HIGH LONESOME RANCH, INC
Birch River, WV
Jim & Marcy Lilly
hlrinc@yahoo.com
About Us Beauty Recipes... Canning... Exotic Law ... Farm Animals... Favorite Animal Links ...Favorite Pet Links ... Frugal Recipes ... Home Remedies ... Kennel... ... Favorite Homesteading Links... Homesteading Letters... Living Without Electricity ... Homeschooling... Homeschooling Links... Countryside Magazine Articles 1995 and 1997 ...First Year On The Ranch ... Silent Hands ... About Bethany ... About Brandon... About Mariann Silent Hands
High Lonesome Creations: Urban chicken coops, Rabbitats, arbors, stools etc.
15 years ago, I fed my family of 5 (3 children ages 3, 5 and 7) for $20 a week. With the prices today, I can still do it ... easily! I am putting together a recipe book with advice on how I did it, with recipes and grocery lists. If you are interested in being on the waiting list for the book, let me know. hlrinc@yahoo.com
"Rural people usually start from trust; don't
give them reason to distrust you.
Don't bring your city ways and try to impose them on the community. Rural
life is based on agriculture. Manure stinks and bees sting. It's a fact of
life. If this bothers you, go back to the city." Dave in SC
Animal Information:
1.
SOUTH
AMERICA: AFRICA:
2.NORTH AMERICA:
3.AUSTRALIA:
4. ASIA:
5.
FARM
ANIMALS: Bunnies, chickens, pigs,etc
I
am writing a book on our experiences the first year living here. The book also
includes how we built our block house without electricity. If you are interested in
this
book,
email me and
I will put you on the waiting list.
"Two roads diverged in
a wood and I ... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the
difference."
-Robert Frost
We live in the middle of nowhere. This was taken from a
cell tower less
than 1/2 mile from home.
More pictures from High Lonesome Ranch
"Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination. When we
remember we are all mad, the mysteries of life disappear and life stands
explained.." (Mark Twain)
"Your life is only as good as your attitude" Dr. Laura
High Lonesome Ranch, Inc. started in 1993 as a self-sufficient homestead. We
lived
without electricity
for over 9 years, using oil lamps for light. We built our home with our children's help, using hand tools. We still build all our pens, barns, sheds by ourselves. (See
pictures of our First Year)
We continue to collect water in cisterns, and can still use the hand pump in the house. Circumstances and growth here, though, has led to the addition of electricity to power the water pump in the barn and the incubators. (UPDATE: In 2002 we put electricity into the house.)
We began with 2 ducks and 3 chickens. The following year we added some goats and pigs. Our love of animals led us to meet many new people, and discover the world of animals. Our first exotic animals were our emu.
(Pronounced "ee-mew" in native
Australia
- not "ee-moo"!!!)
We grew to over 30 species of animals and close to 100 animals!
However, we are much smaller now.
Some of our
farm animals have been: goats,
chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits,
horses, pigs, sheep.
Our exotic birds ranged from the common to the not so common: cockatiels, dove, red-golden pheasant, wild turkey, peafowl, rhea,
emu
and
ostrich.
The exotic mammals
that were housed on the ranch were coati,
Patagonian cavy,
wallaby,
watusi cow, silver fox,
raccoons,
skunk,
prairie dogs, wolf dog,
llama,
porcupine, opossum, We
have had mice, gerbils,
guinea pigs,
Richardson's ground squirrel,
degu, rats,
chinchilla,
hedgehog.
Our reptile collection housed an iguana, red-eared slider turtle, box turtle and snapping turtles.
We also raise Shepadoodles, and
Dachshunds.
Do Wild Animals Only Belong In the Wild?
"They will be masters over all life -- the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the livestock, wild animals, and all the earth" Genesis 1:26b
Our 3 children started their own business
called Country Kids Critters
in 1994...
The animals they have raised include
rabbits,( Rex, Jersey Wooley, Dutch,
Fuzzy Lop, Lop, Dwarf, English and French angora), guinea pigs, degus,
African pygmy hedgehogs,
sugar gliders, raccoons, coati,
domestic
skunks, prairie dogs,
ducklings, pigs and many varieties of chickens.
They also each raised their own breed of dog: Labrador, German Shepherd,
Wolf Dog, and Dachshund.
They spent a lot of time handling their animals so
they are docile enjoyable pets. Customers
appreciated this trait in their new pet.
They have
had goats and
have given milking demonstrations.
They have delivered babies, administered inoculations and vaccinations, and doctored the sick.
Easter was a busy time for them as chicks, bunnies and ducklings are in high demand!
Our
"Kiss the Pig" contest for the American
Cancer Society's Relay for Life was very successful in raising money for cancer
research and programs.
