| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kentuckywoman |
Posted - Jan 30 2010 : 8:48:31 PM
Hi farmgirls!
I'm 23 and single. I just started my first real job a few weeks ago and now I feel like I can be realistically working towards my farm dreams! My goal is to own about 5 acres and have a little farmhouse with chickens, goats, maybe a few sheep or a cow and a big garden for myself. What I am realizing however, is that buying a house and being strapped to a hefty mortgage payment for 30+ years isn't for me. Especially with my meager writer's salary.
So I have an idea- save up for those acres (which I think I could do in about half a year or so) and build the house myself. Admittedly, I don't know how to build a house. But I have been looking into traditional home building methods like the cob house and little cottages. I am a young woman and single- can I do this? I really hope so. I figure I just take baby steps. Order some books on the subjects. Save up for my land. Things like that. Learn as much as I can.
Any suggestions, stories, or advice would be so appreciated! |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| AndreaPaige |
Posted - Apr 21 2010 : 10:39:15 AM
My fiance and I wanted to do the same thing, but quickly realized how much work and money it would entail. We had the land, but needed shelter (and had very little money to work with). What we ended up doing is buying one of those little stickbuilt cabins that you see on the roadsides around here(they look like big sheds, but some have home-like doors and windows). Ours was about $7,000, actually quite a bargain when you consider how much a "real" house costs! We did the ventilation, insulation, drywall, and floor ourselves, which tacked on another few thousand dollars, but we did it a little at a time as we could afford it. Also hired an electrician to install the wires. No money yet for a well or plumbing, so we have an outhouse and get water from his grandparents who live next door. We are also thinking about setting up a cistern, and right now we have rain barrels. We call it the "mini house" and I am so happy it all worked out. Its certainly not your run-of-the-mill abode, but its what we call home. Good luck to you! Sometimes looking ahead is the hardest part. |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Apr 20 2010 : 9:13:55 PM
You might want to consider working for habitat for humanity. It would give you a lot of building experience for free! You should also think about the pole building or barn first and turning it into a house. I have friends who have done both and they turned out lovely. One of my friends has a pole barn with the roll up door on the right side of the front. He built his house in the left side and added a roll up door in the back on the right side. Now he has a fully covered porch that is huge and with both doors up the breeze makes it very nice during the summer. He even does cookouts in there with room for six tables. It's great!
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| Donna Jo |
Posted - Apr 20 2010 : 7:07:33 PM
You can do it! About 12 years ago I took a few months off work. My sister and I had been kicking around the idea of remodeling my kitchen. Now we were not completely without skills because while we were growing up Dad and Mother had remodeled several of our houses and built 2 from scratch. My Dad is an electrician and since we farmed 40 acres we could do lots of things. One time we had an all girl hay crew, it was great we stopped traffic! Anyway my sister and I gutted my kitchen and remodeled it moving plumbing and all, dear hubby is good in that department. We even built the cabinets. By the time it was finished about 3 months later we were known as Boom and Blast, or aka the router babes(we made our own woodwork). There are still days we sit at the very bar we built drinking coffee laughing not even believing we had the guts to try it. So I believe in you, where there's a will there's a way!
Donna Jo |
| alterationsbyemily |
Posted - Mar 21 2010 : 2:14:13 PM
me and my dh want a nice farm with a bit of land. Two things I don't understand... how does a half acre with nothing on it cost 99g's honestly! Well, we talked to some builders over the weekend and they were talking turn key prices of 350 to 450 plus the land for little 3 bedroom places! I hope that we will be able to buy a plot of land someday...
But thats a pretty far off dream... one pc of unsolicidated advice girls, find out how much the man is in debt before you marry him. Because if you get married on a saturday, when you get the 80,000 +, bill on monday, you know that your dreams will forever be on hold
--
See my custom costumes, download free patterns, and hear some spook EVPs from Gettysburg, PA on my site, www.alterationsbyemily.com |
| KD Earthwork |
Posted - Mar 18 2010 : 10:03:15 PM
We're working hard on it. If I'd realized what it would cost us etc. I never would have thought we could have done it. But we got the land first, then a cabin ( I love the TINYHOUSEBLOG ),then a barn, then a chicken coop, gardens, more fruit trees etc. etc.It's been a glorious ride and only a small amount of debt from when we bought our land partners out.
