Farmsick

[CJ]

Like being homesick. For the past 2 years I've only occasionally lurked here on my once favorite board, because it makes me farmsick, until recently when I decided I might as well live vicariously through you all, missing the farm wasn't going away.

Living in the RV and selling both farms was the best financial decision we ever made, not to mention being great for our marriage to live together fulltime, but I miss it like crazy! Gardening, lambing season, hay season, canning, making cheese, screwing up countless batches of soap... sitting on the front porch admiring the sheep in the pasture, laundry blowing in the breeze, the sound of a hawk circling overhead, bottle babies, the wonderful sound of a herd sheep yelling in glee when they see you coming with treats, bottle calves tripping all over themselves in their hurry to reach you... but mostly I miss the silence. I never realized how important it was to me until I was greeted, day in and day out, by the sound of traffic, voices, sirens... aaaagggghhhh!

When we discovered this "campground" in the middle of a farm field away from town but still near enough to the nuke plant, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. But it's still noisy! I can still hear the train in the distance, and even this back road gets a lot of traffic. I hear farm equipment all the time, and dogs barking.

Our old place, there was nothing to hear but nature. I dearly hope that the replacement 60 acres I found for us proves to be as quiet. I chose it first and foremost for it's absolute privacy. While 60 acres is no where near enough on it's own to provide that kind of solitude, hopefully it's location will.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their lives on the board. For those of us who can't "be there", it's wonderful to read about those who are living the dream.

I hope to be back to ours soon!
The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[sisterpine]

I get that feeling every time I leave the mountain to go to work and am thankful that I get to drive back up the mountain every evening! I never realized how noisy even a small city is....I sure hope you find the peace and quiet you miss very soon. sis

[BAmaBubba]

I'm right there with you CJ. I live vicariously through folks here. I've only recently found the board but I'm SOOOOOOOOO glad. I grew up on a 200+ acre farm and though we had to quit farming years ago, the solitude was still there as well as being able to work in the garden, etc. I've been stuck in town for the last 10 years and I'm still miserable! Thanks everyone for letting me join in the joy of your lives.

Brandon

[CJ]

One day at work my husband mentioned all the housing developments going out along the interstate here...and the train runs right by it as well. He said he couldn't imagine people living by choice right there due to the noise, and one of the guys told him you get used to it.

Almost 3 years later, I am still not used to it, nor I suspect, will I ever be. I don't know how city people survive. I remember growing up, that's all I wanted was to have a big adventure in NYC. The first time I had to live in a major city (Tucson, then Las Vegas) I was ready to run home with my tail between my legs!

Of course anyplace with my hubby is better than a farm without him, which is why we made all the changes we did, in an effort to have it all in the very near future. 5 years sure can seem like a lifetime though. LOL

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[Deb862]

I know exactly what you mean, CJ. We had to sell our remote off-grid place in northern Idaho 3 years ago and move to a city in upstate NY. Like you, having lived for so long out in the middle of nowhere and hearing only the sound of silence (and other sounds of nature) coming to the city was extremely difficult. We live on a main street and after 3 years are still not used to the harley's at 2am, fire sirens, traffic, etc. It stinks because we don't even want to open our windows. I have wondered every day of these past 3 years how these people live this way. Much like you, making this move was the best financial decision we made and we now stand ready to purchase a farm/homestead again this year, although it seems the real estate market for these properties is not very good here now. We CAN'T WAIT!!!! to leave the city! And I agree, 3 years (or 5) does seem like a lifetime sometimes!

[fordy]

.................I sold my 5 acres and home , 11 miles out in the sticks , back in Nov-06 . Didn't miss it at the time because the tax nazis were sticking their hand in every land owners pocket . But , now I'm wishing I had a couple of acres with a small shop where I could build stuff and just tinker . Plus , I thoroughly enjoyed mowing my land with a riding mower . Something about freshly cut grass that makers a place look so well kept in my opinion . , fordy...

[Terri]

I hear you about the noise, CJ.

By me, the neighboring parcel of land is being turned into a subdivision. There are construction noises all the time, now! There have been for a year, now, and I mostly try not to notice them!

It USED to be that during the day all of the noises would be nature ones, with the neighbors lawn mowers and hot rods being added after they get off work. But, now I get no break at ALL!!!!!!

When might you be moving to your 60 acres?

[AngieM2]

I understand - at least somewhat.

I have lived in this small country mobile home park for about 9 years. When I moved in the next door 7 acres was a goat field, and the back is a wooded area. The back is still woods, but they are constructing about 5 acres of those self storage places in the goat field, so I'll soon be looking at the back of those from the sewing machine and computer - YUCK! (but I'm making the best of it, and saying they are doing it for my convience for my fabric stash that keeps growing).

I'm wanting land, but they've put the new subdivisions just about a mile down the road and moving closer, use to be they were 10 miles away... they are eating the country all up. And it's very sad.

I'm glad to hear you have 60 acres. If you can build in the middle of it, you may have a decent buffer zone.

Good luck on your settleing down and having an non-rolling home.

