New and in need of advice

[BWCBunnies]

Hello I'm new here. This site was recommended to me.
I'm really fed up with the rat race of life and wish to homestead and
live a quiet and peaceful existence with my critters.
I have no iead where to start. Bills are high and income is limited.
Decisions have to be made soon due to a divorce.
The idea of renting makes me crazy just thinking about it.
It just seems like throwing away money.
I can sure use some advice. I hear there are homesteading communities.
I've no idea how to find them and don't know what they
require to enter such communities.
I'm at a point in my life where I am very worried and very scared.
I know I don't want to live in the city.
What states are best to find good cheap land?
I've so many questions and my head is spinning from all the
thinking and concerns.

[mtman]

first welcome second what kind of weather are you looking for and lastly stop thinking so hard and i know you are or you wouldnt be up so early

[Terri]

Welcome!

My advice to you would be to read the responses to your thread, but do not make a decision yet.

Let your subconcious work on it while you deal with more immediate concerns. You will probably know what to do once your immediate situation is dealt with.

A good place to start is to think about where you are most comfortable. Do you like winter or summer? Or, both?

[mightybooboo]

Start from the beginning and start reading the threads.That will give you ideas to get a handle on what folks are doing.After reading a while,you will get a feel for what you want to know.Right now,you want to much info,it would take a book.That is exactly what this forum is,a book,evolving,accessable in easy to digest chunks.

So,dig in first and then ask simply answered questions,one step at a time.Then you can start a plan,like how to save,etc.

Gee,that doesnt seem all that helpful.

Anywho,welcome aboard!

BooBoo

[Mike in Ohio]

Greetings. You've already received some good advice. As others have pointed out, a good first step is to read through the various threads to get ideas. You will find a lot of different opinions and approaches. By looking at how things have played out for people in you will get ideas on how to deal with the issues in your life.

Again, welcome and good luck.

Mike

[moopups]

The currant low priced property seems to be either within the Ozarks, or the dry western states. Anything under $2,000.00 per acre is a bragain these days. The most important thing is to not take debt to the country with you, that is a formula for failure. Get everything paid off, and only get into situtations where you can pay as you go.

Slow down and learn about how homesteading works, spend a lot of time reading here or in similiar places. Regain control of your destiney so you do not make any mistakes. And get some sleep...

[teresab]

I guess my advice would be don't make any quick decisions. You life has been turned upside down by a divorce and jumping into something quick probably wouldn't turn out very well. Give yourself time....while renting does seem to be a waste of money it would give you time to collect yourself and make a good and sound decision. I have been there and know what a confusing time it is.. ...take the time to figure out who you are and where you would like to be in the future and what steps you can take to get there... one step at a time. And welcome to the site...there are a lot of nice people here. Good luck on your journey !

[shawnee]

Mtmman you are a wise one! Good advice. We sold some of my mother's land this spring; 375 an acre in north central Ks. It is remote and water can sometimes be an issue; rocky also. Central Ks. land can start $750-800 acre. Pretty much same western Ks. (very dry there, though). Something with a few acres outside/near a small town may be helpful; lots of that here. Just pick a town. Good luck, take a deep breath, and relax; you're among friends!

[Pony]

Hey, BWCB! Welcome!

The best advice I've seen so far is to Take It Slow. Many of us have been in your position, and know that jumping in to something is not a great idea.

If you have to go into a holding pattern for a while, that's not so bad. In fact, it's good! Gives you a chance to catch your breath, regain your balance, and do a reality check.

Best advice I ever got and never followed was to wait a year before making any big decisions. Wish I'd followed that advice!

There are lots of great folks here, and they're willing to help.

But for now, take a deep breath... Relax...

You're going to be great.

Pony!

[januaries]

You've gotten some sage advice. Don't jump into homesteading. In my opinion, homesteading can become just as frenetic as the "rat race" if you aren't on top of things. Decisions made when you are very worried or scared are often more influenced by emotion than by insight and clear logic.

First, assess your current situation.

Bills are high and income is limited. How can you raise your income or lower your bills until your finances are in shape to afford a big lifestyle change? Can you apply for section 8 housing? Can you get a roommate? Can you move in with a friend? Is there anything from your current budget that you can cut out? Can you take on a second job part-time? If you're in debt, do what it takes to pay that off.

Which homesteading skills do you have, and which do you need to learn? Can you begin learning any right now, before you actually have a place of your own? Can you check out books at the library? Can you talk to farmers at the local farmer's market or feed store?

Second, articulate and visualize your goal.

What is your reason for homesteading? Do you just want to get away and find some peace and quiet? Do you want to try your hand at farming? Do you enjoy physical labor and self-sufficiency? Do you like the challenge of overcoming unexpected obstacles? Do you want a full-size homestead with all the farm animals and acres of fields? Do you want to pursue simplicity? Do you want a small cabin in the woods? Do you want to be utterly self-sufficient, off-grid, with alternative energy sources? Do you just want to cut living expenses? Will you be doing this alone? Will you have a "outside" job?

How do you expect to benefit from this lifestyle change? What are you willing to sacrifice to obtain it?

Third, create a plan for moving from your current situation to your final goal. There will be many steps, and it may take more than a year to move from one step to another. For most of us, the process of becoming a homesteader is as important as being a homesteader.

You sound a bit frantic yourself, right now. Maybe it's just the 3 am post; life can seem overwhelming at 3 am. I hope you've gotten some good rest by now. Don't let yourself be "bullied" into a decision by seemingly overwhelming problems. You are in control of your own life, whether you are a homesteader or renting in a city.