Good luck, talk about the lifestyle and make sure you both agree if you have or get a partner.Sometimes one is believing the other wants something much more grand. I had to sell one hand built house because of that reason and because we had too much debt before we were finished. Pay as you go or don't go. |
| jclambert |
Posted - Mar 17 2010 : 07:17:05 AM
Majal,
When my mother-in-law was needing more care, we bought a used pre-fab building for $2500 and moved it behind our house (she was very independent and didn't want to stay in our house). We were able to fix it up as a really cute 2 room apartment for her and only had about $5000. in the whole project. Don't know if you would be interested in something like that, but it might work while you saved for a bigger place.
Good luck. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to have your dream come true.
Judy
*Love one another* |
| JoyIowa |
Posted - Mar 17 2010 : 04:49:16 AM
Consider building a yurt (a Mongolian sheep herders dwelling) if you run into building code issues. They are considered portable "tents". I think last month's Mother Earth News had an article about them. I helped build one, and then ended up living there for a good long while. I'd go back in a heartbeat if opportunity knocked.
Joy
If it's not illegal, unsafe, or immoral, why not try anything once? Who knows? You may come back for a second helping! |
| Kyria |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 6:19:22 PM
Absolutely you can do it! Another great resource is the Backwoods Home magazine. www.backwoodshome.com |
| Rueby |
Posted - Mar 11 2010 : 5:58:46 PM
I don't think it's insane at all. There is also a neat home building material known as hay bale house. The whole house is essentially made from hay bales and it insulates itself, is virtually fireproof and is beautiful Do a google search for images and you'll see how neat these houses are. I would love to build one. |
| jelliott |
Posted - Mar 11 2010 : 11:54:27 AM
Keep on taking those baby steps and someday you will run. It will happen, just keep that dream going. It will be the bestest feeling in the whole world when that dream comes true and you are running.
Keep us informed. God speed.
If music be the food of Love, play on. Wm. Shakespeare |
| Annika |
Posted - Mar 11 2010 : 11:25:53 AM
Majal, welcome and your dream sounds like my dream...GO FOR IT!!! Live your dream =)
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
Palouse Prairie Girls Chapter
http://palouseprairiegirls.blogspot.com/
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci
|
| vintagejenta |
Posted - Mar 11 2010 : 11:03:40 AM
I'm 25 and my boyfriend and I dream of a little cottage on 20 or so acres out in the country. He wants a tractor and a woodlot, I want a kitchen garden, a couple of chickens, and a mini jersey cow. But we, too, know the burden of being saddled with a mortgage. His parents designed and built their own house, but I'm not sure I want to go that direction.
HOWEVER, Mother Earth News has done several articles, how-tos, and such about single women and others who have built their own houses. Check out http://www.motherearthnews.com and search "how to build a house" and you'll get 100 results. Not all are for houses to live in, but they've got articles on log houses, timber houses, rammed earth houses, adobe houses, etc.
You can do it! But I agree, get the land first. And GOOD LUCK!
---------
http://citygirlcountryfood.wordpress.com |
| mscountrygirl |
Posted - Feb 22 2010 : 06:02:11 AM
The Planning and Zoning gal has given you really good advice. Look before you leap. I have finished "phase one" of my dream to teach. I got the master's "phase 2" is to pass the teaching tests. I have to take two of them. "Phase 3" is to get a spot for Aug. Planning is very important. Make you goal attainable in small phases so as not to get discouraged.
It's all good! |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 22 2010 : 05:19:55 AM
YES YOU CAN You are right pay off the land first. Call the county tax accessor and see if there is any way you can keep your taxes low - we found out that if we had not built our home and then our barn on concrete slabs, the taxes would be lower, see how much land you need and what you need to do to get an agriculture exemption. It could be a simple as growing hay on your land, and here we are paying $8.50 a square bale at the feed store. Ask around, barter where you can, and most of all you go Farmgirl
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| knittinchick |
Posted - Feb 22 2010 : 04:41:09 AM
Majal,I'm only 14, so I can't give you a lot of advice about home building, but you need to go for your dream. There's no reason why you aren't entitled to go for your dream. That's not insane, it's what our country was built on: hardworking people who had a dream and went for them!
God's Blessings,
Megan
At heart, I am both a sassy city girl and a down-home country gal. |
| dawnm |
Posted - Feb 21 2010 : 9:12:45 PM
You have a wonderful dream. You are so smart asking for collective experiences. I am a Planning and Zoning Commissioner. Too ofen I see people not doing their homework before committing dollars. It is so heartbreaking when someone buys and then learns after the fact that they made a huge error with their decision.
