Homesteading Classes and Hands-On Homestead Courses
I’ve talked to a lot of homesteaders over the years – being extremely interested in the back to the land movement myself – and I’ve heard a lot of different opinions on what it means to homestead. In that time there is one thing I have NEVER heard: Homesteading is easy. But don’t be discouraged. With a bit of help from people who know how to live off the land, you can avoid many of the pitfalls and greatly improve your chances of success.
The first thing you should probably know is that most homesteaders have a second income. Maybe they work “in town” or telecommute, or perhaps they have their own business, such as selling honey or hand-made soaps. Even hardcore legends like the Nearings had supplemental income selling syrup and books. One way to bring in some extra cash, which we’ll talk about in an upcoming article, is to offer farmstay style cabin or cottage rentals.
Another way some homesteaders help pay the bills is to give classes on homesteading, which is – without further digression – the point of this article. Below is a list of some homestead families who provide individual homesteading courses, along with a bit of information about each to help you make a decision.
Six Schools With Homesteading Classes
Homesteading Heritage Center for Essential Education (Texas)
This “school of homesteading” offers a complete curriculum for sustainable living skills from their model four-acre homestead located within their larger 510 acre working farm. Located in Elm Mott, Texas, they offer single day classes covering specific topics like owning a family goat, the family cow (course pictured above) and beekeeping, as well as multi-day classes like their three-day homesteading course that covers everything from gardening and dairy animals to fencing and water supply. Single-day classes are about $75-$85 and multi-day homesteading courses are $155 – $250. Accommodation is not provided. Homestead Heritage is part of the Educational Ministry of Heritage Ministries, which is a Christian community dedicated to preserving and nurturing those principles and values and applying them with new understanding to the present and future, to create a viable continuity from one generation to the next. Although we found no evidence of “preachiness” from literature and descriptions of their homestead courses, this might be something for those of other faiths to think about before making their selection of a homesteading school.
Apple Family Farm (Indiana)
For three generations, the Apple Family Farm Store has been providing a glimpse into the past for city folk traveling east of Indianapolis. Although the information is difficult to find on their website (find it here), they do offers homesteading classes, which aim to teach beginning farmers how to avoid the many pitfalls that could lead to failure, disappointment and discouragement during the first few years of homesteading and hobby farming. They offer hands-on training on one, two and three day classes on subjects like owning a dairy cow, goats, keeping chickens, grazing, butchering, logging, soap making and even marketing and bookkeeping for your own country farm store.
Muller’s Lane Farm (Illinois)
Another Christian-based family farm offering classes on homesteading, the Muller’s teach visitors everything from driving a draft horse to soap making and canning. They chose to include these classes at the requests of visitors participating in their farm tours. We couldn’t find much in the way of prices on their website so you’ll just have to contact them and ask. Muller’s Lane Farm is located in Rock Falls, IL.
The Institute of Urban Homesteading (California)
Taking a different twist on homesteading classes, this school in Oakland, CA understands that not everyone who is interested in living a simpler, healthier life can live out in the country. Urban Homesteading is a growing phenomenon similar to the movement in which people living in city neighborhoods and suburbs are turning their small sub-acre plots into thriving vegetable gardens and small urban homesteads capable of providing enough food to feed their entire family. A classic example of success in urban homesteading is the Dervaes family’s Path to Freedom project. You can learn how to do what they’re doing by taking an urban homesteading class in Oakland.
Pioneer School of Homesteading (Michigan)
The Quaker Hill Farm is another Christian-based (Quakers) farm that offers homesteading classes to the public. Located in Harrisville, MI, the farm offers courses for about $75 each on topics like beekeeping, breadmaking, growing and using medicinal herbs, raising poultry, basic homesteading skills and many others. And who better to learn how to homestead from than the Quakers?
Self-Reliance Resources (North Carolina)
If you are unable to travel or take time off work for a hands-on homesteading class, you may want to check out some of the ebooks, free downloads and audiotapes offered by Kathleen Lamont of Back to Basics and Self-Reliance Resources. Kathleen also offers single-day, $40 homesteading classes from her farm in Western North Carolina. My wife and I just got back from vacation in that area and, let me tell you, it is BEAUTIFUL!
We probably won’t be updating this post, but if you have a farm or homestead and offer courses, please tell our readers about it by commenting below. And here is another resource you might want to know about if you offer any kind of agritourism.
Living off the land isn’t easy even for those who grow up on a farm. Take someone who lived their entire life in a city and that compounds the issue manyfold. These homesteading classes are a great way for former and current city-dwellers to bridge some of the gap between their knowledge and that of someone who grew up on a farm – thus improving their chances of making a go at living off the land.
I strongly support those living off the grid and would like to do so myself.
Right now I’m living in a motorhome.
Living where I can.
I no longer care to support greedy landlords,bill collectors or this high price of living this society is subjecting the people to.
I’m looking for a place to live Freely off the land.
Have my own energy and water source.
To have a place to grow my own crops and live stock.
To hunt and fish.
I say freely off the land because no man should have to pay for something that is our god given right and the right of every living creature on this ea.
I believe we lost our freedom when we were denied that right.
Now we find our selves unable to afford the right to own your own land without going deep in debt to a bunch of loan sharks and exstortionists.
