I live in SE Ohio with my husband and 4 children, 3 girls, and a boy, ages are 8, 10, 12, and 14. My children go to public school and are all good students. They like to ride horses, are in 4-H, the girls play the piano. We keep busy with all of their activities. My husband works in construction. He built our house himself. I run our local library and am an income-tax preparer. We all love living in the country on our 16 acres. We have chickens, horses, birds, a collie and 2 kittens. Tell us about your family!

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), October 02, 2001

Answers

Lil Dumplin and I live in S.E. IL on our own 24 acres, down a dead end road next to the river bottoms. Lil Dumplin and I are both in our mid 50's. Not too much goin on around here anymore. We have two grown sons and they each have a little one. Lil Dumplin travels all week long with her job. Traveling mostly in IL, KY, IN and sometimes in Oh. Does "dexascan" on older folks with osteoporosis. I'm the dummy of the family. Both sons are college grads with teaching degrees. One does while the other works in the business sector. Me and ole Calvin the cat keeps the home fires burnin around here. I sell stuff, fix stuff and generally just mess around helpin other folks as best I can. Not able to do too much because of heart problems.

Wouldn't trade my life for anybody else's don't rekon. I love my birds, wild animals and PRIVACY! Entire family are Christian!

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord"! Glory to God. Old hoot gibson. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), October 03, 2001.

Our family lives in NW Ohio in a 100+ year old farmhouse on two acres, surrounded by soybean fields(this year - next year corn). My husband and I have three sons ages 23,20 and 14(next week). All three have always been homeschooled. I am a SAHM. The oldest is still at home, working toward the goal of having his own homestead in the future. The 20 year old is away at college right now (only two hours away but we miss him!) and is in the Ohio Army National Guard. Our youngest will always be in our home as he has Down Syndrome. We have lived in Ohio for three years.

We currently have Light Brahma chickens and meat rabbits (cross of New Zealands and Red Flemish). We hope to begin raising a calf this Spring for our own beef and perhaps one pig. We garden organically and currently have three large beds and an herb garden (and flowers of course!).

We continue to learn many skills and practice living frugally. I am sure there will be much we can all share with one another on this forum.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 03, 2001.

Oops! I have no idea why I wrote above that our rabbits are "New Zealand" mixed with Red Flemish. They are "California" mixed with Red Flemish. It's been one of "those" days I suppose :-) .

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 03, 2001.

Hello! My DH and I live on 40 acres in eastern KS. We are blessed to have our two daughters (ages 11 and 4) and his mother living with us. We have been married 20 years now, and each year is better than the last!

Our kids are our world. We tried for 9 years before we were blessed with our first daughter. Then we were very surprised by our second! (I went to the doctor thinking perhaps I was starting "the change" a little early - I was almost 40 - and the doctor smiled and said, "Nope! Guess what.....") We couldn't have been more surprised, or happier! I homeschool them. We tried public school for a couple of years, but none of us were very happy with it. My girl is very smart (she gets that from MY side of the family BTW!) and was becoming bored even in her advanced classes. Plus, we had a couple of incidences with a couple of teachers, and some problems in the middle and high schools with violence. So we yanked her out of school two years ago, and we've been homeschooling ever since. I can't believe how much I've learned, just trying to keep up with her! I never knew there was an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter! Did you???

My mother in law raises chickens, ducks, and a few guineas and turkeys. I raise rabbits, and my DH raises pigs. My daughters seem to be raising cats! We have two dogs, both mutts, which we are feeding the BARF diet. We have two indoor cats, named Nala (who is the QUEEN of the house) and Shadow (who is determined to dethrone her!). And we currently have 10 barn cats who do a great job of keeping down the rodent population. Our calico is a superb mouser. Last spring in our barn, my MIL moved a board to find a nest of mice. The calico was ON THEM immediately. MIH said she had one in her mouth, and managed to smack another with her right paw and catch it too! Now, that's a mouser for ya!

Well... I've rambled on here long enough. I look forward to getting to know you good people and to learn, learn, learn.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 04, 2001.

