Homesteading tips for a beginner

[Asella]

Hi all, I've only posted on here a few times, but I have enjoyed reading all the posts here. I am a female in her 20's looking to start up my own homestead. Right now my husband and I are living in a residential area in a small town, but we both would like to get out to the country. We are currently in the process of looking at houses through realtors but have not found the right one yet. We have been offered free land to build on next to hubby's parents, but they are difficult to get along with, so we have refused their offer. My husband wants to live in the country for the solitude, but I want to be there because I would like to be self-sufficient. Hubby isn't into homesteading much, but he is coming around to seeing the value of being self-sufficient. I am a full time housewife, and since getting married I have tried to be as self-sufficient as I am able to in town, and my husband is starting to see the benefits of such things as having a clothesline (which saves on the gas bill) and growing and canning our own vegetables (which taste far better than store bought ones). I have told him my homesteading ideas for when we move to the country, and he is supportive of some ideas (such as the idea of having chickens) but opposed to other ideas (such as a wood cookstove). My desire is to live off the grid as much as possible. My parents are fairly self-sufficient, so the idea of homesteading is not a new one. But I would like some ideas from all of you on how I can be self-sufficient once we get our home in the country. Please share with me your stories and experiences. I would like to know what has worked for others and what has not. How have you found ways to be self-reliant?

[thedonkeyman]

Asella, there is alot to consider. make list of whats important in your life. Income, childrens education,distance to hospital, social interactions with neighbors ? Besides this investment ? You say you have some free land ? I would like to see the BILL of Sale first ? One thing about that is, you could use your money for SOLAR POWER, gravity water (depending if your on a side hill) or could catch rain ? But then Solar power provides pumping power, but I would have both. A DOME HOUSE is a consideration with Solar panels, construct it so it is WIND PROOF with Shutters. Electric small (very light)pickup four door shouldn't take more than eight batteries and get 35 mph and charges at 200 miles. Should be able to run an alternater to recharge on the go or use your Solar system OR a WIND Mill? Happy trails from the Donkey farm , in Oregon. the donkeyman.....

[Asella]

Donkeyman, you've given me many things to think about. I never thought of a dome house before, so I did a search on the net for them and came up with a lot of information. They seem to be very energy-efficient as well as unique-looking, which is great because I like to be unique . I will have to keep that in mind. As far as what is important in my life, we are looking for solitude, and we are unable to have children, so proximity to schools is not an issue. We don't have a bill of sale for the land we were offered because my in-laws still own it--they have laid the offer out on the table for us and will sign it over to us if we decide we want it. But since we don't get along with them, we do not want the land they are offering. Since land is so expensive, our dream of building a house is fading, and we are looking more at existing houses in the country with a minimum of 5 acres. I will take note of the suggestions you gave, and use it when building or modifying our new home. Thank you so much.

[cc-rider]

Originally Posted by Asella

But since we don't get along with them, we do not want the land they are offering.

I might reconsider that offer. Especially if it is an area that you love and would want to live if it were not for the "neighbors".

Could it be that they are trying to apologize for their past failures by giving you this land? (Or are they using it as leverage to prove they are still the parents?)

Is it large enough that you can get away from them.... plant a hedge/windbreak, or something?

And I know this sounds terrible, but they won't be around forever! Can you hang in longer than that in order to have your dream home?

[Asella]

No, it's impossible to live there because it is right next to them. FIL is always telling us what to do and how to live our lives. He even tries to tell us what we can and cannot do with the property we currently live on, and he has no rights to our property. If he signed the land over to us, he would hold it over our heads forever and use that as an excuse to tell us what to do with our household. He generously paid to have some remodeling done on our house a few years ago, and he reminds us of that and seems to feel that he has some sort of personal investment in our house because of it. Although the offer for free land is tempting, we know it would be a lifetime of trouble from them. And they are only in their 50's, so they are going to be there for quite some time yet.

[Jan Doling]

Asella:

You are wise not to get involved with controlling in-laws. Just hang on to your dream and work toward your goal and you will eventually accomplish everything. You can start homesteading now, wherever you are. Container gardens will give you salad fixings and herbs for cooking. Bunnies and chickens can be kept in cages as pets. READ everything you can about homesteading now while you have no land to keep you too busy.

If your husband does not go along with your ideas when you are finally on the land, consider having a "potting shed" built just for you and then put your wood cookstove there. Make it a self-sufficient cabin where you can learn survival skills for times when the power goes out. Even a non-homesteading husband can see the benefits of being prepared that way. I would put the stove where there is a large door or area that opens to the outside and make it part of my outdoor kitchen so canning in the summer would be well ventilated.

Good luck ane keep us posted.

[Asella]

A potting shed is an awesome idea and is something hubby would definitely go for. Besides, we each need our "alone" time on occasion, and this would be a perfect retreat. Thanks for the great idea!!

[Hovey Hollow]

Do you own your place in town? How are the property values? We sold our house in the city and bought a bigger house with five acres in the country for about the same mortgage payment. Money goes a bit further the farther from town you get. Only now we have higher gas prices that kind of negate that. Fortunately DH and I can commute together 4 days a week.

[Mid Tn Mama]

Don't push your DH to do things in the country he isn't comfortable with. He may be opposed to the wood stove for safety reasons or because he knows he would have to chop wood. I know I wouldnt like my husband to dictate that I had to, for instance, sew all our clothes. Its the same thing.

Here are my suggestions. Start reading books like Back to Basics and learn how to set up your homestead in an efficient manner. What to begin with, what stages to do it in.

Think about rain barrels, composting toilets. Think about a leanto greenhouse that also can heat your home a little in the winter. Think about trellises that shade the windows in the summer, but not in the winter and give you edible grapes to boot.

What do the inlaws say about what they think you should do with your property? Perhaps they worry that you will lose money in doing things your way. Can you practice now listening to what they say respectfully and then doing what you decide to do anyway? Sometimes you have to repeat yourself so they know that you really really want to have chickens, for example. Maybe they want to be helpful and don't know how to do that properly? Ask them for ideas, they will feel important and needed.

Start small with the garden. Think about growing things upwards on every vertical surface you have. Think about where to put the chickens so it won't be hard to move the composted chicken muck to the garden, or move the weeds to them.

[wehes5]

Asella, we are looking for someon to share our land for homesteading...are you interested in talking email me "wehes5@yahoo.com". We are a married couple in Wisconsin...our kids are grown. I have a BA in Early Education and have homeschooled my kids for a couple of years...please make contact.