Self - Sufficient part 1

For us here self sufficiency is a big priority of ours. Of course being self sufficient is a lot of hard work. From day light to dark there is something to do, from feeding, checking on animals, digging in the dirt, or playing with seeds. So where does one start on the road to self sufficiency? Well let me start by saying the road is long - don't try to get it all done in one year, it takes time. Its a learning experience. you learn by trial and a bunch of errors.
Our first 6 years here we concentrated our energy on the garden and building the soil. we experienced some great harvests, and some not so great. From there we introduced fruit trees onto our property. Now we have 5 apple trees, 3 peach trees and 2 cherry trees all well established and thriving. we also learned how to make laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent.
This year (Year 9) we are concentrating on animals and the greenhouse and maybe some alternative heating source. Getting animals is a given- everyone is on board and ready to learn and help. the green house should get done within the next month - just in time. The heating source we are doing some research on and trying to figure out which would be best for our needs. On one hand the outdoor wood stove will heat the home and our water but wondering if wood, to use in the stove, will be readily available. On the other hand we have been also looking at solar panels but will the sun be enough here in the winter months to keep our home warm. This will be an exciting venture to see how it turns out, stay tuned.