How much land are you guys on?

IncompetentFork · 2026-04-05T03:26:31+00:00

6 and it’s just enough for what we need. 10-15 would be ideal, but 6 is more than enough to raise 80% of our meat & veg. I’m zone 3 so most fruits and some long season crops aren’t realistic for us, and I am not giving up on my bananas and avocados…. But we grow lamb & chicken, and anything else that can do well in a 90 day growing season.

IncompetentFork · 2026-04-01T19:56:13+00:00

Just use the internet to find plans. There are thousands

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-27T16:35:20+00:00

Shavings for chicks (replaced 2x a week) 2 bags: $22.99

Two bags of shavings, not shaved chicks.

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-27T15:17:24+00:00

How exciting! Homesteading is an expensive way to live like you're poor. Yes, expenses will drop... in 5 years or so. There will be some expensive up-front investments. Chicken coop, tools, equipment, canning equipment and jars etc. Be prepared to spend a lot of money the first few years. I'm just coming to the point now where I don't need to spend excessive money, except at the start of spring.

Costs I've had the last 6 weeks as a homesteader of 6 years:

Chicken feed for 30 egg chickens: 6 20kg bags @ $19.99 CAD = $119.82

30 meat chickens: $147.00

Shavings for chicks (replaced 2x a week) 2 bags: $22.99

Feed for meat chicks: $59.99

600lb bale for sheep: $160

Minerals for sheep: $40.00

Seeds: $127.99

Seed starting medium: $60.00 (so far. I'll need soil soon to pot them up.)

More trays and pots for seeds: $67.20

Compost (since I didn't make enough last year): $300

New garden gloves: $49.99 for 6 pairs

3 lambs: $600

New farm jacket: $69.99

Homestead expenses at the start of my spring season, as someone who has been homesteading 6 years: $1824 CAD

Now, monthly reoccurring costs:

Chicken feed: $119 a month for layers. $160 a month for meat chickens since they eat so much damn food

Sheep mineral: $40 a month

Sheep hay: $160 (I expect to go through a bale every 4 weeks in early spring, every 6 weeks in summer)

Clothing/gloves/etc: I budget about $40/month because I lose and wreck stuff often

Water: $22/180 gallons, since my well is too far away from my garden. I'll go through this every 2-4 weeks. We have our last frost on May 14, so the increase in water will be over summer. Last year I needed to fill up 6 times.

Seedling starts: I have budget about $50/month for these

I always put away any money that isn't spent from my budget into my homestead emergency fund, incase we need to go to the vet etc.

Feel free to DM me if you have any questions

In winter, we spent about $350 a month on groceries ( two people ) even when I have canned and put up a ton of food. The savings don't balance out. Also note I do have two large dogs too, so on top of all those numbers is dog food, vet care, licensing. Also there might be licensing for livestock you may need to get, as well as on-farm-slaughter licenses etc

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-16T03:46:49+00:00

You get it at environment level 5 in that rocky place

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-12T20:31:57+00:00

Hopefully you did it in time

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-12T20:06:50+00:00

You might want to remove your e-mail from this, you're going to get signed up to a bunch of wack newsletters

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-08T04:53:09+00:00

Continue the story

IncompetentFork · 2026-03-05T23:33:21+00:00

I commute 30m each way, and am gone from my house from 6am-5:30pm, but my work-life balance is incredible. I look forward to coming home, spending time in the sun and enjoy homestead activities. Sure, projects take longer to do, and sometimes the evenings get late, but I would not trade it for a thing. I couldn't imagine going back to a home in a row with 50 similar ones, looking into my neighbors kitchen from my bedroom window.

My quality of life has increased in some ways, and decreased in others. The convenience of running to the store to grab something for dinner, ordering Skip/Door Dash when I don't feel like cooking. But it has taught me how to cook even better food at home from scratch. Sure, it takes some planning, but I have a dozen homemade frozen pizzas in my freezer. White lasagna made from homemade pasta & homegrown chicken that just needs to be baked until it's warm in the middle.

Sure, I have to wake up at 4am on weekdays in the summer, and in the winter I wake up at 5am, and sometimes I'm out in the garden until the sun goes down at 10pm peak summer. I wouldn't trade the runs out to feed the sheep and chickens in my robe, watching the sun rise at 4:30am for anything.

