The aging homesteader

Great discussion. We moved from the city to the woods two years ago and specifically were looking for master bedroom and bath on ground floor. Fortunately, we found it with a nice, flat 11.5 acre property.

We're building garden beds specifically with again in place in mind. Our kitchen garden that we built last year was a major undertaking. It's a hugel-style with logs and dirt and loads of mullein plants that were running rampant. The outside edge has 15-18" tall logs on end so that I can sit a potted plant or my butt on to weed. This year it's been more productive than I thought considering there is little nitrogen in the soil and we haven't started our chicken flock yet so no manure. Just a little human pee and some kelp granules for fertilizer. The 4 x 35' garden bed built this year has a different look to it with horizontal small logs for walls  and some upright logs for sitting on. That experiment has worked nicely so far.

Regarding yoga...I tried it a long time ago and hated it because my teacher sucked and enjoyed showing new students how much better she was than us. Duh. Since then though, we've been using some taped yoga workouts and have really liked it. When you can pace yourself it seems easier somehow. I am really happy doing yoga now and feel far stronger and my joints feel good. It has been one of the best things I've ever done for myself. So a bad start doesn't mean it will always suck. Just need to find what's right for you. I did karate for 20+ years and have even started doing some of the solo forms (kata) but there is no way that I will do the crazy sparring of my younger years. I don't have to prove anything at this point. It all seems pretty silly now when it was so crucial back then to be tough. Priorities change and that's ok.

I'm in my 70s, so over the past few years I've made some changes to my homesteading style.

... Knee pads. They allow me to kneel without pain.
... Raised beds. In the past two years I've created dozens of them. I still do gardening on the flat land, but certain crops are far easier when done in raised beds.
... ATV. Rather than walk around my 20 acres all day, I use an ATV to get me to the general area where I plan to work. Pulling a cart behind it makes it much easier on my body to transport items and harvested crops, mulch, etc.
... Work slower. I used to be a work demon, pushing myself all day. Now I've slowed my pace so that I can work gently all day long.
... Take breaks. When I'm bushed, I take a break. Go read a bit of a book, browse the Internet, play with the dogs, just sit and meditate, etc. I always get something to drink and nibble on during a break. Not much to eat, but the tiny snack helps revive me. I will do this a few times during a typical work day.
... Use more equipment instead of brut strength. I use a mower a lot to create grass clippings, so I'm switching over to using a riding mower more than the push mower. I'm using a weedwacker in place of a scythe. I'm using a sawsall to deal with the banana trees instead of a machete. I'm using a chainsaw or sawsall where I used to use an axe. I'm now using a small cultivating tiller in place of hand hoeing.
... Get massages in order to treat tense, tired muscles. I didn't believe in massage a few years ago. Now I do. It helps.
... Practice a relaxation method. I use tai chi each morning.
... Hot soaking tub. Sitting in the hot tub for a few minutes each morning helps a great deal in getting my body limbered up for the day. A soak at night after a day's work helps too.

I'm sure I'll make more changes as time goes on. I don't plan on stopping homesteading anytime soon.

Well, we planned the house well; 4 foot wide hallway, 36 inch for ALL doorways.

Lowered the light switches, raised the plugs, made sure both bathrooms have adequate room for (just in case) wheelchair access, both the tub and toilet; raised the clothes dryer 18 inches (no bending to get clothes that can't be hung) and laid lino throughout, yes, including the bedroom.

We added a massive, covered deck (12X32) to one side, large porches front and rear. Everyone thought I was nuts, but the master bath has a door to the deck (it otherwise would have been a seventy foot walk to the loo) but also allowed the extra space in the master bath for easily maneuvering in a chair.

Our 'hen's have come home to roost', so to speak, as Hubby is now in desperate need for a hip replacement.  His mobility has plummeted, BUT after dropping $600 bucks on amazon, have fully kitted him out.

The raised toilet seat has been life changing, threw a few suction hand grabs in the tub/shower and a shower chair. The standard walker was a fail, so off with the extendable legs, and it now provides an inexpensive toilet 'cage' that is easily popped into place over the other toilet and provides rails for getting up and down.

The next step was mobility aids. First the modern cane, triple foot base so it stays upright. Forearm crutches for cruising in tight quarters; and the all terrain 'rollator' (a walker with four wheels) with giant 8 and 10 inch wheels, with locking brakes and a seat, for cruising the property - it was expensive, $300 all by itself, but the freedom and independence it provides is priceless.