Who’s laws give them the legal right to rob you of what you worked hard for.
i know this of the subject sorta, where i live (state,town) if you try to live off the grit or try to live without the grit. you would get charged no less than $700 and get jail time. they say that you are indagering others although there might not be people living with in 200 ft.
you can look where i live on the map ( big stone gap, Virginia).
sorry forgot to put that we can not have poultry and if you try to grow vegitables they try to charge different prices for each.
You have to be rich to own your own house or land. I agree with the early writer that it should be our god given right to own land. The homestead act that was taken away in 1986. So why can’t we get the act re-instated so maybe a tax paying citizen might have a house with some land. It’s not right.
Yes, everyone should own their own land. In sweden we never have had the law that says you have the right to own your land.
Here I haven´t seen any courses to learn homestading. We don´t even have a word for that!!
In your opinion where is the best place to homestead or “live off the land in the US?
Annette – Obviously from my choice of locations to buy farmland in, I’d have to say somewhere in Appalachia. The Ozarks are good too (from what I hear) if you don’t mind the humidity.
Hi everyone this is my first attempt to follow a dream my husband I have to start a new life living off the grid. We have no real knowledge how to begin finding somewhere to homestead. We are considering Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and hope someone out there can help us gain the knowledge we need to seek out a homesteading land opportunity in these areas. Our plan is to pay it forward and help others to spiritually grow and sustain themselves off the grid as we plan to do. Thank you and your responses would be most appreciated.
I also agree to the god giving right to have our own piece of land. We are owned by this system from birth. The lies and dishonesty of our government has been there from the start. All I want is peace in my life, a roof over my head, food,health and my son. Its 2:15 in the morning and I’m researching on how to survive in the wilderness so I don’t wind up dead within a few months of my future journey. I wish I could find a christian based organization that welcomed new comers in, and taught them to survive and had a payback system once you were established. I love life just not the life man created. GREED!!!
To those who think “God gave us the right to own land” I’d like to ask: How many children do you have? There is only enough room for so many people on this “God-given” earth. Imagine if all of the condo and apartment-dwelling people all over the world – stacked hundreds on top of each other in places like India and China and major US cities – were to each own five or ten acres. There just wouldn’t be enough.
So stop breeding or stop bitching. One or the other but you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
I agree with your staement (Off Grid Ebert) but you have to keep in mind that as badly as some people want to live off the land there is just as many if not more, people who simply want to live the easily paid for life in modern society. There is also the other poeple who simply could not function in the simplicity that is living “off the land”. I think that all in all given the choice there is enough land in this world that if a man wanted to take care of himself and live on the land he should not have to fatten the pocket of someone who is selling you what mother earth has already provided to everyone free of charge.
I think the govt should help us out in going back to the land,they help all kinds of groups do strange things, why not let us live the way we want to an leave us alone ? Also, for hose who are concidering property sites remember this….know what you need, are you going to grow and produce ? Then you need land that has a good growing season, dont just settle cause its cheap ! Study area, the surroundings and whats allready growing there….altitude and climate are key. T
I am going to be leaving this spring with the full intention of disappearing from all society and surviving off the land and the resources is has.Our earliest ancestors did it and the Indians did it.I have extensive training and knowledge of edible plants and catching food.Why should we have to live under the “laws” that the government set so they can get richer and we all starve or lose everything?Nature is free and the invaluable resources it provides is more than sufficient to support life.The trick is to stay as far from civilization as possible and be ready to defend your right to exist if necessary!!
Most people do not have the guts it takes to live “off grid”. my wife and I take a step closer each year. You cannot just snap your fingers and it happens. Think about these points, this is a small list that my wife and I feel we have to be able to meet to live off grid.
1.can you repair it if it breaks? take a welding and mechanics course.
2.can you grow it? learn from farmers, co-ops, agri. busness.
3.TAKE A EMT CLASS!!!!!
4.learn to cook from/with basics now.
5. how will we eat if there is a flood,drought,or just a bad year.
This is just 5 of our list, start with small steps. practice living with out the little things.
I agree with both sides, we should all be able to live free from the ties of society if we chosse to do so by self sustaining on this planet and that population is our largest problem when trying to do this. I do believe that the earth has its own form of population control that will govern itself if left to do so. Unfortunatley the inteligence (or lack of intelligence) of the human species has allowed it to evolve away from the earths control and create a false sense of reality to the nearly 7 billion people that live here. The problem is we got to good at farming and cultivating food. I am in a strange situation in my own life where I dream of being free of this societal mess we have made and yet I work for the government and depend on the pay check for survival, I am a hypocrit! Unfortunately its not by choice, Its just tough to fight against 7 billion people!
For those of you who are not sure if it can be done. Yes you can live off the land, grow your own crops and have solar energy. My dad does it in the Bahamas. He has solar power and gas powered appliances mostly solar except the stove. He does not have AC but knows someone who has enough panels to have AC. He ca tches his own rain water through the gutters on his house and filters them into a covered plastic tank. He has composting toilets that turn waste to a dust like substance and can fertilize the plants. He has chickens and a wide variety of fruits and vegatables. His wife spends about 20 hr a week in her garden but they have more than enough food to feed them and more. He found a radio tower and receives high speed internet throught the tower. Uses a marine radio to contact the locals by water. Its a great life and yes it can be done.
continuation of It can be done. My dad started off on a house boat and lived on that rent free and realized he didnt want to live like everyone else. If you live by the water you can fish for food.
