solidarity

Wednesday we hauled the last fifty-two bushels of wheat from our neighbor's grain bin, where he has been holding it for us since last October.  Each year we buy about 120 bushels of wheat --  along with a few hundred square bales, this is almost the only necessary input on the farm.  At $4/bushel, we spend $500/year for grain -- mostly to feed our pastured chickens, but about 20 bushels for bread, pasta and such.  Avoiding corn and soy for our birds means we know there are no GMO's in their diet -- just grass, bugs, worms, sprouted wheat, raw milk, and organic meat scraps.  And since corn-free/soy-free/GMO-free eggs go for $5 a dozen here, when we have them to spare, we only have to sell 100 dozen a year to cover our grain bill -- including wheat for cooking.  And, as we say, that's pretty much all the grain the farm needs for the year.  Already, with the chickens laying at about 60%, we have eggs to share with local folks who can't find them in the store, and folks who can't get out to shop.  Just now, minimal-inputs homesteading is looking better than ever.