What's the best preparation for homesteading?

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Hi folks! I've been avidly reading your forums recently and would like to thank you for all I've already learned! The subject line pretty much says it all. I'm from Oklahoma, but am currently living near Boston. In another year and a half or so, my husband and I are planning to move back to OK and homestead (more or less) with a couple of other households of our dear friends. We'll probably all be building houses on adjacent properties. Right now, I figure the emphasis has to be saving money, and educating ourselves. Is there anything else, in general terms? Some mandatory accoutrements? Especially valuable reading or resources? I appreciate any and all thoughts. Thanks!

-- witness (carlaevans@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001

Answers

I'd say, if you're starting for the first time, figure out pretty much what it is you would like to do. Keep in mind, it's better to go small, get the hang of it and then expand, then it would be to get in over your head. Decide with your husband what you want to try, read up on that and ask any questions you might have. Keep in mind the financial expense if you don't grow your own feed. Make sure you have enough land for expanding in the future with large animals, etc.. Keep us informed along the way. We'll all be glad to help anyway we can and still be able to get in on your excitement!!

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), February 25, 2001.

As Pat suggested, begin small. Tackle those things to prepare that are easily within your grasp first and as you complete, you have a firm footing for the next step. We got in this direction during the Y2K non event planning. Then, we could no way afford all the "must have stuff" the doomsday prophets called for. Instead we started small by storing food first, next covering heat requirements and a inexpensive water pump and lamps. Then came the new year and instead of weathering a catastrophe, we had a nice headstart on our path to self sufficiency and a newfound confidence. Now we approach each project one at a time, moving closer to ur goals. We are about 3 years into this and are now considering the possibility of a few more acres of land, only now we will wait till we can pay cash out front.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), February 25, 2001.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery is enjoyable reading, I think. Covers a wide range of homesteading type subjects: several types of livestock, trees, bushes, vegetables, etc.

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 25, 2001.

Vegetable garden.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), February 25, 2001.

Hi: I was raised in OK, too; but now am in NW Minn. I suggest reading websites that are affiliated with agricultural colleges and their extension services (like OSU ;.) There are great ones on breeds and care of all livestock, gardening, etc. Their info is also more local than general books will be. Also, before you buy a lot of books that you may or may not like, check them out at your local library and read them. If they don't have them, ask the librarian to do an interlibrary loan for you. They will get them from another library and you can still look them over before purchasing. Good luck to you! Cynthia

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), February 25, 2001.


A very informative website for gardening and farming is www.attra.org

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), February 25, 2001.

Hello Carla(?) I am in OKC, right now in the city because the land I have is too small for our needs so we are looking for a bigger place to move to. The best thing I can think of for learning is to read alot and buy good books and read them alot, ask lots of questions about every thing. Food storage is of major importance so learn it very well. Good luck.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), February 25, 2001.

Hello Witness, Plan, Plan, and plan some more is probably the best advise anyone could offer you. Keep a journal of every step that you take towards your move to the country. Keep a journal for your gardens, buildings and livestock so that you can see where your expenses are going or coming from. If you and your friends have any disagreements settle them with truth and honesty. Be up front and open in all dealings with them. If you maintain this type of integrity with each of your friends and they maintain the same, you should always get along. Many of a commune type homestead has failed for the lack of the two above mention things. Sincerely, Ernest www.communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks

-- Ernest in the Ozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001.

I think it's great you'll have friends going with you. It gets lonely sometimes when anyone in the area isn't interested in what you do. Do you get the magazine? If you don't, maybe you should look into it. Someone was selling past issues too. My sister just moved to 6 acres and she called me all excited because she got her first issue. Good luck to you! PS Your county agent is a great person to get information from.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), February 25, 2001.

Thanks to you all for your advice. I'll utilize as much of it as I can.

-- witness (carlaevans@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001.


Get several back issues of COUNTRYSIDE and get the first three anthologies from BACKWOODS HOME (get them all if you can). Then read EVERY NIGHT and EVERY spare moment!

Decide what small projects you want to do first. Get out of debt as much as possible as quickly as possible.

Make certain these friends of yours are people you actually WANT to live near for years and years and years. Do they have noisy kids? Are you philosophies about raising animals the same? (does one family want animals but the other might complain about the smell, that kind of thing!)

good luck!!!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), February 26, 2001.


Actually, the people are one of the main reasons for this scheme. We are all pretty like-minded. Life is short and we want to be with the people we love. Seems pretty simple. Again, thanks for all the good advice. I'm scurrying around doing as you say right now! :)

-- witness (carlaevans@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001.

READ, read, read, read, read, read, read, and then read some more!!!!

My favorites are Carla Emery's Encyclopedia, Amy D.'s Tightwad Gazette (I, II, and III), anything by Storey Books, The Have More Plan, RD Back to Basics, and any book I can find at the library that has anything remotely to do with country living!!!! This includes topics such as beekeeping, gardening, animal husbandry, homeschooling, food preparation, preserving...the list goes on and on!

Then, when you think you've read enough, go to another library and check out their books -- and read some more.

