Well I suppose for each person the answer to this question is different. I'll try my best to relate everything to our real life example as it in all reality is probably a typical situation for anyone seeking this life.
Elizabeth and I came from two different types of families but yet were brought together by a common love for God and an interest in homesteading. She had been raised in a family that gardened annually and that encouraged her activity in 4H. I on the other hand didn't become acquainted with providing for oneself till I was in my early twenties. I had a small collection of axes and saws that I had used to fell some trees on my fathers land in PA. I had truly expected that I'd be able to finish a cabin that I had started. We both brought different experiences and tools to the family.
Even with the tools that we brought into this marriage, we still find that a particularly large portion of our income is put towards homesteading tools and supplies, not to mention the space they take up. We have a room that is dedicated to crafts. It has two looms in it, one is full size and the other is about large enough to make things about the size of a place-mat. Both looms were gifts.
I encourage you to write down what direction you want to go in with regards to homesteading. It will greatly determine your budget. It will also determine what you do and don't need, and from that you will know what you will be purchasing in the future. I say the future because Elizabeth and I have been married for over six years and we are still acquiring the things we know we will need in the future (Like pressurized lamps and clothing material).
A lesson that many a homesteader learns the hard way is to buy the best quality that they can afford. Being cheap doesn't pay off in the end. We feel strongly that all homesteading tools should be heirlooms. The next generation does not need to struggle as much as we do. Not only that, but if you figure out how much money you spend replacing inferior tools annually, you quickly figure out that you could be greatly ahead had you simply purchased quality. The one exception to this that comes to mind is buying Snap-On Tools versus Craftsman. Unless you've got the money laying around, don't waste it.
The reality of the matter is that if you are going to liv this life of homesteading full-time, it will literally cost thousands of dollars. It's a life of passion that gives us much pleasure. So instead of spending a large sum of money on a TV, spend that money buying something you can use to make yourself money.
I know I've made it sound like alot of money, but when you consider the different directions in which one can go, the truth becomes evident. Many of us will acquire things for free and that furthers our ability all that much. It is quite possible in many places in the U.S. to find draft horses for free, people just can't afford the hay and feed, but then you have the cost of leathers and implements.
I by no means have gotten to that point, but I will admit I entertain the fantasy. This is a case where once you own land, the horse, and the items pertaining to the horse, you only really have to worry about the cost of the horse coming up again a dozen or so years down the road.
I'm struggling as it is to make my plane-making venture work. Machinery is not cheap. Yes you can buy a table saw used but you never know how the previous owner took care of it. With machines it's best to buy new and to try to get a warranty. That costs money. On the upside, it's probably a machine you will own the rest of your life. Don't buy cheap with the express intent of saving money. Buy quality with the intention of owning something for a lifetime. It may be uncomfortable at first, but the rewards will show themselves in time.
I'm not sure how well I helped you, my goal was to be honest. There is no way around the fact that any venture you take in life will cost money. Homesteading will be expensive. Plan ahead and use your money correctly.
I hope this helps.
Lord bless.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
2 Gallons of Real Cow Milk!
This is what real cow's milk looks like. The stuff they sell at the store in no way resembles this. Once you have tasted and handled real milk it will anger you what they try to sell you. They exploit your lack of knowledge. Basically the milk they sell at the store is milk that has had all the cream taken out of it, they use it to make butter and other products. When you drink this at home you keep the cream in it, it is what gives it it's depth of taste and nutrition. Without the cream this milk is not appetizing, though I would still sooner drink it than what they sell at the store.
The arrow shows you where the division between the milk and the cream is.
Typically I shake the container before I pour a glass. Otherwise the first glass can taste like liquid butter, quiet a funny experience for a newbie. If you are a skinny guy like me and are trying to gain weight, this is the stuff you want to drink. It tastes great, is much cheaper than weight-gainer, and is also much much healthier for you.
This is supposed to be a one gallon jar, but it turns out to be a full five quarts. A quart of cream and four quarts of milk. It's a real nice treat every week. We consume about two of these containers a week. If we had teenage sons there would be no way that I'd be caught without a milk cow!
I've personally met the cow that gives us our milk, sadly her owners haven't given her a name.
She gives about 3-4 gallons a day they say. That's enough to satisfy her owners needs and pay for herself. We are currently paying 5$ a gallon container. To us it is more than a reasonable deal, especially considering that the cow is a Guernsey and that she is grass-fed not grain-fed.
