Homestead mailing list

[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >James...what is the difference between you plying some trade and Ron
> plying his at a dealership..the difference is a regular income, however
> small that might be.  

There is not difference.  There is no meaningful difference in obtaining the 
required cash by craft trade, job, or farm produce.

The difference is engineering a life, working toward a life, that requires 
very little cash.  That means anticipating the emergencies you outlined above 
and providing for them.  For instance, I know I live in a place and under 
such 
trees where the roof can be damaged.  So as not to face roof repairs I 
sheeted 
the roof with 1" planks braced to the 2x6 (rough, so actual 2" by 6" or 
larger) trusses and then that covered with enameled metal roofing.  It would 
take a 
very great deal to damage it.

We know the cow might die any time, not that there is anything wrong with 
her, but animals do that.  We depend on that cow, so fifteen years ago we 
plied 
our trades enough to put back a 401COW fund.  It has been sitting there 
untouched for a decade and a half but knowing that at any time we might lose 
her, we 
prepared for it.

Likewise since you asked, the county allowed us to put in an 800 gallon 
septic with 300 feet of line.  But instead we put in a 1200 gallon tank with 
900 
feet of line for the express purpose of not having to dig it up later.  It's 
not 
fool proof but it increases our odds.  And at the time only cost about 15% 
more.  While I'm glad to have it, people have lived without modern septic 
systems for centuries.  It's a modern luxury for which I was perfectly happy 
to muck 
with the modern world to obtain.

Continual outflow of cash is a mindset that financial world is all too happy 
for us to think is just the God given way of things.  It isn't.  

>>  In your homestead
> world, you might take a long term job to pay for something you need or
> want, too, like a medical bill.
> 

Like the other anticipations, we have worked all our lives to not have 
medical bills. And, what are the odds, we don't have any.  

Bev, it's just my view, although I see so very much that confirms it, that we 
have gotten ourselves into a mental state where we see debt and being behind 
as the lot of our mortal lives.  During the time you were a child, who ever 
borrowed money to do anything but buy a house and then it was something that 
gnawed and ate at most people until they paid it off .... early.   That's 
why, 
says I, that we are hearing the Prez panic and wet himself at the idea that 
credit for everyone will dry up.  That's why the country is willing to go 
into 
hock itself for $8T just so a few banks can continue to make loans.  We are 
always looking behind us at the financial trail we've left in our wake rather 
than 
looking forward to what we anticipate we might need.

I'm likely to do a post on this, but let me say that the reason I preach and 
pontificate on the homesteading model I advocate is that if you have your 
food, a place to live, and a way to heat it and cook your food without having 
to 
stoke those ongoing operations with cash ... you become a financial superman. 
 
So what, then, if you have a mortgage or medical debt?  You are running 
without cement shoes on now, you can devote virtually all you cash, no matter 
where 
it comes from, to eliminate those things.

But if just keeping the homestead going enough to feed you, keep you warm, 
and put a roof over your head takes most of your money ... how can you ever 
anticipate being free of it.

These realities went into every single homestead decision we made.  When it 
came to two ways of doing things, one that involved cash and one that didn't, 
we ALWAYS chose the non-cash way.  Now it might not seem so right off the 
nail, 
but almost every "more efficient", "labor saving" way of doing something 
costs more effort in the end.    The cash we haven't spent on tractors, 
tractor 
equipment, chain saws, gas powered pumps, roto-tillers, exotic farmstock, 
anything but utter bottom feeder vehicles, etc, etc. went into one of our 
mason jars 
(literal or figurative jars) earmarked for the eventualities we knew were 
coming.

Bev, have you not had people stare at you like a codfish when you said that 
the life on your farmstead was healthier because of the work and good food?  
Well, that happens all the time when I try to explain that we got where we 
are 
as our economic base here not because we are lucky, not because of some 
unique 
circumstances, not because all the odds weren't stacked aganst us and we 
avoided every setback and obstacle.  There is a method to this and it works 
every 
time just as surely as eating your homestead fare makes a person healthier 
than 
a steady diet of McDonalds every time.

James