hello from king county Washington

[UpTown Family Rabbitry 2]

hello. My family has raised and shown Meat rabbits for over 15 years. We started with Rex but are now raising Californians. We live on a packed city lot so sadly the chances gardening and having other animal is are very low however. We do however have a 10' X 5' raised bed that we try and plant vegetables in every years. My life dream is to have a full blown homestead/farm that will supply a restaurant/bakery. I hope that you guys can give me some tips to accomplish that.

 

[Bacpacker]

Welcome from Tennessee

 

[dademoss]

Welcome from Ohio!

 

[Sourdough]

I hope that you guys can give me some tips to accomplish that.

"SELL" everything you don't need (cell phones, TV thingies, radios, second cars, etc.) take that money and make the transition.
And welcome to this forum, from the, Great State of Alaska.

 

[Peanut]

Welcome from Bama!

 

[DrJenner]

Welcome from the dry side of the state - my advice is to move out here!

 

[Alaskajohn]

Welcome from Alaska!

 

[Morgan101]

Welcome from Eastern Missouri. Good to have you with us.

 

[Cascadian]

Welcome from Oregon.

 

[UpTown Family Rabbitry 2]

"SELL" everything you don't need (cell phones, TV thingies, radios, second cars, etc.) take that money and make the transition.
And welcome to this forum, from the, Great State of Alaska.

I’m only 18 and still live with my parents so I don’t have anything worth grate value of my own to sell. But I am taking a business class in hopes that I can learn better money management and organization skills. My parents have tight me quite well so far though.

 

[LadyLocust]

Hey there Up Town. Welcome aboard. Given your age, I think joining this forum is one of your wisest choices. Avoid debt like the plague! Might look up FIRE (financial independence retire early). There are various life situations, but it’s info not taught in school. By the way, you are in the most expensive county in the state. I’m east of you a ways and wish you all the best. Lots of good info already here among the threads.

 

[Spikedriver]

Welcome from Iowa!

The advice about avoiding debt is sound. I don't know if you're going to college or what, but do what you can to avoid debt. Don't use credit cards, they'll sneak up on you! When you get paid, put money into savings first. I know it's hard to do if you don't make much, but it will build up over time. Avoiding things like Starbucks is key. Put that money that is normally spent on such things into savings.

Good luck on your dream!

 

[Amish Heart]

Welcome from Kansas. Yep, ditto on the no debt, no bills. Work hard, save your money. Learn new skills. We can help with that part.

 

[Peanut]

Ah! Skills! There is an expression that benefits young folks who learn it… “The more you know, the less gear you need”. In this application knowledge is the key to a successful homestead, not equipment.

Don’t let parents or a small yard stop your learning, always think outside the box. You might think winter is almost here, it’s to late to plant anything. If the goal is to harvest a vegetable you’d be right. If the goal is to learn about new veggies or medicinal plants etc, it’s not to late.

Small packets of seed are only a couple bucks. Game camera’s are cheap. All you need is a vacant lot. Throw out some winter annual seeds and drag a rake over it. Then observe what happens. Learn which critters or birds eat your veggies, learn to read their markings. Same for insects… If something is eating in my garden I don’t need to see tracks in the soil. I can look at the damage and know which bird, critter or bug is in my garden. Knowledge and experience!

Vacant lots… I’ve taught classes on wild medicinal plants using nothing but the first vacant lot I saw. Most people look at a vacant lot and see nothing but weeds. What they don’t know is that some of those weeds are medicines! An learning them is almost free, just a couple good plant books and time. Same for critters who live in vacant lots… Several of us have posted some great plant medicine books in our library section, there are a few on critters also. Knowledge!

Almost every town I’ve ever been to has had vacant lots, big power lines, abandoned industrial areas. There is land available to you to build a knowledge base. Just have to think out side the box, Look up “Gorilla Gardening”, it’s a term used to describe growing on vacant lots and similar. There are folks all over the world in major cities who do this and post about it.

GuerrillaGardening.org This site is based in London. I don’t follow them but there are many other such websites.

(personally I would never harvest a plant to use as medicine without knowing the history of the soil or chemicals that might have been used there in the past. But that never stopped me from learning about the plants growing there.)

 

[SheepDog]

Uptown, Welcome from a guy who left that side of the state to survive the Cascadia Subduction Zone. I am currently in the SE corner of Washington. I should warn you that you can't sell products from a homestead. You have to register as a ranch or a farm. That will bring inspection and demands from FDA and a few other three letter agencies. Check into it before you decide to do it.

 

[backlash]

Welcome aboard from a former resident of King County. Moving from that liberal cesspool was the best thing I have done.

 

[viking]

Hello and welcome from S.W. Oregon, I to lived in King County, hated it with a passion and didn't feel free until I left Washington altogether. Many people in our area wish that we could have a "State of Jefferson", however living on the left coast I doubt this will ever come about. That being said, we do live in a much freer area of Oregon, for which we are very grateful.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Welcome from Florida

 

[Cascadian]

Since you are young and healthy maybe you can find related work on a local farm or homestead. We are almost 60 and are kind of hit and miss on finding physical help when needed. Part of the problem is we are not from here and there doesn't seem to be a lot of younger folks inclined to work.

