The little "read" schoolhouse

Ok, so this isn't the little red schoolhouse that many remember. This is the Little Read Schoolhouse. This, is homeschooling. My wife, Teresa, and I homeschool our kids. Our kids love to read and do it all the time. This, to us, is an important part of being sustainable. There are a million reasons why we homeschool, but one, as it pertains to homesteading, is that when school is done (and it doesn't take eight hours like it does at the public and private schools) the kids can help out around the homestead. Our kids know how to plant, harvest, chop, mash, cook, can, freeze, and eat what we harvest. There isn't a food they refuse (although there are some they don't care much for) and feel pride that they are an integral part of the growing process. They can help us research growing seasons and figure out why things aren't growing as well as they should. They can help water the plants (and sometimes each other) when the rain isn't plentiful, and there is hardly a day that goes by that at least one tomato doesn't need to be picked. So, as you can see, they are not only learning and pretending to help, they really are a big help and it would be exponentially harder to do what we do if they were gone every day to school. 

Never Forget

I don't think anyone will forget what happened on 9/11 in 2001. It was a tragedy that reminds us that we live in a fallen world. Sin came in over 6,000 years ago and we will be forever plagued with sin until Christ reigns on Earth. 

But, God tells us to be in, but not of, the world. We are to live in this fallen, crumbling creation, living the best we know how. This is one of the reasons we live sustainably. We want to be able to grow our own food and till our own land, in case the need ever arises that there is no other options. We want our children and our children's children to be able to do the same, because if the Lord tarries, there may be a necessity to do it for survival. But, for now, we are enjoying doing it, enjoying the fruit of the land that God provides us, and basking in the satisfaction that comes from a job well done!

It ain't all home grown

You may be asking yourself: "What if I can't get a certain food to grow in my yard?"

Well, this happened to us this year. We planted strawberries and harvested a grand total of 3. But, we love strawberries. So, we keep a fresh produce budget for when we see a good deal on a large amount of unprocessed fruits and veggies. We were at a nearby produce stand, Greg's Produce Barn (great food, great person who owns it), and they had 8 pounds of strawberries for $10!!!! What a deal! So, we bought 8 pounds and came home and canned them into jam. This is our lovely 9 year old daughter, Selah, mashing the berries. You couldn't find a better person for the job. She works willingly and cheerfully at whatever task she is given. She is such a blessing. 

You know what else is a blessing? Smearing homemade jam on toast in the morning! 

Sustainability: A way of living

I found these videos in my archives.  At the end of summer of 2013, a friend of mine gave us a bunch of peppers.  So many that we could not eat them all.  So my wife,Teresa said we could freeze them and use them in dishes over the year.  Well we took the seeds out for the replant for the summer of 2014, and was a great opportunity to teach the kids to harvest the seeds.  Real sustainability will come from harvesting your own seeds from the vegetable that you grow.  Of course you have to start somewhere.  So to get started I usually buy my seeds from the local seed and feed store.  And as you learn you can start putting up your own seeds.  I actually will start this in the summer harvest of 2015.  I hope to have all my vegetables grown from the seeds I harvested from our growth.

Also I have started videoing and have posted to youtube videos of Teresa cooking and prepping these foods. 

The video is at youtube under Michael Ryan "saving seeds for replant"

Train up a child...

The Bible says that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. We believe that this begins at birth, so from as young as they are able to, we  have our children working alongside us, helping and learning. It's not just about how to hang drywall or cook, but rather, how to run a home, and be obedient, and enjoy time together that does not revolve around games or play or electronics. So, mothers and fathers, do not squander the time. God tells us to number our days, and we shouldn't waste a minute that we can redeem for Him. 

In the beginning...

This blog will be about sustainable living. Right now, my family and I live on one acre in the middle of town. We do all that we can with that single acre. This blog will about what we are doing now, and our quest to honor God with all we do. We also are avid hunters, love to can our own food, and vehemently support gun rights.

Our ultimate goal is to own multiple acres and plant full gardens, hunt and raise animals on our own land. We also homeschool, so we will be showing you ways to incorporate the little ones into your homesteading. 

Follow us in our journey to live off the land and do it with as little money as possible. Watch us turn our $2 in a safe into acreage and a home we will build with our own two hands. Actually, our own 10 hands. LOL