KristenR Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I should start out by admitting I've only ridden horses at the local state fair; milked a cow once one a field trip in third grade; and get squeamish by bugs. I've lived in larger suburban areas my whole life. However, dear hubby has been dreaming of owning land "away from it all" for years. His passion is amateur astronomy and he would kill for some dark sky sites away from the light polluted city. Combine that with his survivalist nature and he is really revving to pick up and move out to the country. The more he talks about it- and all the possibilities that owning land presents- I find my excitement growing at the prospect. We expect to actually make this dream a reality by March. We've been driving around the country trying to find areas we like and get a feel for the land. I've read some recent threads on the forum where people offered advice on finding and buying land. I picked up this 1950's book on getting "back-to-land" that was recommended and love it! It got me thinking-- I figured I would ask the hive and see if I could get some advice or "wish I knew then what I know now" advice from folks here that have been there and done that. I'd love to hear from other 'suddenly' country homeschooling moms who might help guide me into this new transition. Books, resources, thoughts or experiences, warnings or suggestions? I'd love to hear from you guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy713 Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 My husband has the same dream, different motivations. :) I'm all ears on this post. One of my concerns is being so far from the fantastic cultural opportunities our city offers. The library is also very good; I would definitely miss it. We are looking at moving over an 1 hour outside the city, so it wouldn't be impossible to come in, but I would have to be much more judicious in selecting our activities. Apprehensive but excited as well, although nothing is confirmed yet. Good luck, and I look forward to reading other posts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 There is a family that lives in the city nearest here that comes out every so often. According to them, no matter how much you read, it's hard to really understand until you do it. They come out here for a day every once in awhile and help with everything. They like to come during the major moments of each season. That means they came out to help me put some of the garden in (I made it a little bigger so they could enjoy a small amount of it). They were here to help with milking and making cheese. They were here to help with some fencing, harvesting, canning, and many other things. They want their own piece of land, but they have seen us as an opportunity to learn until they can buy some land. I think the best thing you can do is find a good organic farmer that will allow you to spend time with him and his family and learn how they function. The first good book that comes to mind is Mini Farming by Brett L. Markham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 If you're truly not sure that country/rural living is for you, perhaps you should consider renting a home first, to see how it works out before you purchase a place that may be difficult to resell if you don't like the lifestyle. You could also think about buying a little vacation cabin in the woods someplace within driving distance, so you would have the best of both worlds. If you're someone like me, who is used to getting out of the house every day to do some shopping or even just go out for coffee, the culture shock of suddenly living far away from conveniences may be too much, too soon. I hope you will spend considerable time in a rural environment to see what it's really like, before you make a final decision about moving. Maybe there's a compromise, where you can move to a quiet area with quite a bit of land, yet still be relatively close to suburbia or a small city. Please don't think I'm criticizing a country lifestyle -- I know it's the perfect choice for many families, and may be great for you, too. I'm just saying that everything can look fun and exciting when you picture it in your mind, but the reality of day-to-day living can be quite different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsingscrapper Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 :lurk5: I grew up in the country and want, desperately, to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 :lurk5: I grew up in the country and want, desperately, to go back. :iagree: And the town I live in is only 10,000, but it's still not country enough for me or dh since we are in the city limits and could easily throw rocks at our neighbors' houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 :iagree: And the town I live in is only 10,000, but it's still not country enough for me or dh since we are in the city limits and could easily throw rocks at our neighbors' houses. Please stop throwing rocks at my house. (I knew it was you!) . . . . ;) ;) ;) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Colleen! If you're considering I know the perfect community! Close to the city yet in the middle of nowhere. :D Okay...This is all from our experience. 