We currently liv in the state of Arkansas where it is legal to purchase cow's milk from off the farm. I will never again purchase milk from the grocery store if I can avoid it. It is immoral that they try to call it milk. It is not milk.
I strongly encourage you if you are able to, to get ahold of some real milk. I've only had store bought milk my entire life. I grew up in Houston Texas. Don't buy the lies from the milk companies and big government that tell you real milk will kill you. It won't. If you're worried about it, just check the farms facilities and make sure that they practice proper hygiene. Be cautioned, some places do not practice proper hygiene, the burden lies on you to validate.
We made butter from a gallon we purchased. We'll be posting that probably later this week. We have plenty of pictures!
By the way, this is only our third week having real milk. We are still very new to it.
This is milk the way God intended it to be, unadulterated by man.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Pastors Of the Porters-An Invitation
We know that there are like believers out there. I know this, because we have met them. Granted those meetings were before we had this blog and also only in passing. You meet a lot of people as a truck driver.
Well, we need an individual or individuals that are willing to be our preachers. At this time, I do not feel that it is the will of the Lord for me to establish a home church and to lead it. I simply am not learned enough nor do I have a sufficient memory to communicate adeptly the ideas and their foundations that I have gleaned from the Word of God. I may be eloquent, but I am not where I need to be yet. I feel secure that there will be that time, it's just not now.
If you are an anabaptist pentecostal and are interested in leadership, please email us. Even electronic pastorship is appreciated.
porterhomestead@gmail.com
Lord Bless.
Well, we need an individual or individuals that are willing to be our preachers. At this time, I do not feel that it is the will of the Lord for me to establish a home church and to lead it. I simply am not learned enough nor do I have a sufficient memory to communicate adeptly the ideas and their foundations that I have gleaned from the Word of God. I may be eloquent, but I am not where I need to be yet. I feel secure that there will be that time, it's just not now.
If you are an anabaptist pentecostal and are interested in leadership, please email us. Even electronic pastorship is appreciated.
porterhomestead@gmail.com
Lord Bless.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Our Fiftieth Post!
I'd just like to say thank you to all our readers! Our last posting was our fiftieth. I honestly didn't imagine this day when we started this blog. I didn't know if we had enough to put on here. As time goes on we think of more and more things that we want to add!
We had misplaced our butterchurn and were just about convinced that one of us had put it in a box and taken it to the Good-Will. Fortunately I found it! It was in a box hiding on a shelf in the garage.
We are both very relieved, it is an heirloom from Elizabeth's family. We'll be using it soon to make butter.
We have a posting to make on some butter we've already made just using mason jars. It was a lot of fun and very simple. We were both very surprised by how much butter came from the cream, there was very little buttermilk.
Please if your enjoying our blog, vote on the home page and sign up for emails!
With you in the Lord
Michael and Elizabeth McCartan
The anabaptist pentecostals
We had misplaced our butterchurn and were just about convinced that one of us had put it in a box and taken it to the Good-Will. Fortunately I found it! It was in a box hiding on a shelf in the garage.
We are both very relieved, it is an heirloom from Elizabeth's family. We'll be using it soon to make butter.
We have a posting to make on some butter we've already made just using mason jars. It was a lot of fun and very simple. We were both very surprised by how much butter came from the cream, there was very little buttermilk.
Please if your enjoying our blog, vote on the home page and sign up for emails!
With you in the Lord
Michael and Elizabeth McCartan
The anabaptist pentecostals
Friday, October 25, 2013
Want To Join? What would your contribution be?
This posting is being written with the intention of provoking your interaction.
We'd like to hear what your contribution would be to the discussion of faith and culture.
I think to this point Elizabeth and I have made a fairly clear point of where we stand on our theology and our convictions.
We are curious about where you are with your walk with God and what brought you to our blog?
At this point we do not have a plot of land that we can liv off of, that won't happen for five to ten years, but when it happens for us, We are curious. Would you like to join?
We'd prefer families to purchase at least 10-20 acres. We'll let you know "where" when the time gets closer. We'll let you know this, land is selling there for 2,000$ an acre, a fair price.
If enough families commit there would surely be enough "sub" groups that everyone's ideological differences would be satisfied.
