Homesteading as Prepping?

[mamabearCali]

Yeah....the USDA and the FDA are nightmares to the small time farmer. Partially why I kind of want to keep it to what my family can eat (extended family included) and the products they won't get their panties in a twist about (wool for spinners) and possibly eggs at the farm, maybe soap from goats milk.

I remember reading about some poor farm that got hosed by the USDA because they sold over $500 in rabbits or some such nonsense. So yeah I am aware that there is a unconstitutional liberty sucking bureaucrat that will at the first opportunity steal everything I own just for fun.

The dairy I am not selling. It is for me. I have looked into it and it is crazy. Nope nope nope. I will turn it into soap....maybe. Most likely I will just eat it.

[SHMIV]

I guess a good rule of thumb would be to check up on laws in regard to selling anything.

Which is asinine. It really shouldn't be that way. If you have a surplus of perishables, you ought to be able to sell off that surplus, if you want.

As you point out Gene, it's geared to favor giant corporate farms.

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[mamabearCali]

Yall are just a wealth of knowledge. I am so very thankful for that.

[ShotgunBlast]

This might help too. I thought it was a good read.

A Realistic Plan and Time Line for A Survival Homestead - See more at: http://campfire.theoildrum.com/node/5661

My guess is that almost all city people underestimate what goes into establishing a homestead. And, most importantly, how long it will take – if you start the process today (2009), you should be ready some time in 2016-2017 -- if you work like a dog and are lucky.

[SHMIV]

Glad to be useful. In the event that you meet GF, be sure to ask her for gardening tips. She has quite the green thumb.

I wish I had been older when my parents were doing the natural living thing; I'd have more information to share. I do know that my Dad utilized some information from the Foxfire books, which are available online for free download in PDF format. I just can't recall where. I think I posted a link for it in the SHTF section a couple of years ago. Dad has started gardening again, but it's not really good to have livestock at the parsonage.

By the way, my Father has a found a supplier of antique seeds, which are seeds that come from plants that are from a long line of natural farm plants. In other words, seeds that haven't been genetically modified, to they produce vegetables that are better for you. I don't know where he gets them, but it can't be too far from the Culpeper area. If that interests you, I can find out for you.

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[mamabearCali]

That is a great link! Provides great information. Some of it will be slightly different because (well we hope!) that my DH will still have his job in the city. He will just have to commute 3-4 days a week. He usually works from home 1-2 days a week right now.

Chris had thought to get a travel trailer then build and I had said buy a single wide or cheap double wide and stick it on the property (as it is bigger) and then build. What say yall....travel trailer or manufactured housing while we build our home.

[Palladin]

Southern Exposure Seeds in Mineral... http://www.southernexposure.com/

[mamabearCali]

woot woot! Thanks Palladin

[SHMIV]

Travel trailer or manufactured home? Normally, I'd say travel trailer. They are as cheap or cheaper to buy, and far easier and far cheaper to move.

But, you guys are a family of 6, right? The manufactured home may be better. But, it could prove hard to get rid of later. Then, on the other hand, it could be good guest housing, or shop space, or music studio when your child decides that he wants to learn drums and form a praise band.

Yeah. I suggest the manufactured home, and think of a future use for it.

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[mamabearCali]

We are a family of 6, but we are very comfortable being all over each other. My kids all choose to stay in the same room. We finally had to put our foot down and say boys in one bed, girls in the other. They really do enjoy each others company. So if it had a separate master bedroom (my DH is noise sensitive sometimes) I think we could swing a travel trailer.

But then again...I am home all day long with the kids. It might be really really good to have a room to send them to, not just a bunk.

[mamabearCali]

Thanks SHMIV.... I have used old timey seeds in tomatoes....they are amazing...sometimes. They also seem to be more disease prone. So I would have to know that they have grown well in my area. Culpepper is only an hour away or so. So if it grows there it would likely grow here.

[SHMIV]

If you were feeling ambitious, you could probably find two campers, build a deck between the two, enclose the deck to create another room, and still spend less than what it would cost to buy the prefab house and get it towed in.

GFs mother bought a double wide, one time, and after the guy she hired to move it brought the first half, he hid the second half and demanded that he pay her more than the agreed upon amount. So be careful who you get to move the house if you go the prefab route.

I lived in a camper for 3 years. Those walls can close in on you, believe me. Especially with four kids. I'm the oldest of five snivelings, incidentally, and we're a close knit family, too. You will want a separate room to send the kids to.

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[SHMIV]

You're welcome. Daddy tends to have good luck with his vegetables, and they taste great.

On a side note, Dads heart problems vanish when he is out tending his
garden. Of course, that has no bearing on the seeds, but it seems that the act of gardening promotes good health, regardless of whether or not you eat what comes from it.

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[mamabearCali]

I tend to think the closer you are to the land, the better off you are health wise. My great grandfather was a farmer and he was still out trying to cut his own grass till a few months before he died at 96 years young.

[GeneFrenkle]

+1 to Southern Exposure. I'd recommend going the heritage route. Those varieties are selected for flavor rather than shipping. Yes, they might be slightly more disease and insect prone, but you can do things like putting in perimeter plants, etc.

As SHMIV pointed out >I guess a good rule of thumb would be to check up on laws in regard to selling anything.

Just to reiterate that as well as in one of my earlier posts, also independently verify local zoning (do not count on the seller or the realtor for this information). There might be inconsistencies between how the land is being used (a farm) with the zoning it's under (residential vs agricultural vs special use vs...) and what you'd like to do with it (sell soap, eggs, etc.). Zoning might even prohibit on farm sales.

Might also want to check to find out the frequency and duration of "average" power, internet, phone, and other basic services. This may impact the ability to telecommute if there is some sort of service outage. I'm not sure where you could get actual measure (other than by asking the provider itself and they actually keep those metrics other than by asking neighbors).

If you can - get land with a constant water source (stream). I'm sure Swampman could chime in on what's of value and what should be avoided.

[mamabearCali]

We'll be checking all those things out before we even put an offer on the land. We have had enough of HOA's and covenants and blah blah blah. If we cannot do as we want to do...we won't be buying that bit of land.

[dorminWS]

If you can - get land with a constant water source (stream). I'm sure Swampman could chime in on what's of value and what should be avoided.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes, you probably do want a water source. But you DO NOT want no DAMN wetlands, less'n you intend to keep them (and a mile around them) unimproved forever and duck hunt on 'em.

[GeneFrenkle]

+1 Dormin.

During te last tax asessment, I was in the dispute line with an 80+ yo man who's family had been on the same land for generations. Tax assesment folks claimed the land included wetlands which caused him all kinds of problems. He was afraid of losing his land due to the tax increases. Turns out in one little corner there was a small stream that floods occassionally into a swampy mess. So now he has wetlands. The assessment company was from NOVA and seemed to make assessments as if Orange Coumty land was up there.

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[mamabearCali]

How does one find out if a property is considered wetlands.

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[Palladin]

If it rains on it it's wetlands


pretty much if it floods in wet weather.