My focus for the year is to get the house finished and the homestead up and running. I had thought about making debt payoff the focus. While that is certainly a valid choice, I think this year would be best spent getting the sufficiency aspect rolling, making the debt payoff easier later in the year/in the following years. Of course keeping it all within the Lazy Homesteader requirement is a must! Don’t judge – I’m fairly certain Ma and Pa would have been all over any hacks that made life a little easier.
Complete the house:
- Plumbing
- Septic
- Electrical – run traditional appliance wires for possible future on-grid connection
- Drywall
- Wall Finishing – tile, wainscoting
- Cabinets/Built in’s
- Flooring – underlayment, finished hardwood, tile
- Trim
- Insulate Underneath
- Siding and Trim, Brick or Rock Underneath
- Storm shelter – possibly double as cold room/canning room, perhaps maybe just that berm shelter Mr. has been wanting to build
- Pool – I know – what?! The children have been begging, they miss our old one, perhaps a DIY shallow wading pool
- Pave Garage Parking, Driveway?
Off grid:
- Rainwater Collection System – house and garden, finalize where to put covered area for garden water collection using seconds metal roofing
- Rainwater Filter – Berkey counter and shower filters to start
- Small Solar Setup – enough to generate 400 watts per day, in theory that will run the kegerator fridge, some LED lights, charge small electronics/phones/tablets and the TV or Laptop for a couple of hours
- Complete Gray Water System – use to auto-water decorative plants (lawn?) around the house
- Solar Dehydrator
- Solar Hot Water Heater
Food:
- Compost Barrel(s)
- Finish Chicken Tractor with self-water/feed
- Small Chicken Flock – half dozen
- Raised, Self-Watering Beds –at least 50 square feet – onion, garlic, lettuce, pumpkins, bell and hot peppers, tomatoes, corn
- Vertical “Beds” – herbs, strawberries, try peppers and tomatoes
- Box Garden Containers – white and sweet potatoes
- Start the Orchard – 5 Apple trees, 2 Pecan trees, 2 Peach, grape and blueberry vines (this might be a bit to ambitious for the year, but you never know so I included it.)
Together Simply 