Thanks for posting everyone.. Please spread the word I am really looking forward to a wonderful family forum.

-- Melissa (Melissa@home.net), October 04, 2001.

Hi, we live in N.E. Tx, where it's hot and humid most of the time, but it's nice this time of the year, it's dh, me, son 13, grandaughter 7, 4 grown boys, ages 26, 25, 24, & 18 (who just moved out and is asst. produce mgr. at the local grocery chain, and attending a jr college), we live 8 miles out of a small town, kids attend public school, I'm a SAHM, but substitute some at the school, we had a great garden this year, but no animals currently, dh was working out of town earlier this year and I got sick, so I sold the goats, we plan to get more and chickens later. We love living in the country and like things slow and simple around here, dh has lived here most of his life, we've been married 15 yrs, so the kids are a yours, mine and ours type family.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 04, 2001.

Hello everyone! I'm a newly married 33 year old with 3 step children. We are putting a moble home on my parents property in the next 6 months or so.We have 2 chickens left out of 21 chicks due to some ol' stinking possums!!! We also have 1 pet rabbit who is as fat as a butter ball.Right now we are in the process of cleanig my parents property up, some old oakshave limbs big as most trees. We will be selling all that for fire wood, we have 6 cords so far. it's not split but this weekend we hope to start on it. Around here you get 15 small pieces of wood for $10. so we are selling it $10. for 20-25 pieces. I'm a school bus driver and my husband is an machinist. Our kids are 14,11,&3. Hope to learn tips on kids due to the fact I've never had any!!!

-- Sandy(N.E.FL.) (REDNECKGIRL32@prodigy.net), October 04, 2001.

Hi everyone,well let me start by saying I am sure I will forget some one or somebody! We have 4 girls 5,4 and twins that are 2,we also have 3 dogs,way to many cats,2 ponies,2 goats 3 sheep 2 heifers,2 pigs,turkys,ducks,geese,chickens,guineas,pigions,p fowl and rabbits.We put in a small grove of fruit trees 2 lg.gardens and grow trees for our company. My husband does stone work and landscapeing and I do the rest{hehe}. We started homeschooling this year and plan to stick with it,so far so good.We also take down logcabins and set them up again,we have 3 waiting to be done now.The house here is logcabin over 100 yrs.old{we did not move this one}and we are hopeing to tie in at least 2 more to it,we have 5 ac of land. Well enough said nice to meet you all.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), October 04, 2001.

Hi Everyone!!

I love the idea of this forum.

DH and I live on 145 acres in Southern Ontario with our 3 sons (8, 5, and 4) and are expecting a little girl in 7 weeks. We cash crop 425 acres (we used to raise pigs full-time as well so if anyone has any questions, I can help), I am a SAHM and DH also works full-time off the farm as a management consultant. We are in our third year of homeschooling and really love it. We garden about 1/3 of an acre organically and grow some of our crops organically as well. We have 3 hens, a rooster, a dog and a cat. Next year the children and I hope to get some more animals but with being pregnant this year it just wasn't a possibility.

We are also new Christians (just over a year) and are learning all about what it means to live your life for the Lord.

Silvia

-- (organic_farmer@hotmail.com), October 04, 2001.

Hi! I live in NW Arkansas right next to Bentonville, home of Wal- Mart with my DH and 3 boys, ages 13, 9 and 7. I am a SAHM and all three boys attend public school. I would love to homeschool, but we are fortunate to live in an area where the public schools are just like private, (lots of money!!) and feel this is best for the boys right now. I spend a lot of time at the schools and they love for parents to be there, so I feel I know what is going on. My husband is a HR Director for a poultry company a couple of towns over. We live in a 100+ year old farm house on 30 acres. We have lived here 4 years and love it. When we bought the place land was going for 3 - 4 thousand an acre. Now it goes for 10 -12 thousand!! We run 1 bull and 11 commercial cows, plus we have a hereford heifer that is out breding right now. We hope she takes, this is her second try. We also have a quarter horse gelding and way too many cats. My winter project is to get a chicken house built, and get some layers as soon as spring hits. I would like a goat too, for milk, but definitely need to do some fence work first. I cruise through the COUNTRYSIDE site all the time and am really excited about this one. Good work Melissa!!

