already made the bulk of the soap by the time she arrives, but hopefully she can help me make wreaths, get all my gear ready, help me organize and make labels and signs. Then she'll get to go, in 18th century costume, with me to the Feast. I think it will be invaluable and give her further ideas on how to turn your product into a commodity. If you're in the area of Tippecanoe County, Indiana on September 24 & 25 this year? Come to the Feast!
Now on to my finished planting area - remember the picture from almost a week ago? Well, here it is ...


Enjoy and I'll be back soon!