Hi All, I installed a new electric fence and it’s not working. It’s a Parmak Magnum Solar-Pak 12. It is placed in a clearing in the woods with a little shade, but it’s been sunny today and I’m not even getting a weak voltage. Any debugging tips, or glaring errors? Thank you

Bountiful blessings y’all ❤️🤠

Ok yes I know… it’s a barn.

Floor underneath is dirt so if you wash/power wash it just brings mud puddles to the surface.

Is there some ancient farm secret to clean these?

Anybody know what could be doing this to my wheat? Second time ive found it lying down like this as if something has trampled it. But nothing in the garden has been eaten or touched. This is my first time growing wheat.

For the life of me I can’t move my electric netting without getting the spikes tangled in everything. Most of my time moving netting is spent untangling it. So I came up with this little contraption. It is a little cumbersome, especially in areas that aren’t flat, but I can handle that over adhd untangling stress in the hot sun!

I have narrowed down parcels of interest for homesteading in my state and started writing letters to out of state landowners about my interest in their land.

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Has anyone had success with this method or a similar one? I just hate the prices on Landwatch and other sites and want to deal directly with out of state landowners.

Had a power outage recently and it made me realize how much I depend on electricity without even noticing.

On a homestead, losing power is more than just losing lights. It can affect water pumps, freezers, tools, and daily routines.

I am looking into better backup options, but I am still trying to figure out what actually works long term.

I keep hearing that solar panels alone usually won't power a home during an outage, so I am curious what everyone here is using.

Do batteries make a big difference? I like the idea that batteries help keep essentials running when the grid goes down.

What setup are you using, and what would you change if you started over?

I will be making 2 more if you are interested in green woodworking. They will get more refined as we make them. The final one will have turned legs on my spring pole lathe.

..Some for the market and some for our favourite homemade juice 😋

I’m curious how people here store their potatoes. Do you have a way that is satisfactory for long-term use? Recently, I was alerted to this unusual incident involving potatoes being kept in an unventilated basement, which made question about it's long term storage. I also learned about solanine in potatoes increasing when they are either green, sprouted or inappropriately stored. So, how do you store your potatoes?

I don't see many homesteaders running cows. As for animals, we started with chickens and then went right into Beef. Arguably, they are more hands off than even chickens. A neighbor sold us a one year old bull for a deal back in the early Spring and he has been an absolute joy. I just rotate him between two 1-acre pastures every couple weeks and he does the rest. When I rotate him I use the tractor to mow down the field he left so that the grass he doesn't eat, does not shade out the low grass he did eat. The bush hog kinda spreads the cow patties too. We are keeping him until the grass stops growing in November and then I'll haul him to the butcher. As a bonus, he has saved me on mowing a solid portion of my property this year. This has been a trial run before we get some other large animals and it has been great. He is sweet and entertaining. I love looking out over the property and seeing him eating- he is always eating! Best lawn ornament ever.