Lifestyle Change-Taking the Leap

[Huntmo1]

I grew up on a small farm and remember raising chickens, geese, pigs, and cows and growing a big garden. After high school, I joined the military and have been moving around ever since. I'm now 'retired' from the Air Force, have a good job, a wife and 2 wonderful teenage kids in high school. Unfortunately, we do not live close to family and hope to move back to MI, TN or KY after my son graduates in 3.5 yrs.

I want nothing more than to downsize all our belongings, find a part-time job, buy a small home on a few acres and live a homesteading lifestyle. I just don't want to work full-time until I'm 65 and then be too old to enjoy the things I want to do (hunt, fish, garden, raise animals, etc.,). So, my question is...are there any of you that got to the point in your lives where your kids were about graduate and you took the leap of faith to settle down and live a simpler (albiet hard working) and more rewarding lifestyle? If so, what was the best or worst part of the lifestyle change for you? Any advice for someone who's trying to determine when the best time is to do it?

Thanks.

[EarthSheltered]

Originally Posted by lanewilliam21

I grew up on a small farm and remember raising chickens, geese, pigs, and cows and growing a big garden. After high school, I joined the military and have been moving around ever since. I'm now 'retired' from the Air Force, have a good job, a wife and 2 wonderful teenage kids in high school. Unfortunately, we do not live close to family and hope to move back to MI, TN or KY after my son graduates in 3.5 yrs.

I want nothing more than to downsize all our belongings, find a part-time job, buy a small home on a few acres and live a homesteading lifestyle. I just don't want to work full-time until I'm 65 and then be too old to enjoy the things I want to do (hunt, fish, garden, raise animals, etc.,). So, my question is...are there any of you that got to the point in your lives where your kids were about graduate and you took the leap of faith to settle down and live a simpler (albiet hard working) and more rewarding lifestyle? If so, what was the best or worst part of the lifestyle change for you? Any advice for someone who's trying to determine when the best time is to do it?

Thanks.

I would not wait those 3.5 years for the kid to graduate, myself. I'd be looking for a spot right now. Narrow your search down to State, County, then find the perfect piece of land, or established homestead. That alone could take years. Then I'd get my ducks in a row as to what I need to be a success there.

While the search is going on, take that time to learn as much as you can about gardening, animal husbandry, canning, etc. I'm guessing you already know how to hunt and fish.

While you might not be able to physically move for 3 years, you can surely get starting preparing for it.

[salmonslayer]

We did exactly that when I retired from the Army and the only thing I regret is that we waited until the kids were all graduated and gone from the home. I was stationed in Alaska when I retired and we moved lock stock and barrel to the Ozarks where we knew not one soul and in the process we sold or gave away almost all of the trappings of our former life.

Its sounds a bit looney in retrospect because we bought a tractor (now have 3) when we had never even been on one before, we have chickens and cattle when previously we had 2 cats, and we grow most of our own food when our previous biggest garden was a small raised bed where we grew some lettuce and a few peas and potatoes.

I initially had planned on working and doing a hobby farm but we quickly changed that course to trying to make a living off our small farm and we love it. We have lots of friends, we have found we get great satisfaction in belonging to various community groups, and our lifestyle went from 6 days a week 10 hour high stress work to about the same work hours on our own land with little stress.

The worst part for us was going from a combined comfortable 6 figure income to something considerably less....and by worst I mean it was the psychological impact and fear of the unknown (that leap of faith your refer to) rather than the actual simplified life and less income. Here is an example, in our prior life we pretty much just bought what we wanted and we had nice vehicles, several motorcycles, a fishing boat etc and we did a lot of foreign travel, now we have to save for things we want and one of the things I am getting great satisfaction out of (something that eluded me when I would buy something shiny and new) is my $1200 old Dodge pickup that I am wrenching on myself and now use as a daily driver. I love that truck even though its got some rust and a few dents and everytime I fix something on it or make it run just a little better I get that hard to find sense of fulfillment and satisfaction (Maslow would have a field day studying my twisted hierarchy!).

