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Five years of blogging here

Sometimes I wonder what this blog if for, or why I spend the time writing it. I think it serves many purposes.

The main reason for starting the blog was to share what Pete and I were learning about self-sufficiency. At the time I also wanted to get better at writing, and the best way to do that is to practice. I've since realised how much I enjoy the interaction with other bloggers, both the friendships and the amount I can learn from them too. I didn't know all these wonderful people were out there until I started this blog!

More recently I've realised that I can use this blog as a platform to sell some of the things I make, including my two ebooks and my soap and salves, which I guess is another form of sharing what we've learnt. I also find that I refer back to old posts, both to remind myself how to do things and how things were at that time. Things have changed so much for me and Pete in the last five years!




When I started this blog we had only one eight acre property, with chickens and a couple of beef steers and our vege garden. Since then we have bought our 258 A property and our second-hand house, we have two dairy cows, a whole herd of cattle, guinea fowl and turkeys have come and gone, much loved dogs have passed on and been replace by a new much loved dog (more to come soon I hope), I've learnt to knit and crochet, we've both made cheese and soap, I've learnt more traditional cooking techniques, Pete's built several beehives and a honey extractor, I was working close to the farm and now I'm working in Brisbane for a while.... I'm sure I could go on.

Some things have stayed the same (here's what I wrote after one year of blogging), our love for animals, our desire to treat animals in our care with respect and dignity, our interest in self-sufficiency and setting up a property from which we can feed ourselves, and our mutual stingyness and inability so spend money on anything until it is definitely broken.

I would by lying if I said I didn't watch the stats on each blog post. I am fascinated to see what people read, what they comment on and how many people visit here each month! I am trying not to focus on that side of the blog because it does feel a little narcissistic, but its hard not to get excited when I post something that results in a lot of interaction.

Here's where you can find me on social media:

Eight Acres - the blog on facebook


Eight Acres - the blog on pinterest

eight_acres_liz on instagram

You can follow on bloglovin, feedly or put your email address into the box on the blog sidebar. I have a page on google + , but I don't use it (it seems to post my posts there automatically though, so that's one option to follow Eight Acres if you do use it).


Pete and I are pretty excited about next year. Its going to be all about bees and making some solid progress on our second-hand house. I'm keen to get myself an overlocker and make a dressmaking sloper. There's going to be more perennial pasture and we're going to finish our solar bore water system to bring water down to our orchard/food forest (there might even be lawn!). And I want to write for Grass Roots again, I haven't submitted anything for ages.

Thank you readers! Thank you everyone who has commented here, facebook and instagram, or sent an email (eight.acres.liz at gmail.com), I love to hear from you and I hope to see you all here again next year. Have an awesome holiday! Share your links below so I know where to find you too :)


I have some links to posts from 2015 that I forgot to put anywhere else:

Bees
Getting started with beekeeping - with Vickie

Getting started with Beekeeping - Sally

Beginner beekeepers - wiring frames and foundation

Beginner beekeepers - building frames

Buying honey bees



Create

Simple winter knits for beginners

Threading an overlocker



Farm

Planting a perennial pasture

The solar bore pump - part 1

Using compression fittings on poly ag pipe

Guns on farms

How we ended up with a farm

GreenPro - implements for small farms

Knots for the homestead





Food

Kefir for beginners

Raw milk in Australia

What do you feed your dogs?

What is real food?

Using the whole beast

How do you like your eggs?

Watermelon granita recipe



House

Removing asbestos from our secondhand house

Renovating a Queenslander

The air-conditioning dilemma





Soap

Shaving soap

Why use natural soaps and salves?

Soap with coffee grounds

Natural soap using beef tallow





Sustainable

Sustainable habits that our visitors find weird

Active transport = frugal exercise

I'm still not using shampoo

Three simple ideas - Use less resources

Natural toothpaste options







Comments

  1. Liz, It has been a pleasure to read and learn from your blog. I think of you as a reference and am often quoting you to my hubby when we discuss ideas and problems on our own place. I like how your posts are well thought out and researched and how resourceful you and your hubby both are. We can turn our hand to most things as well, but it is always great to see how others tackle things.

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    1. Thanks Barb! I do that with blogs too, I tell Pete what I read and saw, and he's thinking "do I know these people?" :)

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  2. I have enjoyed watching your progress, happy anniversary and have a happy new year of blogging.

