 |
| Peaceful Forest Homestead 1999 |
Having just added another solar panel 
to our array of panels, I am experiencing the joy of having more power. We operate our home now on 180 watts of power from the panels. I just can't imagine that people would rather pay the electric companies those big bills that keep going up. Our system we add to little by little until we get it to where we want it.
to our array of panels, I am experiencing the joy of having more power. We operate our home now on 180 watts of power from the panels. I just can't imagine that people would rather pay the electric companies those big bills that keep going up. Our system we add to little by little until we get it to where we want it.Recently on a forum that I belong to, someone commented that he lived for 12 years off the grid, but now is more than happy to pay the power a $50. a month to take care of his needs. He did not like worrying about how much power he used or how much each appliance used. So he would rather pay for the option of the electric company
taking care of him. I like to take care of myself.
taking care of him. I like to take care of myself.When the power goes out around here, I don't even know it until a few days later if someone mentions it. My computer
can be on all the time if I want, as that is the main thing I power. Of course, I don't need all the "comforts" that the "yuppie" world needs. I love my life the way it is. Every morning I can wake up and get my coffee, go out to feed my horses, walk with my dog and browse in my garden. Then I go in to get on my laptop
and get to work.
can be on all the time if I want, as that is the main thing I power. Of course, I don't need all the "comforts" that the "yuppie" world needs. I love my life the way it is. Every morning I can wake up and get my coffee, go out to feed my horses, walk with my dog and browse in my garden. Then I go in to get on my laptop and get to work.It all ties together. Being a "homesteader" these days, means making your living at home, but not necessarily selling produce or livestock. You can make products such as goats' milk soaps
or lotions, wood crafts
, do sewing
, word processing, internet research, paralegal, even secretarial skills from your computer and telephone - but you do it from your own homestead! You are there to take care of your daily chores or to make your products. It's a great life.
or lotions, wood crafts, do sewing, word processing, internet research, paralegal, even secretarial skills from your computer and telephone - but you do it from your own homestead! You are there to take care of your daily chores or to make your products. It's a great life. 
Copyright © 2005 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2005 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2024
is that when I am working on my computer, I can see my garden. I love seeing those corn stalks gently moving in the breeze. This is the first year that I have planted corn here. As I told you before, I have raised beds now. So I planted my corn in them to see how they would do. One thing I know I did wrong was to plant them spaced too far apart. I forgot. They hold each other up if they are closer. I noticed that in the farmers' fields they were really close. Mine will be closer next year.
and half Shetland Pony
. She is the most loving horse
you could meet. She will rest her chin on your back if you're working in the barn or in her paddock. And she loves to lick you.
once. We were standing right there. She went right after her and tried to stomp her to death! I had her go after our cats and our dog who is a big dog. I think it may have to do with the fact that she is the low horse on the herd totem pole. She can be in the barn
and the cat will rub on her face from the stall gate and she's fine with that. If they are outside near her she will go after them unexpectedly. I punish her every time by telling her no and not giving her a treat. Walking away from her when wants attention so tgat eventually she will learn not to do that (I hope). My other two horses, aren't like that at all. They are the spirited ones!
, Callie, is very affectionate and not afraid of anyone or anything. I saw her chase a big dog out of our yard once and she was right on his butt. She was hitting him with her feet as he ran yelping toward the road. The thing is that if all cats would learn not to run from a dog the dog wouldn't chase them. She doesn't run from them but toward them. One time a stray dog came to our house and she would not allow him to come on the porch.
. One of the nice things about that job is that he could take me and our dog to work with him. Nikita loved all those barn cats that she would chase them as soon as she got there every morning. One morning they were waiting for her. This one cat, Sawdust didn't run this time. Instead he went after her and she ran. All the cats chased her together! It was as if they planned it. After that first morning there would be times I would find her cornered in a stall by one of the cats. That barn is where Callie was born and Nikita loved those tiny kittens. Sometimes I would find the mother had left to go out and Nikita would be laying on a hay bale with the four kittens nuzzled up to her. 
land. We have three horses and if there was a forest fire we would have to get them out of here. At this time we do not have a horse trailer. We have discussed finding a used horse trailer in the future. That way could get them out of here - probably kicking and screaming the whole way.
and Shetland Pony but is more Shetland
. She is one tough cookie. So she would be the most dependable. The other two would be nervous wrecks if there there was a fire around them. Very nervous girls.