My only advice like I said is to not wait til your kids are gone if you can help it. We retired at 49 and could have retired several years earlier but we were padding our bank account which has allowed us to live comfortably. I think if I could go back in time I would have sacrificed our finances and would have made the move earlier so the kids could have had the opportunity to live on the farm. Good luck, any idea of where you are thinking of homesteading?

[Miss Kay]

I agree. We stayed in the city until our son graduated but if I had it to do over, I would have gone sooner. He would have loved it even if he didn't think so at the time. The hardest part, how expensive everything was (equipment, land, fencing, feed, etc.) but the best part is the animals.

[Callieslamb]

We did just what you're doing- except we didn't plan it ahead. As our kids started leaving the nest and going off to college, we realized we'd spent our whole married lives working to pay for things we already had. Cars & house mainly. We decided this just wasn't acceptable. So we sold the house moved into an apartment. DH took a severance package from work that they offered at the same time because we were determined to get out of debt. We paid off every debt banked all the rest. Started job hunting. Hunted a looooong time. Fortunately, his previous company hired him back with a bonus and very nice raise. We bought a small place just under 2 acres. Though I'd always had a garden we were now able to add chickens and a few fruit trees. About the time the fruit trees started to produce, the company moved us from TN to MI. Since we couldn't buy a place with cash at Mi prices, we decided to go ahead and get another mortgage and bought 7 acres with a house and barn. With each move we learn to do a bit more.

It has been the hardest on our kids. First, because we moved out of our large family home into a small appt then a house 1/2 the size. Only 2 of the kids were still home when we moved and one of those graduated the next year, leaving us with a kindergartener. Moving him wasn't a problem. It's really, really hard to move teens. Maybe it won't be with yours since they have moved often. We moved to TN with 4 teens in tow. They were miserable. And we weren't changing lifestyles on top of changing locations. When we moved from Tn to MI, it left them with no one to invite to wedding receptions in the new area since they had never lived here, etc. They felt like their 'history had been removed and erased,' as one child told us.

Today, it's still hard on our kids - they think we're crazy to want to raise animals. It prevents us from coming to visit them often (so does their younger brother's school schedule but they forget that part). They all live in different states from each other and from us. We spend too much money on the farm (and I assume that means not enough of it on them.) We don't get to see the grandkids much but the other grandparents do, etc, etc, etc. They are coming around. It's more the miles that bothers them. But we'd have to live where we do, since that's where the job is, farm or not.

We tried a milk cow- that was too big of a commitment to DH. Now we raise a couple steers each year, I play around with some sheep. I still have chickens, a large garden a small raspberry/blackberry/blueberry Upick and a small orchard. we started baling our own hay last year. My only advice is to make sure your family is on board. And go slowly. Don't jump into everything at once. It's a nice dream to homestead...but it's also a lot of work. A lot of it. Good weather or bad.

One good thing about moving now- they will feel like the new home is "home' before they go off to college. Maybe they will even choose to to go college locally, rather than having them in a college nearer to your current home. Moving now would also give you the "in state" tuition advantage you learn all about in just a few years.

Whatever you decide - the best of luck to you.

[hmsteader71]

We're in the same boat as you. Our 18-year-old graduates this May and then our 16-year-old has 2 years of school left. We have been discussing moving but are waiting until he graduates, for a number of reasons.
1. We don't want to pull him from the school he's gone to and his friends. My husband went to 12 schools in 9 years and he just won't do that to him.
2. We are working on consolidating our debt into one payment in order to get it paid off quicker. Right now our finances are in a mess and we can't get our heads above water. The medical bills keep coming in and most of the places won't accept a payment lower than let's say $50 a month. Several of those add up.
3. My husband has worked at his employment now 10 years. He has full insurance without paying a dime for it now. He has 4 weeks of vacation a year, something that he worked hard to get and doesn't want to give up. And he just moved to another department, stamping, and is enjoying the work. He said the other day that we really need to get our finances in order, that we need to start building a nest egg because he might have another 20 years of working in the factory left in him. that would retire him out at 71.
4. One of the biggest reasons we haven't moved yet is our parents. My dad is 78 years old, lives a block and a half from us. We are here if he needs us. My in-laws are 81 & 83 and live 5 miles from us. Dh is their only child and they moved from Alabama back to Illinois to be near him. We are firm in honoring our parents as much as we can and along with that goes being close in case they need us.
I hope you are successful in finding just the right place for you and your family. We have tossed around a few different states but we figure we are going to wind up settling in Indiana. Our church is there, hubby's work is there and it's not that bad a state to be in. Illinois on the other hand, well I just won't go there! Lol.

