Homesteading in retirement?

[Alderman]

Just curious if there are any homesteaders in retirement. I’ve never lived in a city and find all of the angst over covid to be quite different from my experience in the country.

I still enjoy the physical labor of making firewood so I have turned the hobby into a little business where I can work as much or as little as I care to. The only change I’ve noticed due to covid is when I do go to town, the stores are less crowded.

There is plenty to keep me occupied and entertained on the property and so I don’t feel the need to travel to get my fulfillment. I’ve got all the world I need to see just out my back door.
Not a day goes by that I have any regret for retiring.

 

[Fermion]

Just living out in the country instead of the city?

I imagine a lot of people on here do that, although after they reach a certain age, they probably migrate closer to medical facilities.

 

[W2R]

Beautiful photos! I am glad that you are enjoying retired life.

We like living in our (quite urban) inner suburb of New Orleans, and as long as the crime level does not increase to even higher rates, we plan to stay here. If crime pushes us out, our "Plan B" is to move to a less densely populated location, perhaps the outskirts of a small town somewhere with decent medical facilities. However, so far we don't see that happening any time soon and it may never happen.

We are older than we were when we first retired back in 2009; I'll be turning 73 in a couple of months. I am feeling my age enough that just the thought of chopping firewood is a bit much for me. Also, it's nice that we are living just 2 miles from the best hospital and medical corridor in Louisiana.

 

[ivinsfan]

what's your definition of homesteading?

 

[W2R]

Just living out in the country instead of the city?

what's your definition of homesteading?

Good question! I'd like to know how he defines it, too, since it seems to mean different things to different people. Here's what Wikipedia says about homesteading. Among other information, they say,

Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make.

 

[ivinsfan]

Good question! I'd like to know how he defines it, too, since it seems to mean different things to different people. Here's what Wikipedia says about homesteading. Among other information, they say, "Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make."

I think the OP has a good story and would like to hear more...

 

[Alderman]

what's your definition of homesteading?

Although the official definition is different, I think of it loosely described as getting some income or food produced on the land. Not entirely self sufficient from working the land. Doesn’t seem to be very many country folks on the retirement site.

 

[ivinsfan]

Although the official definition is different, I think of it Quite loosely described as getting some income or food produced on the land. Not entirely self sufficient from working the land. Doesn’t seem to be very many country folks on the retirement site.

You're talking to one now, almost 5 decades of cattle and crop farming, We don't consider ourselves homesteaders, which is why I asked for more info.

 

[W2R]

Although the official definition is different, I think of it Quite loosely described as getting some income or food produced on the land. Not entirely self sufficient from working the land. Doesn’t seem to be very many country folks on the retirement site.

I don't have a vegetable garden, but lots of forum members do and enjoy plentiful fresh home grown vegetables produced in their back yard. Others, like ivinsfan, are doing more than that in producing food.

 

[pb4uski]

I assume that he means living off of the land as much as possible... so vegetable gardens and canning, hunting and fishing for meat, perhaps chickens and cows for eggs and meat, chopping and spitting firewood for heat, etc.

Seems like too much work for me.

I actually gave some fleeting thought to getting out of the rat race and buying some acerage with a cabin and living off the land when I was in my 40s but ultimately decided that it sounded like too much work so I didn't do it.

 

[street]

I enjoy the country living more then anything, but not into full time off grid living. I enjoy the cabin and solitude at the ranch and spend all the time I want there at the cabin. I also enjoy the physical work of splitting wood and hauling all by sled to the cabin site. No power, no running water is a humbling thing for me after a week. When I'm wore out, I can come home to all the luxury of easy living.

 

[pb4uski]

Although the official definition is different, I think of it Quite loosely described as getting some income or food produced on the land. Not entirely self sufficient from working the land. Doesn’t seem to be very many country folks on the retirement site.

I guess it depends on how you describe country folks... our little town is about 1,434 and population density is 37/sq mile... so pretty rural... but not out in the bush.

 

[Dtail]

I am not handy enough to live in a sparsely populated rural area, plus wish to be near lots of medical providers as I get older.

 

[Music Lover]

I assume that he means living off of the land as much as possible... so vegetable gardens and canning, hunting and fishing for meat, perhaps chickens and cows for eggs and meat, chopping and spitting firewood for heat, etc.

Seems like too much work for me.

I actually gave some fleeting thought to getting out of the rat race and buying some acerage with a cabin and living off the land when I was in my 40s but ultimately decided that it sounded like too much work so I didn't do it.

It is a lot of work. My brother and his wife live on 80 acres and they spend far more hours than I would prefer to maintain their lifestyle. And they only do it to a small degree....cutting firewood to heat their home and growing and canning vegetables and berries.