At this point the binding factors of our "preferred" community would be
1. horse and buggy
2. No electricity in the house
3. Electricity in the shop is fine for working men
4. Bi-weekly fellowship with like-believers
This means that every other week would be spent with a different community
5. Homeschooling for children
6. Men either work from home or with other men of the community
7. Higher education is not encouraged for women, unless they intend to remain unmarried
8. Higher education is only encouraged for men when there is no alternative.
9. Trades are encouraged above all else.
10. Women are encouraged to enjoy their life and to perfect the art of motherhood
Our Theological Establishment Is Founded On The Bible
the following statements are the theological foundation for our community
1. Weekly conversations on the Biblicality of our beliefs and convictions-this is a lot of fun to dive into, you learn so much that changes they way you look at the world.
2. We all believe in one God and that his name is Yeshua.
3. We are baptized in our Lord's name.
4.We Read from the Bible daily.
5. Legalism is heavily discouraged
6. We believe in water and spirit baptism
7. In situations where it is merited, we do believe in shunning.
8. There is to be MORE THAN one preacher.
There is more to the list than this, but that is why we need your input. This is only intended as a starting point.
I encourage you to contact me through email. I will respond.
And if you are comfortable with it, I would prefer to post your reply for others to read and comment on.
My email is Porterhomestead@gmail.com
Every individual brings a new and different dimension to a group. We all have different life experiences. We encourage discussion to move things forward. We are curious about what you would like to see in a community.
Having a community makes it much more simple for our children to find their future mate. Living states away makes things difficult for everyone, and many opportunities are lost as well. Not to mention the potential loss of a sense of identity.
Lord bless, We'll talk again later.
We'd like to hear what your contribution would be to the discussion of faith and culture.
I think to this point Elizabeth and I have made a fairly clear point of where we stand on our theology and our convictions.
We are curious about where you are with your walk with God and what brought you to our blog?
At this point we do not have a plot of land that we can liv off of, that won't happen for five to ten years, but when it happens for us, We are curious. Would you like to join?
We'd prefer families to purchase at least 10-20 acres. We'll let you know "where" when the time gets closer. We'll let you know this, land is selling there for 2,000$ an acre, a fair price.
If enough families commit there would surely be enough "sub" groups that everyone's ideological differences would be satisfied.
At this point the binding factors of our "preferred" community would be
1. horse and buggy
2. No electricity in the house
3. Electricity in the shop is fine for working men
4. Bi-weekly fellowship with like-believers
This means that every other week would be spent with a different community
5. Homeschooling for children
6. Men either work from home or with other men of the community
7. Higher education is not encouraged for women, unless they intend to remain unmarried
8. Higher education is only encouraged for men when there is no alternative.
9. Trades are encouraged above all else.
10. Women are encouraged to enjoy their life and to perfect the art of motherhood
Our Theological Establishment Is Founded On The Bible
the following statements are the theological foundation for our community
1. Weekly conversations on the Biblicality of our beliefs and convictions-this is a lot of fun to dive into, you learn so much that changes they way you look at the world.
2. We all believe in one God and that his name is Yeshua.
3. We are baptized in our Lord's name.
4.We Read from the Bible daily.
5. Legalism is heavily discouraged
6. We believe in water and spirit baptism
7. In situations where it is merited, we do believe in shunning.
8. There is to be MORE THAN one preacher.
There is more to the list than this, but that is why we need your input. This is only intended as a starting point.
I encourage you to contact me through email. I will respond.
And if you are comfortable with it, I would prefer to post your reply for others to read and comment on.
My email is Porterhomestead@gmail.com
Every individual brings a new and different dimension to a group. We all have different life experiences. We encourage discussion to move things forward. We are curious about what you would like to see in a community.
Having a community makes it much more simple for our children to find their future mate. Living states away makes things difficult for everyone, and many opportunities are lost as well. Not to mention the potential loss of a sense of identity.
Lord bless, We'll talk again later.
That Time Of Year Again.........
Last year I wrote about my peavance with the pagan day of halloween. This year I wanted to point something out to people that may think halloween is acceptable. It grieves me the number of churches that have a "trunk or treat" in the name of political correctness, I'll have no fellowship with that, nor will I greet them as our Word tells us to greet saints.
In what order do the holydays go?
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas
So first people honor Satan with a day celebrating witchcraft and necromancy, not to mention lasciviousness and immorality.