I would like to try this lifestyle sometime. I just hope I dont starve to death because I am not good with plants.
Other ways of living off the grid — sailboats, working for one of the parks and volunteering for a few hrs a week some will let you live there for free. Thats how I plan to retire.
I am located in West Virginia, and have been homesteading a very short while now. I want to be totally off-grid, but I guess I am cheating for right now. I have electric, and I use it for my saws & things while getting everything prepared. That is the fences, barns/sheds etc. I find it very hard to get everything done when your doing it by yourself. I would love to have some others here with me, but so far I have no one interested in this type of life. I own my property here, but its rough farmsteading here. I live on the side of a mountain, that is covered in trees. I have worked hard and got a small part of the trees cleared, to make a field for my goat, and of course the chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese & guineas enjoy it also. I don’t have a fence up yet to really hold anything in, my animals free range all the time. The chickens, turkeys & guineas go into the chicken house to roost at night, and I shut them up to be safe & sound. I knew it would not be an easy life, but when you start going back in time to live, people thinkyou have lost your mind. My own family even quit coming around when I started this farming thing. But even tho I do miss the company of my family, I still have to move on & not let them or anyone else drag me down. I would actually like to meet a couple guys that would like to be part of this homestead, so that I can have others input, plus someone of like mind tobe around for good company. I want to wish all of you great success in your dreams of homesteading.
I am somewhat surprised by what I have read at this site but not in total disagreement! Everyone cannot live “off-grid” and neither can everyone life On-grid either. There is room for both and should be. I have skills gained in the U.S.Military to live off the land, for and extended time, however not to this degree, but rather for one person only! What your talking about is farming and long term living for larger amounts of people for ever…This is a whole different kind of living and it is at this the pioneers did when they first came to this country as the came from England and established the Colonies in the “New Country”! At some point those people formed a set of laws for the good of the many! This is the foundation of our style of Government I would say get involved or leave! I am ultra conservative and you can find nobody that is more upset about how this country is ran, but we have to work from with-in to change not waste our energy and leave! So, I say get busy and get involved or get busy and leave and do it now so we don’t have to experience the dead weight of people that serve no useful purpose! What I would prefer is you stay and get to work for this country! What will it be?
to wvhomesteader, please explain your plans and situation. i would also like to live off grid. i am currently in cali. i spent alot of time in the minnesota. i love to cut wood and clearing woods is enjoyment for me. i am a 37 yr old male, divorced and ready to get as far from the daily life of modernism. please write me back at rikabsher@hotmail.com i hope to communicate with you more on this.
I come from Ireland orginally, and in the time of the potato famine, people used to live off plots of land not much bigger than some people’s gardens. This is why they grew potatos, as this vegetable supplies so much nurishment per small area, but this became their undoing as the potato blight left them with nothing to eat. Note that there was plenty of food in the country if you had the money. The English were exporting a lot of grain from Ireland at the time, just they didn’t give a shit about those who were dying of starvation….
A decent vegetable garden is where to start. If you live in the city in a house with a big yard (half an acre or so), dig up your lawn and turn it into a vegetable garden and see how you do. You will learn an awful lot about how to get certain vegetables to grow and about crop rotation. Learn how to store these veggies without the need for refridgeration. Use dehydration and cold storage (in a cellar for example) for tubors like potatos and onions. Learn how to pickle foods also.
Make your meals from mostly vegetables with a little meat (very little) as this is how people lived back then. A few chickens might be kept in a coop in your yard….maybe start there with meat. Convert your house to solar and whatnot to see how far you can get off the grid. You can do all this without homesteading.
My concern is for when society and government breaks down, which seems inevitable these days (maybe 100 years from now), but all it takes is a really bad pandemic like the black death, and thats the end of society as you knew it.
Also try backing up the web to a disk farm. Believe me, if you can archive large portions of the web, it could be the difference between life and death.
Also grow a good herb garden both for natural medicinals as well as food flavoring.
Next time you are at the beach, try collecting your own salt.
There is a lot you can do by continuing in your day job and learning “on the job” as it were. Eventually you’ll be ready.
Very well said mr murray. We were your average couple. paid taxes, ss, and health insurance. We both sold our business so we could have quality life together. when was enough, enough… My husband suffered a very serious stroke and now depends on me 24/7, wheelchair bound, Our life’s changed forever. We have lost our health insurance, I get no ssi for my husband. I have recently bought five arces of land. My over all plan is not to become totally independant, only more aware of what I can do. I was told my husband would never live outside of a nursing home, he has been with me here at home for four years. Yes, it is a lot of work, but, I did what I believed in… not what I was told. Even the smallest thing you do, Do for yourself… it will put a smile on your face… believe me. giggle pk
I’m very intriqued with idea of living off grid and have been for some time. It sounds like just as folks are wanting total “freedom” they are already looking for groups of people to align with. I think that living off the land is highly admirable and a solution for people struggling to survive in a money-rich world that has left them behind. But I also think that it should be stressed that we have the luxury of knowing that our for-fathers have already been through this like someone else mentioned. We built our country on that journey so anyone willing to commit to that legacy along with living off the land or off the grid is a friend of mine. I don’t mind paying taxes, voting, and doing my part to protect society because I live in one of the greatest countries where I am even allowed to explore the idea of living off the grid. It is my dream to be self-sufficient one day on a huge piece of land where I garden and have solar and wind-power. I like the idea that if disaster hits, my family would come to me for help and to live well. Maybe someone should set up a site where we all can talk and support each other as well as teach each other what we have learned in our own endeavors.