2 acres is enough for animals, garden, etc. More is great and lots of people talk about getting more (and we wish we had more in terms of some of our own woodlot) but 2 acres will feed a family. You'll have a well and septic. Wells need to have their water tested several times a year for harmful bacteria unless you have something like a UV filter on your water line. That's something we're installing next year. Septic systems need to be pumped every few years depending on how many people live in your house. Neither is a scary proposition and, to my mind, easier to deal with then water bills or sewer backups. Ask about potential neighbours if you can. Neighbours are important as they're the folks you'll borrow a wood splitter from or have over for tea and gossip. :D Ask about local events. The country DOES have its own culture. There might be community theatres, choirs, local fairs, etc. If you move there get involved in all this. Sometimes rural communities have social circles that are tough to break into because everyone's family has been there for generations (ask Colleen, all of Nova Scotia is like this. :D) so you need to just step right in to the local social scenes. Anyhow, we're slowly doing it. It really wasn't our specific intention when we moved here to be more independent but it's slowly happening. I was catching turkeys and chickens just this week to send to the processor. They're now happily ensconced in my freezer. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Been there, done that. My dh grew up on a farm/ranch, but he married a town gal. Lucky for him, I'd always wanted to live in the country. We lived on the family farm--a mile from his parents, three miles from the mailbox, and 35 miles from church, grocery store, and town. It was an adjustment. the biggest shock to me was being far away from everything. No McDonald's on the corner. No grocery store if you need an ingredient, no quick trip anywhere. And I was alone when dh worked--no kids then. I really didn't mind, but at first it spooked me. We got a dog and that helped a lot. Once I got the hang of stocking a pantry, planning menus, and buying from a list life was easier. We went to church a couple of times a week, so grabbing something from the store afterwards was a habit. I spent a lot of time walking and hiking. Eventually started my own business. Raised a bunch of German Shepherds, helped with cattle, and rode in the canyons with a nearby friend. It was a blast. I learned to deal with rattlesnakes, mice (UGH!) coyotes, doctoring dogs and cattle with the vet on the phone, bored toddlers, school buses, snowstorms, hailstorms, and the sun. Had a huge garden and learned to can, make jelly, and pickle. I loved living there, but the place wouldn't support all three families. We moved to the 'bright' lights and I love it here, too. You will adjust and learn! Keep a great attitude and a full pantry. Fortunately you'll probably have the internet to stay connected to friends like us so you will never be as alone as I was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Possible Cons (depending on how you are looking at it) 1. We lived on 7 acres approximately 35-40 minutes one way from the next town/city. Since we homeschooled, getting to schools were no problem but attending homeschool activities with the homeschool group required two afternoons which I deemed valuable enough for my social son. We participated in rollerskating once a month and weekly homeschool P. E. It also afforded me the opportunity to talk to other moms in my shoes, more or less. :). Once ds got older and wanted to spend a few hours with friends, I drove even more. Sometimes the other mom took pity on us and met us halfway. :001_smile: 2. Grocery shopping (or any shopping) was another afternoon out of the week. I often combined it with homeschool activity days and this meant we were out for hours and very tired after all the running around. When I was more than halfway home and discovered I had forgotten to gas up the Jeep, I went home and hoped dh had refilled the gas canister for moments just like this one. :) 3. When you need to call someone for a service call, ie. appliance failure, broken down car, veterinarian, etc., you usually pay a service call charge because they have to drive out to you. My vet split the call charge with a nearby horse breeder which was very nice - and he was a country vet used to driving a lot. Triple A once refused to come out and tow us because we were supposedly "way out of their service area." 4. Not an issue for everyone but it was a bit of a negative for me: I would have liked to be closer to a church in order to participate in morning bible studies or other activities more than once a week. The possible Pros: 1. We had no neighbor in earshot. We were able to have chickens, horses and my son raised a market hog for 4H. None of this would have been possible in suburbia. 2. Ds learned maintenance of a property, wood chopping, clearing places, taking care of animals in the summer heat and the winter snow. 3. We were removed from "bad nightlife" while he was growing up. 4. It was absolutely peaceful. I was able to hang out my laundry without anyone complaining, take hikes in the woods in my old clothes, our dog ran free and happy. Ds, dh and friends played paintball on our property. I had a nice veggie garden and flowers as well. 5. I am country girl at heart and loved it. I am now living closer to town but still somewhat in a country setting on a peach orchard. I am now 7 minutes from the next Walgreens, our church and a gas station. The ideal thing seems to me to be at the edge of a town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Please stop throwing rocks at my house. (I knew it was you!) . . . . ;) ;) ;) ;) I plead the fifth! Honestly I think our neighbors would LOVE for us to move! My kids are in the backyard 90% of the time raising a ruckus and having a good time. Both of our neighbors are retired couples in their 60's, and I know they just want us, our non-landscaped yard, and our noisy children to move! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery is excellent. Wolf calls it my 'country p*rn book' cause I read it and fantasize. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Colleen! If you're considering I know the perfect community! Close to the city yet in the middle of nowhere. :D I might have to buy a logging truck in case I get lost again...:lol: Okay...This is all from our experience. 