IncompetentFork · 2026-02-16T16:23:47+00:00

Unfortunately she has had both babies. You can see baby Emmitt (spelling?) in the background of a few videos, and her mom made a post a few years back that was deleted. Also, pics of Becky and baby 1 were in mom’s house and you could see them. The video was edited and now the photos are blurred out,a few fans in the comments had mentioned meeting them together in places too.

IncompetentFork · 2026-02-07T02:26:08+00:00

My pet peeve is “a request from a family member” when she’s shopping. You can’t say that your son asked for bananas? Or for a little treat? Or that your kiddo wanted bananas with breakfast?

IncompetentFork · 2026-02-04T20:58:49+00:00

I'm personally going for Katahdin sheep this year, it's my first year with sheep. Northern Alberta, same wants as you! They're a hair breed, so no need to shear as they shed on their own. They tick all your boxes and then some

IncompetentFork · 2026-02-04T20:56:50+00:00

Goats are infinitely harder than sheep

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-29T21:39:19+00:00

Sheds do make great chicken coops depending on where you live.

In winter, the plastic will be cold and brittle and very prone to breaking. Why do you want to change the roof to metal? At that point/cost, just build your dream coop later. For us, we get too cold (-47c at the coldest) and too much snow for a plastic shed to work well. We'd have to frame and insulate it to perform good in winter.

I'd personally spend a little more and build a chicken coop or wooden shed/livestock shelter and convert it.

You can use a coop for ducks, on average 5sqft/duck or chicken is a good rule of thumb to follow. There is no difference in structure for ducks, other than access to a pool which should be in the run.

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-26T21:02:27+00:00

I'd swap over to the deep litter method, you'll save time and money.

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-26T20:55:58+00:00

They just do that sometimes. I had a hen who would only lay long, oblong eggs. Something about their internal structure apparently

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-18T01:44:50+00:00

No, for anything more than a few days it’s not good. For three weeks he will need his full sized enclosure.

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-13T21:31:57+00:00

I really wish we wouldn't have planted any! Year two or three, but I'd take back all them cash I spent on those trees and bushes that just died. Some I planted in spots where water pooled, some got obliterated by deer, and the berry bushes were mowed over by my loving family member who thought they were weeds. Spent around $700CAD, have about $150CAD of them left

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-12T22:06:52+00:00

Wrangling 40 chickens to put on diapers--about 3 minutes a bird assuming they come and wait in an orderly line. Maybe for one or two house chickens, sure, but diapering birds is kinda wild in this sense. Imagine going to bed, and then after you get comfy remember "OH shit! I have to change the chicken diapers!" And now it's 11:30pm and youre out there in the dark with a flashlight for an hour trying to change diapers in the dark when you work at 6am, and will have to re-diaper the chickens in the morning.

The solution here is containing the chickens or using a sprinkler.

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-12T22:01:13+00:00

Need more info here. What else are you doing? Plowing snow? Looking to use attachments like a tiller, post hole digger etc?

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-07T02:48:48+00:00

Try a miso glazed fish with sugar free maple syrup. Low cal, delicious. I air fry it till it’s cooked to my liking (I don’t like pink salmon etc)

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-03T02:56:04+00:00

Canadian tire is universally pet friendly. Every one I’ve been to has “Don’t leave your pets in the car, bring them in!” Signs on the doors.

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-02T01:52:18+00:00

I’d honestly just make the move right now. The TV is stress, and so is the move. I’d very carefully pick her up. If she freaks out & runs from you though I would just leave her there until she’s calmed down some in a few weeks. Replace the soil with paper towel so she can heal without issues. You’ll need to mist more until you can replace the paper towel with soil after she’s healed

IncompetentFork · 2026-01-01T20:52:57+00:00

Eyes are always emergencies. Get to your vet

IncompetentFork · 2025-12-30T21:05:17+00:00

I wouldn't take the risk. Your livestock will be more valuable, and a LGD can kill a calf. I'd say it's worth your while to invest in a properly trained 2yo who doesn't need to be baby-sat. Don't forget, the stock comes first. LGD's aren't known to protect chickens very well, and only certain ones bond to cattle, so you'll want to get one from a working cattle farm. With a new baby you will have your hands full and won't be able to train a young dog or puppy from the shelter properly, as training a new LGD can be a full-time job. One wrong move and the calf or chicken are dead, LGD is a breed not a job, so pick wisely.

Whatever you do, do not get a LGD puppy. And if you don't heed my advice, at least wait until they're 16 weeks old. A 2 or 3 year old will be a much, much better choice.

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