Is anyone in Alabama looking to live this lifestyle? I want to but am single and couldn’t do it on my own.
I think that living off the grid is exciting and would become useful down the line. I aim to learn all that I can to be able to live off the land if need be. What is 2012 does happen and only hundreds of us survive…? It would be like starting over almost…only we know is advance and could prepare. I’m not saying that it will happen and I’m not saying it won’t. All I’m saying is that if something happens and I survive then I’ll wanna keep on surviving…
TO wvhomesteader PLEASE CONTACT ME AT CAROLP15012@YAHOO.COM
This site is very interesting.It’s funny of all the people(males and females) that are having the same thoughts of living off grid.I believe it can be done,but are we really ready to give up cell phone,TV,warm running water,air con,and I could name numerous other things.How would you feed your livestock? winters are pretty hard sometime.You would have to have so kind of income for seeds for garden.What about if it didn’t rain,water for the garden and livestock.There are a lot of unknowns.( BUT,I think I am about ready to try)I am a 60 year old male divorced and ready for new adventure
Hello everyone; my name is dawn, I to am interested in living off the grid, and in response to Amy’s thought of not being able cause she is a family of one and or maybe she may feel incapable being a female, my youngest daughter and I do intend to try and live off the grid as you call it, we are saveing money,and looking for land with no restrictions,and willing to learn all we can to do so. and if you like,We will share any thing we learn freely. all you have to do is ask. now I will say that we should all help each other for free.
My girlfriend and I have just begun taking our first steps on backing out of the system, off “The Grid” if you will, by ridding ourselves of useless “stuff”. We both have been feeling a sense of change in the air, something wicked this way comes, as it seems the rest of you “feel” as well, or you wouldn’t be discussing how to leave the only life we’ve all ever known for simpler yet much harsher lifestyles. So,
I agree with Dawn’s view of helping each other….without a price tag attached. Knowledge is best honored when shared openly and freely with others to enlighten and teach.
We have become so engrossed with our own “success” we tend to miss opportunities to help those in need and truly be involved and apart of one anothers lives, the way I remember life as a kid growing up in the seventies in New England.
We all have eyes and ears, we understand where things seem to be heading, downhill and picking up speed. There are (a lot)of people on this planet that have been preparing for life without @ least 5.5 billion of us (over eaters) for quite some time now, and the means for ridding the planet of this amount of people will not be pretty. Mother nature will do her part, The Heavens will do theirs as well, the one I’m afraid of is man. The only species on this planet with the capability of annihilating it. Willfully. Very scary stuff, yet real.
I believe we have the power to create any reality we choose…just like the one we are trying to escape from. It is man made if you really think about it.
I am interested in hearing from people and what you have to say, so feel free to email me @ PJC.923@Hotmail.com. We are two individuals with incredible heart and compassion for humanity, we are parents and loving human beings. Sounds weird to you, feel free not to respond. If it sounds like your heart too, love to hear from you.
PJ
I MYSELF WENT THROUGH A VERY BAD DIVORCE IN FLORIDA THE EX GET 2800 A MONTH IN ALIMONY YES ALIMONY. SHE GOT THE HOUSE THE CAR WELL I GOT MY JEEP AND MY CLOTHES. I BOUGHT A MOTORHOME AND AM LIVING IN A SMALL LOT IN CENTRAL FLORIA FOR 250 A MONTH IT INCLUDES WATER BUT THAT ISNT ME I LOVE SOLAR STUFF AND POWER FROM THE LAND WATER AND WIND GENERATORS. I HUNT , FISH AND I THINK THIS ECONOMY SUCKS AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN FLORIDA IS THE WORST. I AM LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DO THIS ALSO 2012 ISNT FAR AWAY AND HARP IS ANOTHER SORE SUBJECT. OH WELL GOOD LUCK ALL AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS
Well thanks for the response,to my thoughts. My intention is not to scare anyone but just to make us all think, you see our economy doe;snt look good now and it doe’snt show signs of improving,but even that is not my only reason for wanting to live off the grid,you see I’ve been homeless with my children,and hungry,some times things happen to good people who are trying,your down sizes and you and yours are out. so what do you do? you learn, you find better solutions, well I remembered back when I was young, and my grandparents were alive, how we lived, no running water,no gas heat, electric,just wood for heating and cooking,candles or karosen for light,draw water from the well, or creek, no phone, we raised cows,pigs, chickens, raise food for animals and us,canned,smoked,cured,fished, we lived good,we did’nt get sick, we were healthy,strong,happy,now that is what i call living,I intend to be as selfreliant as posible,although i do like some of the modern convinces,such as the net it is the best way i know get meet peolple like us and to learn the things i need to learn to complete my goal.also i would like to leave all of what i’ve learned to my children and so on,and i want my land to stay in good health as it is passed down.oh I should let you all know i found 15 acres ,all old woods meaning that no one has built on it,so now my dream begins.so wish me luck. and yes any thing i learn i will gladly share. freely
To: wvhomesteader… I would love to join your homestead…. email me: alwayslearning12345@yahoo.com
Im just now getting started on liveing off the land although i was bor and raised in souther mississippi,i had gotten caught up in (keeping up with the jones).So i guess im just looking for advice on the do’s and dont’s.
