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Damn Harry just when I was starting to like you....
Horses are just a high dollar pet... Don't fool yourself into thinking you can just throw them out in the pasture..
Your ancestors used horses every day as a basic mode of transportation and some folks still do so today, not only in United States but all over the world. You are certainly right about the "horse industry" being a high dollar field but your car is a high dollar tool also. So is the gas it guzzles, the maintenance it takes, oil and spare parts, tires etc.
To me - if you need a car - knock yourself out - I will not (soon enough) and horse is a logical mode of transportation for my slow pace of life.
To me - if you need a car - knock yourself out - I will not (soon enough) and horse is a logical mode of transportation for my slow pace of life.
OD
I live 13 miles from the closest store of any kind, 25 - 30 from a town of halfway decent size (7,000 population), and I can't imagine relying on horse transportation to get me back and forth. While I make very few trips to town, I do try to take care of as much business in each trip as possible, and I'll have my little station wagon crammed full with people groceries, animal feed (including hay), and everything else imaginable (including berry bushes and fruit trees to be planted). I just don't see how relying on horse only transportation is realistic in this day and age.
Besides, the log trucks on these two-lane highways and backroads would probably have me (and my horse) squished the first day.
If you manage it, more power to you. Let us know how you do - oh, wait, that won't be possible because you're going to give up the internet when you move, too.
Damn Harry just when I was starting to like you....
Horses are just a high dollar pet... Don't fool yourself into thinking you can just throw them out in the pasture..
All the more fish for you. I have a brother who is the fisherman of the family. I had too many "vacations" with my parents on a boat, or I might find it more enjoyable.
Volunteer to work with some Amish or Mennonite farmers, to learn their skill set. Many elderly are in need of youthful assistants and may be willing to barter.
Your ancestors used horses every day as a basic mode of transportation and some folks still do so today, not only in United States but all over the world. You are certainly right about the "horse industry" being a high dollar field but your car is a high dollar tool also. So is the gas it guzzles, the maintenance it takes, oil and spare parts, tires etc.
To me - if you need a car - knock yourself out - I will not (soon enough) and horse is a logical mode of transportation for my slow pace of life.
And if the animal (horse, mule or other) needs veterinary attention and/or transport? Will you rely on the good graces of a neighbor with a truck & trailer?
I understand that you say you have no with for medical transport but would you force your wife to not get help either? Doctors don't make house calls like they did 30 yrs ago and more.
Your ancestors used horses every day as a basic mode of transportation and some folks still do so today, not only in United States but all over the world. You are certainly right about the "horse industry" being a high dollar field but your car is a high dollar tool also. So is the gas it guzzles, the maintenance it takes, oil and spare parts, tires etc.
To me - if you need a car - knock yourself out - I will not (soon enough) and horse is a logical mode of transportation for my slow pace of life.
OD
I, too, have an interest in ditching the car. I'd love to. At this point, it's not really practical for me to ditch it, but I'm never ruling it out. You never know what the future might bring. If I were set up to where my "living" kept me to within a couple of miles from where I live, I'd gladly forgo the automobile, because really for me it's a constant source of irritation in so many, many ways... other than it does get me to where I need to go.
Hello all of you I am an 18 year old and I've been considering buying property to be self sufficent on and ive seen 80 acres af land go for less than 100k. I'd like to move to either northern minnesota or western montana four years from now. i'm open to moving to annother place but i like these places for a few reasons: lots of fresh water, far away from population centers, good hunting and fishing, cold weather to keep people away that are migrating from down south and good farming soils (from what i've read. now I didn't grow up on a farm so i thought i'd share my idea of what id like to do with the property and hopefully get some advice from you folks who've farmed or who are living self sufficently. my plan is this:
live extremely modestly for the next for years and save atleast 20,000 dollars
buy an RV and move accross the country near wherever it is I want to start my farm
get a job as a mechanic while my girlfriend works as a nurse
make a large down payment on 80 or more acres
clear cut any wooded areas and possibly save 5-10 acres of woods to graze sheep and have firewood in the winter.
plant 40 acres of organic fruits and vegetables (anyone know good crops for those two types of climates?) build a 2 or 3 bedroom house on top of the property, build a barn, horse stables, underground freeze cellar, well and grain silo on one acre.
buy a tractor
convert my truck to run off of hydrogen
buy two or more horses (after taking several lessons of course) and having themgraze on two acres and grow two acres of hay for winter feed.
grow 10 acres of wheat and buy a few pigs to live on 0ne acre eventually reaching 30 and feed them the hay i harvest.
build a chicken coop.
buy a few hens and a rooster and have the roosters on one acre and let the rooster fertilize the hens eggs untill i have atleast a couple hundred roosters and 20 hens. the roosters will be on one acre and the henns will be in the coop and they will be fed grain i grow (what kind is the best and easiest to grow in decent ammounts without GMO seeds or fertilizer?)
fence off my property
grow 20 acres of corn to make whiskey to sell. (legally of course).
somewhere along the way I want to find out how to make my own primers, gun powder, bullets and buy a dillon press. If i make enough money to where i can support myself,girlfriend and my future family i'd quit my job and farm full time, or atleast feed my family and be decently prepared for if or when the shtf.
I'll try to be as kind as I can, but you need to drift back to reality. Your "plan" just shows how clueless about "self-sufficiency" you are. It's absolutely unrealistic for a single man to accomplish. Do you know how much back breaking labor and time it takes to grow 1 acre of "non organic" vegetables and fruits? Double that amount of labor if you plan to peddle your food stuff to the general public accustomed to the grocery store fares (if that would be even possible). That acre alone might kill ya, not speaking of the rest items on the list.
I live 13 miles from the closest store of any kind, 25 - 30 from a town of halfway decent size (7,000 population), and I can't imagine relying on horse transportation to get me back and forth. While I make very few trips to town, I do try to take care of as much business in each trip as possible, and I'll have my little station wagon crammed full with people groceries, animal feed (including hay), and everything else imaginable (including berry bushes and fruit trees to be planted). I just don't see how relying on horse only transportation is realistic in this day and age.
Besides, the log trucks on these two-lane highways and backroads would probably have me (and my horse) squished the first day.
If you manage it, more power to you. Let us know how you do - oh, wait, that won't be possible because you're going to give up the internet when you move, too.
I do plan on ditching the Internet, sorry
You can also stay in town overnight when you come in on your horse - many small towns across the West have corrals outside of motels (if they do have a motel - depending on how small the town is, you may have to camp out somewhere close).
Of course you can also have a team and fill up your carriage with whatever you need, if that's your thing
OD
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I have a brother who is the fisherman of the family. I had too many "vacations" with my parents on a boat, or I might find it more enjoyable.
