Ever wonder if you realy have what it takes?

It can be kind very intimidating. When we moved into this place it was more a wooden tent. There was electric, water was in but found out it had frozen the pipes. There were leaks in about 50 places. The water meter is at the road. The house is 1/2 mile back on a goat path (driveway) that crosses a creek. I go turn the water on and leisurely saunter back and walk into a major flood going on. Brand new unfinished house that had been sitting for 2 years. I go to the basement to turn it off there and the knob breaks of in my hand. Anyway, you can guess the rest.
The only thing that was here was a toilet and a shower and sparse electrical.
No heat or AC. And that was it! The outside wasn't finished yet either. There was a coon living in the eaves.
3 children aged 2, 3 and 7 and no money. All the money saved was put into
getting the disaster started.
You would be surprised at what you can learn to do.
I am now an accomplished cabinet/furniture maker, plumber, novice electrician, HVAC handi man,carpet/flooring installer and probably several other things.
Another thing about the driveway. When I was looking at the place and was standing at the creek portion of it. I noticed debris in the trees at about 5' up like water had carried it there. Grass, small limbs etc. I thought "no way".
Not that year, but the next was a very definate affirmative on the 5' deep across the only way out. I know I have 30 or so tons of gravel seeding the creek till I got the problem more or less solved.

Added to note: It was the best thing I ever did.

You mentioned a year round creek and a woodstove. Can you cook on the stove? There's not much more you need other than refrigeration.

We just came through an ice storm that knocked out the power for about a week. Our year round creek and the woodstove ( it's a cookstove) were what made it possible to stay here. Of course it was cold enough that we could keep our frozen stuff outside in coolers and a galvanized trash can (lined). We brought in the solar yard lights at night. Son put little wire handles on them like lanterns.

As long as you have heat, hot food and water and a place to keep the food cold you should be able to do fine. Use the summer to get ready for the winter. (don't go out and get a bunch of animals the first year! (A few chickens at the most.)

It sounds like you have an army of helpers. Give everyone their own job to do. Even toddlers can bring in kindling for the stove and feel very important. (Believe me kindling is VERY important)

Enjoy the adventure!

Pauline

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I notice that everything you have is measured on tons.

Moving out of the city and into to primitive living is not easy.

First go out and rent a place like this one and try it for a while and I believe you will be shocked as to how much work it is.

Why do you want this lifestyle anyway ?

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We get our water from a spring. To us that means the water is from a spring piped into a cistren where it is collected in a large enough amount so we can pump it to the house under pressure. We have never ran out of water under normal use. But we can not water the garden, the dryer the weather and the more the garden needs water the less there is in the spring.
If you just remember three things you have to have to survive is air first you die in a short time with out it, water you can make it a few days without any, this is second and food most can live two weeks or longer.
With out plenty of water the whole idea is dead in its tracks. Please check out just how much you have and then plan it out with a large family you have to have a washing machine and water pumped to the house.

Pigeon Lady that was great about solor yard lights. I never thought of that How dense of me. See how much you learn just by reading this forum.


You can do anything you se your heart and mind into just go slow and plan ahead.

I know that I want this life. That is not a question. I just get a bit snowed under with all my tasks sometimes. I know that if we choose this place I will have to go into survival mode.
Its funny, I KNOW that if TSHTF (personal or otherwise) I can do anything! But I'm questioning myself in a "choice" situation.
We homeschool (accept my eldest). And Lisa mentioned that this house seems much bigger then what they started in. That sounds about right but you had 4 people. Lets just say we have more then 9 and less the 16, LOL.
And we cloth diaper. LOL ugg, can you imagine washing laundry for all these little ins and diapers for at least 2 at all times?
Oh, Im just whining now. Actually, with all the advice, Ive resigned to just do it and make it work somehow.
The land! It just calls to me. It has a creak, almost as good as a river. There is just so much of this that is EXACTLY what I have dreamed for so long. I guess I was just getting a little cold feet. Wondering if I am all I thought I was. I sound like I'm doing it alone. Not even close, my DH works his but off and all my kids accept the 2 babes always help. I could go a week with out haveing to cook because they all take turns. If I were down they would take over and keep everything done but the bills paid.(seems I'm the only one that will handle that.)

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Mutton and Chocolate! YUMMMMMMMM!