Great site, great info, great comments… thanks for blogging!
While this “off-grid” living movement has been gaining momentum for some time now, including my own family’s interest in it, I have to ask you all to contemplate on and honestly answer the following question…
If movies like “Avatar” and “2012″ had never been made/released, do you think that there would ever have been:
- this much interest generated on “off-grid” living?
- this many people interested in doing so?
- this much urgency to do so by a certain date (ie. 2012)?
For our family, we truly want this as a way of life so that we may become more eco-concious of what we take from and give back to our planet (as custodians of this planet) for the next generation.
Even with understanding that this is a road less travelled, and that it is certainly NOT for the faint of heart (due this lifestyle’s daily demands and commitments necessary to achieve a successful harvest and continuous food supply), it’s become a majority vote in our family that we continue our family’s transition back to the more basic way of life.
We love technology as much as the next person, when it is used as a tool to connect people to one another and to provide pertinent information, but when it’s misused or applied inappropriately (haldron collider, internet porn, spamming, etc.) then this same technology is no longer being used as a productive tool providing a viable service.
Thanks everyone, and God Bless!
anyone who wants to network about homesteading is welcome to contact me at wompol@hotmail.com.
I am mother to 12. We are a hardy bunch (think LHOP)…and after living the suburban life while teaching self-reliance, I believe we are ready to return full-bore to a self-reliant off grid existence. I just need to decide is we go to th Appalachains (benefit: altitude and stable geographic underfoundations in case of natural disaster) or Montana…might be better in case of economic collapse and more isolated from hordes of people. In either location, we are now looking for about 200 acres abutting a national forest/park and will build a large earth-contact off grid home with plenty of common space and outbuildings to begin with, and help each other build additional earth contact “pod” homes. I WANT somewhere with a good winter…makes some winter food storage easier and provides rest to the land.
With a mule, a few horses, a pair of goats, bees, chickens. ducks, a few good dogs (working dogs, not fufu animals), and a combination of year-round greenhouse gardening/seasonal minifarming with lots of storage and planning ahead, I am excited about starting next year.
I am a nurse (trained as a family practitioner) who has always informally taught natural living and other “survival” skills. Fortunately, my partner is the really smart one…and our kids have every combined skill anyone could need to prosper. We are even blessed to have our own cultural and artistic resources. We would love to network with truly likeminded families (large and small…yes that includes families of 1!!!).
wow, i am so glad i found this forum. I’m only 20 years old and i am completely aware of the evilness of mankind and what it has done to our earth. I would love to one day get away from everything! i really like having people around to love, laugh and share experiences with. I really want to live off the grid asap but it would be amazing if somehow we could form say a little “society” like the movie “the beach” with leonardo in it. I’d rather live on a beautiful island off the land instead of somewhere in america. ( i hate winter!) give me an email cuz i wanna play! lol
wooboost@gmail.com
Hello everyone-
My boyfriend and I are currently seeking to purchase property in W.VA or VA. I am a registered nurse, who gardens, cans food, and has farming eperience throughout my life. My boyfriend is an offshore fisherman, here in FL. He is mechanically and electrically inclined. He can build anything, and worked during hurrican katrina-helping to rebuild housing for the victims. He is use to being out in the Gulf-using battery-power and propane. He has knowledge of how to build wind power generators, solar panels, etc,,,I will still work in a hospital until we have what we need to survive. We are currently selling our home in Fl, but if it doesnt sell, we will just have to keep making the high payments until it does.We are investing in arms, as well. We are also purchasing a bow, in case we run out of ammo to hunt.We are currently learning how to tan hides.Like the rest of you, we MUST become self-suficient-it is our only means of survival, I fear. We will also live in a travel trailer if the property we find does noo have a home on it. I guess the point I am trying to make is this:be prepared. It is simple yet vital.Please, dont go out into the woods and starve or freeze to death, as others recently have done.There are the basic needs we must have to live. I work very hard, and spend no money, so we can purchase what we need to live off-grid.We have planned this since our trip to WY last August. If anyone is interested in communicating with us, you may email me@crowthornton@yahoo.com. We are lightwalkers-and seeking spiritual growth and freedom of self-a goal we will soon obtain. We will arrive in May 2010. There is peace in the light-
I am just tired of the government and banks having their hands so deep in my pockets. I pay $50,000 a year in interest have big mortgage nice house. Property taxes, income tax, sales tax, have to pay $7500 to hook up to city water plus parts and labor then monthly bills, $3500 for power transformer then monthly bills now health care. I even have to pay to license my dogs etc etc etc. If I spent that much cash as i go I could have a mansion in 5 years with no interest payments. But still property tax. I am a slave to the bank. Going to file bankruptcy and start simple life. No credit just cash. proplem is where do you live to save enough to get started?
I have always longed to live off the land. I think I was born in the wrong era
I have enjoyed all the inspirational, encouraging and informative posts here and would like to learn more about “off grid” living.
