So happy to find this forum! To tell you a little about us, we are in a different position than most. We bought the farm and now we have to decide what we would like to do with it. We have just moved from north Atlanta to a 50 acre farm in rural Alabama. It used to be a working farm because the fencing is still in place. There are 40 acres in hay that we lease to a neighbor, 2 ponds, woods surrounding us, a small mountain behind us that we own to the top and a beautiful view of mountains from the front of the house. There are 2 wells on the property one is capped off.
I have always been interested since a small girl visiting my uncle's farm on living away from the hustle and bustle and live off the land as much as possible and leave as little of us as possible behind when we leave. I have studied and used homeopathic and natural remedies for years.
I was so glad to see other new or future homesteaders here!
I am frantically getting ready for a fall planting of fruit and my spring planting and will soon be building a coop for chickens. I have dappled with vegetable gardening in any small patch I could find in my previous homes but nothing on a larger scale. So I am reading everything I can get my hands on right now.
We have 4 wonderful boys ages 14, 13, 11, and 10. They are taking this move from Atlanta to Alabama pretty hard. Going from playing games every second I would allow it to little or no internet connection or friends nearby. I have really enjoyed seeing this transformation in them. They are playing with each other more, going outdoors working and doing farm chores (picking pecans and hickory nuts, pulling ivy, keeping the fences clean, etc) and actually talking to their mother and father more! We know this is best in the long run for them. Someday they will realize it too.
So I guess we have put the cart before the horse so they say but looking forward to the adventure. Yes I should be out there picking up pecans but have spent the morning soaking up all the knowledge I have found here!
Some of our goals are of course a garden, some poultry, and maybe livestock, building a storm/canning/survival shelter, and some type of energy that won't require fuel. Also would like to be prepared if we had to leave our home and have to live off the land completely. (this is more my hobby as my family will tell you!)
