Homesteading

This is a significant week to be Waco, Texas. However, we are staying out of the busy areas paying tribute to those who died in the explosion, but are here at the Ploughshare Institute for Sustainable Culture.

Jon and I are taking a three-day course on “homesteading”.  This course is an overview on a wide topic. We’ve learned loads and I am feeling more hopeful about our chance of survival in “down-country” Ethiopia. ;)

In our first two days we have touched on organic gardening, composting, orchards, vineyards, pastures, field crops, poultry and herb gardening.

The white building is our classroom

Jon takes notes while we learn about composting

Outside the gristmill

Jon learning about grinding wheat

Inside the fiber craft/textile barn (we just toured this area, not learning this, just visiting!)

  

Beautifully maintained grounds

Learning about herbs and their medicinal and preservative properties.

Tomorrow we start the day by hand milking a cow and then we will divide and conquer as Jon is going to cover fences, the family cow, beekeeping and designing a homestead and I am going to learn how to make yogurt, butter and soft cheeses.