2 acres is enough for animals, garden, etc. More is great and lots of people talk about getting more (and we wish we had more in terms of some of our own woodlot) but 2 acres will feed a family. You'll have a well and septic. Wells need to have their water tested several times a year for harmful bacteria unless you have something like a UV filter on your water line. That's something we're installing next year. Septic systems need to be pumped every few years depending on how many people live in your house. Neither is a scary proposition and, to my mind, easier to deal with then water bills or sewer backups. Ask about potential neighbours if you can. Neighbours are important as they're the folks you'll borrow a wood splitter from or have over for tea and gossip. :D Ask about local events. The country DOES have its own culture. There might be community theatres, choirs, local fairs, etc. If you move there get involved in all this. Sometimes rural communities have social circles that are tough to break into because everyone's family has been there for generations (ask Colleen, all of Nova Scotia is like this. :D) Um, remind me to tell you about a recent experience of being "from away"...so you need to just step right in to the local social scenes. Anyhow, we're slowly doing it. It really wasn't our specific intention when we moved here to be more independent but it's slowly happening. I was catching turkeys and chickens just this week to send to the processor. They're now happily ensconced in my freezer. :D I'll e-mail you soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery is excellent. Wolf calls it my 'country p*rn book' cause I read it and fantasize. :lol: She's right. http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-10th/dp/1570615535/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348961250&sr=1-1&keywords=encyclopedia+of+country+living Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 If you are used to going out every day, try and buy somewhere with a feature so there is somewhere to "go." My place is right next to a hill which I walk up every morning and I'll walk up it whenever I'm feeling a bit antsy to get the "I've been somewhere" feeling. If hills aren't plentiful in your area, you might find a grove of trees or something that'd offer the same service. If I didn't have this hill, I'd probably walk down to the dam. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I think the main two things I would like to have known beforehand are that it would be a staggering amount of work and that it is critically important to proceed slowly and thoughtfully and avoid costly mistakes. Buy as much of the best land you can afford. If you don't farm it, it may well serve as a much-needed buffer between you and future neighbors/development. Make sure you have good water sources. And avoid debt, which can put so much pressure on a rural family as to destroy their ability to enjoy the majestic surroundings. Also watch out for long commutes. Sure, the views may be scenic during nice weather, but in torrential rains or icey/snowy conditions, those same roads can become dangerous or completely impassible. It is fine to live on rural property without farming or homesteading it. I actually recommend that people do that for 6 mos. to a year to see how they like it before taking the plunge into livestock ownership, major gardening, etc. Volunteer on other farms, help the neighbors, and approach your goals with humility. Nature is a huge force in rural areas and one that cannot be ignored. So learn a bit before leaping into something foreign to you. My final suggestion: pack away your nice clothes! At one point, every single pair of pants I owned had a snag in the fabric at the level of one particular nail on the barn door. (We hammer it in repeatedly, but it keeps working back out.) Because even if I wasn't planning to go to the barn, I would inevitably have to run out there for something - call dh to the phone, take refrigerated meds out for animals, check on lambing sheep before leaving for church. We basically have two wardrobes, a farm one and a town one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 just for fun, google "black heels to tractor wheels" Oh, it used to be free on her website, i guess its not, now that it was published. anyways, very cute story about a city gal falling in love with a country guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thank you all so much! I have gotten such wonderful advice and suggestions. Lots of things to think over. I am really looking forward to it and think it will help me branch out in a completely new way on many new levels. I did look up that Encyclopedia Of Country Living and see that a 40th Anniversary edition is set to be released at the end of October. The area we are looking to move to will be anywhere from 20-60 minutes from my "suburban area" and my parents and siblings. I think as long as I keep it under an hour I should find the distance adjustment relatively pain-free, for the most part. I am not one who has the need to get out into civilization everyday so I think by proper planning ahead I can still get out often enough without adding too much additional mileage to my car while still keeping my kids (and self) adequately socialized. :tongue_smilie: I like the suggestion to just move and live ON the land for 6 months or so before trying to live OFF of the land. I like the idea of easing myself into my new "country gal" persona. So please, keep the tips and advice coming. I'd love to know if any of you country mamas keep a blog that highlights life off the radar. Please share if you do! I'd love to follow you! Thanks again everyone!