land in Saskatchewan

will try again..I have 2 adjoining 40  acre parcels of pasture and bush (mostly poplar) in central east Saskatchewan. I was hoping to find someone....perhaps a group of someones..a family perhaps? who would be interested in doing a permie type thing on it. If they were interested in a permanent sort of arrangement then it would be a matter of negotiation as to what sort of arrangement would be mutually beneficial.

My  ideal would have been a community but this is rapidly beginning to seem like an unattainable fantasy. 

I have some horses on it now and am trying to build up the soil in one parcel..but I am a pensioner and have arthritis so can't do a lot of what I used to be able to do.It is so frustrating to have some knowlege and lots of ideas and not be able to realize them. As well, it would be really nice to have someone around to talk about such things with; this is an area which tends to industrial farming.

There are no restrictions on what I can put on the land, I am told. I want to put a small straw bale house on it, and hopefully a couple of savonius rotors for power as we get a wind fairly regularly.  Anyone who wanted to come would be able to do what they wanted in terms of what sort of house they wanted; and  power lines run across one end. Wells in the area tend to run less than 20 feet deep ( I have a dugout for the horses which has never run dry (so far) though none of my land seems to have any swamp..it's pretty sandy in most places and drains very well.

I have bought hazelnuts haskaps and a bunch of other fruiting shrubs and bushes and am trying to get that going as well..looking to take cuttings once they are well established as well as get more, but even such things as digging holes to plant them in is a problem now.  There is so much work in the area, I haven't even been able to hire students to help run a fence line (or anything else).

If anyone is interested, then message me and we can talk.

Sounds like you're offering someone or some people a great opportunity to share your land and your knowledge. Best of luck finding someone who shares your vision!

  The major obstacle seems to be that I don't have living accommodations on the land. Maybe someone will be interested in bringing in something to live in or/and throw up a tiny straw bale house or something until we see if we really share very similar visions.

I have windows, and with a composting type toilet and solviva type of plumbing arrangement preempting having to build septic systems something pretty comfortable could be built in fairly short order I think..those are the ideas I plan for myself anyway..maybe ...maybe this year IF I can figure out how I can do a roof. Knees protest vigorously about climbing things.

Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed I reread "Shelters, Shacks and Shanties" and get renewed..we take so much for granted as being essential these days! and the options we know about now..heating in this climate being a major  one. Open fireplaces vs a rocket  heater..

There are clay deposits on some of the land but not sure if there would be sufficient to build a cob house; there are poplars which could be cut and used but not sure how good they are for structural  purposes and in any case they are hell to work with when they haven't had a chance to dry.

If  someone wanted to try to build a pallet house stuffed with  light straw clay mixture, or  maybe even a papercrete house (though I have reservations about that..we get very strong winds here and it would be a shame to build something to see it sailing away over the treetops! We also get some pretty energetic thunderstorms/rain from time to time.)  Still..I am open to trying such things, although it's too late this year now unless everything was put under tarps for the winter..we have really only got this month for things to dry before we get frost and possibly snow.

I don't see anywhere on the place that cries out for any sort of partial underground..the only slopes face north, for one thing. Good for a root cellar or fridge/freezer room maybe, not so great for a house. 

One person who showed an interest was entirely turned off when he learned that my ideas include creatures such as chickens, etc. I personally think that animals have a role to play as well as we do, and wouldn't be happy on land without  provision for some animals. Anyway.

Thanks for the good wishes

Hi Pam!

My fiance and I live in Saskatoon and have been passively talking about getting out of the city and starting to farm for a couple years now.  We both took our PDC's last August, and would love to get some hands on experience.  The problem is, we don't want to become isolationists when we move, so having an area where there are like minded people is ideal.  Any chance we could stop by and meet you/see the land during an upcoming weekend?  We go through Tisdale regularly - I'm not sure how close that is to you but it's probably not too far if you're in Eastern SK. 

We're very interested to talk with you more about this!

Jessie and Shaun

HI Jessie  & Shaun

I have emailed you.  Good to hear from you!

if interested there is another site I have used called Landshare....its a pretty new and Canadian site...We are also trying the same thing only we live in Creston BC (a very mild fruit growing area)...best of luck to you...I think its wondeful to share what we have for what others can contribute...a win win (though not without the normal complications of trying to find a good match relationally)

I hope you have better luck than I did..I have tried and tried to post something on Landshare and been totally stumped as to how to do it. I've registered and filled out the form a bunch of times and it simply never gets recognized... I am not very computer adept and find the site a nightmare to try to figure out. saw another lost soul posted a question there so not the only one. A good idea but so frustrating!!!