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), October 04, 2001.

Silvia, I know what you mean about not getting more animals while your pregnant. Last year, while I was pregnant with our third, I ordered "NO new animals until after the baby comes". A few months after the baby was born we got guinea eggs for our banty hen to sit on. We now have 3 guineas (1 cock and 2 hens-what luick!), 3 roosters and 7 hens (all banties in chicken tractors), 3 male rabbits (just to be on the safe side LOL)who contribute greatly to our compost piles, a much love Beagle/Black Lab who we almost lost last month because someone shot her in the head/face with birdshot (we hope it was a hunter who did it accidently), 3 outdoor cats and 2 indoor cats one of which will be turning 13 next month. Oh, and for the 2 legged critters, we have 2 boys, 6 and 4, and 1 girl, 8 months. We homeshool and I'm a SAHM. My husband is self-employed doing landscaping in the summer and carpentry/handyman jobs in the winter. We live on 3 1/2 acres in the mountains of North Carolina (BEAUTIFUL!) in an old farmhouse which was built in 1916. We garden organically (my husband has done so since he was a kid). We love the homesteading lifestyle and try to do more each year. This summer I learned to tat and to weave baskets. Now if I only had more time to put to use what I learned!

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), October 04, 2001.

Hello! My sweetie and I live in Flagstaff on 3 acres on the mountainside at 7000 feet. We currently have 5 dairy goats, with more due in the late winter; 8 turkeys (we just butchered 8 of them 2 nights ago); a dozen assorted hens; and a pair of meat bunnies. We have 4 children; 2 girls and 2 sons. The oldest daughter(23) is in the Air Force, the oldest son (21) is doing college; the next son is 16 and in highschool and the youngest daughter is 9 and at home. I homeschooled all the kids up until this past year. The 9 year old is in Montessori and the 16 is doing public H.S. We have an 13 month old granddaughter also. My sweetie works for the Feds., and I am staying home, canning and sewing quilts, and caring for the critters. I am preparing to take Nursing Courses in January. We are building our barn, and a greenhouse, and getting the garden prepared for next growing season. The Elk and Antelope are appearing in our yard now, so we know that winter will soon be upon us, so we are earnestly restocking the woodpile. I am really glad that you have started this forum. In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), October 05, 2001.

We live in eastern Ontario, about a half hour north of the New York border. We have lived here in Canada for 13 months and have applied for permanent visas. We really like it here. We are renting a 4- bedroom farm house on an acre of land. We homeschool our six children: boy 13, boy 11, girl 9, boy 7, boy 5, girl almost 3. My husband is pastor of a Baptist church in Cornwall and I am a stay-at- home mom. We are relatively new to homesteading, but have lived in the country for the past 6-7 years. We don't have TV, but we do enjoy the radio and various tapes. The children all love to read (or be read to), and are also active outdoors. They have built a tree house from wood scrounged from the landlord, they all ride bikes (except the youngest, who is just learning about tricycles), roller blades, and play basketball or baseball. We have 2 rabbits and 30 chickens (16 of the chickens are slated to go into the freezer this week).

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 05, 2001.

I live in deep south Texas, where winters are cool and snow free. Summers are extremely hot and humid down here. I am 38 year old architectural draftsman, married to a junior high school teacher, and have a three year old son and expecting another child sometime in the early spring. We live in a small town (33,000 pop.) and want to move into the country after our children get a little older. We self contracted our home, and survived it so we know we are meant to be together. She was raised in the country, and owns several Red Brangus cattle kept in her mother's pasture. We are planning to add chickens to our home, (gotta ask the dog on that one), and grow a small garden year round. In the meantime, we are learning as much as we can from all of you.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 05, 2001.

I'm glad to see some men are posting, I don't want this to be just a women's forum. I feel we can learn so much from each person to help us through the potentially tough days ahead.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), October 05, 2001.

