Mamainabraid

I AM. Follow to learn with me

If gardening in a dress is your vibe, let's be friends

Can't tell you how many comments I've gotten from my in-laws regarding the fact that I'm a SAHM, or that I have my garden or my rabbits. They expected me to get a job after graduating college. They don't understand what they don't understand.

Caring for animals in the heat is not fun. I don't want to be outside. But, in the end, it's worth it.

"You can't raise meat rabbits in your backyard"... Watch me. So many doubters all around, but I don't see a rule book that tells me I can't.

Building a life where I can sit out in the yard with my children, watch the garden and my rabbits, and not worry about the world burning around us.

Why did I want rabbits? Rabbits are a quick turn-around protein. In as little as 6-8 weeks, you can have meat to put in your freezer or on your plate. And I'm at a spot where I want to make sure that I know my family will always have meat. May not be a necessity right now, but I'm looking towards the future.

The heat isn't fun for anybody. To help my rabbits, I placed their hutch in the shade under a big spruce tree in my yard. I'm also checking water constantly because two like to throw their water dishes around. And I avoid handling them to not overstress them out.

I built my rabbit hutch by myself. It's the first thing like this that I ever did. But now that I'm using it everyday, there are things that I will do differently if I were to build another one again: 1- The sections are too big. I have a hard time reaching the back to clean it out. 2 -It's too short. I had orignially planned on it being taller, but I was limited in my ability to actually build something sturdy enough, and I ran out of time. 3 -I completly mixed up what kind of wire I needed for the bottoms, and only realized it after I had moved my rabbits in. Now, instead of manure falling through the bottom, I have to go clean it out every few days. 4 -The first one I built I have wire ends exposed just about everywhere I need to be... I've gotten stuck on them and scrapped my hand and arm on the door so many times... Will not be repeating that mistake next time.

Yeah... I made a lot of mistakes in starting my garden. But the good news is that, for the most part, things are working out. Goes to show you that you can read everything, but if you don't start, you never truly learn for yourself. Here's to learning as you go and doing better next year.

Wanting to add rabbits to your backyard homestead? Consider these 5 things: 1-Where are you going to keep them? Rabbits don't require a lot of space, but they still need a place that is well ventalited and provides protection from the elements. 2 -What kind of rabbits do you want? Registered or Meat-mutts? And what breed or breed combo do you want? 3 -Where are your starting rabbits coming from? It's important to find a local breeder who is knowledgable and who can help you get the best bang for your buck. 4 -What are you going to feed them? Pellets? No Pellets? A combination? Rabbits need a source of protein to grow. Pellets are an excellent source of that, but can add to the cost of raising your own meat. 5 -Do you have a plan for the poop? Rabbits poop a lot. The good news is, its cold compost. It can be added directly to your garden if you want. But have a plan for all the extra manure that they produce.

Not sure where your meat is going to come from? Want to know that you have a reliable source of protein? Get a few rabbits and add them to your backyard homestead.

Why rabbits? For me, rabbits were easier to get than chickens. I still live within city-limits, and I kept getting a run around with clicking through links to try to get the application to get chickens. But no-where in city ordinances are rabbits mentioned. And I'd much rather do something without the government trying to stick it's nose in the middle of it. Another reason is that my family really doesn't eat eggs. Sure I'll eat them if I have them, but they aren't a staple in our diet at this point in our lives.

I will not Conform. I'm growing my own food in the backyard, and willing to show you that it is a possibility for you as well. Follow for more. :)

Spending evenings outside with my girls, blanket-surfing with Little Miss and hearing her giggles. That's what dreams are made of.

It's a harsh reality of being a SAHM married to a Blue Collar man. It was my birthday, and I ended up celebrating it by myself. He was able to call on his break to talk for a few minutes, but it's not the same as being able to spend the day together.

Nobody can stop me. Not while I still draw breath.

Success may not come overnight. It's thousands of small wins, and constant work. It's easy to throw in the towel when the Oak doesn't grow as soon as the acorn is planted. But that's not how nature is. Everything takes time.

The times my hair is not in the #mombraid, I'm constantly having to keep it out of my face or out of whatever project I'm working on. So yes, taking my hair out of the braid is usually bullsh**.

There are nights I have to tell myself that I'm not in danger. I spend all day caring for the littles, night comes and I continue to worry about their wellbeing and how best to provide for them and the future. I haven't been able to find the off switch yet.

I'm so very grateful to have had this little munchkin in my life. And that I'm spending every precious moment of her childhood with her. The days can be long, but looking back at moments like this make it all worth it

Yup... I used to think that homesteaders were quacks when I was younger. Meaning, I never once thought or realized how fragile our food chain is and how much corruption there is on almost every level.

There are some days that by the time the end of the day hits, my brain is a little bit scrambled. Thankfully, a good night's rest provides a great reset and tomorrow is a new day.

It is quite unbelievable now that society expects women to pursue careers outside of the home, at the destruction of the nuclear family. Motherhood has been the ultimate fulfillment. More so than any other job I've worked at.

I'm almost always writing some sort of goal down. Whether its for my business, my garden, my #backyardrabbits, the backyard homestead we are building, or any of the other things that I work towards in this life. Writing a goal down gives me something to look back on and see all the small wins that are going into making that goal a reality.