Homesteading in Minnesota

I have enjoyed reading your writings over the years and following your homesteading adventures.
Was just wondering if you would share why you chose to move to Minnesota. I was thinking some of the more western states are more freedom loving. And Minnesota is COLD! As well as so dark in the winter. Of course I have not lived out west, so not sure if where you were wasn’t just as bad…

Deb Gates
Seymour, Wisconsin

We moved to Minnesota because I had lived here before, I have a son here, we knew the area, and land was quite reasonably priced. There are also very few building restrictions in the area we chose. We found most areas of the west not so “freedom loving” as imagined.

We loved the west, but land that is homesteading friendly is generally hard to find in a small enough affordable piece. We would love a big ranch by the mountains, but don’t have $2,500,000! Smaller parcels, such as 40 acres, are usually in subdivided areas that used to be big ranches, bought up by a developer. We like people but don’t want neighbors. We love wilderness living. Having six or eight people in the nearby vicinity doesn’t appeal to us. That’s why we live 1.3 miles from a road, way back in the woods.

You never get everything you want in a homestead, but you need what will make you happy. Everyone is different in their likes and desires. It’s what makes us individuals. Visit the west a few times and look at what property is available with a realistic eye for potential homesteading. Maybe it’s just what you want. We needed more wilderness and more land to become more self-reliant. In fact, today, we just closed on buying the 40 acres next to our homestead. We bought it so we could have more pasture for our livestock and more protection on any future “neighbors.” We walked the land a few hours ago, doing a “victory lap” and are very thrilled to have saved so diligently for so long and are finally being able to add to our homestead. — Jackie

Homesteading seminars

I was thinking about you and your wonderfully fulfilling life that I and many others like to share through your blog. I know money is always tight for you and I thought of a way that you could make some extra cash and your loyal readers could get to see you and be taught by you. How about offering a two or three day seminar at your farm where you could instruct and encourage a group of ten or twenty folks who would pay you for your knowledge and experience. We could camp out or stay in a local motel. I know that I would be thrilled to meet you and learn from you firsthand.

Deborah Motylinski
Brecksville, Ohio

Actually, Will and I have been talking about doing this sometime in the future. We aren’t set up right now, but when we are less “rushed” with projects so that we can devote sufficient time to folks who come, we quite probably will be having a couple of homesteading seminars each spring, summer, and fall. We’ll be sure to keep all of our BHM readers posted. — Jackie

11 COMMENTS

  1. Jackie
    Sweety that would be awsome, if you could do something like that. I will be waiting to here about it.You have inspired me and others. You are a blessing.

    Thank you
    Michelle

  2. Sila,

    That’s an interesting idea, but I think a hands-on seminar where people could see and participate in what we’re doing would teach better. (And I’m not really a computer whiz!) But I will keep it in mind. You have a good point about people living a long ways off with limited finances.

    Jackie

  3. Perhaps a less intrusive option would be to offer live/web-based homesteading courses. Just make sure to offer them on weekends so that your Alaskan fans could participate as well.

  4. Jackie…Congratulations on that new 40 acres!! Naturegirl, on your “grab and run” list – some people have their priorities all up in the right place don’t they? lol

  5. Wendy – WOW, FOUR binders? Ok, maybe I’ve missed more than I thought, LOL….altho I do admit to my one being like 4″ thick and also doubles as a weight/press alot of times, hehe……I print out the specific things individually, then just categorized it by topic (and sub topics, and more sub topics :) )….by doing it that way, I have room to write notes on the same page (I have high altitude changes/issues to deal with for both canning and gardening)…..

    It’s lookin kinda sad right now, more duct tape holding it together than actual plastic & backing…..rings still work great, and that’s the most important part, LOL…..It’s on the list to “grab and run” if a situation ever warrants an evacuation, too….

  6. Carolyn Gish

    We DO like people! We enjoy visiting them and sharing our lives. Or I wouldn’t be doing this for a living!!! BUT we love our wilderness and don’t want to live among people. We love our isolation and the uniqueness of the quiet here. We’d like to do the seminars as a way of sharing what we’ve learned throughout the years. It’s great to see others grasp hold with their own places and progress forward towards self reliance. We truly enjoy talking to the many different people who have stopped here and will in the future.

    Jackie

  7. I smiled when reading this blog. I love your writing and you are really good at what you do. In the first question you answered you don’t want to be around people and in the next question you are going to have seminars – with people…. still smiling….

  8. We would love to attend one of these Jackie! It was such a pleasure to meet you both last summer! I know what you mean naturegirl… I am on “Jackie’s Blogs” binder number 4, all cataloged using Excel for quick reference. They’re my gardening and canning bibles!

  9. SO would I…..mostly because I’m sure I have missed something important that you’ve written over the years…..I already have a “Jackie Notebook” LOL….

    And I promise not to reveal where your location is, either….I’d sign a paper – because I know OPSEC is important to maintaining what you have worked so long and so hard to build there…..

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