Hello. My husband and I are "new" to the country. We moved to our 20 acres almost two months ago. We just love it and my husband asked me why we waited so long. God's timing. We have a grown son and daughter, who are both starting their own little families. We did homeschool our two kids and are glad we did. Al and I are learning a lot as we go. Al is a mechanic, so a lot of things that are needed done around the property come natural to him. I am thankful for that. We hope to start our "animal adventures" with chickens, hopefully Dominiques, next spring. I am a full time homemaker. We are near Garnett, Kansas. Anyone in our area?

-- Janet (whisperingpines@terraworld.net), October 05, 2001.

Hi everybody! Melissa, this is great!

Right now our 13 acre homestead includes just my husband, Roy, and me, Suzy, three house cats, two dogs, 23 rabbits, and 25 laying hens!!!

We have a big garden every year!

We're hoping to have Angora goats and possibly other goats by next spring.

We homeschooled our last two kids, with the last homeschooler graduating two years ago! We have four kids and eight grandkids so far (some are step-grandkids but once they're in Granny-suzy's heart it doesn't make any difference!!!)

Most of our grandkids live away so we don't see them often but they have enjoyed gathering eggs from under our chickens when they're here and playing with all the bunnies!

My husband started a home-based handyman business about 18 months ago and it is going great! Wish we'd done it 20 years ago! He does everything from wiring houses to plowing little ole ladies rose gardens! I am an investigative newspaper reporter for two newspapers with my office for both in my home!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), October 05, 2001.

Wow! I'm amazed at the number of people already posting on here! This is great! I, like Hoot, am one of the older ones but still learning! I had to quit work 3 years ago because of a bad back - drs. orders. I worked in a local hospital for 25 years as an LPN. We live on 90 acres in central Ky. My husband and I built our own home almost entirely ourselves. It was the 2nd one we built and we had no trouble selling the first one when we decided to move further out. I have 4 children, grown and married, 6 precious grandchildren and 2 special daughters-in-law and 2 wonderful sons-in-law. Unfortunately they are spread around the country. We raise a few beef cattle and I have 10 hens for eggs and we have 1 German Shepherd dog who thinks he is human! I raise a big garden and can lots of goodies. Do most of my cooking from scratch including our bread. I even grind the flour! Lots of people think that is crazy but you all understand, I'm sure. We've been busy gathering hickory nuts and black walnuts, trying to beat the squirrels! I love flowers and music, sew some, although not as much as I used to, and I do a little crocheting. Don't we just love to talk about ourselves!!! My favorite person in the whole world is Jesus Christ. I am a Southern Baptist and proud of it but if you are of another religion, I won't hold it against you!! ha ha!!

-- Barb (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 05, 2001.

We live in central Oregon. "We" being dh and I, one teenage daughter at home yet, and a just turned 3 yo granddaughter who lives with us half of each week. I also have 2 adult daughters, one married, one single, who are out on their own, and dh has 3 adult sons. Dh is a medical laboratory director, I do research (at home) for a Christian publishing company, I consider myself first a SAHM. We raise horses, have 60+, also keep a small herd of Nubian dairy goats, have a handful of Shetland sheep, a few hogs and an assortment of poultry, cats and dogs, etc. Our friends sometimes call us Mr. & Mrs. Noah. :-) Dh is retiring next year (YAY!!) and we will be getting at some long overdue projects, refencing, repainting, putting in automatic waterers, building a greenhouse, getting back to gardening, and of course hope to find some time to do some riding and camping (We plan on selling off all but a few horses over the next year or two). We like a few very close, trustworthy friends rather than lots of casual friends. We enjoy people but cherish our privacy. We are Christians.

PS- To j.r., I don't mean to offend, but I had to giggle at your description of living in a "small town" of 33,000! Horrors! I live in (outside of) a town of just over 5,000 and am daily becoming more alarmed at the number of people! My idea of a great small town is something like Wagontire, OR (pop. 2) LOL

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), October 05, 2001.