IF I had an inkling of what was coming, I likely could have got everything used, refurbished or on sale. So, it might be worth keeping these mobility aids in mind, picking them up when cheap or free...

Water access: huge fan of cutting hose to length, adding quick connects, and leaving them in place so there is no hose hauling. Some I have elevated, putting multi node hose bibs (via quick connect) in strategic places. Turn water on as I pass the tap leaving the house - no running back and forth turning on and off, switching hoses or hauling awkward weighty hoses. Not so useful when it freezes, but the need for water then is drastically reduced, anyway.

The one aid I would highly encourage getting ASAP are the forearm crutches - with 'cuffs' that go around between elbow and wrist. SOOO much better than the armpit crutches, and when not needed they hang off your arms leaving your hands free for picking up, carrying, or moving things, but are still right there when you need them. Also handy for pushing and shoving things, from boxes to windows and doors.

To have these "just in case" of a minor ankle twist, back tweak, or other injury could well cut recovery time while expanding your range and ability while healing. New off Amazon $120, used or garage sale, prob $20...Cheap insurance, in my opinion.

Hi Scott,

There is a difference between denial and the informed decision to use your body to the fullest that you safely can.  That is really the theme of this thread. How can we adapt ourselves and our environment to maintain a quality of life that is fulfilling to us.

Hi Julie,

You have summarized the risk issue well.  A significant part of life is taking risks. There have been many articles written on the dignity of risk.  I suspect none of us wants someone creating a risk free sterile environment for us. But that does not mean we have to be foolish.  There are steps we can take to protect and extend our functioning.  Often, these steps are simple.

Hi Robin,

I have never tried yoga, but I am pretty sure I have had that instructor for other things.  Like you, I walked.  I have no idea how much time I have left, but I dont intend to waste any of it

Purity, you are an inspiration!  I’m a few years behind you but I don’t go up on the roof. Probably having a younger male partner has something to do with that!

Thanks for your post. We need to remind ourselves that aging doesn’t mean heading straight for the nursing home.

Hi su,

Years ago my wife bought me a fantastic  bench. Turned one way it is a seat. Turned another way it is to kneel on. I use it often.

Hi Lorrine,

What you are doing seems to be working for you.  In order to sleep tonight, I do have to share. Suction hand grips, suction grab bars , etc. terrify me.  If they release at the wrong moment, a great deal of damage can be done.

Scott Stiller wrote:Good thread.
I’m 47 but now dealing with new mobility issues due to MS. My wife the Nurse Practitioner says I’m in denial. I see nothing wrong with that. Since my very sanity is directly tied to being outside I’m way more careful than I once was. I’m even considering physical therapy to correct walking issues. Issues that I could have been working on already but was too damn stubborn.
With new problems come come new blessings as well. Working in healthcare all of my life left me with the bad habits of eating too fast, too much and terrible food. I now pay a serious price for dietary indiscretions so I’m more careful there too.
As far as mechanical help getting around I have walking sticks stashed everywhere. Cedar and tulip poplar are my sticks of choice.
The neurologist suggested yoga which I’ve discovered how much I despise.
I don’t know what will happen as I get older but I feel like I’m pretty well able to adjust. At least I hope I am.

Hi Scott! I received a presumptive MS diagnosis last year (awaiting identification of a second set of lesions, but the symptoms are indicative). I’m 33. I immediately started planning what needed to be some sooner at my property so I could still enjoy it later. It’s what brought me to Permies, as I was searching for permaculture as a means to deliberately design my property to be low maintenance in the future. My plan mostly includes getting perennial or self-seeding annual vegetables and herbs established and planting lots of fruit shrubs and dwarf fruit trees. For annual veggies, my plan is to land race everything, to get the hardiest, most pest resistant varieties I can that will still produce with minimal intervention.

I put all this stuff in the smaller front yard rather than the significantly larger back of the property, because the front yard is flat while the rest of the property is sloped. Despite their shorter life the dwarf trees were selected because there easier to harvest from than standard size, and they can go in pruned. High bush blueberries can be picked from a seated height. I put all these plants in a long island in the middle of the yard so plants can be accessed from both sides easily.

I am getting some raised beds started. They won’t be ready for several years, but once the sides are built I’ll start filling them with wood and compositing straight into them. I’m planning both 2’ and 3’ heights, only 2’ across so I can easily access everything by reaching from one side. Imagine if harvesting some of your vegetables was like a drive through: just grab a basket and zip down the row harvesting as you go. I am also planning paths around harvest/planting locations. My ultimate goal is one part park one part food forest.