The last of my four chickadees will be going off to college this year so I plan on attending homestead classes to learn as much as I possibly can and start living my dream.
If anyone has had experience with an “off grid” resort, please let me know as I would like to see what I am getting myself into while I explore and persue this venture.
I am also of the mind of sharing freely so I am more than happy to share whatever I learn. I appreciate all of you very much!
Thank you and please e-mail me at Heavenismyhome3@aol.com
In replie to Off grid ebert.
I know where your coming from.
I clicked on your name and it brought me to a Homestead realtor site.
I can see why you would object to the idea of free land.
Isn’t profitable.
Money hasn’t stopped the population problem explosion on our planet.
Robs us of our true freedom we should have and forces us into servitude debt.
I alway’s felt the saying; You can’t have your cake and eat it to. was so stupid. What is the point in having cake at all, if it isn’t to be eating.
Such thinking is why we lost our Freedom in the first place.
Its time the people stood up to the oppressors in this world.
Took back what is rightfully ours.
Refuse to be charged for it.
Thomas. So what happens when you have a piece of land that you think is yours because you park your motorhome there, but then someone else parks their motorhome over the hill. Do you say “Go away; I was here first.” or do you say “All land is free and I don’t own it so you park where you want.”? What if you need a certain amount of land in order to live, plant food, keep livestock? If not government or the market, who is to say how much land that is? Is it an acre? Five? Fifty? Does it change when you’re in the arid West Vs the wet southeast? Are we all just supposed to start fighting over land again with the meanest, most-willing-to-murder of us getting the land like we did before laws and governments? Or are you envisioning some sort of utopia where we all just magically get along and everyone gets a free X amount of acres as their birthright? Well what happens when we keep breeding and now there are no more acres to be given away because they’re all taken and there are too many newborns and not enough people dying off in time? Does land get passed down from father to son? What if the father has five sons? Do they split it up and, if so, would it still be enough to live on? If you don’t have enough land, how do you acquire more?
I think your line of thinking is wishful, lazy and irresponsible. You only think about what you want and you blame the government because you don’t have it. The reality is the reality and you either work to improve it or you don’t. But wishing that land was free isn’t going to make it free and you don’t have enough guns in this world to “rise up against your oppressors” and do so. Your power is in your vote. If you don’t like the government, vote the A-holes out. But don’t sit there and accuse me (eg “I came to this site and it had real estate for sale on it”) of being some sort of capitalistic moneygrubber who keeps people like you from living your God-given life. I am not your problem and neither are real estate agents. Your problem is that you want something for nothing and can’t see past your own wants to understand the implications of “free land for all” which would, essentially, be total chaos and war with everyone against everyone over limited land and resources that we all think we have a right to.
If you want to talk about who has a RIGHT to this land, give it back to the Native Americans and take your ass back to Europe or wherever it was your ancestors came from. Unless your heritage and race is predominately Native America this land is NOT your God Given birthright.
Put a sock in it.
It seems there is alot of us who share the same feelings about this society we live in.
It would be nice to come together and meet others who share the dream of being free,independent,having the freedom to live freely off the land.
To form a colony who survival depends on people working together,helping each other, to help provide for the needs of all.
Not to serve individuals seeking power and control over our lives.
To be free of the control that money has on our lives.
We need leaders, not rulers.
If there is such a movement in this world today.
I would like to be part of it. coolrayfruge@netscape.net
I’ve been reading “homesteading” websites and blogs for a couple years. I’m surprised that I’ve not seen much if anything in Florida. Any classes in my neck of the woods that yall know about?
I just bought 50 acres. I learned to hunt, fish, garden and butcher animals from my dad growing up and I have tought myself many things about living off the land. I am a blessed man and give all credit to my Lord and Savior. Remember people, you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you and the things that don’t kill you only make you stronger. I live off grid and it is absolutely wonderful! I have gotten healthier because of less stress. You can do it. You don’t have to go all out as I have. There are many ways to start out and expand as you get stronger. JUST DO IT!
I have found forty acres in washington to be off grid for 50,000 get $2300 a month in pension only 38 years old. own excavator equipmnet do concrete and fondadtion I my self would got there today and live in a tent without power. Until I could build my own house cash as I go. Filed bankrupcty cause I owe 520000 on this place worth 380000 pay 32000 a year in interest!!! 32000 a year cash towRDS YOUR HOUSE ESPECIlly since i have tools and know how!! Problem is my wife wont go and I love her!!!!! next step is to give up on life and dreams. or am i ruining hers!!!
In reply to wvhomesteader… my family and I live in Southwest Virginia and travel to WV every week for my husband’s job. We own an appliance repair business. We have recently started planning a self-sufficient life. We are in the early stages of planning, but are using this time to start learning everything we can.
I can sympathize with what you said about losing most of your family. We also lost many family and friends over the years because of our “different beliefs”. We homeschool our children and absolutely love everything about pioneering and homesteading. We are looking to rent (and later buy) a home with more land than what we have now. We only have about 1 acre and it’s all hill-side. Our neighbors are right on top of us and some would kill any animals we tried to keep.
Feel free to write back to us. We would love to start networking with others living (or trying to live) this lifestyle. God bless!
