Homestead mailing list

["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

On 7/13/06, The Studebakers <thestudebakers AT earthlink.net> wrote:
> I confess to being a fence rider, and feel torn and envious of those who
> aren't (Bev, et al)  Perhaps (LOL) I have an unrealistic dream of being some
> southern belle that works the farm, sweats, doesn't wear make- up, and then
> cleans the house like Martha Stewart, homeschools, and throws on a dress for
> a night of entertaining.


Amy,

There is something about the homesteader-wannabe dream.  If at least one of
you doesn't have to work an outside job (away from the farm) that will help
a great deal.

We bought our farm six years ago with a traditional mortgage.  We didn't
have but 10% to put down and refi'd two years later when the equity and
value had grown to 20% to get rid of the mortgage insurance.  If we had
waited until we had more $ saved, we may never have moved here and would
still be living in the city.

We are not homesteaders by any stretch.  I have never done and may never do
what Bev, Lynn, James & Denise, Gene and countless others on this list have
done or do regularly.  We keep chickens--or did before the dang stray dog we
adopted ate them when he escaped the dog run--and we garden.  Will get more
chickens.  We can or "put up" tomatoes and tomato sauce, green beans,
peaches, pears, and applesauce at least every other year (which has been our
track record thus far).  It depends on what grew well and was harvested that
year.  I freeze butternut squash (in chunks and puree), peaches, whole
tomatoes (added to soups or chili in winter), red raspberries and tons of
blueberries.

You can probably tell that we are fruit rich on our farm, we have 40
blueberry bushes, red raspberries, and many apple, pear and two peach
trees.  I've always hestitated to call our place a farm, even though every
other land holder around here does, because I don't farm in the sense that
my Grandpa did.  We don't keep animals and I don't sell anything for profit
or to make a living.

We enjoy and live a mostly rural lifestyle, we take pleasure in the simple
things such as being able to see the stars at night and watching nature's
fireworks, better known as lightning bugs, from the front porch.  Growing
your own pumpkins.  We have had bears visit us over the years, sometimes
doing damage and sometimes just pillaging fruit.  The last one was two years
ago--until this past Tuesday a.m. when my husband saw a cub trying to
scavenge what is left of the remaining blueberries.  We have mountain lion
around here.  Last winter a local sherrif's deputy was invited to hunt deer
on our farm (there, I've said it) and saw tracks and then the actual
mountain lion going after the deer he would have preferred to take.  My
husband comes from a long line of hunters, but doesn't care to hunt himself,
so we get a deer every year to put in the freezer from people who have
extra.

Because we have a mortgage, we've had to work.  I have been a mortgage
broker in town for six years.  I'm also the one who has the main interest in
homesteading, my husband likes where we live but recently informed me that
he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life pruning fruit trees.  I've
learned that after working all day in town, it's hard to get much done at
night.  Our boys are now 16 and almost 11, they are involved in various
sports and other activities which often take place on Saturday.  We
homeschooled the oldest until just this past January when he entered p.s. as
a Sophomore.  My husband is a musician and decided to open a music store in
town two years ago (why, we're still not sure).  There went our person at
home who helped weed the garden, harvest the fruit and did general
maintenance.  We'll know by the end of this year if the store will remain
open in 07 or will close.  The store is not in debt but not paying him
anything for his time.  It currently serves as a convenient location in town
for him to give 20-25 guitar lessons per week as he does now.

Recently we became Foster Care Providers, in part so I could give up the
lovely world of mortgage loans and focus on having a more rewarding life at
home, and also to gain steady monthly income.  [Having income on a farm
can't be overrated, there is always something that needs attention; the
chimney for the woodstove, the 40 y.o. barn that needs various degrees of
maintenance and the like.]  We enjoy our client who lives with us 24/7 and
though it is not without it's challenges, especially during the transition
phase, it is more fulfilling to my soul--much the way it feels between the
difference in living amongst nature v. asphalt and concrete.

I guess what I'm trying to say, in my long-winded way, is there is more than
one way to live in the country.  I am accepting that I will never be a
homesteader in the true sense, yet I enjoy my life here and the little bit
we do of homesteading.  You won't regret moving to the country.  I miss
being able to get chinese take-out sometimes, but hubby has learned to make
a darn good Gen. Tzo's chicken and broccoli & chicken stirfry w/ cashews.
Most of the frills you have or will have had with living in the city will
pale in comparison to being able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water
(usually your own--your land is the source), growing all or just some of
your own food, and having infinite amounts of peace and quiet.

Welcome to the list and to your new life.

Lisa
sw VA