Thanks Pearl!
Getting ready for a big change
- Thread starter ShleighW
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Good for you. I admire people that follow their dreams!
I'm primarily in suburban New Jersey--not far from NYC. There are gardeners. Most of the towns have ordinances against chickens and other livestock. I am here because my dad is 89 and won't leave. When the time comes (with retirement in 1,498 more days or he needs care beyond just me), I'll (or we) will pack up and go upstate NY. My older brother lives up there on about 300+/- acres and dad has a log cabin on the lake. I want to live at the cabin but my brother thinks it's too isolated for his little sister. Time will tell and dictate.
Beautiful horse. Have you posted about him/her yet?
I suggest reviewing the world war three thread on this forum and going to the " poplar report " world war three projected targets and using that as a consideration as to where to relocate . I have done already years past , the same as you are planning to do . I rank that decision one of the best decisions that I have done in my lifetime . Consider natural water supply that may be available as when the bombs drop , the electrical grid will cease to exist and likely that will be the end of any community water system . Welcome to the forum
All it takes is a bench grinder and an auto body sander or small angle grinder, a few specialty cutting wheels, a drill, and the knowledge of what a knife looks like. A big vice helps as well, but I have just used C-clamps.
Sounds like a great plan! 300 acres!!!
Endless possibilities!
We are in process of fixing up this house to move!
There's an online school I've been doing lessons in -school of traditional skills- will grab the link and post it if you'd like
that really made a huge dent in some of the areas. We want to provide as much of everything we can for our family. So the butchering part was a bit intimidating. 
but love their approach. And all about bees and kitchen stuff from organization to prepping, canning fermenting etc. Now I'm WAY more confident. Still learning, just not as wide eyed about it all lol hope that makes sense Our youngest and I volunteer at stables, we ride as well, but that is not our horse. Just one of our favs. He is such a joy to be around! His name is Rythm and is 17 years old.
Welcome from Alaska!
Thanks Alaska!
It exciting to think about! We will definitely be giving it a go!
Right now we live in subdivision. Small lot one lol
that's why I say it feels like a fish bowl 
garage is my herbal station and my tools but yea just not enough room for anything else...Greetings and welcome from Twin Falls County, ID USA! In 2018 we retired from the 5th (or maybe the 6th) largest city in the US; I was 73 and Dawn was 62 and neither of us had ever been on a farm or even had a decent-sized garden.
For that reason, I'm hardly in the place to give you advice on when to plant or how to milk the goats; others here would be a lot better at that than I.
We thought homesteading would be hard -- and it is! Fortunately, we live within a couple miles of a small (pop. 3,500) town and don't have to drive far to a grocery, farm store, and a bunch of outlying neighbors who had been farming all their lives and were happy to share their knowledge and friendship with a couple of older lost city slickers.
I think the most important thing we did was to make friends with all our neighbors, ask their advice, and tell them when the peaches and plums were in bloom. The neighbor kids would show up and a day or so later, they'd be back with plum cobbler or maybe a peach pie. Most of our neighbors were LDS and Republicans; we're neither.
One day the bishop came by, saw my 'Ridin' with Biden' sign in the yard and told me that he'd met with the members of his Ward and they promised -- when they saw me -- to refrain from bringing torches and pitchforks. Then he borrowed my compound miter saw!
The point is that most of the folks around here are registered Republicans who would likely vote for trump, but they're still our friends and neighbors
Some of the more ... naïve ... colleagues believe that living alone and surviving without a local support structure (friends 'n' neighbors) would help them through an SHTF. I doubt if that would work. For the rest of us, 'help and be helped' will make your farm experience a bit more enjoyable.
For that reason, I'm hardly in the place to give you advice on when to plant or how to milk the goats; others here would be a lot better at that than I.
We thought homesteading would be hard -- and it is! Fortunately, we live within a couple miles of a small (pop. 3,500) town and don't have to drive far to a grocery, farm store, and a bunch of outlying neighbors who had been farming all their lives and were happy to share their knowledge and friendship with a couple of older lost city slickers.
I think the most important thing we did was to make friends with all our neighbors, ask their advice, and tell them when the peaches and plums were in bloom. The neighbor kids would show up and a day or so later, they'd be back with plum cobbler or maybe a peach pie. Most of our neighbors were LDS and Republicans; we're neither.
One day the bishop came by, saw my 'Ridin' with Biden' sign in the yard and told me that he'd met with the members of his Ward and they promised -- when they saw me -- to refrain from bringing torches and pitchforks. Then he borrowed my compound miter saw!
The point is that most of the folks around here are registered Republicans who would likely vote for trump, but they're still our friends and neighbors
Some of the more ... naïve ... colleagues believe that living alone and surviving without a local support structure (friends 'n' neighbors) would help them through an SHTF. I doubt if that would work. For the rest of us, 'help and be helped' will make your farm experience a bit more enjoyable.
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That great you both were able to do such a change. Especially with no knowledge of it going in. Not everyone has that kind of motivation. Wonderful to read about your guys adventures!
Having neighbors and friends around is crucial to us too. Sharing knowledge and things makes everything better.
Politics-I am a libertarian. Do respect others views, as long as they don't try and push their views on me, respect goes both ways. Wish communication on topics were more readily happening. But typically just ends with more division and hostility.
Trading foods and such! LOVE THAT!!!
Humans need companionship. Some more than others
Thanks for sayin hello and introducing yourself
nice to meet ya Old Whatshisname
I will add to old What’s his name post. I have seen people try to do it where I am. They usually fail be because a spouse doesn’t support it. I am kinda lucky, my wife sees my commitment to the lifestyle, supports it. Even to the point of canning and freeze drying. Anything we can grow. She knows I can keep us going for years. And is willing to do her part.
A warm welcome from Alaska.
Welcome from Florida.
30 years ago we moved from suburbia to the country and literally carved out our present day four acre homestead from land that had been a pine tree pulpwood farm.
30 years ago we moved from suburbia to the country and literally carved out our present day four acre homestead from land that had been a pine tree pulpwood farm.
You're absolutely right. Dawn and I both went into this all in; it wouldn't have worked otherwise.
But Wait! There's more! I think our biggest problem the first two years was too damn much to do, including
- pumping USD 55k into a 100-year-old farmhouse,
- building a garden,
- fencing a pasture,
- building a couple outbuildings,
- starting a herd of Nigerians and a flock of chickens , AND
- Taking a couple classes at the local JuCo,
