Jumping Off/Land Search

Hey everybody. I just signed the contract to sell my house in town and I’m going to start my homesteading journey this spring (or as soon as I find suitable land). However I haven’t decided if I want to stay here in South East Kansas where it’s always either scorching and bone dry or freezing and flooding or I want to kick off somewhere a little more consistent. Does anybody have any recommendations for somebody looking for land? I’d like to raise livestock and all of your basic temperate orchard trees. I’d like to be somewhere with a lot of wilderness (Kansas is all farmland unless there is no soil then it’s pasture) and of course I’m looking for a good price per acre. I’m open to all advice and suggestions.

I just posted a possibility here in Longbranch Washington.  If bidding on a foreclosure  is too much for you there is another one fore sale on the other side of me that matches your  description.

I got a house for sale in Maine.

I raised sheep for years so it has a barn that can house 100 sheep with a separate lambing area, but it could be used for cattle or goats too of course. It also has a 8x12 Taj Ma Hal of chicken coops with concrete floor, windows, electricity and a full sized door to get into it.  It only comes with 3.5 acres, but I don't have plans for the acreage I own around it, so its a good deal. A house is financeable, while acreage is not, so you buy a house and get to use the land around it for free. There is 22 acres already fenced with wire, but that could be increased. In total there is 115 acres in fields so plenty to be used for winter feed, and more with forest of course.

Energy wise, it has a very southerly exposure for solar power, but it is also on a hill so great for wind. My neighbor has a windmill and does about half of her power just from that. But it also has a 20 KW (20,000 watt) back up generator.

House wise, it is the standard 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with great room and massive closets with most of the wood and rock derived from the farm. I use a pellet stove, but being super-insulated, a person could put in a Rocket Mass Heater too as it is on a slab so no need to fortify the foundation to put one in. Don't be timid about the slab foundation, it allows for a lot of geothermal heat.

Around me... this is Maine so its a mix of woods and forest. In the front of the house, about 13,000 acres with no houses. It is privately owned but no one cares if you go on their land as long as you are respectful. Out back it is a bit bigger at 18,000 acres without houses, again private land, but respectfulness gets you everywhere.

All this you can see from the pictures.

Homestead For Sale

Josh said, "Does anybody have any recommendations for somebody looking for land?

Now that the holidays are over, have you decided on a location?

By the way, a belated welcome to the forum is in order.

To me, deciding on a location might be my next step.

Then find a local realtor to help with the search and representation at the closing.

A locale realtor will also help you with submitting your offer and advising you on the counteroffer.

Best wishes for your jumping off and land search.

Josh,
I'll start with cheers on getting out of the city, but where to go...? there are so many factors involved.
I'd first suggest this book
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10873066-strategic-relocation
Joel Skousen (not to be confused with joel salatin)
second. ...read the the book again and figure out where you want to be and what kind of climate you'd like to be in.
I'm sure you've got some skills, so a bit of hard work you'll  be able rock on.  But it aint no picnic.
Anyhow, kudos wherever you end end up!

Again a belated welcome to the forum Josh!
We've got a few threads on deciding where to buy land and how, I wonder whether they may be of help? Try looking at the similar threads at the bottom too.
https://permies.com/t/190642/places-starting
https://permies.com/t/176548/search-land-property-live
https://permies.com/t/138954/wannabe-finding-buying-land