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 just for fun, google "black heels to tractor wheels" Oh, it used to be free on her website, i guess its not, now that it was published. anyways, very cute story about a city gal falling in love with a country guy I just picked up the Kindle version. Thanks for the suggestion! I forgot all about Ree Drummond. I remember looking into her after hearing she was a homeschooler and getting a cooking show. I think I watched an episode or two but then forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder. This sounds like a fun read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I'm a city girl who married a rural-minded DH - I'm in my 2nd childhood, seriously. I enjoyed the city, but with children, I dearly love being out a bit - we are not way-out rural, and we are starting slowly ('cuz, you know, we have 4 kids to home school + a 40-hour-a-week job for DH still) with chickens, bees, rabbits, and a large garden. DH taps the maples in the winter and makes (and sells) maple syrup; we also sell extra eggs and veggies and honey at the farmers' market in town. We learned to can together, and this year we are root-cellaring (did I just verbify?) potatoes and braided onions. :) I had *no* idea there were people who had to drive their trash to the county dump (or "transfer station" as it is referred to here). :lol: And what a surprise to learn that wells do not pump water into your house when there is an electrical outage! (Some lessons I have learned much faster than others, ha!) I think some bigger livestock is next, but I am reluctant to commit to daily milking and the extra work (my children are all under 9 years old). DH thinks when they are older and able to help with more chores. I'm not sure where you live regionally, but if you're in the northern half of the USA, we have found Storey Publishing's books to be an excellent balance of good useful advice (not glossing over the hard work), specific and very practical how-to instructions, and a fun inspiration for doing things yourself! Another great idea for instructional workshops is your county's cooperative extension - DH has made some great like-minded friends at butchering workshops, harvesting classes, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 My advice is to figure out what your first "fun" thing is going to be. For us, it was angora rabbits. Then raised beds went in. This year, we did ducks and expanded the garden and started an orchard. Make a list of what's important to you both and research the heck out of it. Next year for us will be chickens, goats, and expanding the garden again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I should start out by admitting I've only ridden horses at the local state fair; milked a cow once one a field trip in third grade; and get squeamish by bugs. I've lived in larger suburban areas my whole life. However, dear hubby has been dreaming of owning land "away from it all" for years. His passion is amateur astronomy and he would kill for some dark sky sites away from the light polluted city. Combine that with his survivalist nature and he is really revving to pick up and move out to the country. The more he talks about it- and all the possibilities that owning land presents- I find my excitement growing at the prospect. We expect to actually make this dream a reality by March. We've been driving around the country trying to find areas we like and get a feel for the land. I've read some recent threads on the forum where people offered advice on finding and buying land. I picked up this 1950's book on getting "back-to-land" that was recommended and love it! It got me thinking-- I figured I would ask the hive and see if I could get some advice or "wish I knew then what I know now" advice from folks here that have been there and done that. I'd love to hear from other 'suddenly' country homeschooling moms who might help guide me into this new transition. Books, resources, thoughts or experiences, warnings or suggestions? I'd love to hear from you guys! We did it last year. It's the best thing we ever did. :D It's a ride though, don't forget to enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 My biggest thing would be to check the ZONING for the property you are looking at. Check what YOU can and can not do on the land--animals, buildings, type of home, permits needed, tax rates, etc. Also check on what the land around you is zoned and what THEY can do on their land......might be good to know that a major highway is planned for next door (actually came through our farm and made us move last year), or that they could build a commercial turkey farm there, etc. Also, do NOT count on the neighbors for YOUR privacy......meaning don't count on the woods surrounding your property to be there forever. We had that here. Our neighbor built his house very close to the property line and cut down all HIS trees to the property line. Well, when we bought the place we cleared 3 acres for horse pasture and suddenly a great deal of his privacy is gone (we did leave up a 50 foot buffer which is great in the summer but not as good when there are no leaves on the trees). If you want trees, leave up some of your own. He seems upset that we cut down the trees and put the horses here but we had to move due to the highway taking our last farm and this property is zoned for horses/animals/barns, etc. and was the only place in the area for sale in our price range. I had to laugh at the barn clothes wardrobe. Seriously, get used to thrift stores, etc. and buy the cheapest clothes you can for barn clothes. I don't like to pay more than 50 cents to a dollar for my barn jeans. Learn to embrace muck boots as they are all season wear out here :-) We love more rural living but we are only 13 miles from town. As to living OFF the land, that is going to take a lot of time and effort and more money than you can imagine to get things up and running......or at least it seems so here. That all said, my kids love it and so do we. