# Skill set ... Spring



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

What skill set are you working on now ...

For me ... I have taken a basic herbal and a aromatherapy class and now moving to a second stage of herbs. 

So for this spring I will learn more than the basic use of herbs...

A skill set is just that ... something you want to learn more of ...

What are you working on?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I am working on my fiber arts. I can knit well but my crocheting is the very basic. I can crochet one mean chain.  I figured some simple projects like dish scrubbies and felted veggies for Roo would get me in the crochet groove.

I am also reading up on weaving with a loom. My mom has a HUGE loom and I never learned how to use it as a kid. It is disassembled in her attic but I'm sure once she retires she'll want to use it again. The darn thing takes up the entire guest room in her house!

I am also reading up on uses for acorns since we are surrounded by various types of oak trees.

I know once we are settled I'll be focusing more time to bigger skill sets like splitting logs so my DH isn't the only one who can do it.


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## Chickensittin (Jul 25, 2012)

I just finished a 6-week Dutch oven cooking course. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and it was great! For my last class, I baked sourdough bread.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

I am honing my gardening skills in my new home. Microclimate, pests, etc are all different. This year's practice is using straw to hill the potatoes, saving digging. We are also putting in one 30-gal trash barrel of potatoes to see if the trash can potatoes will work for us. I also have to learn where the local edible forage plant patches are in the new area. Moving can be such a pita.


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

Working on my planting/gardening skills. Also learning from raising my chickens for the first time. Now I just need to work on the skill of stretching my $$$! Being as self-sufficient as possible will pay off in the future, but getting started is really costly! Probably going to have to out off raising my bees until next spring. :-(


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

This year’s skill is pretty basic, pressure canning. Bought several books and have been browsing the net reading up also. Seems like it should be a breeze to do basic canning. The trick will come in with canning soups, stews and other ready to eat meals.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I am actually working on knot tying and paracord wrapping. Apparently it has been way too long since I was in the Boy Scouts and it turns out those skills are perishable if not practiced.


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## razorback (Jul 17, 2012)

Growing everything and anything. I've never had a green thumb, and my one house plant proves that. I moved it up to the studio thinking it being by itself would kill it, wrong that plant is bigger than it's been in 12 years LOL!!!

Also with growing comes canning =) I've had my canner for almost a year and have yet to process the first item in it =(

But the good news (I guess) is I'm going to have more free time in a month or so. Scaling way back on my studio time (kinda have mixed emotions about that LOL). 

I have a list as long as my arm to start with =D

Splitting wood is fun, did it for us when I didn't even weigh 100 lbs. When DH came into my life he started doing it for us. It's good excerise!!


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## farmers (Jul 28, 2012)

Found some old farm equipment. Working on rust now. Run on people power. The one roll planter has a metal wheel in front, two disc below hopper. All locked in place. Any ideas would be appreciated.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Startingout-Blair said:


> Probably going to have to out off raising my bees until next spring. :-(


And I may get a chance to get started with bees this year. :crossfinger:

Some of you may recall my excitement a couple years ago when a beekeeper was looking to expand his operation and offered to place 4 boxes at our place. It never happened. 
Last week I was perusing craigslist and came across an ad for bee removal. I called and talked to the gentleman and inquired about helping him just for the knowledge. He was quite receptive to the idea and I am going to his house, which is about 8 miles away, this Sunday. Hopefully it works out this time.


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## razorback (Jul 17, 2012)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya, that's on the list that's as long as my arm LOL!!

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind of info!!!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Learning about herbal medicine (or, trying to get better about taking/making the time to learn...).

Learning to identify more plants in our area (keeping a notebook).

Expanding building skills. I can do some very basic framing, but this spring/summer I hope to work on a shed that will include cordwood construction, and I want to improve my framework as well.


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## JackDanielGarrett (Sep 27, 2010)

I too am working on my dutch oven and tripod skills, as chickensittin. On Saturday, using my 14" DO, I hung it from the tripod and made beef stew. Dropped biscuit dough on top and baked. Sunday I baked 3 quiche and a custard pie on the charcol grill. So much to learn, and Andi..love the thread.


