Welcome to the Ditch the Store community! I’m so glad you’re here. This is the place to connect with others on the same path — whether you’re just starting out or already knee-deep in compost. Take a moment to introduce yourself below. Tell us where you're from and what stage you're at in your homesteading journey. I’m CJ, and along with my partner (aka the Handy Helper), we run Mojo Homestead — 120 acres in regional NSW, Australia. We raise chickens for eggs and meat, goats for milk, meat and fibre, bees for honey, and cows for dairy and beef. We grow as much of our own fruit, veggies, and nuts as we can, and make our own bread, cheese, cleaning products, and even a few crafty things. We’ve been working on ditching the store for about 8 years now, and we’re getting pretty good at it — though we still buy toilet paper! Can’t wait to hear your story.

Lucy finally had her kids! She was my last expected kidding, given we had a buck who impregnated through a fence, I'm checking daily for other unexpected events. Lucy is in her third year as a milking goat and I have never seen her kid, she is quiet and pops her kids out without any fanfare or troubles. This year was no different. She kidded during a thunderstorm while I was inside resting my injured leg. She is a dream goat, gets pregnant easy, kids easy, feeds and mothers easy. And she is also the most gentle of goats with everyone else's kids, which is super rare. I had her dehorned as a kid, something I haven't done with any others since. She knows she is special! Her previous kids have been twins (male and female)and twins (both male). We are super happy that this year she has again kidded twins, and they are both doelings. Although the buck was half Angora, half Anglo Nubian, these girls will be milking goats just like their mum.

Sorry I have been so quiet over the 2 weeks. On the 1st of November I was involved in a farm accident on a neighbours property. We were attempting to push a newly calved heifer into a race to check her udder as the calf was having trouble getting a good latch. During this process I went into the stockyard with an unfamiliar animal, which I know comes with risks. She reacted badly and kicked me. The kick sent me through the air and into the metal fence. The result was not great, open fracture to my femur and damage to my other knee. I had surgery on the 2nd November to put a titanium rod into my femur bone and after 6 days in hospital I was back home on the farm. Strict bed rest for a week! The leg that was damaged most was unfortunately the leg I had a patellar replacement in just 1 year earlier. Luckily the prosthetic replacement was not damaged in the accident. I'm finally back milking again but still not allowed to drive, and on crutches for 6 weeks. I have posted some photos below, which are not for the faint hearted. But it is important to remember when dealing with a 2000kg animal just how much can go wrong. I am constantly reminding myself how lucky I am she did not kick me in the head or chest! It could have been a very different outcome.

Here in Southern NSW Australia we have a little thing called a false spring. Its when the weather starts to warm and you think fantastic, I can move animals to less sheltered paddocks and get seedlings ready to go....... And then it hits! And you remember the false spring. And the freezing weather that comes before the true spring. At least we are heading into summer, for my northern friends, is it getting cold yet?

When you only bred 4 does to the buck, and two have kidded, one is not pregnant and one is due in 2 weeks. Then you drive up the driveway past the goat paddock and discover a surprise waiting for you. None of our Angora have ever had twins but there is a first for everything. They are so tiny, a buckling and doeling by mum Maria-Antoinette, all doing well.