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 She's right. http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-10th/dp/1570615535/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348961250&sr=1-1&keywords=encyclopedia+of+country+living I'm pretty sure you're the one that told me about the book in the first place. *mwah* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I should start out by admitting I've only ridden horses at the local state fair; milked a cow once one a field trip in third grade; and get squeamish by bugs. I've lived in larger suburban areas my whole life. However, dear hubby has been dreaming of owning land "away from it all" for years. His passion is amateur astronomy and he would kill for some dark sky sites away from the light polluted city. Combine that with his survivalist nature and he is really revving to pick up and move out to the country. The more he talks about it- and all the possibilities that owning land presents- I find my excitement growing at the prospect. We expect to actually make this dream a reality by March. We've been driving around the country trying to find areas we like and get a feel for the land. I've read some recent threads on the forum where people offered advice on finding and buying land. I picked up this 1950's book on getting "back-to-land" that was recommended and love it! It got me thinking-- I figured I would ask the hive and see if I could get some advice or "wish I knew then what I know now" advice from folks here that have been there and done that. I'd love to hear from other 'suddenly' country homeschooling moms who might help guide me into this new transition. Books, resources, thoughts or experiences, warnings or suggestions? I'd love to hear from you guys! I think if you enjoy staying home a lot, you'll like it just fine. If you feel compelled to o somewhere everyday, you're in for an adjustment. Also, liking yardwork will help. If you hate yardwork ou have a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Kristen, thanks for starting this thread! We are just about to make the plunge to a rural homesteading lifestyle, and I'm not a country girl! I'm excited! My DH grew up on 16 acres and has always yearned to go back. He recently read 'The grapes of wrath' and keeps quoting it to me - "a man aint no kind of man without land" We're eyeing off a 50 acre property at the moment! We've been seriously looking for about 6 months now, it's been a steep learning curve in terms of zoning, council laws, catchments, overlays, bushfire, conservation, permits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 My advice is to remember that land doesn't look after itself. Depending on where you live, grassland needs to be cut/grazed (fire risk, attractiveness), trees need to be prevented from falling in destructive ways and cleared away when the fall across paths, snow needs to be cleared so you can get out in winter..... We love doing the work, but it takes a good bit of time. If you are someone whose weekends are already packed with vital activity/beloved hobbies, then I would think again. I spend most of the day on Saturday and Sunday working outside through nine months of the year. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi Kristen, thanks for starting this thread! We are just about to make the plunge to a rural homesteading lifestyle, and I'm not a country girl! I'm excited! My DH grew up on 16 acres and has always yearned to go back. He recently read 'The grapes of wrath' and keeps quoting it to me - "a man aint no kind of man without land" We're eyeing off a 50 acre property at the moment! We've been seriously looking for about 6 months now, it's been a steep learning curve in terms of zoning, council laws, catchments, overlays, bushfire, conservation, permits... Keep in touch! I'd love to hear your experiences! Thanks to everyone for replying. I am getting some great advice and I'm literally keeping a notepad and jotting down notes from this thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 2 acres is enough for animals, garden, etc. More is great and lots of people talk about getting more (and we wish we had more in terms of some of our own woodlot) but 2 acres will feed a family. Again, depends a great deal on your location/climate and ZONING. In our rural area, the next door township will no allow even ONE chicken on 2 acres of land. You have to have FIVE acres for even one chicken.......and don't ask about goats, cows, etc. Then again on my 5 acres I could put as many farm animals as I wanted here. Also, it might take YEARS of hard work before you can "live off the land". I would also consider how you do in the great outdoors. Do you like to be outside almost year round where you live? The chores don't stop just because it is below zero or above 100. You need to get the proper clothes to work outside almost year round, esp. if you have animals. Also consider how much you like to travel or just get away for an overnight. With just crops/garden, it is easier but you still need to plan around planting, harvesting, watering, etc. If you have animals it is a lot harder to get away for a weeks vacation as you need someone capable to care for the critters while you are away. We trade with a friend but that can run you $20-50/day or more depending on the number/type of critters you have, how often the person needs to come over, etc Again, we enjoy it but we have just a tiny garden spot, a few blueberry bushes, 12 chickens, and 3 horses---along with the cats, dog, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Reported Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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