Diaper Swappers

sarahannecloud9 · 08-14-2012, 12:18 PM

It's hard when things start to go down hill and you have to start over.

Big'ol hugs hun!

aiyana4969 · 08-14-2012, 03:02 PM

Well, honestly if I were in your position I'd look at where I wanted to live. I'd find a nice peice of property that wasn't an insane drive from a town (here it's 35 miles to town and I consider that reasonable most of the time). Find work there (even if you have to rent for 6 months or so before you can buy), even if it's not in your chosen feild. Even working at Walmart is something (I have no idea what your debt and expenses are like so I don't know what income you would 'need' to get a mortgage). It also never hurts to sit down with a mortgage specialist at a bank and chat with them about what you are eligible for, what they are looking for in terms of employment, duration and income to debt ratio. I've found that most banks are willing and eager to do this and the mortgage officer or broker has a wealth of knowledge. Honestly I wish we would have known our broker BEFORE we found the house we wanted because she gave us sooooo much info and really worked for us. There were things we wish we had known like NOT going to see a house before obtaining a real estate agent of our own as our advocate, because once we saw the house without one, we HAD to be clients of the one showing the house (at least here in Maine).

Knowledge is power, pick everyone's brain that you can. You'll find most people will share info freely even if it's just a chance to put thier own knowlege to use. Humans love to learn and love to teach (and the pride of showing off one's knowledge and brain doesn't hurt either).

If you are able to move to a place better suited for farming (and there are MANY in the US. Personally I'd take a look at places that are naturally sustainable. Southern CA may have many farms and the sunshine to produce all the time, but they depend on water form other states. If for some reason that water stopped coming in.... but that's just me being a slight tin hat.) Once you find the state and area you want to move to, look at the job opertunities near by, can one or both of you find a job? Is it possible for you to visit, get a feel for the place and interview?

Dh likes knowing he has something to go to, a security. I'm more up for an adventure and figuring it all out when I get there if I have to, but I've seen a lot of wisdom in planning.

jen_batten · 08-14-2012, 03:18 PM

For us, quitting jobs and starting suddenly would have been too much. We would never make it. If you have lots of homesteading knowledge already and were good at that kind of thing, maybe you could. We bought a place in the country, DH still has his day job, and we are learning a little at a time as we go. We started with chickens and feel like we've got that down, then gardening. We started very small with the garden (because I didn't know what I was doing, and still not great!) and are trying to get a little bigger/better every year until it is producing more and more of our food. We just bought a few young doelings for milk next year. All this has been over about a 3 year period. We try to give ourselves time to learn and grow, but it is hard not to just jump in and do everything at once that you want to do. I do think I would wind up overwhelmed and burned out if I did that--but it's very exciting and hard to resisit! Hopefully some day when we have more knowledge and experience under our belt (and the house is paid off!) DH will be able to quit his day job and will we be self sustainable. That would be awesome! For right now we just take it as it comes.

A small note about your brown grass--remember there is a big difference in what plants can tolerate as far as moisture. If you are going to plant there, get seeds that are used to (and thrive in) drought conditions. We got a new watermelon variety this year that is from Iraq and is doing awesome in our very very hot dry weather we've been having this year!

MrsCrafty · 08-14-2012, 03:36 PM

DF took over his family farm so it was different for us, but I still work in town. I saw a thing on Etsy 'Behind every great farmer, is a wife who works in town' lol. Not always true but seems to be the norm among our farming friends here.

AutumnRose · 08-17-2012, 03:54 PM

subbing, i need these links!

dublinup · 08-17-2012, 10:45 PM

Do you know anyone who is homesteading? Maybe go and check out some who are homesteading to supplement their lives versus full blown farming/ranching to support themselves completely. Where in northern Nevada are you?

sarahannecloud9 · 08-18-2012, 05:25 AM

It may sound silly, but we have gotten some cool ideas and tips from unexpected sorces such as certian tv shown like mountian men, lol. He's awsome at problem solving. One man has an old saw mill on his property and turned it into hydro power. he then used the mill to fill a timber order. he had wood to make new shingles for the barn where he stored his hay. He also showed how to make a tree stand with only surrounding wood. Quite cool. This was great for us because DH can use that one.

08-14-2012, 12:18 PM	#11
sarahannecloud9 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Crossville, Tn (Pleasant Hill) Posts: 10,680 Ratings: 382 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Homesteading - How do you do it? Where do I start? It's hard when things start to go down hill and you have to start over. Big'ol hugs hun! __________________ MAKE REASONABLE OFFERS ON MY FS ITEMS! Sarah, OCD about, Chickens, Gardening, and Farming! Wife 2 my savior since 97 Jimmy Ray, momma 2 my blessingsCayden 3/29/05 ANDWilliam 1/23/09Desperate for just 1 more. Missing my beloved moma, Karen- passed 4/14/09.