Would you all join me and others to continue Building upon 9,220 acres?living off the land. no slave wages, we grow our own food. many people coming together with different talents. a brotherhood of men and a Sisterhood of women working as one. Not a religious group with control over your life but a mutual meeting of the minds with the same goal of living a self reliant life away from the rat race where your not stuck in a cubical or a dark noisy factory, away from the 9 to 5 grind. Your tan and healthy because your outside in the sunshine and you don’t get sick from all the chemicals found in grocery store foods. we grow fresh fruit and vegetables and raise chickens. The large common house is full of activity. many woman,wives,daughters and sisters are cooking and chatting while sharing recipes. some men are in the tool barn chatting in the shade, some men are next to the south field learning about bee’s and honey that they sell along with many other ways we make money, like home-made soap and leather goods,everything from key-chains to high quality saddles. some people to mail order and others assemble products at home but no one ever works more the 2 to 3 hours a day unless they enjoy what they do and many people enjoy working together because they don’t have the pressure of a mortgage and car payments. everyone is debt free because when they join us they sell everything and give everything they have to everyone. as some millionaires know, money only brings more stress because the more you own the more stress you have. if you want to live free in with us.we will teach you a trade or use your talent,like art, carving,working clay or whatever. we don’t worry about money because we have enough to go around. If this is appeals to you and you always wanted to escape the rat race then email me at crepeault@gmail.com
Love seeing this conversation. Spent a good portion of my childhood running around the north woods of Michigan’s UP. Learned to hunt, fish, etc. Mom was a proto-hippie – learned to can and grow veggies – she even made our clothes! I’ve gotten together with my siblings to prep for buying a decent chunk of land somewhere in the middle states, and get off grid. We’ll be taking classes in sus-livin and such. We’re all professional types, but miss that feeling of being un-tethered. Gotta go with it.
My 67 year old mother worked very hard all her life, never was un-employed, she died of cancer with $427 in the bank ! Before we know it we are at the end of our journey…and have absolutely nothing to show for it. I remember being a kid and sharing a house in the hot summer heat with all the neighborhood kids on the block…no one was going out to buy “bottled water”. Life was so free and pure. All this commercialism has gotten to me. I am not who I want to be, I am not the wife I want to be nor the mother. I find myself yelling at my kids over frivolous things because I feel over whelmed and cornered by society. I want to live off the Grid more than anything ( before it’s too late ) but I must plan, and strategize well for If I leave my existing life, I do NOT want to return. I am tired of making everyone else rich at my expense…( I find myself dreaming of a perfect world with animals and vegetables with no internet and no phones…ahhhh can’t wait. Thank you for letting me vent !!
understand the feelings, All your posts have brought back so many memories. Now I’m 51 years old, crippled, but still working toward my dream. I’ve always wanted to go off into the wild.
Between 8th and 9th grade I left home and lived in the Maryland woods for 32 days. Then in my early 20’s I lived in Louisiana in a primitive cabin for 8 months. I had a blast both times.
My kids are grown leading their lives. I really enjoyed teaching my kids and their friends survival/self reliant skills.
Now I live in the Big Belt Mountains of Montana. We have 20 acres. We are surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest lands. We need help around our place. In return we are willing to teach and serve as a sort of base camp for anyone that wants to go into the wild. You can test your skills with day trips, overnighters, week long trips, etc.
You can google map the area by using Nelson Montana, or York Montana.
Email us at psimation@yahoo.com
Rick & Cher
Pooh Corners Farm
Helena MT 59602
i live in a one room cabin with a loft,i use car batteries and oil lamps.i bath in the river, i got a outhouse for a toilet.i drink and cook with rain water,wash my clothes with rain water.i eat alot of wild plants, i grow a garden and live off alot of fresh kill,birds,rabbits,turtle,fish and porcipine.i work for a farmer near by so lots of fresh eggs and milk.beef also i dry and can alot of different things also.cost me less than $20 a wk to live.my gross income is $450 a week.so just imagine the money i save living this way.
amy what part of alabama you at
PJ: “Ridding the planet of this many people will not be easy”? Then you say you & your girlfriend are loving parents? Why don’t you believe in ridding the planet of your own children? Aren’t they part of the “5.5 billion”? Actually it’s 6.5 billion. Why don’t we start with them? Don’t you know that overpopulation is a myth set up to kill people? Don’t you know that the entire world’s population would fit into two-thirds of Australia, with room left over, for a plot of land for every man, woman, and child in the world? There are more than enough resources for all, they are purposely destroyed by eugenicists. You believe their lies and don’t say you are a compassionate person. You are a eugenicist.
Off Grid Ebert: No, the world’s population is in decline. It’s bad, not good, when a country doesn’t have a replacement birthrate, or even a low birthrate. It causes the country to go in a decline. So you defeat your own eugenicist goal.
Candidates are not elected, they’re selected ahead of time.
Your property is owned by the government and you pay them rent that you call property taxes.
The land in America was given to people who were willing to farm it. Some states still allow squatter’s rights to people who take possession of foreclosures (for free).
People lived in America before the Indians. The Indians didn’t dislike guns or alcohol, they just didn’t invent anything, not even the wheel or a written language. Anyone could overtake them because they didn’t unite, or have a government like you espouse. They fought with each other, you know, “chaos” over land rights. No one could overtake the Mayans, thousands of yrs. before the Am. Indian, because they built cities, underground sewers, had a written language, were skilled mathematicians, had a government, and still have the most accurate calendar in the world.