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    1. Thanks! You've been following for a long time :)

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  3. Happy five years Liz. I'm so glad I discovered your blog this year and have enjoyed going back over some of the past with you. Am savoring the remaining posts that I'm yet to read. I love your way of writing, your commitment to your lifestyle, the informative posts and the honesty of your frugal ways. Wishing you a wonderful break over Christmas (I know it won't be a restful one) and here's to another five years of blogging ahead. :)

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  4. I have learned an awful lot from you during those five years, and I just have a small garden. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge. Happy Christmas to you and all those you love.

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    1. A small but very productive garden! And thanks for the seed swaps over the years too :)

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  5. yay!!! and wow! how long have we known each other!?! i think i started six years ago also about this time. it has been so great to see your farm(s) mature and you take on new project. really love to watch it all! give Taz a smooch from me! yay!

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    1. I don't think I found you right away, but when I did I spent about an hour reading your past posts! Couldn't believe I found someone else who wasn't scared to write about butchering animals :)

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  6. Happy anniversary, and love your soaps by the way. I can't write about them on my blog, until after Christmas. As some are gifts, and I don't want those recipients to see them.

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    1. Yay! Thanks for all your thoughtful comments Chris :)

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  7. I feel like we have trod the path companionably in blog land and learnt and discovered together along the way. It's six years for me next week and I often wonder when my words/news/doings will run out. How can there be more to say, but then, something new happens along. I can really relate to your opening sentences too and in the beginning I was hoping this would be a reference resource for my children but actually I find it more handy for myself; looking up recipes, methods and referencing historical family facts and memories. For me it's also been a bit like a photo album and I suspect my memory recall isn't going to be strong in coming years. You should be really proud of everything you two have achieved. All the best for the new year and the next stage plans round the place. Love T x

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    1. Yes, and I use some of your recipes too Tanya :)

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  8. Liz, do enjoy your well earned break. Thanks for those links to older posts. Did you know Blogger now has a Featured Post gadget where you can feature your older posts which may get lost in the archives. I will be reading the rest of the eBook once my family has gone on Boxing Day and hopefully the review will be done in the New Year. I hope 2016 is a great year for you both.

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    1. Oh good idea :) thanks Chel :) looking forward to your review!

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  9. Merry Christmas to you both, I don't often comment, but do read!
    I've wondered too at times why I blog, and the only reason for me is the connection with like minded people, it seems they are harder to find in the real world!

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    1. haha, yes I find more true friends here than in the real world, keep blogging!

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  10. You have an astounding blog here. I truthfully do not know how you find the time to write such quality content and live the life you do. Amazing.

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    1. Thanks Phil! I like what you're doing over on your blog too, great info :)

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  11. Happy Blogaversary Liz! You certainly have been on a great journey, and I have learnt a lot about farming techniques on a small acreage. Well done, and here's to the next 5 years! x

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    1. Thanks Gav! And I have learnt much from you too :)

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  12. I get lots of inspiration from your blog, Liz. Even though I live on a typical suburban-size block and you live on lots of acres, I think there's something for everyone in your archives! Blog on!

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  13. Congratulations on 5 years of very interesting blogs. I don't often wonder why I blog I know why I do - to share and to learn! You do get a connection with people that is hard to explain but it's good! I just wish I had more time to blog and to read other blogs! Keep it up!

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  14. Hey, :)

    I was recommended your blog by sally above! Its great to have stumbled upon it. I can see you have alot of great information here.

    We are saving to buy a farm as its my husbands background and passion but currently working hard to build a general store and post office, and 6 weeks ago just bought and are renovating a little 100+yr old stone cottage on a large rural block. We have lots of room for veggies, chooks, dogs and a few other pets that I seam to pick up and are currently planning a veggie garden based on permaculture principles. Besides the fully grown fruit trees (badly neglected, most will recover.) the block is pretty barren. We look forward to seeing how well we can get it to support our family.

    Anyway, great to find your blog, I look forward to following along. :)

    xx

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Thanks, I appreciate all your comments, suggestions and questions, but I don't always get time to reply right away. If you need me to reply personally to a question, please leave your email address in the comment or in your profile, or email me directly on eight.acres.liz at gmail.com

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