Where should I move to achieve gerthood?

Scenario Gert: Gert has realized the permaculture dream. Gert lives on a few acres and eats the food that grows there. During the warmer months, gert spends some time harvesting and preserving food. During a week or two in the fall, Gert is working a good 50 hours a week. But for most of the year, Gert is working less than ten hours a week. Gert does spend about 10 hours a week making her meals. Usually it is something quick, but sometimes she makes something more elaborate. Some neighbors sometimes buy some of Gert's excess food. And once a year Gert will help with a permaculture design for somebody. Gert has a little pickup, but she hasn't fired it up in three months. Gert has about $300 per month of disposable income and $4000 in the bank. Gert has trouble spending this extra money. She's not sure what to spend it on. It just sort of accumulates. Gert earns about $7000 per year now. She intends to earn less money in future years. Over the next 20 years, Gert will have earned $100,000.

Anne Miller wrote:For folks who don't know what gerthood is:

Scenario Gert: Gert has realized the permaculture dream. Gert lives on a few acres and eats the food that grows there. During the warmer months, gert spends some time harvesting and preserving food. During a week or two in the fall, Gert is working a good 50 hours a week. But for most of the year, Gert is working less than ten hours a week. Gert does spend about 10 hours a week making her meals. Usually it is something quick, but sometimes she makes something more elaborate. Some neighbors sometimes buy some of Gert's excess food. And once a year Gert will help with a permaculture design for somebody. Gert has a little pickup, but she hasn't fired it up in three months. Gert has about $300 per month of disposable income and $4000 in the bank. Gert has trouble spending this extra money. She's not sure what to spend it on. It just sort of accumulates. Gert earns about $7000 per year now. She intends to earn less money in future years. Over the next 20 years, Gert will have earned $100,000.

https://permies.com/t/gert

I don't understand why you would feel you would need to move to achieve gerthood?

To me, Florida sounds like a perfect place.

Robert Ray wrote:Check out Jim Kovaleski on You Tube. He is in Fla.

Kenneth Elwell wrote:

Robert Ray wrote:Check out Jim Kovaleski on You Tube. He is in Fla.

Although probably in Maine at the moment... he moves seasonally between the two.

Also check out T.H.Culhane, he is also in southern Florida.

Kenneth Elwell wrote:

Robert Ray wrote:Check out Jim Kovaleski on You Tube. He is in Fla.

Although probably in Maine at the moment... he moves seasonally between the two.

Jay Angler wrote:

Kenneth Elwell wrote:

Robert Ray wrote:Check out Jim Kovaleski on You Tube. He is in Fla.

I get the impression that growing food in Florida is a late fall/winter/early spring thing, which Jim's approach implies is accurate.

However, wherever you move will have pros and cons. I contend with drought during the growing season, and although our winters are relatively mild, they're grey-skyed and threaten rain for sometimes months on end. Compared to sunny Florida, you might find that depressing, whereas we have plenty of ex-pat Brits who consider this normal weather!

Your impression of the growing season is correct.

I agree - pros and cons of all areas. Going without the sun could be a big challenge psychologically. I'm going to peruse the subforums for the different geographic regions and see what type of information I can glean about living in these differing areas then start taking some trips over time.

Jay Angler wrote:
@ Mike Benjamin: 1. Is the 1/4 acre you mention inclusive of house and driveway? Or do you have a full 1/4 acre to grow crops on?
2. Do you have to deal with bylaw/HOA restrictions that limit your options? (like grassed areas)
3. Have you lived in Florida most of your life, or have you had any experience with other climates?

There is definitely a balance between more land/perfect land/rules and regs/ neighbors. My eldest sister lives on a property that would make a lovely gertdom if it weren't for a City Hall that's even banned honey bees. Her friend got fined for having Milkweed in her garden, even though another branch of gov't was encouraging planting it in cities to support Monarch Butterflies. (and in fact it is was legal for her to do so, but then she had to go to the hassle of proving it!)