[mtman]

moopups is right the ozarks is where our place is you can still get some land there for a fair price but it is going up there allso

[MsPioneerGal]

Originally Posted by BWCBunnies

Hello I'm new here. This site was recommended to me.
I've so many questions and my head is spinning from all the
thinking and concerns.

Welcome back Carla - Carol ???
Best advice I can offer you.......read all your postings when you were "Ranchlady43"

I can be reached by PM here . In God we Trust!

[BWCBunnies]

I'm not ranchlady but she is the one who refered me to this site.
We are related, cousins to be exact.
I don't have internet service and there are 3 of us that share one aol account.
Is this a problem?

[lilyrose]

I agree with Teresab: "I guess my advice would be don't make any quick decisions. You life has been turned upside down by a divorce and jumping into something quick probably wouldn't turn out very well. Give yourself time....while renting does seem to be a waste of money it would give you time to collect yourself and make a good and sound decision. I have been there and know what a confusing time it is.. ...take the time to figure out who you are and where you would like to be in the future and what steps you can take to get there... one step at a time. And welcome to the site...."

Hope the best for you.

[MsPioneerGal]

Originally Posted by BWCBunnies

I'm not ranchlady but she is the one who refered me to this site.
We are related, cousins to be exact.
I don't have internet service and there are 3 of us that share one aol account.
Is this a problem?

Welcome aboard BWCBunnies. Sorry for confusing you with another poster and I offer my apology for doing so.
Hope you enjoy your time here, as there are lots of great posters here that can give you loads of good advice !!

Brew up a coffee, and come join in!
Sincerely, mspioneergal

[BamaSuzy]

If I were you I'd buy some land as far out in the country as I can....it will be better if it already has a water source such as a well....then if nothing else I'd get a second-hand trailer and put on it and then go from there....that would beat throwing money away on rent....

but study and THINK and don't let the divorce rattle your brain....I've been there and it's not fun but you will come out of this and will have a better life!

There's a lot of great ideas and information on this site. I have lots of back issues of COUNTRYSIDE, BACKWOODS HOME magazines (you need their anthologies!) and the OLD Mother Earth News and I study and read and re-read.

best wishes! we'll all be pulling for you!

[TNHermit]

I agree with the advice you got so far. But I would also take stock of how hard do you want to work. Homesteading has to be a reward in itself. i think the guys & ladies on here that are actually homesteading that it takes a buttload of work to do it. And the people that are trying to get to that point will probably say the same. You'll have to save the romatic notion of it for the few times it happens. When your doing this gig you mostly depend on you unless you got a pile of cash..

[mamakatinmd]

We just purchased a farm in Ontario Canada. 350 acres (100 plowed acres, 250 wooded) w/2300 sq ft farm house, 7000 sq ft barn, and wood/equipment shed for 120,000 american. That's about 343.00 an acre. It also had a pond and several creeks running thru it. The farm house was in the middle of being renovated and needed drywall inside, kitchen cabinets, all stuff just to make it pretty. Had new roof, windows, and doors, and elec all important stuff. It did not have furnace but it had a wood stove. Because it was ugly it scared a lot of buyers off. Completely livable if you don't mind the decor. My husband and I have learned how to do repairs ourselves and got this great deal because we could see the potential. The barn needs alittle work too but it in good condition. There were lots of cheap land deals in the area. Small town of Warren between Sudbury and Northbay. You have to be accepted for citizenship of course but there are several types to apply for. There is a special one for farms. There are good deals out there but you have to be willing to work, like most good things. Keep searching and reading books, and acquiring skills. And saving as much money as you can! Good luck.

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by BWCBunnies

Hello I'm new here. This site was recommended to me.
I'm really fed up with the rat race of life and wish to homestead and
live a quiet and peaceful existence with my critters.
I have no iead where to start. Bills are high and income is limited.
Decisions have to be made soon due to a divorce.
The idea of renting makes me crazy just thinking about it.
It just seems like throwing away money.
I can sure use some advice. I hear there are homesteading communities.
I've no idea how to find them and don't know what they
require to enter such communities.
I'm at a point in my life where I am very worried and very scared.
I know I don't want to live in the city.
What states are best to find good cheap land?
I've so many questions and my head is spinning from all the
thinking and concerns.

Welcome BWC - this is a great place with a lot of knowledge. You don't mention if you're male or female, if you've had any experience living in the country, or if you'll have to continue to work to support yourself. But whatever you do, this is a major step you're talking about and not one to jump into quickly just because you need to find somewhere to live due to your divorce.

Be VERY cautious about homesteading communities because there are some that are dangerous. Any "community" that try to convince you to shut off everyone from your past (family, friends, etc.) - don't walk - RUN away from them. Check around with farmers in the area to see if you could help them with chores in payment for a place to set up a travel trailer on their property for a short time, or to create a small room in their barn. This way there is someone nearby in case of emergencies and you'll get a good taste of country living for awhile before committing to anything more permanent.

This will give you time to acclimate yourself to being (kind of) on your own in the country and to see if this really is something you'd like. It will also give you time to check around for your 'perfect place'.

Try not to make hasty decisions right now. You're going through a rough time. Temporary solutions for now might be your best bet so you can really take the time to decide exactly what you want and make the move to your perfect place.

[Karen]

Busted... Ranchlady43/Cara/Carol (perhaps the 3 cousins...lol) It is you!