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## 8thDayStranger (Jan 30, 2013)

This spring I'm learning gardening and as soon as that comes in, I'll start canning. The misses is learning edible plants and will branch off into medicinal plants once she gets familiar with more. We are also going to start reading and learning about chickens. They will be our next edition to our homesteading project. 

After participating in another thread, I'm thinking of trying to teach the misses some basic handyman skills in case something happens to me. She's already becoming a good shot with the little .22 I got her. 

I also have one of those two car canopy things that I use to store my boat and mowers and such. It's wrapped in thick plastic around the sides. One of summer plans is to get it covered in tin and doors built for it so I can move my tools and such out of the back bedroom. I really need a shop area.


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## MDsapper (Mar 12, 2013)

i have a lot to work on and practice this year but i'm a long ways away from being able to set up my homestead. i'll be moving for my gunsmithing school towards the end of the year and only god knows where i'll end up after that so i have to try and keep my preps to what i can carry in my truck.


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

UncleJoe said:


> And I may get a chance to get started with bees this year. :crossfinger:
> 
> Some of you may recall my excitement a couple years ago when a beekeeper was looking to expand his operation and offered to place 4 boxes at our place. It never happened.
> Last week I was perusing craigslist and came across an ad for bee removal. I called and talked to the gentleman and inquired about helping him just for the knowledge. He was quite receptive to the idea and I am going to his house, which is about 8 miles away, this Sunday. Hopefully it works out this time.


That's pretty cool Uncle Joe! I hope that works out for you!


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

This first half of the year has been ate up with school. I did crap out a garden, but it's just that- crap. I am wanting to go berry picking as soon as I'm able to learn how to make some preserves, as well as canning it. I'm very excited about that process. I'd also like to take a herb class- start with a basic foraging class and go from there since I'm a science type anyways. Also want to learn how to make baskets. It'd be great to have a lil skill with using my hands at making a decent basket. I could just sit back and make something. Teach my son. Ahhh that sounds like fun.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

This thread has made me realise that I don't have anything new I'm planning on learning over the next few months. Really unusual for me. 
It's also made me think about the different types of learning I do. A lot of what I learn these days is just to say I've done it to get a better idea of whats involved. I don't really plan on taking on any other occupations, I just don't have time. 
Take welding for example, I learnt to weld more than 30 years ago. I could build a gate but I'm not good enough to build a trailer. I could be if I put the time in but DH is a metal worker/engineer so I leave that to him, that's his domain. If I had to become better I've got the basics and know I could manage on my own.
I do that with a lot of skills, get the basics right then move onto something else. I've still got a lot I'd like to learn but they are mostly things I can't afford to get into right now.
What I spend most of my time working on at the moment is perfecting the skills I already have and use all the time.


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## worldengineer (Sep 20, 2010)

Summer skills, learn to make some more money  

But actually the only skill I'm going to have time for is learning to reload. I'm looking at getting that first press here very soon.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I forgot I am also trying out some different recipes for cleaning products. Today I am making a batch of laundry detergent. I don't need any yet (we have 6 LARGE bottles on the shelf) but why not see if the recipe is worth the time and money before you make the switch.

Next will be other products like an all purpose cleaner.


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## debbluu (Dec 16, 2012)

I too am trying to learn more about herbs. Cooking and medicinal. I found a local herb society and i am going to try to go to a meeting or two. And trying different DIY cleaning stuff. So far I've made and used laundry detergent and dishwasher tabs. Seem to work great


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

Added half a dozen more strawberry plants to add to the "variety" we already have ( 8 varieties between about 125 plants) half a dozen tomato plants and 15 herbs of the ones we already have. also added 6 more verieties we didn't have. That gives us some 150 different edible and medicinal herbs. Added a couple of gooseberry plants and a pair of fig trees.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Learning more herbal medicine, Spanish, and cheese making. These are the skill sets I'm currently working on.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Just to kill some time between canner loads of beets last night I started playing around with the juice as a natural dye.

Getting a lot of feedback so I'm learning about natural dyes, dont know if "I" will ever use it but I have 2 DD's living at home and they may put the knowledge to use. Pretty interesting what can/has been used to color things in the past.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

My efforts are mostly on gardening at the moment. I've been at it for close to 60 years now and learn something about it every day. Having the weather more unpredictable makes it harder, but we are finding ways to get along with it.