I made a point before we embarked on this adventure to read for about twelve years. Basically, because reading was about all I could do at that time. The reading kept me going, believing in our dream, while we prepared. Whenever I found a book I especially liked, or found especially informative, I went on a mission to find a copy (Saturday afternoons were devoted to cruising used books stores) to add to our personal library. This library now numbers in the hundreds of books, and we are SO glad to have every one of them.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), February 26, 2001.


Yes, definately - figure out what you like doing. You will have plenty of time to do it (if you are lucky)!!

There are some good articles on this topic here at Countryside, also in Backwoods Home Magazine (Backwoodshome.com), and a few other places.

I grew up spending summers on a farm, lived on a 'sub-urban' farm of my own (couple chickens, garden, bunnies, dogs, cats and a husband - gee... those husband's come in handy, don't they?! lol)

This past December I moved to Idaho City Idaho, and we are looking to buy some land up here in the mountains. I've got most of my stuff here in our little trailer and yard (cept the goat, horse and chickens - no more room!)

I think the best way to see what you want is to do what we did.... We turned off our electric for five months (OK... so it was summer....) from June till November. Found out it ain't so bad - and learned a lot about preserving food with no fridge. Had no heat - no blower without the electric.

I've gardened for years - Grams taught me. I have tried just about everything. I have even spent an entire summer camping.

You CAN (and probably SHOULD) do this on paper, and I would really recommend that. I did it the hard way, but I KNOW what I want and need to feel comfortable, safe and happy now.

Couple weeks ago, my Mother asked me what I missed most from back home. Answer????? Having a couch!!!! I wouldn't trade my new life for all the tea in China - AND - it will only get better from here!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), February 28, 2001.


If there is a publicly funded community college or trade school near you, you might want to take some basic classes. Home wiring, welding, basic carpentry, are all much needed skills. You may even divide up the class load among the families. I'm sure there maybe other courses of interest such a food preservation.

-- Rick Powell (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), March 01, 2001.


Do you plan to live on your land while you build? If so what will you live in? Will you need to find outside work while you are building or are you in a position to work from home? The first thing you will need to consider is shelter while you are building. A tent is workable but I wouldn't recommend it...been there done that. The Bible tells us to build our barn first[ and please don't ask me where that is because I don't remember, I just remember reading it and thinking Wow!] but unless you already have livestock and need a place for them I wouldn't. I would put in a garden first thing and then work on my house. The best thing you can do now is get debt- free and learn to live on as little as possibel...unless you are independently wealthy and then I'm pea green with envy! ............................Artie Ann

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), March 01, 2001.

While you're reading and saving money, concentrate on food growing and preparation. Eating is a constant: have to do it. Grow a tomato plant in a pot if you have to. If you can't grow some of your own, go to a farmer's market and buy fresh in season. Even fresh from the grocery store is better than commercially canned or frozen. Learn to prepare and preserve it. Decide what you like so you won't waste time growing things you don't like. There's plenty of time later to try new things. Above all, read, read, read!

-- Peg in NW WI (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), March 02, 2001.

I agree with Peg and others. Grow some of your own food now if at all possible. Container gardens can produce a lot. Buy in season from local folks and learn to can, freeze and otherwise preserve your own food. Do you have space for a couple of rabbits? They don't take up much room. Reading is good, do as much as you can, just don't forget that all the reading in the world won't prepare you as much as a little practice. Good Luck!

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), March 03, 2001.

We do a lot of homesteading, husband still working. We're on 300 acreas in Eastern OK., there is 240 acreas up for sale across the street with lots of ponds and a beautiful creek, falls, wouldn't mind having like minded people across the steet. When I say across the street you wouldn't see my house were built way back into the woods.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), March 04, 2001.

I was thinking about your post today and thought to tell you, that you should start to buy the small items that you will need later but can start using now, 1st off kitchen equipment, good stuff, money has a way of getting tight out on the farm and you may have to wait longer for things after you move, going into debt for little stuff should be avoided at all cost, buy the little craft items and suppies that you have room to store and learn to use them.

Start to reorganize your life now and life will be easier later. I am sure that every one on the forum could think of something different, that you should buy and know how to use before you move to the land, stuff relating to food would be #1 on the list. Arm powered equipment takes getting used to and it is far better to find out you don't like a brand/model before you are 3 hours away from town and teach your self to check the contents of boxes/packages before you leave the parking lot, it can ruin your whole day to get home, unpack the box and find out you have the wrong stuff.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), March 09, 2001.


Artie Ann, "Establish thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field. Then go and build thine house." (Vocation before location) Or make sure you can SUPPORT those who may depend on you, through subsequent marriage and childbirth. xxx(it really doesn't mention building a barn in that scripture)xxx

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 09, 2001.

(but I LIKE the barn idea, just the same) !!!

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 09, 2001.

I thought about you again today as the wind has been whipping through the state(OK) it wouldn't hurt to start learning the towns and counties that will be in the storm track of where you want to live most storms track from the SW to the NE across the state, after awhile you can guess-timate if the storm will pass to the south or north of where you are.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), March 15, 2001.

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