Life has been plodding along lately at the usual pace. The cold, windy weather has kept us indoors most of the time. But life keeps you busy, you know? From the daily chores, weekend soccer games, sewing lessons, family visits, baking and errands to run.
We've been talking a lot lately. Is this where we really want to be? Should we and could we have more land? Do we really want to throw away all the work that has gone into our place here? Can we keep livestock without having to move or buy land? Should we get a milking cow? We've been throwing around such questions lately, as we often do. We are generally contented here on our acre, and yet we feel the limitations of the place. We wonder how we would do in harder times, if they should come.
Do you sometimes wonder if there is a bigger life out there waiting for you? Or should we just be contented and leave well alone?
But for now things are okay. The chook house is coming along and we should have some chickens in the springtime. The fruit trees are budding and the first blossoms have appeared down the road. Perhaps winter just makes us restless.
I know exactly how you feel. We are on 1.6 acres and feel limited with what animals we can keep. We have put a lot of effort into our home and garden and my husband and I say wouldn't it be great if we could lift up our house and garden and put it on about 50 acres! We want to leave a legacy for our daughter so that is why we are thinking about moving to more land. We just don't want to have any debt that is why we are waiting at the moment and learning all we can now from friends who are farming. I am reading 'You can Farm' by Joel Salatin. It's a fantastic book that is very easy to read and gives lots of information about making a living on a farm.
ReplyDeleteWe have blossoms on our fruit trees and the seeds are planted for our Spring/Summer garden. Can't wait for some warmer weather and the wind to stop blowing:) Take care.
Hi we are thinking the same thing we have a big house small back yard and everything is close by we should be content, I have 3 chickens a small veggie patch and 8 fruit trees . But we dream and talk about selling up and buying 5 or 10 acres with a small farm house something we can do up and make it our own . Ha ha small world same ideas .
ReplyDeleteLinda
Yep we feel the same.
ReplyDeleteWe moved to Victoria last year. Were under pressure to get a house etc so settled for a suburban size block. We are planting our fruit trees and think maybe we can just make this our home. But we are constantly talking of getting a few acres of land, becoming more self sufficient, could we, should we??? But we have also just started up a cleaning business and hubby is still working at his job and life has become alot more hectic so we just don't know.
I guess we are never content with what we have, we are always striving for more. The idea of being more self sufficient though, I believe is one that will become more and more important as years go by, so maybe we should just give in to our hearts and do it?????
Lol I really haven't helped but just wanted to say that yep you are aren't alone with these thoughts :)
Definitely not alone with those thoughts! But I think another thing worth considering is the level of community you experience where you are. I think 'self sufficiency' is maybe not what we should be striving for - perhaps community sufficiency instead? It shouldn't be only land owners that are set for when and if things get worse. We are on half an acre with lots of vegie gardens, about 15 fruit trees, 15 chooks and a mama goat and her baby, for milk. We can't possibly do it all but we make the most of what we have then work on a currency of sharing with the people in our neighbourhood. But we do still feel the tug of wanting more land. I keep telling myself, bloom where you are planted. The time will come where the option of moving to more land will become available and resonate, if it is meant to be xxx
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of time do you want to spend on the land, feeding and looking after animals or cultivating it? Perhaps talk to people whose properties you admire and get a feel for how much time they dedicate to keeping it productive.
ReplyDeleteIt all sounds so romantic getting more land, animals etc. I think we all "dream" about the idealistic lifestyle but as someone mentioned "bloom where you grow" I think was on Rhonda's Down to Earth Blog a little while ago. We can still do all the things where we live like growing veggies etc. and if you have soccer training now, then if you move away further for more land either the kids have to give it up or there is a lot of driving. I think with the economy like it is now in 2013 in fact very much like it was in 2008 maintaining current levels of mortgage and not increasing it has lots of advantages. However we all love to dream. You are no different to anyone else. I've been indoors doing baking etc as well keeping nice and warm. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
ReplyDeleteRenting in town at the moment we often talk about buying a few acres with a run-down little cottage and making it our own. it can get frustrating at times wanting it all now, wanting to plant fruit trees, have fresh milk, and decorate our own home as we please. but really putting money into savings and researching the right/most suitable area in the state to live is where we're at at the moment. x
ReplyDeleteHi Tania I would love to have an acre of land. We live in sydney in a unit, so I don't even have a piece of grass. I know there is a better life for my family waiting for us to find it. We are currently looking at some land to start a better life and leave the noise, congestion and tiring work we have in sydney.
ReplyDeleteNora
(sorry I couldn't find a contact address) - Hello!
ReplyDeleteI just gave you the Liebster Blog Award xxx : http://2plus1.org/2013/08/21/liebster-award/
Tori
www.2plus1.org
Hi Tania,
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog for many months now and really connect with the the journey you and your family seem to be on. We are on a similar one. I have also been following a blog called benhewitt. A guy in the states- he has some interesting perspectives on life, living, education and family just to name a few. You might already know of him.
Cheers
It's always fun to dream and plan and see just where road takes us.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures and thoughts!
~Shanda
I know exactly what you mean, Tania. We had an acre and a 1/4 of land and biggish house in town (as you know). Hard times hit and we had to sell. I didn't want to sell at the beginning and I actually still pine for my old garden, at times just because starting a new one takes time and I'm not patient;) I ended up, believe it or not, downsizing our debt but upsizing our land space. It's been the best decision I've ever made! We now live just out of town and the peace is amazing. I'm loving having the chooks and a bigger vegie garden and more space around us. Hopefully by summer we'll have all the fencing done so we can get some grass eaters in to keep the paddocks down. I plan to keep everything fairly close to the house and small in terms of my farming stuff but the space around me has made me feel so much better. I can't tell you how nice it is. Anyway, I'm not trying to convince you to go bigger but I do know that it can be done on a not-too-big budget and with huge benefits. 'Tis all:) xx
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