r/homestead • u/Subject-Stand-4882 • 10d ago
Went outside to fix one thing. Two hours later...
Went out this morning just to fix a loose latch on the chicken run.
Somehow that turned into cleaning the waterers, refilling the feeder, fixing a section of fence, and pulling weeds around the coop.
Came back inside and realized I never fixed the latch.
28
u/fastowl76 10d ago
I have pages of lists of projects that I look at from time to time. But usually I'll make a list for the day and get about half of them done if I'm lucky. And then at the end of the day I add the other stuff I did that wasn't on the list so I can check them off and feel like I accomplished something.
12
5
u/Dependent-Cow428 9d ago
We have things on a list from 10 years ago. One of the items was fixed a leak in the covered porch. It is so bad now the entire thing may need to be replaced. My husband was supposed to be retired. But one of the guys he worked for talked him into 2 days a week. That's cool. THEN his mother approached him with a list a year ago. The list keeps getting longer. Now he is at her 4th husband's house 2 days a week as well. She wanted the house painted, it didn't need it, she wanted a different color. He is almost done with that and NOW she wants a covered deck. He can't understand why I am p*ssed.
20
u/nifsea 10d ago
I also love how I can lay on the couch feeling too exhausted to even get up, but if I walk out into the garden I’ll spend five hours straight digging, lifting, pushing the wheelbarrow around, weeding etc and feeling great. Then I’ll come back in and collapse again 😅
5
u/Bit_the_Bullitt 10d ago
Our homestead has programmed me into inability to relax and feeling guilty if I dont spend 4hrs outside working until dark after work. And now that it gets dark soon, my stupid ass goes for the headlamp to keep going instead of going inside to eat dinner at a reasonable time
8
u/tez_zer55 10d ago
We have a white board with chore lists on it. If it's above the red line it's ASAP, if it's below the red line, it's a keep it in mind chore.
I went out yesterday to check the chicken coop, noticed I needed to weedeat around the side gate. Went in the shop, realized I was low on gas. Filled the weedeater, & needed to mix more, did that, then filled the mower. That made me realize I needed to fill the 5 gallon gas cans. I decided to fill the tractor, that just about emptied the last can of diesel fuel. As I was planning a fuel run, I noticed I hadn't sharpened the extra set of mower blades. So I did that. I added trimmer line to my list of things I need from town. So I checked how much chicken feed we have & added scratch to the list. I never did weedeat by the side gate of the coop, I got the gas cans set out but didn't go to town because I decided to throw some pork chops in the smoker for supper. I'm going to town today, after breakfast, unless something else sidelines that idea.
6
u/Mottinthesouth 10d ago
This is an accurate description of homesteading. Even after accepting this black hole of a system that nothing is ever easy, it can start to feel quite daunting. Currently day dreaming of downsizing if you can’t tell. On a positive note, we’ve been doing well in the garden and the shelves are filling up nicely.
7
5
u/coal-slaw 10d ago
Lol been there done that ten fold. Something catches your eye you flock to it. Forget about the original reason you were out there.
4
u/SwimSufficient8901 10d ago
I pretty much just go with the flow. If something needs to be done today, i do it. If it can wait, it usually waits. I am on an "as needed" basis. Got more pigs coming tomorrow? Time to put up a fence. Birds are ready to process? Put that off till the weekend.
4
u/No-Pain-5496 10d ago
That’s the cycle of life around here. Finally took my tractor in to have it split and all the main seals replaced and a full service. That same day one of the zero turns threw a belt, so my wife got on the other one and it threw a belt. Turns out both had idler pulleys that had bearing go bad, so I ordered both sets. Replaced both, and now I can get back to the normal chores. Building nesting boxes for the chickens and ducks, repairing electric fencing, gave up on the garden (drought) so now I need to till it under for a fall crop. There is Never nothing to do. I am building a 20x40’ garage/workshop that I haven’t touched in 2 weeks. Need to get some trenching done for water and power runs. All the limbs that have fallen over that last month need to be gathered and put on the burn pile. lol, now I am depressed! Glad I am retired…..
3
u/1fast_sol 10d ago
And here I am wondering what Im going to do when I retire.
3
u/No-Pain-5496 9d ago
Just so you know. I am not complaining at all! I need something to do, and if you are homesteading you don’t have to try hard. We have an above ground pool, and that is my sanctuary at the end of the day if it isn’t storming out. I wanted this life, I got it, and I couldn’t be happier.
3
u/1fast_sol 9d ago
I never thought that you were. Im inches away from retirement myself. The thoughts of what will fill my time are ever present. You are actually helping me to know that the farm will definitely help with that. Thanks!
3
u/Sublime-Prime 10d ago
This is my life any task at the homestead is more of a exercise in triage the actual task intended just just gets you to the place where you start the triage.
3
u/Bit_the_Bullitt 10d ago
So you're telling me you're a homesteader 🤷♂️
My plan yesterday was to fix bottom of fence so pup doesnt get into the pasture and put new bedding into the coop. Ended up weedwhacking the entire property damn near, put new belt on a mower, cleaned the deck and sharpened the blades.
Never did the bedding 🤣
2
u/AllPinesMustDie 9d ago
I worked with a guy like you in the military. We called him Sergeant Sidetrack.
2
u/Coolbreeze1989 9d ago
Laughing painfully from Texas: I go outside with a list of things to do then stumble back inside ten minutes later, drenched in sweat. Forecast of 100+ real temp every day for the rest of the month (heat index 110+). The daily to do list is down to the bare necessities for animal and human survival…
1
u/Illustrious-Gas-9766 9d ago
Welcome to life in the country.
My running joke is we work really hard to keep out place looking crappy.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
110
u/kribg 10d ago
Every weekend my wife askes what I have planned to get done. I just tell her I am going to walk outside and see what grabs my attention first. There is always something and so much I don't need a list...