future homesteader needs guidance.

[wildethan]

Hi everyone! This is my first post here, and ive been loving the community. Lucky to have a resource like this-- couldnt find something like this 10-15 years ago.
I'll try to keep it short (ive already deleted a bunch, in the interest of keeping interest...)

Im almost 30, living in central North Carolina, and for the past few years ive been in an office. For the first year and a half there, i suppressed my real passions and worked for the money. You know. But for a long time now, im tortured by the overwhelming need to live closer to the earth. Food has always been big for me, and is probably the main driving force in wanting to own land and produce what i need. And nature has always been central to my life, too. If i could I'd spend it all on wildlife conservation lands. Having no idea what to study in college, i chose to major in biology, because i wouldnt be interested in anything else.

I dont think of "career paths" anymore, just what i feel i must be doing. Something that doesnt involve prostituting myself, working up the ranks, and working in a contrived system.

(The main question.) Im lost at this point though-- conflicted between 1) beginning a serious internship with a pro or on a farm and getting more experience (which will help me understand what i want and more about the expenses) or 2) figuring out the my finances, buying land and just doing it. I do have a fear that the longer i wait to find good land, the more i will miss. My goal currently is to get a spot with 1-2 acres of cleared flat land with as much woodland as is within my budget (which is maybe 10k-20k?).

Ideally i would like to be in a community that shares my principles: I want to barter sauerkraut! Can i pick some of yer cherries for my eggs? I'll distill it and trade for one a yer pig heads! Etc. I'm hopeful that communities like this can be found easily (and that they don't use pesticides and have respect for their animals.)


Well i could write a lot more, and i did struggle to find a focus for this post... Thanks for reading!

later
-Ethan

[ET1 SS]

wildethan -

Welcome

Your 30. You feel "... tortured by the overwhelming need to live closer to the earth...", and you want to avoid: "... prostituting myself, working up the ranks, and working in a contrived system.."



In my area [Maine] we have a very extensive 'Apprenticeship / journeyman' program with our regional Organic Certifying group [MOFGA].

We see new farms starting up every year, and new Farmer's Markets every year.

Many farms offer apprenticeships. You can work on their farm, for a month, the season, or a year. You get room/board, plus a small share of the profit [sometimes a stipend].

Then you rotate to a different farm. A lot of these are college kids, kid love the vision of farming. But after a few months, they decide they hate the work of farming.

The apprentices who stay with it, become Journeymen and are usually placed as Farm Managers of communal farms.

Stay with it for another year, and MOFGA comes together to find you a farm for yourself.

I have seen Journeymen who formed a partnership and bought a farm as a group.

I know one farmer who starts up a new farm, trains apprentices, as soon as he can find 4 that like it, he convinces them to form a partnership, to buy the farm from him. He uses the proceeds to then go start-up another farm. Currently he is on his fourth farm in this manner.



I have a neighbor, who now is begging for apprentices.


Most self-sufficient market-farms in this area are between 4 and 10 acres.



If you think, you want to do this. Go! do it!

If you wait any longer to find a position, it will be too late.

You might like it. You might find you hate it. The office cubicles will still be there a year from now.

http://www.mofga.org/Programs/FarmAp...2/Default.aspx

[ET1 SS]

We currently have over 100 farms on the listing who are seeking apprentices. I did not realise that MOFGA staff are asking for an application fee.

I know a handful of college students who got their summer apprentices all lined up, and all of them, just contacted farms directly.

I even advertise for a farm on Facebook.

Whether you go through an organization, or not, is entirely up to you.

Good luck

This can be a good route to getting your own farm. IMHO, it is also good in terms of self-discovery to see if you honestly want to farm.

[Mulegirl]

You're single, no family to support, yes? Definitely go for an apprenticeship or some kind of farm experience builder FIRST, and buy later. The land will be there, and I doubt we're going to have another bubble like the one a few years ago for a bit. There's almost always cheap land if you look in the right place, so make sure that this is definitely what you want to do FIRST. Take advantage of your flexibility to learn and do research, and you'll be much happier when you do get settled.

[Vosey]

I absolutely second the apprenticeship/experience. MOFGA is an amazing organization. My brother and SIL are involved with them in Maine, they've had several apprentice's who unfortunately decided very quickly that farming was not for them. I suspect you'd love it!

We moved from Maine to Oregon 10 years ago. Maine was SO far ahead in the local farming, organic, get back to the land movement. Had no idea until we landed here. They idea of eating local food and growing your own food is just starting here.

So important just to go with your gut otherwise you'll be miserable in a cubicle all your life....

[Vosey]

Wow! I just went to the MOFGA site, incredible number of amazing farms on there. Was looking at Waldo county which is where my brother lives and sells his beef and lamb at the Belfast farmer's market, lots of farms in that one area.

[ET1 SS]

Originally Posted by Vosey

Wow! I just went to the MOFGA site, incredible number of amazing farms on there. Was looking at Waldo county which is where my brother lives and sells his beef and lamb at the Belfast farmer's market, lots of farms in that one area.

A lot of them up my way too.


We had no idea this was here, until after we got settled here. What a blessing MOFGA has been for us

We came here for the low Cost-Of-Living, cheap land, low taxes and lack of drought.

[Laura Zone 10]

Originally Posted by wildethan

Hi everyone! This is my first post here, and ive been loving the community. Lucky to have a resource like this-- couldnt find something like this 10-15 years ago.
I'll try to keep it short (ive already deleted a bunch, in the interest of keeping interest...)

Welcome.
Amazing folks around here...super smart, super helpful!

Im almost 30, living in central North Carolina, and for the past few years ive been in an office. For the first year and a half there, i suppressed my real passions and worked for the money. You know. But for a long time now, im tortured by the overwhelming need to live closer to the earth. Food has always been big for me, and is probably the main driving force in wanting to own land and produce what i need. And nature has always been central to my life, too. If i could I'd spend it all on wildlife conservation lands. Having no idea what to study in college, i chose to major in biology, because i wouldnt be interested in anything else.

I dont think of "career paths" anymore, just what i feel i must be doing. Something that doesnt involve prostituting myself, working up the ranks, and working in a contrived system.

(The main question.) Im lost at this point though-- conflicted between 1) beginning a serious internship with a pro or on a farm and getting more experience (which will help me understand what i want and more about the expenses) or 2) figuring out the my finances, buying land and just doing it. I do have a fear that the longer i wait to find good land, the more i will miss. My goal currently is to get a spot with 1-2 acres of cleared flat land with as much woodland as is within my budget (which is maybe 10k-20k?).

Ideally i would like to be in a community that shares my principles: I want to barter sauerkraut! Can i pick some of yer cherries for my eggs? I'll distill it and trade for one a yer pig heads! Etc. I'm hopeful that communities like this can be found easily (and that they don't use pesticides and have respect for their animals.)


Well i could write a lot more, and i did struggle to find a focus for this post... Thanks for reading!

later
-Ethan

I hope you can find what you are looking for. Surely someone here can point you in a right direction!