There's a good reason why communes aren't that popular...it's far too much work living off the land.

 

[ncbill]

And what happens when you get older?

Most of the residents in my town house development are elderly...sold the big family house where they did all the upkeep after the kids moved out.

A couple of widows are still living here independently in their 90s...one 91, one 96.

They're happy that now all outside maintenance is covered by one monthly fee...including gutter cleaning & roof repair.

Even Dick Proenneke had to move back to town from his hand-built Alaska cabin when he hit his 80s.

 

[street]

^ he did, but did he have too?
Just saying, born in the country, and I'm going to die in the country. Even with the most high tech and medical personal we are going to die someplace.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Lovely views, alderman!

I'm very interested in urban homesteading. We live in an area where urban sprawl meets up with a large state park with mountains, plus some foothill parks, so we have lots of areas for hiking and views. But we also live close to shopping, restaurants, public transportation, and a hospital.

My homesteading projects are smaller, like learning to grow sprouts and solar cooking, instead of raising goats and having a 40 acre spread. I do think about having a more rural, tiny house vacation home in some woodsy place in Northern California.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

It is a lot of work. My brother and his wife live on 80 acres and they spend far more hours than I would prefer to maintain their lifestyle. And they only do it to a small degree....cutting firewood to heat their home and growing and canning vegetables and berries.

There's a good reason why communes aren't that popular...it's far too much work living off the land.

I ran the number once for living in an eco-village, and at the time we had a young adult child in college in a small but very nice apartment near the beach in kind of a hipster area, and the hipster area was actually cheaper. There's more price competition for many goods and services in big cities, plus it was a walkable area with free public transportation for students so no need for a car.

 

[unclemick]

The country life sucks - grin - at least from 1 -18 or so. All the 'hot chicks' moved to Portland - Oregon that is. It was a big day in my youth when the outhouse went and indoor plumbing arrived. College and later learned to 'love' the Suburbs with equal access to fishing, skiing, backpacking, etc and the city dining, sports, entertainment, etc.

Now ER conflicted - big city house and two hours drive to the Farm in the boonies. CRP - watching the grass grow.

Heh heh heh - Post Covid - hope to resume winter trips to Texas Gulf and greater Fort Meyers in Florida December and February. DW gardens both city and country on a small scale.

 

[friar1610]

We lived quite rurally on 10 acres in Vermont for about 8 years. Had a vegetable garden and I cared for about 2 1/2 acres of lawn/brush-mowed area. (The rest was woods). Beautiful views of the Adirondacks.

As we got older the enjoyment of that lifestyle began to wear off and we relocated to a seaside town in Mass. and are now much closer to family. Life is generally easier now because I don’t have all the yard work and stores/services/health care/entertainment are more accessible. I’ll be 76 in a month and happy to be through with so much physical labor. But we loved VT while we were there!

 

[skyking1]

DW wants to stay relatively close to doctors etc.
I could be far out, man.
We will live in a single level home on a large lot or acreage until we can't.
I think the farming/gardening/animals thing might happen after we get our travel bug out. Until then it is not a good mix. I'd rather have an acre or two of woods that require no attention, as opposed to a yuuge yard to mow.

 

[Bamaman]

We're about 10 miles outside of town. Not exactly country, but rural enough to where I can hear cows moo'ing.

And I can see a Domino's 150 yards out my backdoor on the highway.

 

[Music Lover]

My brother and his wife are on 80 acres an hour away from the city. But they're also 10 minutes from a small town that has a hospital and of course grocery. They love it but they still come to the city 2 or 3 times a week which is a 2 hour round trip.

I lucked out with my property...1.7 acres on the outskirts of town. The yard is 120 x 630 and ends at city limits and then it's a farmer's field. I built the garage, fence, and decks so that we have complete privacy from both neighbors and when we look into the back yard we don't see another house at all. We're 6 minutes from a hospital and less than 10 minutes from 4 major grocery chains, Costco, Walmart, etc. We have an ideal but rare situation....the feeling of isolation but with all the conveniences. I sometimes forget how good we have it until someone comes over who has never been here and we see their reaction.

 

[street]

Music lover>>> That is an ideal location and would work for me (wife). I believe that would work for her and for me no close neighbors.

 

[flintnational]

Great photos! The lifestyle has appeal. I hunt, fish, can, make wine and wish we had a larger garden spot. But, at this point in my life, I don't think I can live more than 10 miles from a Costco! My DW is afraid I may trade our suburban life for a place where I can keep laying hens. She prefers her friends and neighbors to the poultry.