Renting homesteaders---challenges, joys and triumphs

[Gritty]

I'll open with my story. Grew up til I was 10 in a small city in the Rockies. Moved to upstate NY with my parents. Built our own barn and house. They've been off grid til last year. Were they self-sufficient? No. We bought 98% of our food. Had a bunch of pets, but no livestock. They gardened, with varying results.

When I moved out, I rented. And have been renting ever since. It seems some folks have a mighty low opinion of those that rent and I hope we can change their minds.

I think self-sufficiency is a goal, rather than a reality for most folks on HT. Maybe not, but I know for myself, it's a slowly approached vision. I garden. I have chickens, I have sheep and soon to be goats. I can a tiny bit, I have made sauerkraut and kombucha. I knit (poorly-my daughter is much better). I have a goal to spin and weave. (Still having trouble with being intimidated by my loom).
No meat or milk animals, so far.

Some would say I'm not a "real homesteader".

But...I have bathed in a metal tub from water hauled from the stream. I have washed my clothes in an ancient wringer washer. I have read by oil lamp. I have practiced piano by Colman lantern. I have mastered the art of dressing in warm clothes when your bedroom is frozen (put your folded clothes in your bed with you). I lived in a tent while hitch hiking to three different jobs for about seven months (so I could save up for renting a place).

My husband and I have transformed the rental we live in. Flooring, paint, wooden fence, livestock fencing, old barbed wire removal (some folk thought throwing it in the blackberry bramble was a fine way to dispose of it---however many years later it was like a strange metal bramble had grown), pasture harrowing and planting, tree pruning, installment of a Woodstove insert that worked (no wonder the first winters heating bill cost us over $1000-we were chucking wood into that thing like it was a steam engine. It was a victorious day if I got the thermometer to read 60f in the house).

Anyway, I have a feeling that us "homesteading" renters are probably a pretty good bunch to rent to. What about you?

[Gritty]

Wanted to share what I've learned over the years of trying to keep a "renters orchard." We try to keep our fruit trees etc...in large pots, so we can move them with us. Blueberries have done very well, figs have done ok, citrus are ok (but a little more high maintenance with having to move them inside), grapes-even in a super deep pot, I've killed each and every one, but try each year. The property we are at comes with apple trees and walnuts. This year I will add a couple of pear trees and possibly a few hardy kiwis. When we move cross-country, we will either have a massive sell off or (and I know this is kind of crazy) we'll put them all in a trailer and move them with us. They'll be so happy to go in the ground after years of being in pots! I learned the hard way that potted plants need more protection in winter than "in-ground" plants. My figs all froze the first year we had them and we figured out it was because of the exposure to the air temp. The past few years I have moved all potted plants to our front porch (or inside the house) and haven't lost one. Our house leaks a lot of heat and it has kept the plants warm enough.

[I_don't_know]

I have long believed we each owe a debt to this great country. My mom was in the Navy, dad was a Merchant Marine, sister was in the Air Force, I have epilepsy so I could not join, but I think I have found a way to do my part. "Future House" will be a place for Vet's to stay while they get there life together and get ready to step out and face the world. Low rent,but school or some kind of training will be mandatory and part of the contract. If they are not willing to help themselves, why should I.
I have 3 parcels and can put 2 buildings on each. I will be starting with one and grow from there. As I am a woman I will be looking for lady Vet's at first.
So am I nuts, dreaming to big or what? Your input please.

[gone-a-milkin]

I rented a place for almost 10 years where I had an orchard, perrenial flower beds, kept poultry. goats, and a horse,
had 3 hoophouses and grew an acre of gardens to vend at farmers market.

The old man who owned the place CRIED when I moved away.

It makes me sad when people talk trash about renters.
They are not all terrible people.
Nor are all landlords evil greedy folks who care nothing for their tenants.

That said, I wish I could've brought all my plants with me when I moved here.
I did managed to bring all my t-posts and the plastic for my hoophouses.

Now that I own my own home I sure do hope to never go back to renting,
but we have to do the best we can where ever we currently are.
THAT is the homesteading spirit.