We live in SE Indiana, half at the old place and half at the new farm. We have 6 daughters between us and 9 grandchildren. There are nine chickens, new ones to arrive on the 15th and the 29th(hope we're moved), a bunch of cats and a black lab that's a little too smart for his own good;o] Gary is a heating/a.c. service tech manager, and sings contemporary Christian music around this area. I do a lot of homestead stuff.

Lenette, this town has a few hundred and the one we're moving to has even less. The only problem is, there's alot of little towns around here.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), October 05, 2001.

Husband and I, Vicki live between two very small towns, one 5,000, one 500. Hot Humid East Texas. We live in an old parcel in the National Forest. We have been here 15 years now, he raised in south Houston me in San Diego. 3 kids, 23 year old daughter (lives in Houston with the big job, new car and apartment) middle daughter is in her first year of college, son is almost 17 and is the BMOC, cheerleader, cheering at the National level, 11th in the nation last year. Our kids were/are public schooled. The girls were very good students, Jake's enthusiasim for school is gone, they have finally bored him to death, if it wasn't for cheer he would not be in school. Hoping that college will re-motivate him. And of course having me for a mom my gals are very independant thinkers, and my son is a feminest sympathizer :) Actually a family joke.

Husband runs Handyman Services, our pride and joy is that we were able to take his love and make it a thriving business. Now with my kids nearly grown, notice I didn't say gone, we built a guest house on the property for the stragglers to stay in, I am getting more involved with goats again. Plan on running for a district position in ADGA in the next couple of years, planning on AI'ing for folks at their farms, sort of "Have semen will travel" and trying to start a laison position between the Texas Animal Health Comm and ADGA, for me to sit on.

We built our house out of pocket while living 3 years in a travel trailer, end of the dirt road so electricity was a year in coming. I chose to raise goats instead of working outside my home. Selling stock, showing, exporting and selling milk. Now with the kids grown I am a small, less than 25, (numbers change with 11 due to kid) all Nubians now, hobby show farm. And yes my children remind me all the time that I do love my goats more than I love them, so yes my goats are my family, Melissa :) Great idea for a forum. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), October 05, 2001.

No offense taken Lenette. . . When you have lived in a city of over a million (San Antonio)for over a year, 33,000 IS small. I'm still shell shocked over rush hour over there.

I do agree with your description of a perfect town. The kind of town when a board falls off a truck by the side of a road, half the town comes over to take a look at it. My, but I'm gettin' antisocial in my old age! hee hee hee.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 05, 2001.

Hi all, Me and my family live in NW OH only a few miles from the farm I grew up on, outside of a town of 250 people. We moved back home just a few years ago. I just couldn't take city living anymore! Anyway I've been married almost 19 years now to Tom and have a 15 year old son, This is our first year to homeschool, so I might need some advice from all you veteran homeschoolers. So far though, it's not going too bad at all. We've been trying to balance what he needs to learn with what he wants to learn. Anyway, we have big gardens (3), with vegetables, lots of flowers, and herbs, berries, and fruit trees. We have a big barn on the property, but need to do some fixing to make it usable. Right now we are renting it out to a farmer. This summer we started to remake the big corn crib into a smaller barn, but family obligations kept us from finishing it. So as soon as we can get it done, we will be getting dairy goats, and will be adding chickens next spring. We have a 10 month old golden, who is a maniac, (well he's trying to learn his manners), a couple of good old pusses, and rabbits. It's so good to be amongst people who have such concern for family. This will be fun! --Vicki

-- vicki in NW OH (thga76@aol.com), October 05, 2001.

I live in Inap and have 3 very rambunctious children. Grandmas little angels. I have a cat that I still haven't decided on a good name for. Any ideas? I work at a museum and spend all my free time with my kids. My son is into basketball and learning the joy of digging worms. He loves to fish. My oldest daughter loves to color. And my youngest loves to crawl around meowing at the cat.

-- melinda (speciallady@countrylife.net), October 05, 2001.

