Hello from NY's southern teir

First, I can't thank everyone enough for the information I've learned, just reading past posts. The one major thing I've come away with, is how much I really
don"t know. To be honest, I'm still not quite sure what Permaculture really means, as I came to this site a year or so ago, through a link about earthbag
structures. There are just so many subject here, besides earthbags, that I am interested in, that this has become my almost exclusive resourse site as I plan
our future. "Our", being my mate, myself and our 2 small boys (7 and 3).

2 years ago I decided I needed to act now, if I ever wanted to create my dream home, so I went and entered a land contract for 26 acres. It's about a mile up an old logging rd, on the south side of a pretty steep hill. there are however some level areas. The first summer we tented it, and just got use to the idea that it was all ours. there are some amazing veiws. Last xmas I bought a 7mnth old pyrenees to be our future guard dog. This spring, we lucked out and bought a 28ft camper, cheap. I also bought 4 goats some electric fencing, and the solar charger for it. All told it was an expensive summer, but I feel I got alot
accomplished.
Down side, while our land is only 25 mins. from work for me, it's almost an hr from our home, and almost 2hrs from my mates work. We didn't spend
anywhere near as much time as I 'ld hoped up there. Also, because we live in a village, I am unable to bring the goats down here for the winter. That's meant
that I've had to leave early for work, so I could go up there to bring food and water to the goats and Mara (who's turned out to be everything I'd hoped for in a
guard dog). And while I've found a place to board them, this storm has dumped a ton of snow, and my plans to bring them down today are on hold.

My plans for this spring included building a proper barn, big enough for my goats, and the couple cows I hope to get. Was thinking scottish highlanders. And a
pole barn or some sort of shelter to move the camper into, to offer it better protection from the cold. Something we could put a RMH in, and that would offer
more usable living space than the camper alone, which proved to be way to small on some really rainy weekends. Then I plan on living there , while we slowly
build the next stucture. (that wont be for atleast another yr or more). I already told my mate he needs to find a closer job. Not easy in this depressed area. But
I did it, so , so can he.

After that I plan a walapini style greenhouse, with a earthbermed 1 bedroom open plan cabin attached on the east side and 2 bedrooms, also bermed, uphill
on the north side. I had originally thought to put the 2 rooms and a kitchenette as well as a shower room along the north wall, with a platform area above for
extra living/ growing space. Reading some of the posts on greenhouses told me that wasn't a great idea. The only thing staying is the shower room. Love the
idea of taking a shower in a tropical enviroment with the open sky above me . I plan on incorperating aquaponics, biodigesting (was super excited to learn
you can use bakery scrap, as I work in one), solar water heater, solar oven, solar dehydrator ( can I make one small room size to dry clothes in the winter,
wood in the summer?). Getting some solar panals for electric, and hoping to find out more about a gassifier for our generator. Maybe even someday retrofitting
a pickup with one. Friends at work told me of a local guy who is running one. Would love to meet him. I also plan on expanding my homesteading to include
chickens, pigs, other fowl, maybe some sheep(hate the taste of lamb, personally). planting fruit and nut trees. I havent looked to deeply into food forest, only
because I'm spending so much time looking into other things right now. But thats definitly in my future also.

I'm sure there is more I forgot to mention, just wanted to offer some info on who I was and why I'm asking what I'm sure to be asking in other posts. I'm so happy to be here

Hi Ray-

Thanks for sharing what's going on in your project - exciting stuff!

I wanted to drop by and say hello, because you're in NY, and I hail from there, but from north of Syracuse, rather than Southern tier.
However, I do have roots that go back into Canisteo and Avoca, etc.
And I have relatives who still live near Ithaca.
So, I am somewhat familiar with the area, and prick my ears up, because I can envision the climate, etc., when permies are in NY!
Like you, I am still learning!

You mentioned forest farming as an interest in future. You may have already seen my post where I mention some NY resources I ran across:
But I'll link to it here, just in case you didn't:
https://permies.com/t/26855/eastern-usa/Permaculture-resources-ve-York-Pennsylvania

Very best of luck in all your endeavors,
Mariamne Ingalls

Welcome Ray. I am a neighbor from your south (but not too far) in NW PA. Glad to see you are making progress and learning so much from the site. Sounds like your dream is definitely in the works!

Jen

Hello Mariamne, Thanks for your link. I have read it acouple of time , actually. I usually access this site from my phone, which doesn't like to follow links very
well. However, my boys allowed me some time on our home computer and I had just downloaded info about growing gensing, from Dr. Bob, right before bitting the bullet and posting my intro. Thanks for the greeting

Thank you , Jen. I am definitly learning alot from this site. PA is very close to our property. Close enough that it's your hills we see from our views . If I
could figure out how, I would show some of the pics. I took on my phone. The best come from the power lines further up the rd. Can see for miles.

*updates*
1) yes , this is me, same person , new id. My old account is attached to an even older email address, neither of which I can remember the password to.
2) Land is pretty much the same as my original post. My 4 goats became 7, and I added 17 chickens to the mix. Most of those ended up being roosters, but even so they 'd done an amazing job keeping the ticks away.
However that same year; my mate's dad died,Two years ago, today. His mom, who's in her early seventies needs more and more of his help. My mom had a health crisis, mid summer and I ended up flying to Florida with my then 8 year old, to pack her up and settle her ( with my adult daughter)in my old house, of which my tenants had just moved out of. and then memorial weekend ,same son had an accident and spent a week in children's followed by 10 days with a PIC line, that I had to administer treatments to 3xs a day. Unbelievably expensive and exhausting time. I became burned out, trying to do almost all of it by myself. I sold my goats, culled my chickens , dismantled the fencing and slunked home.
Last year I spent what time I had on my land,( weekends of which I work sat and sun nights) watching my mate tool around on the four wheeler his mom bought him, visiting neighbors and drinking untill he passed out. This as apposed to the week nights, where he comes home from work, and watches tv and drinks until he passes out. Meanwhile my mom moved out, bodily, in October, though to this day, she still has stuff in my rental . I stared bringing her to the house Fridays after i got my boys from school, to help her sort and pack. I enjoyed the time away from my now ex-mate, that I've decided to move back, atleast on weekends. Ye ah, the commutes a bitch, but the peace is worth it. I put an ad on craigslist looking for permies type roommates, to help me transform the house into a place we can grow most of our foods and offered them the use of my land, to hopefully restart my dreams on the hill. I'm going to be 48 in a couple weeks, to young to give up on my dreams, but definitely to old to wait for peter pan to grow up.
Looking for well wishes, encouragement and any and all advice. Feels good to be back here, again