Ouessant Sheep

Life on the farm is a fantastic life to live your life. However, this does not mean it doesn’t come with some chaos. One of the major problems that come automatically to those who live on the farm is located. Most farmers do not have a store close by. A trip to town requires a long drive through the country. This trip can take up hours of time and who has time to miss so much time on the farm when there are chores to be done? It is why many farmers start getting creative on the farm.

Getting Creative with Everyday Things

Think about what happens when you realize you ran out of milk? Forgot to thaw something for dinner? Most people when in this position will simply get in their car and run to the store. It is not quite so easy for a farmer. They have to travel miles to the nearest store. For this reason, many will have gardens, a way to prepare milk, and more. They try to create a self-sustaining lifestyle that is not dependent on going to town often. Many may also try to limit their trips to weekly or bi-weekly adventures. The coolest thing about this is that their creativity knows no boundaries.

Creativity at the Max

Growing a garden, flower bed, or whatever is a kind of creativity that is expressed by farmers and such. What you may not consider is that it also goes much deeper. They express their creativity in numerous other ways, such as creating a table to keep from having to pay someone to deliver. The same can be true for chairs, desks, and other things. Some of the most creative sorts may even make bowls and other things that look like glass with a hint of color. This can be done using resin pigment and molds.

Basically anything that needs to be replaced can be created with a piece of wood, a little epoxy, and a little thought. Not only does it help them thrive without depending on going to trips to town, but it also creates some very interesting conversation pieces for friends and family.

If Farmers Can Do It…

One thing that we can learn from the fact that there are people who live well away from cities is that basically anyone can be creative. Anyone can live by growing their own food and creating their own furnishings. You may even be able to create river tables to dine on, lavish bedroom sets using the stuff that you considered throwing away, and even new paperweights for your desk if that is what you want.

The beauty of creating your own items is that you know you have one of a kind pieces to show off to friends and family. Things that you created. Things that you enjoy doing. Why not give it a try?

Working in the great outdoors is rewarding. According to most people who live on the farm, it is much more enjoyable than working in an office 9-to-5. They get up with the sun and they work at their own pace, doing what they have to do to get through a day. The downside is that a healthy farm starts with a healthy farmer and a farmer is always at risk for several issues that can make them unhealthy.

The Trouble with Farming

Farmers work out in the fields all day where anything can happen. Each day, they risk falling from their horse, getting bit by a snake, and illnesses because of pests or other insects. Going out into the fields allows them to come into contact with Zika viruses and tick fevers. They do not have the luxury of taking a day off because some insects caused them to feel poorly. They have to get up each day, feed the animals and take care of an endless chore list. How do they cope with the constant risk? They look for the best possible home remedies to help them ward off further issues, of course.

Home Remedies for Farmers

If you look at the Farmer’s Almanac, there are loads of natural remedies that can cure a wide variety of common issues. Beets to help relieve constipation, potatoes for insect bite itching, and using baking soda to remove splinters. Did you know that you can relieve a headache by soaking your feet in hot water? Many farmers know this trick and use it often.

Some say that you can relieve poison ivy with a banana peel, but some farmers want to fight it a little more effectively. The same goes for insect bites, which can benefit from Listerine, but sometimes Caladryl or Calamine is what they prefer. When wondering which to use, many farmers go with Caladryl over Calamine lotion because of the added ingredient of Benedryl.

Do As the Farmers Do

Farmers have to always be at their best. They cannot take a moment to deal with illnesses or they lose out on a day that will set them back for a much longer time than a day. One missed day of work for them can set them back for days because tomorrow there are other chores to take care of.

In your life, you may not be under the same pressure, but no one ever has time to be feeling badly. We all have so many things to deal with. Your healthy farm begins with you as a healthy farmer. Don’t let bugs, poison ivy, or anything else hold you back. Not when the answer to itching and scratching is to rub down with a little bit of comfort stuff.

As a general rule, everyone loves to find a good deal on the items that they want the most. However, this is never proven quite so well as when you look at the farmers and DIY’ers. They often go through very extreme measures to show their thriftiness. They know the secret that some people fail to see. They have the build it, don’t buy it philosophy down to a science.

Building What They Can

When you look at a farmer, they know that growing food is cheaper than buying food. They also know that if their tractor breaks down, they need to try and figure out how to repair it themselves. This mentality carries over into every part of that farmer’s life. They will build things rather than buy them. For instance, welders can help them build tools that can help them run the farm.

Other DIY’ers discover cool ways to invent other types of things that they need for their home. They may use pottery wheels to create bowls and vases or they may take it to much further extremes.

The Things Crafters Craft

Most people do not think about how 90% of the things we use can be made with our own hands. Want new earrings? Use beads or resin and you will make fantastic one-of-a-kind creations. There are numerous DIY resin molds here that you can try. Even if you want to go beyond the jewelry, there are several different sizes and styles available. Farmers can also take advantage of molds, epoxy, and other things to create the tools that they want.

If you want furniture, you can make your own. You have the option to refinish old stuff, or start with a simple piece of wood and turn it into a masterpiece. Fabrics can also be added if you want to make a new dining room set and need something to cushion your chairs. With a little creative thinking, you can create anything. All of it will save you money and allow you to express yourself while you are at it.