After that, and only after that, we finally give God the thanks that he deserved long ago. Mostly by filling our mouths with calorie rich food. In all honesty it's more of a day for us than a day truly spent giving the glory to our Father.
And once everything has been done, we give God what Glory there is left and celebrate his birth. A holyday we are not commanded to honor, nor a day that resembles anything in the Word of God.
The word of God only tells us to honor Christ's birth.
If halloween is a "holiday/holyday, to what "god" is it holi/holy?
Isn't it just not that surprising that the English language changed the spelling of holy to holi. I'm just not that surprised. Man changed it to be "all-I-Day" and that is what many of the holydays are. Days that were initially intended to honor and glorify God. But nowadays are based in paganism and materialism-heathenism really. Between the sports and the parades on TV, how much glory really is given to Yeshua?
I understand if you want to observe days like thanksgiving or Christ's birth, what I encourage though is that you celebrate them on an arbitrary day and in a way inline with the Word of God. Cutting a tree and putting it in your house has it's foundation in paganism.
I'm not going to beat this dead horse. It's a conviction you either have and understand, or don't have and mock. Let me just finish by saying, Our god is a jealous God.
I pray this touches your heart. It touches mine yearly.
In what order do the holydays go?
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas
So first people honor Satan with a day celebrating witchcraft and necromancy, not to mention lasciviousness and immorality.
After that, and only after that, we finally give God the thanks that he deserved long ago. Mostly by filling our mouths with calorie rich food. In all honesty it's more of a day for us than a day truly spent giving the glory to our Father.
And once everything has been done, we give God what Glory there is left and celebrate his birth. A holyday we are not commanded to honor, nor a day that resembles anything in the Word of God.
The word of God only tells us to honor Christ's birth.
If halloween is a "holiday/holyday, to what "god" is it holi/holy?
Isn't it just not that surprising that the English language changed the spelling of holy to holi. I'm just not that surprised. Man changed it to be "all-I-Day" and that is what many of the holydays are. Days that were initially intended to honor and glorify God. But nowadays are based in paganism and materialism-heathenism really. Between the sports and the parades on TV, how much glory really is given to Yeshua?
I understand if you want to observe days like thanksgiving or Christ's birth, what I encourage though is that you celebrate them on an arbitrary day and in a way inline with the Word of God. Cutting a tree and putting it in your house has it's foundation in paganism.
I'm not going to beat this dead horse. It's a conviction you either have and understand, or don't have and mock. Let me just finish by saying, Our god is a jealous God.
I pray this touches your heart. It touches mine yearly.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Grandparents, Be Thankful For Them
Everybody knows that parents are a necessary part of life for anyone growing up. Whether they be your birth-parents or even just legal-guardians. We've all had parental figures around us as we grew up instructing us as to what they thought we should do as life brought us a multitude of life-changing intersections.
Whether it be the decision of what occupation we should take up, or even, what do people do during their courtship years.
I grew up with two parents, my father is the quiet type and prefers to stick to his athletics and stock market interests. My mother on the other hand was a little more involved in my life. She would let me know when music I had purchased was too offensive for her to tolerate and when I should stay away from certain guys I had chosen as friends. She did what a mother was supposed to do. She made a delicious dinner every evening and we would all eat together, the entire family. She would clean the house and clean our laundry. She'd let us know if we let our room go too far and that we needed to clean it. I got my first job because of some stern encouragement from my mother. When she got a car to replace her van, she let me have the old car. I had a very fun youth because of it.
I like to think that I know my parents well. I know I don't know everything about them, or even a lot about them, but I like to think I know the things I should.
When it comes to my grandparents, I never really got to know either pair. Both grandfathers passed before I was old enough to understand who they were. By the time my mothers mother lived near us her health was so feeble that she really wasn't cognizant of who I was, she passed when I was ten or eleven. My fathers mother I knew a little better but I tried to keep quiet and keep my distance. She was unaffectionate and irritable. I tried to work around her quirks. I remember one time she took me on a small car trip around her town and showed me a sheep farm, she showed me a spring where the townspeople would fill up jugs. I cherish the few but deep memories I have of being with her. She lived about 22 hours from where we liv nowadays, so I only saw her very few times. She's passed on as well. Her house went to my aunts family, a piece of land went to my father.