Howdy Pam and all,

I live 80 km north of Saskatoon and would like to move from dreaming of living with the land to reality. I am looking for other folks to co-create a community with as well as looking for land with which to do this. I am just starting to branch out this way, reaching out to others with a similar vision. I was very happy to find this site and your post! I am open to helping people with homesteading projects including building and gardening. I am looking into acquiring a ger for my partner and I to live in. I would love to keep bees this coming season and if possible start getting some chickens and perhaps some goats...well I don't want to get ahead of myself! Hope to exchange ideas and connect about these and other possibilities, virtually and in person

Shannon

I have some friends whom I can refer. We have been used to living in tents and or tipis for long period of time and can live off of seeds etc...

Can US citizens partake?

Hi everyone,

My wife and I live in Regina, saskatchewan and we would like to leave the city. We are so glad that we found this forum. I am searching for ecovillage community in saskatchewan. About an hour from the city to be not too far from work. We have in mind to build or to buy an off-grid house with a good soil to have our own garden. If possible to raise some chickens. We don't want to live isolated from people but be connected with homesteading open-minded people. We are open also to live an a farm. So if you are a farmer and want to sell us a small piece of you land (about 1-3 acres) our would like to sell a off-grid house, please feel free to contact us also. We are a young couple and can offer our help here around...

I never build a home of my own but I consider myself as a fast learner and a little handy when I got the chance to do some on my own. If you have ever build a off-grid house and live about an hour or so from the city. We would like to hear from you. We will need some help to build our own house and some advice too. Please contact us also.

Hi Pam, I hope you still read this post,

I am very interested in your offer, what kind of financial commitment would you need for a family of 3?
I may have to work full/part time to finance this shared venture.

Alex

Alexander Duncan wrote:Hi Pam, I hope you still read this post,

I am very interested in your offer, what kind of financial commitment would you need for a family of 3?
I may have to work full/part time to finance this shared venture.

Alex

Used RV $5000
Electric Generator $2000
Generator gas $30/month
RV vehicle gas/insurance/main ....$500/month
Household Supplies $200/month
Food $100/month
Emergency $200/month

About $8k the 1st month and 1k every month thereafter.

If you where just going to plant some annuals for the 1st year then around $200 in seed/acre + tools
And that should do it.

If you where interesting in buying a piece of the 80 acres. For say 100/month that would increase your cost.
Then there is the cost to build the foodforest.
180 plants per acre at $25/plant=
15lbs of seed per acre at $10/lbs for the animal pasture=
200 plants per acre at $2/plant for the Living fence=
4 pond per acre at $$/pond for animal drinking water and fish

Then you have to deal with the price of animals, Depending on whether you want any.
Animal=Buy+Feed+Vet+Housing
Chicken=
Fish=
Pig=
Sheep=
Goat=
Cow=
Horse=

Are you going to do any earthwork.
Can you do it with just hand tool.
Will you use machinery, how much does it cost by the hour
How many hours would you need.
How much slope do you have.

Im wondering if there is another guy or a, couple or more who would like to get sone land and look at alternative housing methods. Cob! Cord wood! Earth bag or what ever have you. BC would be my first choice but the land is going higher and higher. There are a few pieces s of land here in Alberta that are still kind of cheap. Theres plenty in Saskatchewan that is cheap. Love the idea of animals, gardens and green houses. Fruit trees if possible. Most of us these days dont have a ton of cash, so a like minded community might have a chance.

Hi my names Elijah im a 27 year old male cancer survivor living in ontario canada right now and am really interested in living/building on your land/community efforts.. I have a general knowledge of agriculture and permaculture aswell as living experience in growing annuals and raising chickens pigs and goats. I am a fast hands on learner and am very eager to escape the rat race of society and live off the land ...as far as your lack of accommodating infrastructure if you allowed me the opportunity/ability to live off your land and help you build your dream aswell as my own i would have no problem setting up some sort of secondary living situation while i work on a more permanent one..i just dont have the means or ability to purchase my own land at this time...so it would mean the world to me to be able to live off youre land and id be willing to help you in every way you need me..this is the type of opportunity ive been searching for..so please if you like what i have to offer or are interested please pm me or email me at westelijah.v94@gmail.com ..i couldnt find a direct contact for you so i hope this message finds you