Maine Farmland (Orono: sales, insurance, how much)

[mainewannabe]

First thing I'm doing is plugging in my computer and watching how fast forest hides from me !! LOL !! just kidding forest.

Originally Posted by msina

I wanna live near you two.

[bignhfamily]

Many thanks Writer! I can't wait to find our home and have some birds running around. Have a couple prospectives to check out. I like the house in Milo better but the property in Levant might be a better location. I am so anxious to make our move.
I have had some feedback (thanks to those of you who have responded) on these areas. Am still interested to hear anything anyone has to share about section of Maine.

[Submariner]

Levant and Milo are both nice areas.

I was in Levant today buying hay

[msina]

Talked to a good friend today, her husband got bit by his chainsaw over in Old Town Wednesday. In true Maine fashion he told the woman who's property he was working on that he'd "Be back to finish the job tomorrow" as the EMTs were getting him in the ambulance.

[Submariner]

We are not raising turkeys this year.

We only just finished eating the last of our 40 pound birds from last year.

We do have four dozen layers, and we are pleased with the market for fresh free-range eggs.

[bignhfamily]

Ohh I can smell the maple cured bacon sizzling next to those free range eggs.
We are still looking for our piece of Maine farmland. My biggest concern is still the job market. Maine seems to be a great place for retirees and some professionals but the future of a hard working blue collar guy like me seems glum. I hope I'm wrong.

[Submariner]

Fortunately I qualified for pension at 42, and so I am still relatively young and able to enjoy this wonderful area. If we had gone to an expensive area I certainly would not be able to afford buying land, let alone living here, on my pension. We still have one child attending school, so we do not have an 'empty nest'.

Since you are not near pension age [for your career field] and most continue working, then perhaps it would be more wise to locate an employer first.

[bignhfamily]

Though after getting out of the Army in '93 I have worked a wide variety of jobs, my skills and interest lie in construction and carpentry. I have been self employed for many years and am well equipped. My wife is a LNA with 10+/- years experience. We are thrifty and resourceful and really don't desire riches but we still need to work as we are not wealthy people. I don't mean to sound pessimistic but it sounds like if you don't have a BA, a trust fund or retired Maine might not be all it's cut out to be in these threads. I really hope I'm wrong about this. In the mean time we will keep looking for our homestead in Maine and listening here.

[Submariner]

My pension provides an income that equals a fulltime minimum-wage job. So if I were flipping burgers, I would earn the same. My wife works part-time in a grocery store on their loading dock [24 hours a week].

Between the two of us, we can afford it here. We bought 42 acres of riverfront forest and we are building a house.

If you are a skilled and experienced carpenter, and your wife is a LNA; then unless you have fourteen children that you support, you are better prepared to buy land and build a house here then we are.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

We are not raising turkeys this year.

We only just finished eating the last of our 40 pound birds from last year.

We do have four dozen layers, and we are pleased with the market for fresh free-range eggs.

Perhaps you might reconsider on the turkeys. I'm not much for raising/slaughtering livestock, but I'd gladly trade ale and mead for fresh meat and eggs.