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A Farm of My Own:  Just starting out  |
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Speckled01
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Donna
Booneville
AR
USA
7 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 06:12:16 AM
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We moved from The city of Tampa FL to 40 acres in Booneville Arkansas a year and a half ago. I am at the point of trying to decide what to do. I want to stop working in town and devote myself to our land. It is a huge undertaking and so many options.
Honestly my biggest fear is that I will get isolated and that is not good for me. How did y'all go about planning your farms and how do you deal with isolation.
Can't wait to hear some suggestions.
Donna Hunter
Arkansas
www.global-therapy.com |
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princesspatches
True Blue Farmgirl
431 Posts
arttie
iron mountain
michigan
USA
431 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 06:30:40 AM
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Personally, I love the isolation. I tend to get very reclusive when I have too much time off work. I love just being at home with the kids, hubby and animals. I feel very productive and never get bored.
But I do know that is not good for me. So I do work part-time in town as a dental assistant. That way I need to be nice to people and I get to socialize with co-workers. Also I belong to a stitching group. We meet couple times a month at each others houses. They are my best friends. We have been getting together for 13 years.
So I do force myself to get off the land and be around people.
Good luck.
Arttie |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 06:33:31 AM
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Fo me it was what I had, I have mostly pasture land with wondeful rolling hills, I did not want to mow it all the time, In KY. you can mow almost every week and sometimes twice a week. I did not want to WASTE a resorce or the cost on mowing. And it was not enough to hay, and make any real money.
So I researched sheep, they do the mowing for me. I sell the lambs for meat and their wool to spinners. ( spin myself) this year I hope to be selling not just my raw fleece but batts and roving as well.
I am small because I want to stay small, I handle this all by myself. Which allows me to work off the farm (for health ins) just part time.
Best advice, RESEARCH, it really does pay off in the end. Know what type of sheep, grass, livestock and so on, to get for your farm and land is very important.
As for not feeling like a hermit ... well, I love that part of it ... but I also work outside ... so that really is enough interacting for me ... LOL ... not antisocial ... just LOVE my farm!
Good Luck!
Teri
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
Edited by - kysheeplady on Jul 15 2012 06:35:13 AM |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 08:03:05 AM
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Welcome Donna. Good luck.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 09:13:54 AM
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I love staying home, too! But as the other ladies pointed out, I also work 2 days a week. If I didn't have to work, then I think I would do some kind of volunteer work part time. Probably at the local library, because having a library is of high importance on my list. My livestock is rabbits. I'm hoping to get some quail. Neither is very time consuming, which is important to me. I say go for it if you can, but keep yourself involved in the community with a group that likes the things you like. That way you meet like minded people.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsofEntropy?ref=si_shop
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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Speckled01
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Donna
Booneville
AR
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2012 : 10:30:37 AM
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thanks for all of the comments. I am a therapist by profession so having a group outside of my work would be important. I have been looking at hydroponics as we have a very large barn. It could be easily sectioned off. The barn was originally created to house rabbits, so putting up some fiber animals would work. I am also leaning towards alpacas.
For a longer term investment, one of the forest consultants up here suggested putting a pine plantation. That would be harvested in about 15 years.
So much to consider, but the powers that be are telling me this is the direction I need to head in.
Donna Hunter
Arkansas
www.global-therapy.com |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2012 : 3:44:46 PM
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Sounds like you have a lot of choices. Good. I'd love to raise alpacas if I had the land which I don't. Maybe you could work outside the home for two or three days a week.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Speckled01
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Donna
Booneville
AR
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2012 : 05:58:16 AM
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Not to sound whiney but for me working in town doesn't reduce isolation it increases it. As a therapist in private practice, I am the only one in the office. Yes, I get to talk to people all day but it is about there issues. After they leave, they are not my friends, they are clients. Does that make sense. I did work at the local clinic for a few months.... not a good/ethical environment. But I do get it- work and get involved in town to balance things out.
Donna Hunter
Arkansas
www.global-therapy.com |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2012 : 4:50:42 PM
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I love being Isolated. I was always a loner when I was a kid. There was 6 of us kids and I had to share a bedroom with 3 other sisters. My 2 older sisters was always fighting with one another. Use to drive me crazy. I would always ride my horse bare back of course way out into the pasture sit under a tree and read and do my home work. I could get more accomplished with out all the fussing going on around me. In the summer time when school was out I would pitch a tent for weeks at a time and sleep out side just to have my own space. I'm still a little like that. I love putting on my John Denver cd music while I work quietly in my garden. After my husband leaves for work I take a quiet walk and some old bread out to feed my cows. There's always something to do when you live on a farm. My son and his girl friend is living with us right now plus I have 2 dogs in the house, 2 cats and one big dog out side that keeps me plenty busy. I love my quiet isolated life.
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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paradiseplantation
True Blue Farmgirl
1277 Posts
julie
social springs community
Louisiana
USA
1277 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2012 : 2:47:36 PM
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The way we began meeting people when we first moved to our farm was by signing up for the Master Cattle Producers program offered by LA Tech University and LSU Agriculture department. Attending a local church, if for no other reason than to visit, if you already have a home church is also a good way. Right down the road from us is a small Baptist Church which is attended by most of our neighbors. Even though we belong to the Church of Christ, we still visited on occasion and got to know a lot of people that way. And Julie (farm dream) has it spot on - volunteer! You'd be surprised how many people you will know in six months or less, just by getting out there. Good luck, and keep us posted on all your progress. We know you'll do a great job!
from the hearts of paradise...
1Thess. 4:11
http://thefarmwife.com
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Speckled01
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Donna
Booneville
AR
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2012 : 06:08:59 AM
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Thanks for all of the support everyone. We have made preparations and have some guineas coming in this week. The chickens will be next. I have reconnected with a group I belonged to in Tampa that has a chapter up here, so that will be good for volunteering. I also joined the local gym, since I am in town a few days a week and it seems as though everyone goes there. My LSGD ( live stock guardian dog chat group) is giving me good advice about getting the dogs ready for their new flighty buddies.
Donna Hunter
Arkansas
www.global-therapy.com |
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A Farm of My Own: Just starting out |
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Just starting out
