In the 2015 GRIT’s Guide to Modern Homesteading, you can find the information necessary to make your dream come true. Within these pages, you will find what to look for when searching for and buying the right piece of property, how to build your own homestead, ways to pay for your transition from city dweller to country squire, discover the means to take your homestead off grid or add a renewable energy source, and, of course, you’ll read articles written by people just like you. People who have taken the next step are now living the rural life and loving it!
The in-depth articles contained in this special issue will give you an idea of what you face when you take the plunge and whether the change is right for you. You’ll find out how others have made that transition, with little or no debt, as well as information about septic systems and water sources. You can even find articles focused on animals to help you make your homestead work.
Build your dream today. Pick up a copy of the 2015 GRIT’s Guide to Modern Homesteading today.
Click here to order.
Finding and Buying Your Slice of Heaven
You’ve decided to make the dream a reality. What’s your first step? Finding land, perhaps? Buying land?
In “How to Find Your Dream Homestead,” Dave Wortman offers expert advice on finding property perfect for you, your family and your dream. He talks about the market for property, possible land giveaways, what you might find outside the usual listings, and a few questions to ask before you decide.
Author Ann Larkin Hansen takes it a step further in “How to Buy Farmland.” She has a few tips on the questions to ask, where to find answers, evaluating potential sites, and how to obtain a loan. She even offers some ideas on how to make your new homestead pay for itself and more. Turn to “How to Buy Farmland” in this year’s edition of GRIT’s Guide to Modern Homesteading.
Now What?
Blogger Cheryl Aker relates how her family is working on building their homestead in Texas. In “Building a Homestead,” she reminds readers that hard work and cautious planning are the order of the day. Where on their 10 acres will their house go? Myriad issues surround that simple question, and Cheryl goes through the litany of questions they asked, the choices they had, and the decision they finally reached. See her before and after shots below.
Making the Move Pay Off
You’re on your new land, and the transition from city to country is looming large on the horizon. The choices for what to do are overwhelming, at least at first. Let homesteader Nathan Winters offer up his experiences in raising livestock, including laying hens and broiler chickens, and planting organic produce for his family and for sale. Turn to “Organic Farming on One Acre or Less” for all the scoop.
After questioning what he and his family were doing on a homestead in Montana, blogger Steven Gregersen enumerates his top eight reasons for “Living the Homestead Lifestyle.” He and his wife, Susan, did the math and realized their choice of lifestyle appeared to be a poor investment. But wait! Steven’s list of the positive aspects of their life turned out to be a realization that they loved the life and couldn’t image returning to “real jobs” in the city. We think you’ll agree after reading his post, “Living the Homestead Lifestyle.”
Then turn the page for some ideas on reducing your energy consumption, as Steven talks about “Off-Grid Reality: Energy Conservation” in another blog post. It’s all in the 2015 version of GRIT’s Guide to Modern Homesteading.
Consider another crop for your homestead – wind energy. In “Farming the Wind,” author Amber Brejcha Fraley interviews several farmers in the center section of the United States who have discovered a new means of earning income from their land. Leasing acreage to a developer will often pay for itself in short order. Read about the Emicks in Lamar, Colorado; the Kochers in Cloud County, Kansas; and the Suttons in Greene County, Iowa, for a few first-hand reports on the experience of leasing land or of developing their own commercial wind farm.
Click herefor your copy of the 2015 GRIT’s Guide to Modern Homesteading.