Mariann, Brandon, and
Bethany at Brandon's wedding
My New Blog - includes what is going on here, frugal tips, recipes, etc...
Mariann has traveled on two trips the summer of 2006 ~ one to Europe with People to People and a mission trip to Peru with Global Expeditions. Christmas 2006 found her in the Panama Jungle. She has become a world traveler spreading the Word. In the summer of 2007 she went to Mexico. She became one of the youngest a shift managers at McDonald's and graduated from her homeschool studies at age 17.
She has traveled to Haiti and is currently finding sponsors for some children in dire need of help. If you would like to sponsor a child, for more information, click here
Bethany
(22) worked for 2 years
in
Mt. Gilead, Ohio with Stacy Westfall. She is now on her own training horses and
has a waiting list.
www.newworldtrainingcenter.com
She is a capable young woman who is ready to help you and your horse with ground work, colt starting, or the general 'tune-up' that your horse may need.
To contact Bethany please email her at: bethanyhorsetraining@yahoo.com
Bethany has been an apprentice with Clinton Anderson
at his Down Under Horsemanship Ranch, in Belle Center, Ohio and Seutter's
Performance Horses in Anthony, Florida. She worked for Stacy Westfall of
Westfall Horsemanship for 2 years. She has trained horses for pleasure riding.
She is a woodburner, and has done custom projects. She is also a very talented musician and played the mandolin with a group called Possum Fats and the Skillet Likkers
Bethany married
Ryan in July 2009 and they reside in Mount Gilead, Ohio where she continues
her horse training business
New World Training Center
Brandon
(24)
When he was 16 he had a business called Omega Computers. He sold custom built
computers
to the
public and local businesses at a lower price.
At age 16, Brandon took a 2 month mission trip to New Zealand June - Aug 2002 with Teen Mania Ministries.
He went to Botswana, Africa summer of 2003 for 2 months!
He graduated from Teen Mania's Honor Academy 2005 and was married on April 7, 2007, to his girl, Jen.
They are currently living in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
We rarely heard the words "I'm bored!" Homeschoolers learn to think "outside the box"! Homeschoolers actually enjoy their family! Find out more reasons to Homeschool...
Check out our homeschooling page.
Articles on our experiences appeared in Countryside Magazine in Nov/Dec 1995 and Nov/Dec 1997
More information about us on our First Year page.
15 years ago, I fed my family of 5 (3 children ages 3, 5 and 7) for $20 a week. With the prices today, I can still do it on $50 a week... I am putting together a recipe book with advice on how I did it, with recipes and grocery lists. If you are interested in being on the waiting list for the book, let me know. hlrinc@yahoo.com
Low Carb Recipes for those of us that need to lose a few...
Our Favorite Links
Listed by :
publications, petting zoos, animal info sites, on-line
pet stores, animal programs
First they Came for the Cows: In 2006 a USDA mandate called National Animal Identification System (NAIS) came to the attention of a middle-aged homesteader in NW Vermont and she finds herself thrown into the role of a reluctant activist. First They Came for the Cows is a fictionalized account of her experience.
*** If you own a domestic or exotic animal go to Exotic
Law for information on NAIS!!!
PLEASE HELP PROTECT
THE RIGHTS OF WV ANIMAL OWNERS It is our duty
as citizens (local, WV and U.S.) to know the laws. It's time to spread the
word to the WV animal owning population that there are people out there
trying to create laws that have the potential to affect every aspect of all
animal ownership. Please join our group, and help preserve your right to
keep animals!
Our Tax Dollars at Work: Chasing a cow over 5 states
If you own a domestic or exotic animal - please join Phoenix Exotic Wildlife Association, Inc. This is a group of private owners from all across America which includes individuals, sanctuaries and breeders. They are an organization of active members working to protect and maintain the rights of private ownership through responsible behavior. We need to organize to stop groups that want to ban ownership of our beloved animals and let the government take over. Click here for more info
For those of you that raise any type of animal, be sure to arm yourself with the facts against the proposed NAIS program that the government has in mind... Here are some sites to review: 1.Protect The Rights Of Small Farmers and Our Traditional Rights To Farm : http://www.jrigutto.com/nais/faq8.htm 2. RD EDSTATE: http://pubwvj.redstate.com/story/2006/2/26/142313/238 3. Free Market News: http://www.freemarketnews.com/Analysis/110/5089/2006-05- 30.asp?nid=5089&fb=1&wid=110&ntyp=EMA 4. Farm and Ranch http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/wot_nais.html
Go to Exotic Law for information
(TOP)
Rocky Raccoon, our first and most loved...