Hi all. We are in Nova Scotia Canada and enjoying some of the most glorious weather this week!! The leaves are changing gorgeously and yet we are trotting around in shorts and tshirts!! Sweet! We have 4.7 acres here in God's country with great neighbors and friends. So far we have raised 2 pigs, some chickens and turkeys, have 4 ewes and a ram thats not staying cuz he's so rough. Ben is 4 1/2 and tells us and everyone as we work out in the yard that he's a good "fawmuh" and Cameron has been captured on video chasing the turkeys and chickens this summer(he's going to be 3 in Dec.) My husband is in the life insurance industry and commutes to the city (Halifax) each day and then comes home to work on my barn which is coming along nicely. I am a SAHM homesteader trying to provide good food and a happy home for my family whom I love very much (but could often use a break from!!LOL). I just found out today that the local daycare can fit the boys in on Friday's and I was so happy I thought I'd cry!! They LOVE going there and I get to putter around, or get caught up, or just take a nap! Life is GOOD! Busy but good!!!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), October 05, 2001.

Good morning! We are a family of 9 from south central Ks(almost OK). We have a small heard of Dexter cows, meat goats, light brahma chickens, five noisy dogs, two useless inside cats, two outside mouser cats, and a dearly loved, well ridden miniature horse. DH is also trying his hand at hay and wheat. Our children are; girls 18,13, and 10 and boys 11,10,8 and 3. We homeschool and are in our 5th year. Our familiy's future plans include meat rabbits, solar energy and mission work.

-- Barbara T. (lbfarm@oldwiz.net), October 06, 2001.

I am mostly a lurker but I have been enjoying this new board. I live in northern Utah, have 3 grown children, 32,30, 29 and a teenager, soon to be 16. 10 1/2 grandchildren. Most live in Georgia. My teen in schooling in GA with my youngest of the "big kids" since she wasn't doing well here. And so sorely misses her sister that is is more grief than simpling missing her. I am divorced, 50 something, and living in the dreaded word, town. Since I work out of my home as a massage therapist, town is probably better. I don't drive either due to vision problems. I organic garden what I can. I have a bird, cocatiel, a cat and a dog who also thinks he is human. Part shepard, golden, chow, who knows what else. I read this board to give me hope. Now don't laugh, I am really a homesteader at heart. One day, I will find a way. I have raised rabbits, chickens, pigs who ate my tulips just barely planted, calf for meat, a horse or two, tried to raise a couple of bum lambs and have lived in the country and the city. I agree with the 33,000 being a big town, my "right" sixe being about 2,000 although this town is closer to the 33. I believe in simple living and frugality. I am thinking of moving to be nearer my grown up kids but haven't decided yet. I also think about returning to Michigan where I was born. It is in "the Man upstairs" hands right now. I post if I don't laready see the answers but for the most part, you all manage to beat me to the answers. "The Have More Plan" and Square Foot Gardening" have been in my library as favorite books. I am enjoying this new board. Keep up the good work.

-- Swanlady (kwelton@brigham.net), October 06, 2001.

Hubby and I have been married almost 21 years (next month). God has blessed us with three beautiful children:two girls - 20 & 17 (in a few weeks)and a son: 7 yrs. We live in a large county in South Florida. Hubby and I don't exactly see eye to eye on the entire homesteading issue, but he's coming around. At least he's admitting now that he's beginning to tire of this city rat race. We are native Floridians and know nothing else but the city life. I however, am ready, willing and able to learn whatever I must to change that.

I think this will be a great forum with alot of help and support from like-minded folks who started homesteading at some point so everyone can relate to us city-folk who are floundering to find our place in the country alongside you.

Contrary to my screen name, I have a BROWN thumb. Can't seem to grow a thing for some reason. Anyway, I keep trying. Only critters I have are a pedigreed daschaund (1 1/2 yrs), a Florida box turtle (about 4 years old)that we found in the road after a hurricane "Mitch" blew through - yup, named the turtle Mitch, and a 24 year old cockateil.

My interests are forums like this, and reading all I can about things like canning, quilting, soapmaking, candlemaking, bread baking, saving money, animals, etc. I look forward to being an active participant on this forum. I think this was a great idea Melissa!

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), October 06, 2001.