I've never really been around friends that lived with or around their grandparents. But as I get older I wish more and more deeply as I go on that I had a pair of grandparents to fill that elderly niche that only grandparents can fill. They give us a deeper understanding of our heritage. They help us to understand ourselves and why some of us are writers and others of us musicians. I never really knew my grandparents, but I can truly say that I miss them. I miss them.
If all I can do is encourage you to enjoy and appreciate your grandparents, then that's what I'm trying to do. Granted you have the opportunity.
Grandparents symbolize honesty, virtue, and stability-in my opinion.
Through the years I've tried to find replacements for the grandparents I didn't know. I never really did have success. There's just no substitute for your own original grandparents.
My prayer is that in the event the Lord tarries till after I pass, that I be able to liv in a home filled with my grandchildren. I know that could be twenty-plus years from now, but it would fill my heart with joy. Every member of a home has a niche, every child, every teen, every adult. And every lesson we learn as we go through life's lessons in each of these stages, prepares us to be the grandparents that the Lord intends for us to be.
The purpose of life is to raise a better generation.
The meaning of life is to become the person it takes to raise that better generation.
Let the Lord mould you into the grandparent he needs you to be, today's and tomorrow's generation need people aware of the importance of altruism. It takes a lifetime to become that person, that's not an accident. It's his design.
I pray this posting brought peace to you and left you feeling edified. I pray God's blessings on your house, friends, and family. In the name of Yeshua, bless you.
Whether it be the decision of what occupation we should take up, or even, what do people do during their courtship years.
I grew up with two parents, my father is the quiet type and prefers to stick to his athletics and stock market interests. My mother on the other hand was a little more involved in my life. She would let me know when music I had purchased was too offensive for her to tolerate and when I should stay away from certain guys I had chosen as friends. She did what a mother was supposed to do. She made a delicious dinner every evening and we would all eat together, the entire family. She would clean the house and clean our laundry. She'd let us know if we let our room go too far and that we needed to clean it. I got my first job because of some stern encouragement from my mother. When she got a car to replace her van, she let me have the old car. I had a very fun youth because of it.
I like to think that I know my parents well. I know I don't know everything about them, or even a lot about them, but I like to think I know the things I should.
When it comes to my grandparents, I never really got to know either pair. Both grandfathers passed before I was old enough to understand who they were. By the time my mothers mother lived near us her health was so feeble that she really wasn't cognizant of who I was, she passed when I was ten or eleven. My fathers mother I knew a little better but I tried to keep quiet and keep my distance. She was unaffectionate and irritable. I tried to work around her quirks. I remember one time she took me on a small car trip around her town and showed me a sheep farm, she showed me a spring where the townspeople would fill up jugs. I cherish the few but deep memories I have of being with her. She lived about 22 hours from where we liv nowadays, so I only saw her very few times. She's passed on as well. Her house went to my aunts family, a piece of land went to my father.
I've never really been around friends that lived with or around their grandparents. But as I get older I wish more and more deeply as I go on that I had a pair of grandparents to fill that elderly niche that only grandparents can fill. They give us a deeper understanding of our heritage. They help us to understand ourselves and why some of us are writers and others of us musicians. I never really knew my grandparents, but I can truly say that I miss them. I miss them.
If all I can do is encourage you to enjoy and appreciate your grandparents, then that's what I'm trying to do. Granted you have the opportunity.
Grandparents symbolize honesty, virtue, and stability-in my opinion.
Through the years I've tried to find replacements for the grandparents I didn't know. I never really did have success. There's just no substitute for your own original grandparents.
My prayer is that in the event the Lord tarries till after I pass, that I be able to liv in a home filled with my grandchildren. I know that could be twenty-plus years from now, but it would fill my heart with joy. Every member of a home has a niche, every child, every teen, every adult. And every lesson we learn as we go through life's lessons in each of these stages, prepares us to be the grandparents that the Lord intends for us to be.
The purpose of life is to raise a better generation.
The meaning of life is to become the person it takes to raise that better generation.
Let the Lord mould you into the grandparent he needs you to be, today's and tomorrow's generation need people aware of the importance of altruism. It takes a lifetime to become that person, that's not an accident. It's his design.
I pray this posting brought peace to you and left you feeling edified. I pray God's blessings on your house, friends, and family. In the name of Yeshua, bless you.
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