Just Purchased our First Acreage

My wife and I decided it was time to escape the city and purchased an established 6 acre parcel. We will be moving there shortly, along with our 2 children. The reality is now starting set in, and the questioning "what have we gotten our selves into" have begun. Joking aside, we are excited to venture into the world of homesteading, self reliance and permaculture. I am also very interested in the idea of PEP as a way of learning the skills to make this new way of life a success.

J, congratulations! What a great first post on Permies. Yes, it is overwhelming at first, but it's a joy too. I hope you'll share it all with us.

PEP is an excellent learning tool. And it's fun too. Such a great resource for the homesteading and permaculture community.

Congrats, how exciting!!

Looking forward to hear about your adventures, and yes, keep us posted.

Thanks For the kind welcome. I look forward to becoming a part of the community.

J Crozier wrote:My wife and I decided it was time to escape the city and purchased an established 6 acre parcel. We will be moving there shortly, along with our 2 children. The reality is now starting set in, and the questioning "what have we gotten our selves into" have begun. Joking aside, we are excited to venture into the world of homesteading, self reliance and permaculture. I am also very interested in the idea of PEP as a way of learning the skills to make this new way of life a success.

Congratulations!  

It can certainly be overwhelming, but the skills will come.  Advice I don't often follow, but like to give anyhow:  try to introduce new things slowly, so you have time to master skills before moving on to the next thing.  When we started out on our acreage, we immediately got goats, alpacas, and chickens (plus cats and dogs), plowed up a huge garden, and planted a bunch of fruit trees all in the first spring.  It was overwhelming, and we really burned ourselves out, plus nothing got the care it deserved.  Now, we try to limit ourselves to one new species a year, and make sure we have all the infrastructure in place before we place the order for the thing.  This year, it's bees.  Skills can be a bit easier to tackle, but remember that learning skills can be challenging and exhausting in its own way.  I try to keep it to maybe one major new skill per season.  For spring, it'll be grafting (plus the beekeeping stuff).  My personal sense is that folks will last longer with the whole rural living / permaculture / self-reliance thing if they don't overwhelm themselves and burn out.  

Jess Dee wrote:
Congratulations!  

It can certainly be overwhelming, but the skills will come.  Advice I don't often follow, but like to give anyhow:  try to introduce new things slowly, so you have time to master skills before moving on to the next thing.  When we started out on our acreage, we immediately got goats, alpacas, and chickens (plus cats and dogs), plowed up a huge garden, and planted a bunch of fruit trees all in the first spring.  It was overwhelming, and we really burned ourselves out, plus nothing got the care it deserved.  Now, we try to limit ourselves to one new species a year, and make sure we have all the infrastructure in place before we place the order for the thing.  This year, it's bees.  Skills can be a bit easier to tackle, but remember that learning skills can be challenging and exhausting in its own way.  I try to keep it to maybe one major new skill per season.  For spring, it'll be grafting (plus the beekeeping stuff).  My personal sense is that folks will last longer with the whole rural living / permaculture / self-reliance thing if they don't overwhelm themselves and burn out.  

Thanks for the great advice Jess. That is kind of our plan. This year we are planning on focusing on the garden, and getting ready for chickens next year.

J Crozier wrote:Thanks for the great advice Jess. That is kind of our plan. This year we are planning on focusing on the garden, and getting ready for chickens next year.

Gardens and chickens are a great place to start.  Gardens are forgiving.  If it's a total disaster, you can plow it under and start over fresh the next spring.  Chickens are about the easiest livestock we've tried.  You have a good plan :)