I feel for ya. I’m 59, a semi-retired Science Prof who is “re-homesteading” 100 yo farm in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Thus far my pond appears totally fishless. Your pics and everything look great. The issue may well be due to societal changes. Trying to sell my home in the mountains of Colorado, an awesome place with an incredible view where I reclaimed the 5 ac of land with native trees and other vegetation, built outbuildings, raised beds, mini greenhouses, cleaned up a lot of crap, upclassed and upgraded the home. Since I’m an active and very educated person who has nothing to do with pop culture, I looked for the same in a partner. Most men, not dummies or druggies by any stretch, thought burning wood and wood pellets rather than burning gas for heat, having chickens, growing food, exercising, was “too hard and too radical”. I kid you not. Dudes willingly ski in avalanche conditions, climb routes so hard they’re sore for a month but helping with firewood or clearing snow is “too hard”. Though this house is very reasonably priced and is rare in that I have acreage so close to town, folk want little, no maintainable disposable ski homes they don’t have to care about or tend.
I started building my self reliance skills at 17 when I bailed out of a dysfunctional suburban family and headed north. Sadly, now most folk simply have little/no skill set anymore, nor, given today’s obesity epidemic, do they have the health or stamina to do anything remotely close to homesteading. In the UP, I’m in a very small and spread out community and while there are some that’d like to help, it’s the same deal, they’re unhealthy. The Midwestern diet does no one any favors. I refuse to abandon this farm so I’m trying to do everything solo and I help out the one fellow off grid couple. Since you’re much younger and in a different region, you may want to try Planet Earth Singles. Do keep in mind that some on that site are not really interested in homesteading but are guys on the edge, looking for a home and meal ticket. Yep, someday I’d hope to meet a fellow academic interested in staying healthy and throwing away what passes for society but I’m not holding my breath and nor should you. I keep getting stuff repaired task by task, generally while singing the classics then take a well earned rest by reading good literature by kerosene lamp in front of a warm fire. Don’t give up your dream.