[ronbre]

lots of homes for sale in our area of Michigan..generally betwen 100K and 200K with land and some outbuildings

[Chad]

We are in the process of doing a similar thing, however I am no where near retirement. My youngest is 13, but my DW is much younger than I so we are working on one or two of our own. We sort of "grew" into this lifestyle. When my wife and I first got together we lived on a city lot in town with no garden no plans, just a decent income from both of us and fancy newer things. Over the last 4 years we've been moving away from that lifestyle. We bought 4 acres in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas and loved it. However we continued to grow and realized that for our goals we needed more land. This last summer we closed escrow on our dream. The goal is for her to get teaching credentials and earn our "income" while I work at home raising our food and kids. It should take us 2 years to get to that point but you have to take that first step. I think patience is my biggest issue right now, understanding that everything takes time and money, neither of which seem to be in great supply right now. The one thing I take comfort in, is that in the short 5 years my wife and I have been together we have made HUGE strides. It's hard to see it while going through the daily grind but when you look back it's something to be proud of.


Like those above, I would suggest not waiting. I understand not moving your family until your youngest is out of school. However, you have a ready made work force right there. I know I am going to desperately miss my boys help as they go off to start their own lives. Not to mention I have become so much closer to my sons over this last year. It's amazing what working together, teaching and being a team can do for relationships. I hope that someday my boys look back and think the same thing (right now I'm just the guy who wants to "work" all the time)

Good Luck!!

[LisaInN.Idaho]

I'm glad we made the leap before our kids were up and out because now they have more of a link to this place and wonderful memories of growing up here in this cabin on the river. It also establishes more ties to the local community when your kids go through the schools.

[Nancy]

I agree, start looking now. We looked for 2 years, our kids were 11 and 8 at the time. But we were blessed to find a 5 acre place with a couple outbuildings and a liveable house for $15,000. Of course that was 1987 DH is a remodeler so he was not tied to a job. Gave him some time to do some things around our place. Mind you we never had much money and still don't.
But do it now.

[Huntmo1]

Ronbre,

I know...I'm originally from Michigan and check out the real estate websites all the time. We actually went on vacation this past summer and travelled through the state. I grew up in the thumb region, but I wanted to check out the northern part of the LP and eastern UP. I really liked the Alpena area...we looked at a nice farmhouse with awesome outbuildings, established garden and 39 acres with beautiful trails for $150K. Unfortunately, we just weren't in a position to move. But, it gives me something to dream about. Even if I had to work a minimum wage job to get by, I think I'd still like that lifestyle better. But, I don't want to be selfish and not provide for/support my kids as they move on to college and start their careers.

Originally Posted by ronbre

lots of homes for sale in our area of Michigan..generally betwen 100K and 200K with land and some outbuildings

[am1too]

Originally Posted by lanewilliam21

I grew up on a small farm and remember raising chickens, geese, pigs, and cows and growing a big garden. After high school, I joined the military and have been moving around ever since. I'm now 'retired' from the Air Force, have a good job, a wife and 2 wonderful teenage kids in high school. Unfortunately, we do not live close to family and hope to move back to MI, TN or KY after my son graduates in 3.5 yrs.

I want nothing more than to downsize all our belongings, find a part-time job, buy a small home on a few acres and live a homesteading lifestyle. I just don't want to work full-time until I'm 65 and then be too old to enjoy the things I want to do (hunt, fish, garden, raise animals, etc.,). So, my question is...are there any of you that got to the point in your lives where your kids were about graduate and you took the leap of faith to settle down and live a simpler (albiet hard working) and more rewarding lifestyle? If so, what was the best or worst part of the lifestyle change for you? Any advice for someone who's trying to determine when the best time is to do it?

Thanks.

I'm reading a book - Get Your Pitchfork On! The real dirt onf country living. by Kristy Athens

There is not much real content but lots of mind stiring material a newbie should consider.