A Day on the Homestead: Managing Animals and Learning Solar Power
Living on a homestead means every day is filled with new challenges and responsibilities. From taking care of animals to experimenting with solar power, there’s always something exciting to do. In today’s blog, we’ll walk through a typical day on the homestead, focusing on feeding the animals, setting up a solar power system, and preparing a delicious homemade meal. Whether you’re a seasoned homesteader or a beginner, this guide will provide valuable insights.
1. Morning Routine: Feeding the Animals
The day begins early on the homestead, with the animals waiting eagerly for their breakfast. As I step out into the sticky, warm morning, the chickens are the first to greet me. They cluck and peck around, hoping for some fresh grains. It’s always amusing to see which chicken will be at the door first, eager to start their day.
Once the chickens are fed, it’s time to check on the other animals. Moose, our trusty animal companion, is always ready for his breakfast, alongside the goats who have been diligently clearing brush around the property. Their work is almost done, and soon they’ll be ready to move to a new area.
The goats are efficient at eating down the overgrowth, and it’s satisfying to see the progress they’ve made. On a homestead, every animal has its role, and these goats are no exception. Clearing brush helps manage the land, reducing the risk of fires and keeping the terrain manageable.
2. Solar Power Experiment: First Steps
After the animals are taken care of, I turn my attention to a project I’ve been eager to tackle—learning how to set up a small solar power system. While we’ve used small solar energizers before, this is my first attempt at setting up a more substantial solar system to power the electric fence and run power to the greenhouse.
I start with a large solar panel that I’ve connected to a battery, but there’s no charge controller yet, so the setup isn’t complete. Without a charge controller, the battery risks overcharging, which can damage it over time.
Installing the Solar Charge Controller
To solve this, I install a basic solar charge controller. This device is critical because it regulates the power coming from the solar panel, ensuring that the battery is charged properly without being overcharged.
- The charge controller also has USB ports, allowing us to charge small devices directly.
- I mount the charge controller near the battery and carefully wire it to the panel and battery.
One of the key lessons in solar power is learning by doing. This project is a perfect opportunity to get hands-on experience with solar technology. While I’m no expert, each step teaches me something new about how solar systems work and how they can be adapted for homestead use.
Safety Tip:
Always ensure that your solar charge controller is installed before connecting the battery directly to the panel. This prevents overcharging and protects your battery from damage.
3. Connecting the Battery and Energizer
Once the charge controller is installed, I connect the battery and the fence energizer. The fence needs to stay powered to keep the animals safe, so it’s essential to monitor the system and make sure it’s working correctly.
After a quick check, the system seems to be operating smoothly, showing around 12.8 volts in the battery. This means the battery is charged and ready to keep the fence energized for the next few days. I’ll keep an eye on it throughout the week to ensure everything is functioning as expected.
If everything goes well, I plan to expand the system to power the greenhouse. A blower motor needs to be installed to inflate the two layers of greenhouse plastic, which will help extend the growing season by providing better insulation.
4. Pollination in the Greenhouse: Challenges and Solutions
The greenhouse is flourishing, but we’ve encountered some challenges with pollination. While the tomatoes are growing well, the cucumbers, zucchinis, and summer squash, which require pollinators, aren’t doing as well.
Even though we have beehives nearby, the bees don’t seem to venture into the greenhouse as much as we’d like. To address this, Gina has taken on the task of hand-pollinating the plants. Using a small paintbrush, she transfers pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers.
Hand Pollination Tips:
- Identify the male flowers (they have thin stems) and the female flowers (which have small fruits at the base).
- Gently collect pollen from the male flower using a brush, and apply it to the center of the female flower.
This extra effort ensures that we don’t lose too many zucchinis or other plants to poor pollination. It’s a time-consuming process, but it’s necessary to keep the plants thriving.
5. Cooking on the Homestead: Fajita Night
After a busy day of animal care and solar power projects, it’s time to prepare dinner. Tonight, we’re making fajitas using leftover pork chops and steak from the week. It’s a perfect way to use up leftovers while making a delicious meal.
Fajita Marinade Recipe:
- Ingredients: 1/4 cup avocado oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt.
- Mix the ingredients together and let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
The rain starts up again just as we finish preparing the meal, adding a relaxing soundtrack to the evening. There’s something peaceful about the sound of rain on the homestead after a long day of work.
6. Challenges of Homesteading: Weather and Maintenance
One of the ongoing challenges of homesteading is dealing with unpredictable weather. Heavy rains can cause damage, and today is no exception. As we head out to lock up the animals for the night, we notice that part of our driveway has washed away due to the downpour.
While it’s frustrating to deal with erosion and water damage, it’s part of life on the homestead. Tomorrow’s task list will include repairing the driveway and assessing any other areas that may have been affected by the rain.
Conclusion: A Fulfilling Day on the Homestead
Every day on the homestead brings new challenges and opportunities for learning. Whether it’s caring for animals, experimenting with solar power, or hand-pollinating plants, there’s always something to keep us busy. Today, we made progress on our solar power system, learned about pollination in the greenhouse, and enjoyed a delicious homemade meal.
Living on a homestead requires flexibility and resilience, but it’s incredibly rewarding. We’ll keep learning and adapting as we go, making improvements and solving problems one step at a time. Thanks for joining us on this journey, and we’ll see you next time at Lemna Acres!