Hi..My wife is hinting at wanting to move back to the states.We both liked Idaho when we went thru it to the cdn prairies afew yrs ago,I have been looking at realtors online and I,ve always thought that realtors only carry what they want..meaning..the biggest price so they can make more $$.they don,t/won,t bother with the less disireable stuff.Like remote.I did however find a place near Preist River that had 10 acres and (I Believe)is off grid..No response yet from the realtor.The wife likes it and I do too depending on accessability..I told her we should drive down for a couple weeks this summer and look around.We live in Northern BC.Now I don,t think off grid would be of interest to me but certainly we don,t need all the bells and whistles that have become entrenched in us..We are looking at northern Idaho so I can buy/rent a place in canada and actually live in US.I need the canada address for health care,pension.But we need to be close enuf to a town to get some kinda work..nuthing special. just work.Any Thoughts

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Gord in Ontario

Well, Chillens, I remember when electricity came thru in the Ozarks!!Was still living at home, 1946. Done a lot of ironing with irons heated on the stove and ran a washing machine that had a handle on the side that either my brother or I had to push back and forth to turn the dasher.Then, I got married in 1952, and had elec, but used a wood cook stove, and stove to heat with, no running water on either place. fast forward to 1966, remarried, with 3 kids, week after we bought the house, it burned down. the 5 of us moved into a 12x24 shed, lived there all winter, till we got the house build. didnt have a well, or bathroom till 1977 (we all stood around to watch it flush first time, just like Beverly Hillbillies, cept we wereOzarkers) Took clothers to laundromat for years.
Fast forward-- I have it all, right down to dishwasher,and I love the times the elec goes off, such peace and quiet, I can feel myself unwind, gives my heart rest, feels like. How I would love to have my Home Comfort range back, kids say the time spent living in the shed was some of the best in their lives.
If you want to bad enough, you can do it--if its just a whim, stay where you are.

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In Life, We Weep at the thought of Death'
Who Knows, Perhaps in Death,
We Weep at the though of Life.

I have been worried, too. But it is my dream. And may I just say, that you all are my heroes. Hearing your stories is very inspiring. Thank you.

Wow, after reading some more of this thread, I want to add some pearls of wisdom given to me by others in selecting a farm that might help someone:

1.) Make a list of the physical properties of your place you desire, ie, hard surface road, ponds, stream, pasture, barn or whatever. Use this to compare all potential places to.

2.) Never cross water to get to your place. As already mentioned, you can guess how high it gets by looking for the debris line. NEVER cross water to get to your place, because it makes it a much more expensive and tenuous life to have a water crossing. A health emergency at flood time could be a disaster.

3.) Never own a place where the house is in a creek bottom. It may look as though the creek rarely or never floods as far as the house is set, but then how did the bottom form?

4.) Look at what's THERE as much as you dream of what could be there. Look for power lines nearby if you plan to have grid power and the land is undeveloped. Look at water access and availability; if it is a spring or well, look at its actual productivity. Look at the length of the driveway; it will need maintenance. Look at the lay of the land (hill land is harder to farm and lots more work). Look at the condition of the land; is is farmed-out or poor/rocky/chert soil? Look at neighbors and how their places are maintained. Value more what is there than you value your grand dream, because what is already there will not require your hard toil and money to put there! It is cheaper to buy exisiting structures than to build them. This will also help keep emotion out and help you take a hard look at what you actually are seeing.

5.) Even if you plan to home school, check on the quality of the schools. It is a huge influence on land values. My land is worth more than my neighbor across the road because I am in a better school district, even though we have no kids.

It takes a much more discerning eye to look for rural properties than city lots, especially if you have no prior experience. Be ready to compromise some things in #1, if most of the list is there for you. Look beyond "pretty" to what it will actually take IN WORK to make the place function as you wish.

All these things were said to me before I started looking, by my FIL, a lifetime farmer. I consider myself lucky. He has since passed on but his wisdom remains. Hope they can help someone else.

