Advice On Getting Started

Harrington · #1 02/09/15, 05:56 PM

Hello everyone, I'd like to thank everyone in advance for any and all help rendered. This website has helped me learn allot the past couple years. I'll start off with a bit about myself I am a guy in my early 20s living near the Amelia County area of Virginia. I am planning on moving to Western Montana(Near Missoula). The goal is to get land as quickly and efficently as possible and build up from there. I plan on moving there in the next 2-3 years. I would really like to hear any advice. And again thank you.

**Terri** · #2 02/09/15, 06:17 PM

Start now.

Oh, do not move before you are ready ad do not buy before you are ready, but start now.

Learn how to bake and make small repairs and so forth and so on. Start now.

myheaven · #3 02/09/15, 06:43 PM

Do not go into debt ever!!!!!!!

billinwv · #4 02/09/15, 06:48 PM

Land yourself a partner with a good income and cash in the bank.lol

where I want to · #5 02/09/15, 06:53 PM

Do an inventory on everything in your life. Make a list of needs and a seperate list of wants.
First look to the needs to see how much you can and are willing to do for yourself. Learn how to fulfill as many of those needs yourself. Think about how to acquire those beyond you to do.
Then think if you are ok living without the wants or if life would not suit you without some of them. Then figure out how to get the wants or how to start living without them.
Unless of course you are rich enough to just by all those things yourself. Then you can be a homesttead hobbyist or gentleman rancher.

Fourthistles · #6 02/09/15, 07:07 PM

Have you priced land in the Missoula area? You may be in for a real shock.
That part of Montana has become quite a yuppie haven in recent decades and while beautiful, it's about as expensive as Jackson Hole, WY. If you have really deep pockets, you may be fine but I'd keep looking if I were you.

geo in mi · #7 02/10/15, 06:57 AM

My own opinion is that if you move to Missoula, you should be a bit skeptical about the Permies group there. They have a few good ideas, while others in the group would encourage you to make mounds of buried trees in your back yard......

But as always, when you look for land which is good for your "homesteading" thing, make sure you have good workable soil, secure your water, and scope out the surrounding area for show stoppers like 5,000 cow CAFE dairies, military waste dumps, etc, etc, and make sure your deed is free of leins and leased out mineral rights. (And a neighbor like Ted Turner...)

geo

Harrington · #8 02/10/15, 10:07 AM

Thank you all for your advice. I have started doing as much as I can on my limited budget here. Baking,Cooking,Gardening,Tinkering, And all around reading and researching every little thing about homesteading I can get my hands on. I suppose now it's about hands on experience and saving money. Thank you all again.

MichaelK! · #9 02/10/15, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harrington

I have started doing as much as I can on my limited budget here.

OK, this is really the key question, where's the money going to come from? What is your plan? Where's your income going to come from? Is this Paul Wheaton's group your joining? Are you going to get paid or is this some sort of indenture?

Honestly, you sound like you're about to run headlong into the dark without a clue. What's wrong with Virginia? Can't you find a piece of land on the back side of the Monogahela that doesn't cost that much? My personal impression of the people that circle around Paul is that they are a lot of idea people, most of which are untested. People that like to design their permaculture forest in front of their computer instead of getting dirt on their hands.

Me, I'd rather talk about my results rather than my plans. Results has that entangable value of actually happening, rather than what people are expecting might happen.

Answer the money question first. Everything else is secondary!

**Terri** · #10 02/10/15, 06:52 PM

There are a few ways of moving without risking much. What we did was to apply for work, and then move to a rented apartment while we looked for a place to buy tha was within an easy commute to our jobs.

Harrington · #11 02/10/15, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelK!

OK, this is really the key question, where's the money going to come from? What is your plan? Where's your income going to come from? Is this Paul Wheaton's group your joining? Are you going to get paid or is this some sort of indenture?

Honestly, you sound like you're about to run headlong into the dark without a clue. What's wrong with Virginia? Can't you find a piece of land on the back side of the Monogahela that doesn't cost that much? My personal impression of the people that circle around Paul is that they are a lot of idea people, most of which are untested. People that like to design their permaculture forest in front of their computer instead of getting dirt on their hands.

Me, I'd rather talk about my results rather than my plans. Results has that entangable value of actually happening, rather than what people are expecting might happen.

Answer the money question first. Everything else is secondary!

I am not running headlong into anything. I am as of now just looking and reading. I am formulating my plan now(A plan in its infancy.) If it takes 2 years great if it takes 10 years so be it. I am not planning on joining any kind of group or circle in particular. Right now I am just looking and weighing possibilities.

MichaelK! · #12 02/10/15, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harrington

I am formulating my plan now(A plan in its infancy).

You didn't answer the question, "why Montana?". Is it because you have relatives living there, or is it because you saw the movie "Last of the Dogmen"? What's wrong with the Monogahela? I gotta tell you, the weather in western Virginia is better. Do you somehow think shopping for land out of state is going to be easier than in your own back yard? What professional job skills do you have that will give you the income to make a land purchase?

Let's say you find a piece of land that's perfect. The down payment is 50K. Where's the money going to come from? Do you have a bank ready to give you a loan?

Being a land owner myself, I've already answered each and every one of the questions. Before you are, you aren't ready. I'm not trying to discourage you from trying to buy land. I'm trying to discourage you from thinking you can march into the mountains with an axe and a bag of beans over your shoulder and expect to carve a homestead out of the wilderness. The difference between a plan and a fantasy is a plan has goals you realistically are able to meet.

Harrington · #13 02/10/15, 11:21 PM

I have family and friends there, Yes. A possible job lined up as well. I have never seen "The Last Of The Dogmen" I have some possible foundation and family willing to help me out there. Also It's not about fantasy it is about reality. And even as young I am thankfully I am not fool hearty enough to try and rough it in the mountains with some beans and a axe. As far as banks go I have some possibilities lined up as well. Another reason this is very much so a multi year plan.

partndn · #14 02/11/15, 12:36 AM

Oh, you have family and friends there. I don't blame you for hoping to be near family and stuff.

I was also gonna say that it seems the Virginia area/App and surrounding area is well suited to a small single guy type self sustaining property. Land is rich. But there really is no more inexpensive property left, and getting harder to find with loose restrictions on what you can do. Arrggh

I'm curious if your long term plan is to be able to live by what you do with your property? or do you intend to have a off homestead job, along with many homesteading projects?

I agree with the person that said NEVER go into debt if you can help it.

Wish I had understood that in my early 20's. Wow, life would be very different.

Harrington · #15 02/11/15, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partndn

Oh, you have family and friends there. I don't blame you for hoping to be near family and stuff.

I was also gonna say that it seems the Virginia area/App and surrounding area is well suited to a small single guy type self sustaining property. Land is rich. But there really is no more inexpensive property left, and getting harder to find with loose restrictions on what you can do. Arrggh

I'm curious if your long term plan is to be able to live by what you do with your property? or do you intend to have a off homestead job, along with many homesteading projects?

I agree with the person that said NEVER go into debt if you can help it.

Wish I had understood that in my early 20's. Wow, life would be very different.

More then likely at least for the first few years off homestead job with many projects makes the most sense. And yeah debt effected many parts of my family quite drastically. I grew up in a household rampant with it and it is certainly one of my primary goals to make sure my children grow up without it over their heads.