IFB's homestead begins

[IowaFarmBoy]

Hello all
My family is finally diving into furthering our homestead. I grew up on a farm but decided I liked the easy life better until the easy life got really hard. Due to our financial situation, we (the kids and I, my wife is a little harder to convince) decided to start taking personnal responsibility. This includes paying off All debts, reducing our monthly payments on utilities, growing more of our own food, making more homemade meals from scratch instead of a box from the store and so many more things.

We live on 2 acres, have a 5000 sq. ft garden, have 2 dairy goats, rabbits, and a dozen chickens. Our home is in a small community (pop. 70) It has a good well, and a cistern that is approximately 8'x16'. We burn wood for heat.

It is very hard to keep motivated, so I will try and do one thing everyday towards keeping the NEW easy life going.

I look forward to all of your advise and thoughts on the many questions I will have.

[Native87]

Glad to hear you are starting. Just remember the "easy life" you speak of is alot of work and takes some deep thought. I look forward to hearing how it goes with you. If I can help I will try and do so.

Welcome to the most satisfying life. :)

[Aamylf]

Congratulations! I think it is not always an 'easy' life, but it is YOUR life. When you owe everyone and are dependent upon everyone, your life isn't your own. I don't think 1% of us can be truly 'independent', but the other 99% of us get to choose how dependent we wish to be.

Good luck and keep us informed. I love to read about what everyone is doing. And remember what wise man told me once, 'all you can do is all you can do.' Think about it and it makes a lot of sense.

[sissy]

Congrats, look forward to watching you move forward. We will help if we can.
sissy

[firegirl969]

Congrats on you and your families decision to get out of debt and work towards less dependence on others. I would reccomend to add fruit fruit trees and soft fruits as you can afford to do so to further that self-reliance aspect of your homestead, maybe even add a few nut trees too!

[patience]

IFB,

Welcome, to the forum, and the good life! :D With a name like that, something tells me that you have some experience at this sort of thing.

Sounds like you are off to a fine start out there. The savings will keep you motivated, every time you go to the grocery store! I'm with Firegirl about the fruit trees and such. Get them in the ground ASAP, since it takes them a while to produce. Strawberries and any of the briars will get you a crop in a couple years. If you like red sour cherries, I think Gurney's has some bush cherries like we have, and they produced within about 5 years. After 6 or 7 years, we get a gallon per bush each year. They are small, but very good. The black bush cherries, not so good, from our experience.

Best of luck on your venture, and keep us posted. :yes4:

[anna]

Congratulations on your wise decisions. Its also great that your family is now on board with your decisions. Homesteading is truly a family project.

Your financial decisions are so on the mark. Debt equals slavery. So few people today get that.

What part of Iowa are you in? Or should I ask how many inches of rain, how much flooding, how much garden were you able to have this year?

We're in NW Iowa and have a huge problem with rabbits killing any and all fruit trees we plant. The only fruit tree to survive has been a sour cherry. Last winter they girded everything at snow line which was 3' to 4'. They also ate all raspberry plants. We're able to keep them out of the garden for the most part with 18" chicken wire fence.

[Terri]

Welcome!!!!!

A true story here, to keep you motivated!

DH and I got out of school in the 70's, and there was a recession on. We left California because there was work in Iowa. We lived in a place called Council Bluffs.

In the 80's, there was ANOTHER recession and DH and I moved to Kansas because there was no more work in Iowa. This time we had a little house, and we had to sell it.

THIS time, amid talks of lay offs, I THINK we can survive the current recession WITHOUT moving! Even if DH looses his job I think we can manage on unemployement. Low housing payments, low debts, and more skill in cooking and handling money will do that for you! Not to mention having a little money in the bank for food if it hits the fan for us.

I do not think I will have to move again, and that is a GOOD feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lastly, everybody needs entertainment. As more and more of my entertainment comes from my own land, the entertainment costs have dropped to almost nothing. The chickens, removing weed trees and turning them into firewood, trying out a new style of raised bed and sowing it to Fall carrots are things that mostly pay for themselves. And, Tractor Supply has the most HUGE daffodil bulbs every fall for 30 cents each!

So, most of my entertainment money goes really, really far!

[IowaFarmBoy]

Thanks all for your well wishes,

Native 87: You are correct, it is not easy. I have been lurking here for two years and am just now getting going hot ad heavy.

Firegirl: I like that name as I was a volunteer fire chief for 7 years. Fruit trees are at the top of my list. My neighbor has an orchard with approximately 50 apple trees and 10 pear trees. I am allowed all I want as no one else wants any (including the neighbor).

Patience: First, thank you for all the great info and advise that you share with everyone on this forum. There are certain people that I look up to (even though I am 32). You are on the short list along with NCLee. I guess you guys remind me of my grandfather who I admired so much.
You are one of the guys I would like to crack a soda open and ask questions to all day.

Anna: I am located in SC Iowa. HOw much Rain? I've been drowning since may. Actually my family (father and brothers) own a heavy equipment contracting business. Out of 160 working days this year, they have only been able to work 40 of them due to the wet conditions. I worked with them for 12 years until this past July. I had to get a job that pays everyday rain or not.

Terri: I also have had to sell a house and 16 acres 3 years ago due to financial strain. I even sold my most prized possession ( a gift from my grandfather) just to feed my kids for a few months. This is the reason for wanting to be debt free and a more self sufficient life.
For entertainment we go camping at one of my brother's ponds on weekends through the summer and have family movie night on saturday's in the winter.


Again thanks for the well wishes and an actual update will be coming soon.

[Faye]

Welcome. I am looking forward to following your story.

[mousebandit]

Just wanted to bump this up, Farm Boy. Looking forward to hearing what you're up to, and seeing some pictures! And boy, did you hit the nail on the head with your description of Patience and NCLee (and a few others on here)! That's exactly how I feel! The depth and breadth of knowledge these folks have is incredible! We're among very good company here!

Mouse Bandit

[OTG Newbie]

Hello all
My family is finally diving into furthering our homestead. I grew up on a farm but decided I liked the easy life better until the easy life got really hard. Due to our financial situation, we (the kids and I, my wife is a little harder to convince) decided to start taking personnal responsibility. This includes paying off All debts, reducing our monthly payments on utilities, growing more of our own food, making more homemade meals from scratch instead of a box from the store and so many more things.

We live on 2 acres, have a 5000 sq. ft garden, have 2 dairy goats, rabbits, and a dozen chickens. Our home is in a small community (pop. 70) It has a good well, and a cistern that is approximately 8'x16'. We burn wood for heat.

It is very hard to keep motivated, so I will try and do one thing everyday towards keeping the NEW easy life going.

I look forward to all of your advise and thoughts on the many questions I will have.

IFB, Congratulations! Sounds like your off to a good start! Keep us posted & don't forget about photos! Hope everything works out for the best for you & your family!

[BigOBear]

Welcome. Can't wait to see the pics :)

Patience: First, thank you for all the great info and advise that you share with everyone on this forum. There are certain people that I look up to (even though I am 32). You are on the short list along with NCLee. I guess you guys remind me of my grandfather who I admired so much.
You are one of the guys I would like to crack a soda open and ask questions to all day.

Completely agree. Remind me of my ex FIL. That fellow sure knew a lot about a lot and had that knack for passing knowledge along.

It is very hard to keep motivated, so I will try and do one thing everyday towards keeping the NEW easy life going.

That's what I do. Most days it works. Some days it doesn't :)

[ohara1000]

Welcome to the forum IFB. I guess that makes me KFG (Kentucky farm girl). Good luck with your new start. I hope the wife comes around to your way of thinking. Post pics when you can
Sarah