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

I guess I thought that everyone one here wanted it for the same reasons.(or at least very similar)
Well, I love the mountains. Ive wanted to be a part of them since I was little. When I was little we lived in a home on the reservation. We cared for cattle. Hauled our water in and heated it for bathes and such. The horses were depended on for so very much. I would roam the pastures, running through the grass that was taller than I. I would ride the propane tank like it was my horse. I worked my little but off. We ate hand churned butter, homemade cheese, fixed fences. I cant remember a time I was more happy.
I want my children to experience what it is like to live. I want them to run free, work hard for their daily needs (so they know they can, even if when they leave home they dont choose to). I want out of the city(town) where all the people flock and there just seems to be a general delusion about them all.
I also tend to be of the mind that we can possibly continue on the path we are on as a nation. If history holds true we are up for a rude awakening. I dont want my family to be unprepared. I want us to survive. If it does not happen in my life time, I want my children to know how to survive.

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Mutton and Chocolate! YUMMMMMMMM!

My husband is on with me. All the children but the oldest have been dreaming it all along with us. The oldest wants to live the pumped up city life, but is the one that most needs a reality check. Before life gets rude. This child I know will adjust fine, especially since the family is close and we all know what it is like to go along with the family. Trust me, the children have been very well taken care of when it comes to their individual desires and needs. When they mess it up there has been love, support, and forgiveness. I think with these elements we will do fine, even the one that would prefer the city life.
Again, they always have their own life. I think it is a mistake for parents to no fallow their dreams just because of kids aversion to a bit of change.

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Mutton and Chocolate! YUMMMMMMMM!

That's my dream, too. Of course it will take place in the Midwest, not the mountains.

And my dh is neutral about it. I will be the one working on it, so that is fine with him. He has decided he doesn't care if we have electricity, even. I told him that we will at least have solar. So he is coming around to it. My kids can't wait. They are young, but I think that my values have influenced them. My 6yo actually cried at her birthday because I bought her toys and not stuff to make her own toys (she wanted some wood and fabric!)

blue8ewe - Definitely go for it. As someone who's been there, I'd suggest trying to pick up an old wringer-washer and hanging some clothes lines. This'll help a lot with conserving energy (both yours as well as the generator's/battery bank's). Get the kids to help out where they can. Can't help so much on the dishwasher, but if you're in the mountains, the great outdoors is your freezer, just make sure to put the stuff in an animal-proof container. Have you checked out Lehman's website yet? They've got some great appliances specifically for folks using alternative/handpowered energy. Is it possible to build a couple more bedrooms onto the cabin? As far as questioning yourself, I think that's the best mark of a good homesteader. It means you won't be overconfident and get yourself into trouble. It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought, though. As a possibility, try this (which is something we suggest for people to do to check that they're prepared for the power to go out, storms, etc. in our disaster preparedness classes): turn off your power for a few days, up to a week or so. If you've got a deep freeze or something that you have to have the power on for, run an extension cord & leave one circuit on for those types of things and don't use them. See how y'all get on & along without power. Since you'll have power at this place, it won't be as bad as that.

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Cat
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The Misty Manor, Mercers on Etsy
Handmade soaps, candles, fiber arts, lampworked beads and sculptures, and beautiful jewelry.

Funny, we had a few storms this winter. One actualy put out the power for a few hours. No big deal right? I got home late from an appointment. He was home with all the little ones. The older kids were with me. I was running late because the snow was blasting the roads and everyone was so slow. ( we have a 4 wheel-so it was not keeping us , just everyone around us) Anyway, he also had the babe. I get in and he is raging mad. He was trying to cook. They had gotten the lanterns going so the house was nicely lit. One child was dealing with the babe. DH was trying to get the stove (camping stove) going but it wasn't wanting to start. We bought it used for a good price before we moved here. Never started it. Bad us!
And the absolute worst was this house is gas heated but with electrical power to blow it into the house. NO WOOD HEAT. I was already haveing the kids layer dress for the night and getting out all the blankets.
DH finally gets the stove to working and has the taters cut and getting dinner started when.........the power comes on! We laughed so hard. We were so NOT prepared. We realized that we are going to have to get serious about getting ready. The snow had it so we could not have used the fire pit out side. It is nothing more than a circle of rocks on the ground. Could not even find the ground.
Well we have a ways to go, but we know the path.
As for DH freaking, I was not home babe was hungry and there was no way to thaw the milk I leave in the freezer. Well, I got home and It worked out but it was a true test and we were not ready.

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Mutton and Chocolate! YUMMMMMMMM!