What can I do to handle the 'wants'?

[Queen Bee]

I feel as if we are on a "tread mill"--not moving fast enough for my wants! It is no ones fault or personality but mine!!

We own 80+ acres about 25 miles from our house. Here we have a large house and 12+arces. We have painted our house de-cluttered MY stuff-remodeled the kitchen and baths, built a 5 car garage on the back of this house so we are set here!
We both work full time and are paying bills/saving and planning! We have done most of the tearing down, cleaning up and patching up that we can here and at the farm. I have planted an orchard, we have a very large garden, I have honeybees and we have our dogs but my husband doesn't want livestock or poultry (again) until we move to the farm, because we are too far away to check on things daily (our jobs). We "lost" a 1500lb. steer and several goats when we did have livestock.. I feel like we are just at a stand still.. I want to build barns, put up the fences, etc.-- he wants to wait until we build our house (we haven't agreed on where yet) and then build the barns close to the house!

Please help me make a list of things that I can do to make me feel productive at our farm while we are waiting to move... Thanks Debbie

[GREEN_ALIEN]

You are going to feel even more of the 'treadmill' if you move to the new property and have no barns, sheds and fences etc.. in my opinion. Imagine being on the ideal place but not being able to do anything because you can't house it or keep it in. Get out there and pick where the house is going and get after it...

[Jan Doling]

I found the "living fences" thread on another post very interesting. Now is the time to plant trees for that and windbreaks. There are special watering bags that you can fill and park next to your new plantings and it will seep slowly out over the next few days via a small hole in the bottom and can be refilled the next time you come. Sorry, I just remembered every one does not live where it doesn't freeze. This project may have to wait for spring where you are.

Meanwhile, put every thing on graph paper (or better yet, in a computer file. Plot out where the gardens will be, the livestock paddocks, etc. Do all your research now and graph your ideas in scale. Make short term and long term goals and you'll feel better once all your energy is at least put into documents. Make a journal. Keep us posted.

[BCR]

Definitely plan and re-plan now. Mistakes on paper are easy to fix. Track the sun's path in all seasons so you can see where shade and frost will be. Make note of foggy areas and where the frost comes first. Track shade trees growth and where they will provide shade during each season. Plan your buildings around mature trees left standing if you can. Makes the landscaping look mature faster.

You can start paring down further, have a weekend where the family lives with no tv for practice at creating other hobbies, or practice a low/no electric usage weekend to ready for the move, if that will fit your new lifestyle on the land. You can start researching small tools you might want for the garden, etc. and going to sales and auctions looking for them. Have a tractor yet? Research and start hunting for it.

Build and read your reference library.

[Freeholder]

You really do need to spend some time planning where everything will be. Then, if it was me, I would start this way:

1. get the well in, or otherwise ensure a supply of water.

2. Plant trees, shrubs, berries, etc.

3. Fence pastures, orchard, garden, etc.

4. start improving garden soil -- loads of manure, green manure crops, etc.

5. Renovate pastures if necessary.

6. Start building barns, sheds, etc. root cellar, smoke house, whatever you are going to need on the place.

Last, build the house, sell your place, and move over there.

You should make your own decisions about what gets priority, but this is the way I would do it.

Oh, once well and septic and electric are in, if you know someone reliable, you might rent MH space to them in exchange for keeping an eye on things, feeding stock when you aren't there, and so on.

Kathleen in Oregon

[Ana Bluebird]

Oh, my, I think you are missing the best opportunity to enjoy the planning. Now is the time to relax, plan and replan, walk around, smell the flowers as they say. You should be having a good time right now. Try to remember to take time to do that because it is the jouney that is important. A farm is never actually ever finished---it's always in process. Our carpenter friend gave us some great advice when we were planning and building our future here: you can't do it all in one day, take it one board, one nail at a time, plan in small steps, then look back at your accomplishments, feel the pride, and shrug off the mistakes because no house is built without someone looking back and wishing they had done it a different way. You are building memories that will last your lifetime.

[chickflick]

Originally Posted by Queen Bee

I feel as if we are on a "tread mill"--not moving fast enough for my wants! It is no ones fault or personality but mine!!

We own 80+ acres about 25 miles from our house. Here we have a large house and 12+arces. We have painted our house de-cluttered MY stuff-remodeled the kitchen and baths, built a 5 car garage on the back of this house so we are set here!
We both work full time and are paying bills/saving and planning! We have done most of the tearing down, cleaning up and patching up that we can here and at the farm. I have planted an orchard, we have a very large garden, I have honeybees and we have our dogs but my husband doesn't want livestock or poultry (again) until we move to the farm, because we are too far away to check on things daily (our jobs). We "lost" a 1500lb. steer and several goats when we did have livestock.. I feel like we are just at a stand still.. I want to build barns, put up the fences, etc.-- he wants to wait until we build our house (we haven't agreed on where yet) and then build the barns close to the house!

Please help me make a list of things that I can do to make me feel productive at our farm while we are waiting to move... Thanks Debbie

Just re-read your own post, Honey. You have a lot to be proud of!! Sometimes it's best if we just "bloom where we are planted".

Be greatful you have YOUR husband instead of Mine!! (About to be over!!) I have been lulled into putting off so many things over the last five years it literally makes me sick. (Stress related Fibromyalgia due to HIS 'negative karma'!) He is incapable of Planning and only argues. I have had to listen to him tell me that EVERY idea I have is either stupid, not possible, etc. only to FINALLY figure out that he is just a lazy city boy using me and my place for his weekend 'retreat'!

I am very impressed with your list of accomlishments... and you should be too!! Sometimes it is just enough to walk on your property, know that it is Yours, and enjoy the weather, animals, and all that wonderful planting you seem to have done. (If it's 'wintery' already.. take a walk in your pantry! I'll bet you've put up a lot of your gardening efforts.)

I'm proud of you.. even if You aren't!! (On to read the other posters comments)