The PLAN
Our original dream had seven exciting parts:
- Sell the house quickly.
- Quit my job or work part time.
- Buy ten inexpensive acres with open pasture, a small wood and fish pond in the nearby country, 15 minutes outside of town.
- Build a new energy efficient block house on site or renovate existing structure.
- Play in the garden with all my free time.
- Buy a barnyard of animals.
- Become trim and fit with all the fun physical farm work.
We're still on step 1. OK, my early plans were a bit unrealistic. I see that now, but some of the elements are still in the mix.
How to Get from Here to There
"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride." I think the most frustrating part of dreaming is that we often want the big dreams to happen quickly. It's easy to take refuge in a dream, it's harder to put in the work and time and patience to make it happen. But we're still committed to making the change. Here's why:
First, I'm tired of working in corporate business. Work invariably involves being out of town; clients want you to work where they are, not the other way around. I began to think about taking a local job, which would pay substantially less, perhaps as little as half or even a third. But that's not practical with our current debts and bills.
Our house is a good house. We like it a lot, but it has a very small yard, with very close neighbors. And although there's a great park at the end of the street, I'd be brain dead to let my 9 year old play down there unsupervised in this day and age. So no land, suburban house, no privacy, no elbow room, and a lot of house and other debt requiring me to work abroad; the house needs to go.
Once we made that decision, the dream flood gates opened, and Mr. Research hit the Internet. I quickly came across the word “homesteading” online and followed every Google link I could find. This was for me. This rang true in the compost of my soul. I saw an immediate way to blend in my green inclinations. Homesteaders welcome alternative energy and off the grid living with open arms. I could envision it:
- Rambling over my 10 acres of wooded hills, a large pond, and grassy meadows.
- Energy efficient block house with a deck on the roof.
- Solar panels would flood the house with electricity.
- Water would pour off the roof into underground cisterns.
- Healthy fruit and vegetables for the picking.
- Goats for milk and cheese, chickens for farm fresh eggs, geese to keep down the yard weeds, a guinea fowl or two to keep the garden clean, cats to keep out the mice, dogs to keep out everything else, a pig or calf for fattening.
- Sam could play in safety to his heart's desire.
When the house sells, we’ll have funds for one choice: either a down payment for a new homestead (YEAH!!!!) or payoff for essentially all of our debts (…crickets chirping…) I knew the answer all along deep down inside; we are, after all, ultimately pursuing a more practical, down to earth lifestyle. Going back into heavy debt hardly seems practical. Then, other uncomfortable realities became apparent:
- Could we even find suitable property close to where we wanted to live, and if so, could we afford it? Looking online and driving around the places we wanted to live gave a bleak answer, probably not.
- Are we willing to move to where land is that we could afford? Again, probably not. We still want some of the benefits related to living near the city; availability to current friends, restaurants, theaters, and other interests. I want a decent Internet connection; she wants to ramble in the shops with her friends sometimes.
This called for another Internet search:
Off-the-Grid – Sustainable living separate from utilities, especially electricity.
I like this concept, but we certainly don’t have the resources for the initial outlay of materials on an entire home system. However I could start small and build slowly, perhaps beginning with solar heated water or a solar system for part of our electricity needs. Living in the southeast, this is especially attractive during hurricane season.
Self-sufficiency – Living close to the land, with an emphasis on frugality, recycling, and self sustainability.
Some of these sites got a little weird, although I agree with the premise. I’m not into dumpster diving or eating out of reused pie plate tins. However, I think frugality is sorely missing in America, the land of plenty, and we should make better do with what we have rather than filling up Sam Walton’s pockets.
Organic Farming – Government regulated farming geared towards producing produce that meet strict guidelines of production.
I think the idea of food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizer and gene tampering should appeal to anyone conscious enough to breathe. Our society's dependence on chemicals is a Pandora’s box. I fully expect that one day we'll find that many of our current illnesses are linked to chemicals in our food, water and air. In organic gardening, though, you must be certified. Even small farms have to comply with strict guidelines to be labeled “organic.” Plus I don’t think I want to put in the money or time needed to farm full time, and frankly although organic produce sells at a premium, I don’t know that our local farmer’s market or restaurants could support it.
Customer Supported Agriculture (CSA) – Providing periodic produce and animal products for local residential and commercial customers who pre-pay for the service.
I'm still thinking half-seriously about a CSA. It might be an attainable goal, one that could start small and grow. Similar to Organic Farming, I could benefit from the concept of clean and healthy, locally grown produce, but not have to deal with government restrictions. Unlike catering to restaurants, since no single crop is promised, if one performs poorly, another can substitute its place. Also, the members share the risk by paying in advance, allowing the farmer to start up with a minimum of personal cash outlay. I may yet try this on a small scale.
HobbyFarming – Owning a small “working” farm, but supporting it with a sideline or fulltime occupation.
I’m a chagrined to say I think hobby farming probably best defines our goals. Many homesteaders keep pantries stocked with two years of provisions, grind their own flour, and make their own clothes. We’re not willing to commit that amount of time and change from our current lifestyle. But we do want to live as close to it as we can, where we can. I would like to:
- Grow our own vegetables as close to organic as possible.
- Raise fish for eating in a protected pool.
- Raise hens for egg and meat production.
- Grow a large assortment of fruits and nuts.
- Possibly raise a pig for butchering.
- Incorporate energy and water saving devices as possible.
- Raise small crops for home and animal consumption.
- Can and dehydrate our produce.
- Raise bees.
- Possibly sell extra produce and honey at at a roadside stand or a small CSA.
I think we can do this on a much smaller scale like an acre. This fits in much better with our finances and also what’s available within a reasonable drive of the city. But, the house hasn't sold yet. It’s been on the market since late June, and we're hopeful. Some repairs are needed and we’ve priced it accordingly. Selling it will get us out from under an exorbitant house payment and help payoff numerous other debts that drain our finances. Until that happens, everything is on hold. Even then we may be looking at a year or two of apartment dwelling to raise the necessary down payment.
Sometimes it seems like the dream gets further and further away. That's when I go surfing homestead sites and blogs.