Hello to Melissa and all...Ann and I have two grown children, who are remaining in our metropolitan home while we homestead in the Spencere West Va. area. We will commute til we get a shelter building built, and I hope to take a deferred pension from work in the Spring. (20 years with the State, and a 20 year deferment).

-- rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), October 08, 2001.

Hi! Husband of 11 years and I live in South Central Kentucky-we have 2 acres on edge of his parents 35 acres which include his Grandparents as well-four generations here! We have two children- son, 10 and 7-year old daughter. My husband was(still is in his heart) a carpenter-we (mostly he, I just helped) built our own house- and survived that! He is now working as a child therapist, getting his masters so he's work/school full time-and stressed right now. I had Elementary ed.minor but didn't get certification-was SAHM when kids were small, decided to go into teaching when they started school, but local university won't take my old transcipt, wants me to start completely over and I don't want to do that. Worked in Special Ed. Dept last year, but that position was cut-so now I'm rattling around wondering what to do next-I LOVE being SAHM but would also like to bring in some money-I do sub teaching, but there hasn't been much of that-maybe when flu season comes.... I'm more and more needed here though-Grandparents in mid-eighties and unfortantly MIL has been diagnosed with Lou Gerhigs Disease. Currently, we have a fat cat, and silly dog, some undignified chickens. I despertly want angora rabbits-I love all types of fiber arts, and want to spin my own fiber- I'd love sheep too! but I'm despertly allergic to them!!!!! (we are talking major nosebleeds when I'm around these animals) Have huge organic garden.

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.

BONJOIR , EH! Now unlike everyone else,it seems, i am not a mother. Not yet. But i do have a family and would like to share some of my experiences at home. I am the oldest of five children and we have all been homeschooled at some point in our life. My mom has patiently taught us and nutured us the best she can and continues to do so, although two of us have been in public school for a while . While my mother's homeschooling routine goes on during the day, my father takes on work. We live in Cornwall, Ontario, not the brightest place. But i am thankful that my parents try to get us out as much as possible. WE have all hiked and moutain climbed and explored sometime in our youth. And in the summer we participate in a camp that is run in the Adorondaks. A place that feels so much like home to me and has played a big part in my life. Sometimes i am only an observer of the van needing to be fixed, the taps needing to be plugged, someone needing to be corrected, or my room needing to be cleaned ( thats right, i only observe that!), but i look forward to that day of having some family of my own. God has put it in my heart to raise children at home and to homeschool. I really don't know what GOd has for my life. But in how i interact at home now, and how many responsbilities i take, i learn slowly how to be prepared. 'Rejoice in the Lord Always and again i say rejoice," how much we have to be thankful for!

-- jillian u (sweetunes483@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.

Middle Tennessee farm (45 acres) in soybeans now. Chickens. school age children. SAHM. Big garden. lots of canning/preserving. homesteading. 4H. Cats. Dogs. Experimenting like I was trying to get tenure at MIT. Thought of as crazy person (because of experiments). Christian. Churchgoer.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 10, 2001.

I was raised on a farm with 7 brothers. Married almost 45 years to a very patient man. He is semi-retired from the building profession. Our oldest son (43) is now pretty well running the business. Son age 41 lives in Seattle, is an artist, thinking about moving back to Illinois to help his brother build. Also, he loves thunderstorms and they are rare in Seattle. Daughter is mechanical engineer working for Shell Oil in New Orleans, married to young retired Navy commander, who is also in reserves and just got home from 4 weeks in Bahrain. We have grand-daughters, 18 and 16 and step grandsons 15 and 12. DH is avid hunter, ditto eldest son, ditto eldest granddaughter who killed 10 point buck Saturday in the corner of our woods. She has killed deer every year for the last 4 or 5 years. We live on 40 acres in s.e. Illinois, mostly wooded with big orchard that we haven't been able to do much with the last few years. Live in log house that was built in the '20's. Bob dismantled and moved it and re-built it here. Also have 3 older log cabins in varying stages of completion. I'm a registered nurse, retired due to bad back. By the way, I'm Hoot's favorite sister!

-- gibson girl (bobtravous@email.com), November 19, 2001.