will I survive Maine Winter (Ellsworth, Unity: fit in, house, buy)

[boonelsewhere]

I grew up and live in the area that all I need to ware is short and t-shirt. The food market always near by can easily walk to store and buy enough for dinner and breakfast for the morning.
In the past couple years I have been try to find a place in the northern states to live for a change. I found a large parcel of forest land in Ellsworth and plan to move there in 2008, will grow/raise my own food and live on the what ever land provide, use wood stove to keep the house warm.
Am I ready for Maine?, I am scare, exited and not sure I will survive the winter there.

[Elcarim]

IMHO, you may need more driving you to Maine to "survive" there. The winters will be the least of the shock to your system! Why do you choose Maine?

PS. Have you ever gardened before?

[msina]

You should be well prepared before trying to "live off the land". Even if you know what you're doing it would be difficult. Wood has to be cut, split and seasoned, you need proper shelter, food supplies, appropriate clothing and such. The food you plan to grow, if you grow enough has to be preserved or prepared for storage to last you any amount of time. It can be a great experience, just not one to take lightly unless you have a backup plan. If you do your research and prepare in advance you have every reason to expect a great adventure.

[boonelsewhere]

PS. Have you ever gardened before?

I will practice the growing method from the book "The One Straw Revolution "

Why Maine?, I did not target Maine, but it seem to be the most affordable state to live if you take advantage of tree growth program. I was looking in northern Michigan, up state New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. I found some land in up state New York, the price is good, but the tax seem to by very high, may be they have similar program as tree growth but i dont know off, I know that it would be difficult for me to try to qualify it as a farm land, I quest you have to be a farmer. In Maine i bough 100 acres, tax is about $400.

[boonelsewhere]

I read a lot of books about how to live of the land, may be it is time to put it to work.

[Elcarim]

Just be prepared to come to the quick realization that things are never as easy as the book says! You should get some insight from Forest Beekeeper.

Where do you live now? And how long have you been researching a move north? Have you studied the Maine economy yet?

There are just so many factors to take into consideration and questions you should be able to answer before anyone can rightly tell you "you'll do fine in Maine." The same logic would apply to anywhere you would choose to move, I'm sure.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by boonskyler

I will practice the growing method from the book "The One Straw Revolution "

I am familiar with that book, I rub elbows with other farmers who attempt to walk that path.

In fact last week I toured a 'Perma-Culture' training home, and one of the resident / apprentices and I had a conversation about 'the one straw revolution' techniques.

You will find many others up here who are doing similar work, however they are also somewhat scattered.

You may do better off to invest your money for now, come up here and move into one of the farming communes. Then after a year of experience, go shopping for land.

Many CSAs offer apprenticeships. We have been contacted by folks seeking apprenticeships, however our farm is still too young in development to really be able to utilize any apprentices.

I sell organic produce at the local farmer's market, and among the other vendors there, some of them just lost their summer apprentices, and are currently shifting things around as they have lost most of their workers.

You will need to start attending the 'hippy fair' in Unity each year, sadly you just missed it.

... Why Maine?, I did not target Maine, but it seem to be the most affordable state to live if you take advantage of tree growth program.

Good point.

... I know that it would be difficult for me to try to qualify it as a farm land, I quest you have to be a farmer. In Maine i bough 100 acres, tax is about $400.

Farm-land is not so hard to qualify for here, but it takes a few years. Stick to tree-growth. Within the tree-management plan that you are required to have written, you will find many farming avenues that fit in nicely with your planned techniques.

May God bless you.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Just be prepared to come to the quick realization that things are never as easy as the book says! You should get some insight from Forest Beekeeper.

LOL

It took me a while to write my response

[Parrotpaul]

Originally Posted by boonskyler

I grew up and live in the area that all I need to ware is short and t-shirt. The food market always near by can easily walk to store and buy enough for dinner and breakfast for the morning.
In the past couple years I have been try to find a place in the northern states to live for a change. I found a large parcel of forest land in Ellsworth and plan to move there in 2008, will grow/raise my own food and live on the what ever land provide, use wood stove to keep the house warm.
Am I ready for Maine?, I am scare, exited and not sure I will survive the winter there.

In a word...no.

[boonelsewhere]

You should get some insight from Forest Beekeeper.

i have, forest beekeeper is amazing.
I am in Florida/Virginia, here in Virginia for about a year now to prepare myself for a northern state(Maine) winter, I am fine with Virginia winter, I think i should be some what ready for the real thing.
I have been do some research for the past 4 years, friends and families keep remind me I will be frozen to death up there, all my adult life living in the area temperature seldom went below 40. well, I compromised move up halt way up to Virginia, still in search for a white winter.
I would not need to depending on Maine economy, if all i need to spend are just for taxes/fees and some basic necessity items.
my children are grown up and technically are on there own, my wife said as long as we have access to the web she will be ok with that. oh i forgot to check if the DSL is available in Ellsworth, if not they should have it by 2008.