It seems there are a lot of good thoughts and ideas on this subject, but it still frustrates me that living completely off the grid is still impossible. My wife and I own our land outright, have no debts and grow our own food, but no matter how self sufficient we try to become we still have to pay property taxes, so we MUST involve ourselves with money – and money is part of the grid!
I am so glad I found this site. Everyone’s comments have helped me realize that I’m not the only one who feels this way. I have recently been visiting a small community of Mennonites who live completely off the land and am determined to join them. Not the religion, but the whole idea that we don’t need money and corporate greed and the horrible politicians who run this country to survive. We only need what God intended us to have- a good work ethic, a piece of land, common sense, and compassion for all living things. I do have compassion for those who I feel are ruining this world, but that doesn’t mean I want to support them or live with them. I just feel sorry for them because they cause so much suffering in this world just to make buck thinking that money is all that matters. But they all find out one way or another that money can’t buy you happiness- only stress, time away from your family, and an early death. I am so sick of all the chemicals they pump into our food to make it taste so good its addictive almost. I highly recommend watching “The Beautiful Truth” and “Food, Inc”. They literally scared me to death that I have been putting that crap into my body unknowingly. I am planning to go completely off-grid, however I am single and it will take me time to save up the money. I plan on buying a house with a big piece of land and slowly converting everything to solar and wind power and growing, making, canning and storing all of my own food. It will take several years I’m sure, but I believe that it will be worth it all in the long run. I have no doubt that this is how God intended us to live and by going back to the basics we will be walking closer to Him each and every day. He made this world and loves it and all we do is destroy it. I live in the Ozarks which has a fairly good growing season. I grew up on a farm and have a pretty good background to get started with all the farming and gardening. Wish me luck!
wow, love so many of the comments here. except for laklam, whose facts seem all wrong. anyway, i’ve been in this ratrace too long and except for 2 years in guatemala, have been miserable being a slave to a job. i can’t imagine anything more humiliating than having to continue being someone’s trained monkey. that’s how i feel. but as a single mom with a small son, i don’t see being able to do it alone. plus i think it’d be very lonely for me but especially for my son. i’m in new york. seems like i’m the only yankee here. lol.
good luck to all!
I didnt realise this was going on in America.
.
I was looking at little farms earlier today and ended up on an American website as i had originally been looking for a few acres in Ireland but land is so expensive here.
Ive seen nice lots of 20-30 acres in the US in beautiful areas for what 3 or 4 acres would cost over here. Everything is overvalued over here except for human life.
My dream is to find a place i can call my own build a simple house, have some chickens, a cow, some goats,plots for vegetables,dog for company and protecting the animals etc.
I wish everyone the best of luck in their journeys and hope ye find what ye are looking for as i hope i will too.
Love the idea that so many people with the desire of living off the land. Keep up the great search and soon we will all find our place off the grid too! I’m looking to move out from Dallas and get rolling asap.
Anything is possible! I’m glad to see us comming together everyone I talk to thinks I’m crazy lol.
STOP BUYING THE KOOLAID !
STOP MAKING THE KOOLAID!!
STOP DRINKING THE KOOLAID !!!
STOP SELLING THE KOOLAID !!!!
AND THE KOOLAID WILL DISAPEAR FOREVER !!!
MONEY CONTROLS THIS MAN MADE WORLD WE HAVE ALL BUILT FROM OUR IMAGINATIONS. LET US BE THE ONES TO HIT THE RESET BUTONS TOGETHER!!
THIS IS FOR AMY. I TOO LIVE IN ALABAMA AND WOULD LIKE TO LIVE OFF THE GRID. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT AND HAVE SOUGHT INFO FROM A LOT OF WEBSITES. I AM SINGLE AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OTHERS INTERESTED IN DOING THIS FOR GOOD, NOT JUST ON A TEMP BASIS. THIS IS THE WAY WE WILL END UP LIVING IF THINGS KEEP GOING THE WAY THEY ARE NOW SO I AM PREPARING FOR IT NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!
Back in shape(mostly…)from a quadruple bypass a year ago last June…I’ve been trained in jungle survival techniques with the USMC and combat field medical procedures as a combat medical corpsman, USN, stationed with the marines during ‘Nam…’66 – ’69.Medical skills are rusty (to say the least…)but I am still adept at the basics. I have emergency survival skills (short term…)and I’m willing to partner up with some of you who have a piece of ground to share. I’m on a fixed income, but have the resources to obtain food in bulk, with extended (10 year) shelf life…I have some camping gear, survival tools and a 4 wheel drive older model pickup and a canoe…let’s start a commune…like interested people can contact me by email johngilbert08@gmail.com
I have two boys and a wife and are ready to make our escape anyone with land needing help working me and my wife are hardworkers and desperate to get are kids away from this greed filled world. We are a chritian family with good morals and would welcome a chance to help someone in need for a place to raise are kids naturally.We are very serious and would love to hear from anyone with some good ideas.
I have been reading and dreaming of living off grid for many years..I like the yurts also..I to am single and dont see it happing on my own.Most people I talk to think Iam nuts.I have raised many animals for meat and furs and milking goats.I wish I could at least find land here in wv to rent i could start out in a camper..
Oct 21st, 2008 at 4:40 pm
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