Angie

[CJ]

Probably 5 years before we can live there. Maybe part time before then, it's hard to say. 5 years is my best guess, and our goal. It really depends on how much we can accomplish.

It is awful to own someplace peaceful in the country, and have that peace destroyed by development! Of course you can never know for sure if that's going to happen to you, all one can do is cross your fingers.

We may build a little cabin out there so we can at least get away on the occasional weekend, that would help. Of course we could put the road in and just take the RV, but a road good enough and big enough for our semi and RV would surely announce to the world that we're there, LOL. We hope to not make it obvious that anything is happening until we can move there, hence the reason we though we'd buy a tractor w/backhoe and do most of the work ourselves. The tractor can get down the path to the bottom without a real road.

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[blue gecko]

I know what you mean about housing developments near the hwy and train. I've never understood why folks would want to put up with that. I can hear the train if the wind is just right, it echos right up Mill Creek. I can also hear the lifters go off at the plant LOL. Not my favorite sound. Usually means we'll be getting a phone call.

A little cabin get-away on your land sounds very nice. A friend built a tent floor on his remote land . It was very cool, He'd put anchors for his tent around the perimeter and it took only a few minutes to set up the tent. Eventually he added a storage building with walls that swung open and became part of the "tent" set up. It's very cool. Another friend just put up a floored pavillion with drop sides and a nice outdoor grill set up. Neither one of these fellows ever left much on site in the way of supplies....stuff has a way of sprouting legs when you get into remote areas.

[Shepherd]

Good luck to you CJ. That time will pass quicker than you realize. Soon you'll be announcing you're about to move in!

I had to leave the country for many years until I could come back. I yearned for it for so long. I was starting to think I'd never get to move back, but miracles happen! Don't give up on your dreams.

[CJ]

Blue Gecko you are practically our neighbor, you should stop sometime if you pass by here, you can't miss us

Yeah the theft thing worries us too, we'll be leaving the tractor and atv at my parents. They're an hour away, but we've already had one tractor stolen.

Shepherd, I've no intention of giving up my dreams. And in all reality, just being able to be with my husband all the time is enough, we had to wait years just to do that! LOL

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[blue gecko]

I'll definitely try to do that. Are you still at Hillbilly Haven? If that's so then we are only about 4 miles from each other. Small world huh?

[CJ]

Yep, still there, all the way in the back

I feel your pain..

Lost everything when I got divorced 2 + years ago, and went from having a homestead to a woman's shelter, then living with my DD in "yuppieland", and then to this apartment complex..praise God in the next few weeks I'll be moving to 12 acres & rental house FAR away from any traffic, or malls..HOORAY !

I cannot wait to hear "nothing" again..smell hay, feed hummingbirds, and plan my garden..even though the place will not be mine..it's a step in the direction where I want to go..It's HARD to wait..!!

[CJ]

Oh ouch Leslie, that sounds really rough! I am so glad you found a place in the country again. We spent yesterday wandering some of the back roads, admiring people's gardens, stopping to watch goats at play... it was great and really helped my mood.

There's nothing quite like baby goats and sheep to make all things right with the world. :baby04:

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[grams]

Originally Posted by CJ

There's nothing quite like baby goats and sheep to make all things right with the world. :baby04:

Ain't it the truth! When we lived in Cincy the Ceasar Creek Pioneer Village had goats. When DGD#2 would come to the house she would always say, "see doats." She was just barely talking but she knew she wanted to go see the goats. We will still say "see doats" to each other when ever we pass goats.

Good memories! Thanks

[mtnbluet881]

Perhaps there are some homesteaders that you could visit or even help out?

I'm beginning to realize that although things like freecycle.org are in place by necessity---perhaps it signals-- by design as well. Let me explain what I mean.

There are so many greedy people or organizations or taxing bodies going after a person's cash that perhaps banding together is the solution. This solution may end up being a blessing since America families have gotten so isolated. Isolated in the sense that you hardly hear of a barn raising except maybe in the Amish communities. Hence, by banding together and bartering and helping each other out we all gain back a little of that community spirit that has been lost in many areas.

I said that all to say this: by finding another homesteader that could use the help, you would be gaining back a little of that peace and solitude that you so desperately miss and in turn you would be helping the other person(s) as well.

Now finding one may be easier said than done, and this banding together process is not without adjustments but just maybe this is what is needed to strengthen our communities.

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by mtnbluet881

...by finding another homesteader that could use the help, you would be gaining back a little of that peace and solitude that you so desperately miss and in turn you would be helping the other person(s) as well.

Now finding one may be easier said than done, and this banding together process is not without adjustments but just maybe this is what is needed to strengthen our communities.

Boy, I would love to find someone like that... I can't keep up with things around here. I've mentioned to DH it would be wonderful if we could afford to build a cabin or something for someone like what used to be called a "hired man" could live in, but that's not possible.

[CJ]

That's actually an excellent idea. Especially for the city people who have no farming experience, but dream of setting up a homestead. I'd love to farm myself out to a nursery!

What a great plan, if like minded homesteaders in an area, would form a group and work together to help each other out!

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!