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## Roslyn (Feb 20, 2012)

Motivation, Patience, and staying on track in the garden.

I suffer with fatigue issues, so on days that I feel more upbeat I need to get stuff done. My husband's job has picked up and he is kicking in more overtime and now he's even gone some weekends as well as all week. That puts even more on me because I can't have him do a few things on the weekends.

Patience. I am the main caregiver to Hearth and Home, and there is enough drama with the chickens, dogs and cats. I have an 18 year old Siamese cat with kitty dementia and he is definitely cranky. My other cat is a bully, so I have to police things or she will pick on Siamen, she will eat all his food and then puke everywhere, she will block him from the basement and so blocking him from "the box". Fortunately I have a secret weapon with my Blue Heeler, Jake. I hear them going at it and I just say "Jake....cat" and he will break things up and "herd" bully cat away from Siamen. It's quite trying, and he is always cold and so I'm either holding him when I'm sitting down or finding a cozy place for him to lay.

Staying on track in the garden and getting things done when the job is little. It's so easy to look at those tiny weeds and think that they aren't an issue, then comes along a thunderstorm and the weeds grow exponentially. And then a tiny job becomes cumbersome.

I have learned over the years that the best things for me is to keep things small, and take the time in the beginning to mulch properly. A few years ago I started a small flower bed with perennials and some annuals. I did it smart, instead of how I always do things, TOO BIG!! Each year I pull out my brick edging and make it about 6-10 inches bigger. I pull out the lawn by hand, lay down newspaper and add more compost and soil, plant and then properly mulch. It's the nicest little bed and this year I am adding daisies and coneflowers to the mix.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Roslyn said:


> , then comes along a thunderstorm and the weeds grow exponentially. And then a tiny job becomes cumbersome.


Oh so true...

Roslyn, I'm glad your flower bed method works for you. That's a similar method to what I want to try - we're going to convert all our non-productive land back to native prairie, but we have to go slow. I was thinking about doing small sections as a time and using that newspaper/mulch method that you talked about.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

My skill set plan has changed. Do now to possible divorce I need to focus on getting my etsy shop stocked and in full swing. Right now it is mostly vintage items(I have to thin my collections) but once the sh*t settles it will be more handmade items like small toys (cat and child) and kitchen (scrubbies and tea towels etc).


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## Justaguy987 (Mar 2, 2013)

Grimm said:


> My skill set plan has changed. Do now to possible divorce I need to focus on getting my etsy shop stocked and in full swing. Right now it is mostly vintage items(I have to thin my collections) but once the sh*t settles it will be more handmade items like small toys (cat and child) and kitchen (scrubbies and tea towels etc).


Dislike! Well, the first part of the second line anyway. I hope everything works out for you and Roo.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Grimm said:


> My skill set plan has changed. Do now to possible divorce I need to focus on getting my etsy shop stocked and in full swing. Right now it is mostly vintage items(I have to thin my collections) but once the sh*t settles it will be more handmade items like small toys (cat and child) and kitchen (scrubbies and tea towels etc).


I'm sorry Grimm. I hope it works out in whatever way God intends for you to be happy. What is your shop's name? You can pm it to me if you want.


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## razorback (Jul 17, 2012)

Grimm said:


> My skill set plan has changed. Do now to possible divorce I need to focus on getting my etsy shop stocked and in full swing. Right now it is mostly vintage items(I have to thin my collections) but once the sh*t settles it will be more handmade items like small toys (cat and child) and kitchen (scrubbies and tea towels etc).


I'm so sorry Grimm!! Do what makes you and Roo happiest, when it's all said and done that's what's most important.

PM me your shop as well, I'm always looking for for anything I don't know I need yet, and I love vintage!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

razorback said:


> I'm so sorry Grimm!! Do what makes you and Roo happiest, when it's all said and done that's what's most important.
> 
> PM me your shop as well, I'm always looking for for anything I don't know I need yet, and I love vintage!


Thanks for the support. I really just want to stay where we are doing what we do now just minus the husband.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Toffee said:


> I'm sorry Grimm. I hope it works out in whatever way God intends for you to be happy. What is your shop's name? You can pm it to me if you want.


Thank you. I forget sometimes how much of a family and support system this forum has become.


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