 

[CountryGuy]

I hope that you guys can give me some tips to accomplish that.

Welcome from out in central PA.

A lot of great wisdom in the posts above. First thing is first, if you don't get in debt in the first place you won't ever have to pay off debt. Besides the links above I'd also look at some of Dave Ramsey's items on how to get out of debt (if you have any) and also on how to save money and details on an emergency fund. Also create and live by a budget. Lots of free info and templates out there on that and as others have said, the first person you pay is yourself. Look at your self as the most demanding creditor and every check money goes into your savings 5 preferably 10%. After you pay yourself the rest is to live on. Same goes anytime you get a raise, put the extra to your savings. Want to retire by 35, save now.

Also as I believe I saw others mention, invest in hard goods. Not just precious metals but things like firearms, tools, property. Don't become a hoarder but having quality tools is a great investment, as they say "buy once, cry once'; meaning buy quality items the first time. Yes it'll be costly and take you longer to acquire things but many might last your lifetime. So whether that's a broad fork for your garden or a set of mechanics tools quality beats cheap. And just because something is expensive or has a fancy name on it doesn't mean it's quality. Learn to evaluate things for their quality and actual value. Don't be the person to buy a $10,000 dollar tool chest when a good quality one for $700 will likely get passed to your children if you care for it. Same goes for clothes, the $175 dollar pair of designer jeans likley won't hold up to the first dozen washings where as a pair of $40 ones from the farm store might last years.

Other investments include savings but don't just toss it into a savings account at the bank. Consider taking some of your savings say once every month or two and go buy some silver coins. not collector coins, junk silver, bars circulated coins. only 5-10% of your net wealth. Stuff it in an ammo can and only you and yourself knows it's there. Money in the bank can disappear tomorrow if the govt decides it wants it or they decide to call a bank holiday.

Buy things you'll use, preps, food storage etc...

You mentioned taking a class for business. Good but be careful, if you're going to school thinking you'll learn how to run a business, that isn't it. Make sure it isn't something you can learn for free by doing it. Ever notice how many business owners don't have a college degree much less one in business? You want to learn about business, go to work for an entrepreneur. If you're going to school make sure it's a field in demand. Engineering yes - business no, Automation design - yes - gender studies NO. Consider things like tech school - plumbing, electrical, machinist welding or look at internships at farms.

How many jobs are you working? If your 18 and your not working at least one job full time and another side gig or two, get your butt in gear. Drive is in big demand. Show people your smart, competent, trustworthy, reliable and hungry and you'll go far. Even if you're in school get a job and make so cash to save if not to start paying your school loans now.

The internet is full of all sorts of info. go find it, read it and then try it. things sound easy in a book until you have to deal with the real world. At 18 you should try and fail at things frequently, the more you fail the more you learn.

 

[Neb]

Welcome from out in central PA.

A lot of great wisdom in the posts above. First thing is first, if you don't get in debt in the first place you won't ever have to pay off debt. Besides the links above I'd also look at some of Dave Ramsey's items on how to get out of debt (if you have any) and also on how to save money and details on an emergency fund. Also create and live by a budget. Lots of free info and templates out there on that and as others have said, the first person you pay is yourself. Look at your self as the most demanding creditor and every check money goes into your savings 5 preferably 10%. After you pay yourself the rest is to live on. Same goes anytime you get a raise, put the extra to your savings. Want to retire by 35, save now.

Also as I believe I saw others mention, invest in hard goods. Not just precious metals but things like firearms, tools, property. Don't become a hoarder but having quality tools is a great investment, as they say "buy once, cry once'; meaning buy quality items the first time. Yes it'll be costly and take you longer to acquire things but many might last your lifetime. So whether that's a broad fork for your garden or a set of mechanics tools quality beats cheap. And just because something is expensive or has a fancy name on it doesn't mean it's quality. Learn to evaluate things for their quality and actual value. Don't be the person to buy a $10,000 dollar tool chest when a good quality one for $700 will likely get passed to your children if you care for it. Same goes for clothes, the $175 dollar pair of designer jeans likley won't hold up to the first dozen washings where as a pair of $40 ones from the farm store might last years.

Other investments include savings but don't just toss it into a savings account at the bank. Consider taking some of your savings say once every month or two and go buy some silver coins. not collector coins, junk silver, bars circulated coins. only 5-10% of your net wealth. Stuff it in an ammo can and only you and yourself knows it's there. Money in the bank can disappear tomorrow if the govt decides it wants it or they decide to call a bank holiday.

Buy things you'll use, preps, food storage etc...

You mentioned taking a class for business. Good but be careful, if you're going to school thinking you'll learn how to run a business, that isn't it. Make sure it isn't something you can learn for free by doing it. Ever notice how many business owners don't have a college degree much less one in business? You want to learn about business, go to work for an entrepreneur. If you're going to school make sure it's a field in demand. Engineering yes - business no, Automation design - yes - gender studies NO. Consider things like tech school - plumbing, electrical, machinist welding or look at internships at farms.