How Much Money Can You Save?

If you were to start building your own creations, doing your own redecorating, or building your own tools; how much money would you save? We know that not everyone needs farm tools or jewelry, but there are millions of other things that you could build rather than buy. You could replace that coffee table that is falling down. You could create a new butcher block for your kitchen. Cutting boards, coasters, fire pits, and many other things. The possibilities are endless and all of them will save you money.

Why wouldn’t you want to embrace the same build it “don’t buy it philosophy” that so many others have already begun to use? It will be something you can be grateful for doing when your main projects are done and you move onto others.

Anyone who has ever lived or worked on a farm can tell you that comfort matters most when it comes to what you are wearing. Rugged is grand, sexy is overrated. Its all about the fit, the movability. The same is true for men, women, and children of all ages. If you are taking a trip to the sheep farm or living there full time, you definitely need to know what to wear while there.

As the Seasons Change

Chances are good that your wardrobe will change with the seasons. However, this depends on the task at hand. Most who work on the farm keep the jeans and riding boots year-round. They may opt for teeshirts, tank tops or button-up shirts with short sleeves during the summer. Cowboy hats and such also play an important role each season. Long johns, sweatshirts, and denim or flannel jackets can be worn in the winter.

Other clothing items may include:

• Chaps
• Jackets
• Knives
• Ropes
• Ponchos
• Gloves
• Bandanas
• Belts/Buckles
• ETC.

Prepare for Your Area

Your wardrobe may also depend on where you are located in the world. Different climates and such will all have different requirements. In the southern U.S., you may want to consider darker colors to keep sun damage minimal, hats, and other items. Mosquito repellent bracelets and netting may also be preferable, more so during rainier seasons.

Northern areas may not have to worry about the sun or as many mosquitoes, but there will be times of snow, ice, and other problems. Jeans will protect your legs, no matter where you live and boot, like the Tony Lama VF6003 fit nicely in the stirrups and keep your feet dry. They are also very stylish for times when you leave the farm. Stylish boots are always good if you have on a pair of nice chaps.

The Real Reason behind the Cowboy/Cowgirl Style

If you look at each thing a cowboy wears, it all makes sense.

The hats that a cowboy/cowgirl wear is unique. Most people think of Stetsons. It is a Mexican-style hat that has dual purposes. It protects their head from the sun, rain, and more. However, it can also provide them with a space to carry water from the stream which can be enjoyed by them or their horse.

Boots are made narrow, have no laces, and a small heel. It can give ranchers stability when walking on uneven terrain as well as provides protection from mud and water. What you may not consider is that it also protects their lower legs from snakebites, which can happen when you are walking through a field with heavy brush. Most cowboys also like that boots slip off easily. A fact that is very helpful if they get knocked off their horse while their “shoe” is caught in the stirrups.

Chaps are something that cowboys wear to keep their legs from getting hurt. It is an extra layer of protection from thorns, heavy brush, and other possible hazards while roaming the fields.

Shirts and other types of clothing are less important. When sitting on a horse, your lower body is mostly exposed to a variety of things. It may have started once upon a time, but some traditions will simply always be there. Cowboy style is one of the big ones.

It may seem strange to think about, but heating the farm usually presents quite a challenge. Many farms are located in areas that may not have the most reliable power sources. A simple storm can wipe out power for days whereas, in the city, power can be re-established within a couple of hours unless it is severe damages. Luckily, heating the farm is about to get easier for you.

Why Heating Rural Areas is Harder

Not only do power outages cause it to be tougher to heat homes in rural areas, but there is also proof of other factors. The EPA has done the research and can prove that air temperature in the city is going to be warmer than in rural areas. In a city of a million people, temperatures can increase by 1.8 to 5.4 degrees as compared to the rural areas nearby. At night, the difference is even larger, with potentially up to 22 degrees. This is because rural areas do not have large buildings, concrete, and asphalt which can hold heat. Therefore, when the sun sets in a rural area, heat escapes quickly, while the city can stay hotter throughout the night.

Finding Easy Heating Solutions

Instead of relying on central heating units, which could increase the power bill very much. They rely on wood. Fireplaces, wood stoves are as common in the rural area as central heat is in the city. This is a good thing for many reasons. The fact that it saves money and allows warmth even during power outages are just two of the reasons. The problem is, it also requires farm owners to prepare ahead of winter.

Preparations include cleaning out the chimney to make sure there is no debris in it. Inspect it for damage. They also have to prepare their wood stockpile to ensure that they do not run out in the middle of winter. The easiest way to do this is to use a wood splitter. The only real issue that they ever have is that the electric log splitter switch can go bad on them. This is why many farmers keep an extra on standby.

Other Winterizing Concerns

When on the farm, you never know what to expect, but you are pretty sure you do not want to experience more issues than you have to. Therefore, many people who live in the country take extra measures to prepare their homes for winter. They prepare their gutters, perform roof inspections, and make sure their barn is able to hold up through the snowiest parts of winter. If animals are present, they must also get enough hay in line to make sure that their animals will be fine throughout the winter season.

Winter is a serious time that requires serious preparations, especially in the northern states where ice and snow may be present for months at a time. How prepared are you for this winter?