Mike Benjamin wrote: I've helped many northern transplants understand how to better grow food down here!

"Right now we’re based on lowest first cost and cheapest financing,” he continued. “That’s all the banks are doing."

“You can have the most efficient, net zero, the best-of-everything building, if it’s butt ugly it’s going to be torn down in 10 years and you’ve wasted those resources,”  

Jay Angler wrote:According to David's website, he's currently in Alabama. "...now resides in South Alabama, near the Florida border."
I don't know how different the weather is between South Florida and South Alabama, due to influences of the Gulf of Mexico.  

David, said, "It now has 200 illustrations from over fifty artists, over 150 plant profiles, and all you need to know to turn a Florida yard into a beautiful forest of wonderful food. Species are recommended by cold hardiness as well, so this book is great for both North and South Floridians.

David said, "Between the North Florida project and the tropical urban food forest down south, it's been interesting to see how things just start to "pop" over time.

This state should be COVERED in food forests!

Anne Miller wrote: Whatever his location is I still feel he is a Gert.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:Living in Gertville seems more like a mindset (how you think), than a location (where you live).

Kathleen Sanderson wrote:I was going to recommend David the Good, too -- he's in southern Alabama now, but grew up in southern Florida and has a lot of gardening experience there.  

I wouldn't move too far north, if you do move.  Florida does have some disadvantages, but that long growing season and the ability to raise tropical stuff is a big advantage.  I'm in southern Kentucky, and wouldn't recommend being much farther north than that.  Tennessee and farther south are probably best.  

You do have a couple of contradictory requirements, that I'm not sure can be reconciled:  it sounds like you need a large college or university for employment, but those are usually located in or near major urban areas, where it's going to be expensive to purchase property.  Although...if you could work on-line, perhaps tutoring or teaching on-line classes, that would allow you to get out of town and maybe find less expensive property.

The requirement for gerthood to be able to walk or ride bikes everywhere is also difficult to reconcile with wanting less expensive or less regulated property.  In order to be able to reach all of your necessities by walking or biking (or even with a horse and buggy, as the Amish do), you need to be in a somewhat built-up area, and that, by definition, is going raise property prices and increase regulation.  So I think there are some trade-offs to make.  You might be able to live in a less expensive area but only go 'out' to run errands once in a while, perhaps with a bike and trailer, or -- if you had enough land -- a horse and cart.  If you can produce sufficient income without leaving home daily, good planning can reduce the number of trips away from home that are needed (especially if you are growing most of your food at home).

Kathleen Sanderson wrote:Northern Florida might work for you -- less hurricanes hit, if you are inland a bit.  Or southern Alabama, where David the Good is now.

Mike Benjamin wrote: This project also provides a lot of great insights and my gardening knowledge will still be reasonably applicable...

Jay Angler wrote:

Mike Benjamin wrote: This project also provides a lot of great insights and my gardening knowledge will still be reasonably applicable...

If you're moving to only slightly cooler growing conditions than you're used to, there are also a lot of permaculture approaches to help moderate any extremes of wind and temperature.

Heat traps, rock mulch, and careful placement of compost piles are 3 ways I've read about to increase the warmth in winter. We have a neighbor who uses the older Christmas light strings wrapped around lemon trees in case we get some below freezing weather, but that trick takes electricity - cheap here, but more expensive elsewhere, and not always available when you need it most.

Wind breaks of tough, expendable plants are the best I've read about for high wind issues. With wind you're trying to deflect and slow it, and I've read that objects that allow it through actually do a better job than solid objects that force it into swirls. If you can find a larger property, you may have room to have some decent hedge-row type plantings that protect the plants you want/need the most. Those hedge rows can still provide useful/edible plants, but just shouldn't be plants you're depending on for reliable yearly harvests. They also support a lot of wildlife which many areas desperately need.