Where to begin- so new to this! (Getting Started)

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Hi there! Just stumbled across this site and bookmarked it immediately! I am very new to the homesteading concept and would like to learn where to begin. However, I am not new to the idea of being "frugal" and am pretty good at making money stretch. My husband works full time, and I work part time MWF. We have two small children. I love the idea of owning "our own piece of the world" where we wouldn't be dependent upon others, but am completely overwhelmed with where to begin. It would be great to start working towards my goal (traveling there on weekends to make progress, etc.) How do I find land at a reasonable price- we live in Eastern North Carolina. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated! I know one priority would be to take another look at the finances to see where excess spending could be eliminated, and to also practice gardening. That brings me to another question- any recommendations for gardening during the winter?

-- C. Vesely (vesely@webtv.net), September 16, 2001

Answers

Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

Hi there: I too am in NC, half a half from Raleigh. I have 2.5 acres in the country. I have a couple of goats, 16 chickens, 4 dogs and various other household pets. I really enjoy this site. They are auctioning off 103 acres down the road from me (1 to 10 acre tracts). There seems to be lots of little farms around here and opposite me there is a chicken farm and the farmer also grows crops. I'm also a self declared frugal person. Welcome.

Anita

-- anita (anitaholton@mindspring.com), September 16, 2001.


Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

Do not rely on just relators to show you a plot of land. We looked from a large city. The agents only worked that county. When I found something in the paper, the agent didn't want to help too much, since it was too far away for him. Then he got another agent involved so they could show it, and he could still make a bit of money. Well, I found a different place and it was through a farm agent. Much easier on paperwork, cheaper place, since it was not being shown by any big city folk. Do not overlook the classified newspaper farm land for sale. Ours was just the farmhouse for sale. Sometimes you can call an agent selling a 100 acre plot and ask him if he knows any farm houses for sale. Hope this helped.

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), September 16, 2001.

Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

Welcome! NO specific advice, but read through the archives here (older messages at the bottomof the list) Their is an unbelievable amount of advice, opinions, perceptions and ideas. It will change the way you think, re-affirm your convitions and give you a new outlook. Good Luck

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), September 16, 2001.

Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

You can't spend every waking second out looking for land. In the down time I strongly suggest you immerse yourself in as many homestead activities as you can. A lot of things are the same or very similar whether your kitchen window looks out on secluded forest, suburbia, or even downtown. Work on canning (you can always buy produce by the bushel and have at it!), cooking more from scratch, baking your own bread, sew your own clothes, pretend that "town" is a 45 min. drive away instead of just out the front door and practice saving up trips. You can imagine your ideal setting and then imagine the skills you would need to live there and get busy learning as many of them as possible right were you are now. You can even many times get practice in animal husbandry by finding the closest location where the animals you're interested in are being raised and volunteering to help care for them. So what if you get stuck shoveling manure all the time-there's a whole lot of that involved on a homestead. Find out now if you have the temperament for it.

You certainly can keep looking for land while you are doing these other things. And what you discover about your likes and dislikes may provide valuable insight that will help you narrow the land search down and avoid spending precious money for property that would not suit your actual needs as well as your imagined ones. It's a little late to discover that you greatly prefer to work with wild forage and agroforestry products after you have sunk your life's savings into a place that has been totally cleared for fields and pastures but looked like what you thought a homestead should.

-- Lori in SE Ohio (klnprice@yahoo.com), September 16, 2001.


Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

Congradulation on finding this site. I will give you a warning: "This site is very addictive". And as an extra bonus if you sign up for the "Countryside magazine" You can read a lot of great stories. I discovered the magazine first about 2 years ago and then this site about 10 months ago. I will never be the same!

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 16, 2001.


Response to Where to begin- so new to this!

Hello C, I am originally from Chapel Hill, NC! I live in the Ozarks now. The reason I moved here was that land prices are low and I also love the mountains. If I was you I would move further into the state as eastern NC is prone to flooding and hurricanes. I would search in the western part of the state possibly even in eastern TN. In my search I did find that western NC was almost perfect for my needs except that I thought it was just a tad too crowded. Prices of land were higher there but, if you want to stay within the state of NC you will undoubtedly have to pay a little more for land. Also, I would try running an ad in the newspapers of the area that you are interested in buying land from. Realtors will call you up as well as local people that are trying to sell their land on their on. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 16, 2001.

Hard question to answer fully. . . the archives below is FULL of great advice, though . . . take advantage of it.

Locating good land? Depends on what climate you prefer . . . access to mountains / desert / sea shore / woods important . . . take your pick. Do you prefer four seasons? Hate being snow bound? Need good schools? Hunting on the menu? Cultural activities?

Augh, brain overload. Just make up your mind on what you want to do on your property, start small, and let the rest take care of itself.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), September 17, 2001.


Hi! If you are interesed in property in East Tennessee I have a house and 30acres for sale.Don www.donschwartz2002@yahoo.com

-- Don Schwartz (donschwartz2002@yahoo.com), September 19, 2001.

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