08-14-2012, 03:02 PM	#12
aiyana4969 Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Steuben, Maine Posts: 3,712 Ratings: 139 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Homesteading - How do you do it? Where do I start? Well, honestly if I were in your position I'd look at where I wanted to live. I'd find a nice peice of property that wasn't an insane drive from a town (here it's 35 miles to town and I consider that reasonable most of the time). Find work there (even if you have to rent for 6 months or so before you can buy), even if it's not in your chosen feild. Even working at Walmart is something (I have no idea what your debt and expenses are like so I don't know what income you would 'need' to get a mortgage). It also never hurts to sit down with a mortgage specialist at a bank and chat with them about what you are eligible for, what they are looking for in terms of employment, duration and income to debt ratio. I've found that most banks are willing and eager to do this and the mortgage officer or broker has a wealth of knowledge. Honestly I wish we would have known our broker BEFORE we found the house we wanted because she gave us sooooo much info and really worked for us. There were things we wish we had known like NOT going to see a house before obtaining a real estate agent of our own as our advocate, because once we saw the house without one, we HAD to be clients of the one showing the house (at least here in Maine). Knowledge is power, pick everyone's brain that you can. You'll find most people will share info freely even if it's just a chance to put thier own knowlege to use. Humans love to learn and love to teach (and the pride of showing off one's knowledge and brain doesn't hurt either). If you are able to move to a place better suited for farming (and there are MANY in the US. Personally I'd take a look at places that are naturally sustainable. Southern CA may have many farms and the sunshine to produce all the time, but they depend on water form other states. If for some reason that water stopped coming in.... but that's just me being a slight tin hat.) Once you find the state and area you want to move to, look at the job opertunities near by, can one or both of you find a job? Is it possible for you to visit, get a feel for the place and interview? Dh likes knowing he has something to go to, a security. I'm more up for an adventure and figuring it all out when I get there if I have to, but I've seen a lot of wisdom in planning. __________________ ~Amanda Busy, mostly minamalist, homesteading Mama to 4 girls. Stepmom to one and step-grandma to two Navy Wife to my retired sailor I have horrendus spelling, I'm dyslexic and random keys tend not to work (or double type), changing on a daily basis on my awesome computer so please excuse typos.

08-14-2012, 03:18 PM	#13
jen_batten Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Elk Creek, MO Posts: 2,960 Ratings: 13 Feedback: 100%	Re: Homesteading - How do you do it? Where do I start? For us, quitting jobs and starting suddenly would have been too much. We would never make it. If you have lots of homesteading knowledge already and were good at that kind of thing, maybe you could. We bought a place in the country, DH still has his day job, and we are learning a little at a time as we go. We started with chickens and feel like we've got that down, then gardening. We started very small with the garden (because I didn't know what I was doing, and still not great!) and are trying to get a little bigger/better every year until it is producing more and more of our food. We just bought a few young doelings for milk next year. All this has been over about a 3 year period. We try to give ourselves time to learn and grow, but it is hard not to just jump in and do everything at once that you want to do. I do think I would wind up overwhelmed and burned out if I did that--but it's very exciting and hard to resisit! Hopefully some day when we have more knowledge and experience under our belt (and the house is paid off!) DH will be able to quit his day job and will we be self sustainable. That would be awesome! For right now we just take it as it comes. A small note about your brown grass--remember there is a big difference in what plants can tolerate as far as moisture. If you are going to plant there, get seeds that are used to (and thrive in) drought conditions. We got a new watermelon variety this year that is from Iraq and is doing awesome in our very very hot dry weather we've been having this year!

08-14-2012, 03:36 PM	#14
MrsCrafty Registered Users Formerly: mommy2wyatt Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5,125 Ratings: 268 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	DF took over his family farm so it was different for us, but I still work in town. I saw a thing on Etsy 'Behind every great farmer, is a wife who works in town' lol. Not always true but seems to be the norm among our farming friends here. __________________ Denise, building a life with B my farmer, Mom to W 12.2006, and A 04.2013 and Bonus Mom to L 09.2006

08-17-2012, 03:54 PM	#15
AutumnRose Registered Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3,016 Ratings: 111 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Homesteading - How do you do it? Where do I start? subbing, i need these links! __________________ PM me, I have a habit of missing posts on threads! Willing to ship anywhere just ask!