How many jobs are you working? If your 18 and your not working at least one job full time and another side gig or two, get your butt in gear. Drive is in big demand. Show people your smart, competent, trustworthy, reliable and hungry and you'll go far. Even if you're in school get a job and make so cash to save if not to start paying your school loans now.

The internet is full of all sorts of info. go find it, read it and then try it. things sound easy in a book until you have to deal with the real world. At 18 you should try and fail at things frequently, the more you fail the more you learn.

Ditto that.
If I didn't already know I would guess you are from (Not Philadelphia) PA.


Ben

 

[CountryGuy]

Ditto that.
If I didn't already know I would guess you are from (Not Philadelphia) PA.


Ben

You'd be correct. I'm all in favor of lopping that corner off and giving it to NJ or NY. I was raised in western PA where an infamous big eared poser in chief proclaimed we cling to our Bibles and guns...

 

[Weedygarden]

Welcome from Colorado!

Live frugally! Save your money as much as possible. Work hard and as much as possible.

 

[CountryGuy]

Several of us have posted some great plant medicine books in our library section...

Peanut, where is that library section located?

 

[Peanut]

Peanut, where is that library section located?

Your now posting in "New member introductions" board, count down 5 boards, it reads "The Library"

 

[CountryGuy]

Your now posting in "New member introductions" board, count down 5 boards, it reads "The Library"

Thanks... was right in front of my nose and I'd even posted in it on Caribous story...oh boy... might need to get the eyes checked... again

 

[UpTown Family Rabbitry 2]

thank you all so much, I honestly wasn't expecting to get this much help. I'm gunna try and answer/respond to a few thing that you guys said.

I do not have to pay for the collage program I'm in (fresh start), so luckily no student loans.

I will try my hardest to avoid debt and will defiantly look into FIRE.

I am not working at the moment and I'm not sure when I'll start. I've been homeschooled my entire life and have some anxiety/stress issues (I am getting help with that) so I am focusing on one transition to adulthood at a time, and at the moment that is finishing school. I do have a 93 yo ex homesteader I work for a lot, and other yard work here and there.

I have been looking into intern ships with blue sky farms, I was gunna go last year with my dad, but never got around to it.

I am lucky to have parents that grew up on farms, survival skills and and common knowledge, though that's not really common anymore.

 

[CountryGuy]

It likely doesn't matter but are you male or female?

I will try my hardest to avoid debt and will defiantly look into FIRE.

- On the debt thing, as Yoda said "Do or do not. There is no try."

Well if you want help with transitioning to adulthood, nothing makes you grow up like enlisting. You'll grow up real fast and get a job and purpose in short order. Just a thought.

To be honest if you're 18, maybe you need to get out away from the parents, sort of jump in the deep end of dealing with people to work on your issues. Being homeschooled, did your parents get you involved out with other kids outside your household, be that other homeschool families, playing sports, Scouts, or other things to expose you to other people and situations?

I say this as a Dad of an 18yo daughter that just graduated HS back in June - you gotta step up and grab life by the short hairs, no one else is gonna do it for you.

 

[UpTown Family Rabbitry 2]

"To be honest if you're 18, maybe you need to get out away from the parents, sort of jump in the deep end of dealing with people to work on your issues. Being homeschooled, did your parents get you involved out with other kids outside your household, be that other homeschool families, playing sports, Scouts, or other things to expose you to other people and situations?"

I defiantly do feel myself yearning for more independents. I will hopefully be able to accomplish that when I get my license the end of this year. as for set socializing, I did competitive swim team for 10+ years and 4-H for about the same amount of time and a few various other things. I do feel a little coddled (by my mom especially) and they have fully admitted that us kids have had it easy social wise. It doesn't help that I'm the youngest girl, so (weather they admit to it or not) I have noticed they are a lot more lenient with me than my siblings. The last few years though i have defiantly been a lot better with 'adulting' shopping by my self, initiating hang outs with friends, enrolling I school. Some concepts are hard for me to grasp though because of, well borderline autism. I know its not and excuses and I'm not using it as one, but it does make things harder for me. That's why gardening and animals is a big interest (hyperfixation), its something that I've been able to understand and learn fast.

 

[Peanut]

Several of us here are ex-military, myself included. It launched me into a great career as a civilian. I was a bit older than you when I joined, economy was horrible, sort of like now. I had no money for college so I signed for 6 years. I got fantastic electronics training. Saw most of europe and the mediterranean. My next civilian job had a great salary with a company car.

The military isn't for everyone... It was tough. But life is tougher if you have no job and have to sleep in your car for 7 months until it gets repo'd. Been there, done that, it's no fun.

So, I would strongly recommend the military to anyone. But look closely at all the options when choosing a branch. Can't speak to now but the Navy offered a great many options when I went in.