Dawn
Small farm farmers rock! |
| KaleidoscopeEyes |
Posted - Feb 21 2010 : 4:39:45 PM
Definitely go for it!
I am in a similar situation as you are... I am a 20 year old city girl who has been in love with the farm life for all my life. My boyfriend and I are going to save up and do whatever possible to make our dream a reality. For example, we'll be staying on 24-arces of his family's heirloom land for the summer, camping out in a small canvas tent, and working the land to get experience.
So my advice would be to do whatever possible to get hands-on experience. There's a lot to learn about the country life (I've been reading everything I can get my hands on also!) so the more you do, the better. Maybe get involved a local community garden. We also joined a "Meetup" (www.meetup.com) group about urban homesteading to learn a few tricks. It will also give the opportunity to meet like-minded people ;)
But go for it! Good luck and keep us all posted!!! |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 05:57:03 AM
I think saving up and living mortgage-free is a great idea.
Make sure you check out the code laws in your area for the building itself though. If you're going to use building techniques that aren't the norm for the industry, you may run into some problems with building inspectors and home insurance. Better to know in advance and head them off if possible. |
| farmmilkmama |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 04:22:00 AM
Sounds awesome! I would agree with checking on zoning, etc. for the land you want to buy. Currently we have a bit of land (13 acres) so people often think we can do all sorts of things with it...but its in the city limits so there are SO many things we aren't allowed to do. You would hate to get a piece of property and then not be able to live out those dreams! :) Good luck!
And no...to answer your title, you're definitely not insane!
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.wakeupstartlearning.blogspot.com
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com |
| mscountrygirl |
Posted - Feb 09 2010 : 07:36:13 AM
I have done many things people said couldn't be done! Back in the old days people had barn raisings! Maybe you could put one togther with local people. Who knows,maybe some farmgirls could come out! Work toward the goal!!!
Michelle
It's all good! |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Feb 09 2010 : 07:17:21 AM
Majal, my daddy always told me that if I could dream it, and was willing to put forth the effort to do it, I could achieve anything. It was good advice in my childhood, and continues to pay off today. I say go for it. Start saving, start researching (I strongly agree with Zan - zoning and other obstacles could rear their ugly heads), and go full steam ahead. We all have faith in you. And keep us posted. Especially if you find yourself getting discouraged, we'll all help you get over it and moving in the right direction again!!!!!
from the hearts of paradise... |
| HorseLady |
Posted - Feb 06 2010 : 6:52:01 PM
There is alot of info out there about building your own home from a kit. These are smaller ones, generally. A good source is Countryside Magazine. I think it's a great goal, but I wouldn't rush into anything. You are still rather young.
Hug a horse or a dog today! |
| kentuckywoman |
Posted - Jan 31 2010 : 10:06:34 AM
This has given me so much encouragement. Thank you all!!
I just ordered a bunch of books on Amazon and Half.com including the book 'Country Women' that Marybeth suggested.
Farmtopia- I am so happy you mentioned that. I hadn't even thought about the possibility that land would not be zoned for agriculture out in the country, but you are absolutely right.
Cindy Lou- I couldn't find Handbuilt Homes on amazon or ebay, but I will keep looking!
Many thanks! |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Jan 31 2010 : 10:00:35 AM
Hey Majal--a thought before building a house--make sure the land is zoned agricultural. I've heard of people buying a whole lot of acrage--15 acres...which they thought was big enough for a farm, but it was mostly forested. They came to find out they couldn't cut the logs and the land was zoned for hunting! So be careful.
Your dreams sound like mine--I'd want to build with straw bale and cob...once you get the money together and looking at property--you might want to see if there are schools or contractors that do such green building that might use your "project" to show to students. Might save you some money. There are usually people who will pitch in to help--so I think you should go ahead and move forward with your dreams!
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
art/dolls: www.vagabondcreations.blogspot.com
The Horse Drawn Project and Farming!
www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
NEXT RADIO SHOW: Jan 31st ~ Heather Smith Thomas, author of "Storey's Guide to Raising Beef Cattle" and "Storey's Guide to Raising horses" If you like horses or cattle, JOIN US! |
| N@n |
Posted - Jan 31 2010 : 09:59:14 AM
Hello Majal,
And Welcome to this corner of the world.
My husband and I bought 17 acres got it paid off then had our little house built. We didn't get started seriously until we were 55 so if we can do it so late in life, you with your most productive, energetic,healthiest years yet to come can surely do it!! I know you can girl. Keep us all updated on your progress.
N@n in Ark
keep searchin'-it's out there somewhere. |