MS specifically has so many possible outcomes, it’s not denial to hope you can still do what you love. The great thing about planning ahead for possible obstacles is that they also prepare you for plain old aging as well. My outdoor time is so important to me I’d army crawl through the garden and weed with my teeth if I had to. It is absolutely vital to my mental well being, which in turn helps my body.  As someone else said above, I too would like to die in my garden, hands in the dirt, thinking this year’s blueberry crop may be the best yet. My legacy will be what flourishes here on this patch of land when I’m gone.

Scott Stiller wrote:There would be lots of unhappiness if I were stuck inside currently Julie. Like learning from nature we have to learn from our bodies too. What I’ve learned over the past six months is I need hobbies that can be done inside. I think I’d have been more prepared if things would have happened over a decade or more but eighteen months has been problematic. I would be lying if I said that it's not been a bit irritating.

I have started lots of indoor hobbies that are outdoor related, mostly because for about a month or two in summer is too hot outside, and for four months it’s too cold and everything is dead. I enjoy researching plants, picking out new seeds to try, woodworking with wood I’ve gotten on my property, building bird baths, bird houses, bee houses, bat  houses, seed saving (and labeling and shipping to share), etc. I’m also starting some indoor projects to make life easier, like building a 12” platform to raise our washer and dryer up to a more usable height. This winter I’m planning to paint rocks to use as plant labels in the garden. And make wreaths from outdoor plant trimmings. When you’re stuck inside, bring the outdoors in with you.

Lorinne Anderson wrote:Well, we planned the house well; 4 foot wide hallway, 36 inch for ALL doorways.

Lowered the light switches, raised the plugs, made sure both bathrooms have adequate room for (just in case) wheelchair access, both the tub and toilet; raised the clothes dryer 18 inches (no bending to get clothes that can't be hung) and laid lino throughout, yes, including the bedroom.

We added a massive, covered deck (12X32) to one side, large porches front and rear. Everyone thought I was nuts, but the master bath has a door to the deck (it otherwise would have been a seventy foot walk to the loo) but also allowed the extra space in the master bath for easily maneuvering in a chair.

Our 'hen's have come home to roost', so to speak, as Hubby is now in desperate need for a hip replacement.  His mobility has plummeted, BUT after dropping $600 bucks on amazon, have fully kitted him out.

The raised toilet seat has been life changing, threw a few suction hand grabs in the tub/shower and a shower chair. The standard walker was a fail, so off with the extendable legs, and it now provides an inexpensive toilet 'cage' that is easily popped into place over the other toilet and provides rails for getting up and down.

The next step was mobility aids. First the modern cane, triple foot base so it stays upright. Forearm crutches for cruising in tight quarters; and the all terrain 'rollator' (a walker with four wheels) with giant 8 and 10 inch wheels, with locking brakes and a seat, for cruising the property - it was expensive, $300 all by itself, but the freedom and independence it provides is priceless.

IF I had an inkling of what was coming, I likely could have got everything used, refurbished or on sale. So, it might be worth keeping these mobility aids in mind, picking them up when cheap or free...

Water access: huge fan of cutting hose to length, adding quick connects, and leaving them in place so there is no hose hauling. Some I have elevated, putting multi node hose bibs (via quick connect) in strategic places. Turn water on as I pass the tap leaving the house - no running back and forth turning on and off, switching hoses or hauling awkward weighty hoses. Not so useful when it freezes, but the need for water then is drastically reduced, anyway.

The one aid I would highly encourage getting ASAP are the forearm crutches - with 'cuffs' that go around between elbow and wrist. SOOO much better than the armpit crutches, and when not needed they hang off your arms leaving your hands free for picking up, carrying, or moving things, but are still right there when you need them. Also handy for pushing and shoving things, from boxes to windows and doors.

To have these "just in case" of a minor ankle twist, back tweak, or other injury could well cut recovery time while expanding your range and ability while healing. New off Amazon $120, used or garage sale, prob $20...Cheap insurance, in my opinion.

I second buying mobility type products at garage sales or goodwills etc when you see them (If you have some space to store them). My partners has had multiple ankle surgeries, and each time I was too shortsighted to keep the toilet handles, grab bars, shower bench etc. When they were needed they were bought new, then resold for nearly nothing. As we get older our chance of injury increases, so (1) minimize risk and (2) prepare for poor outcomes. Next time I see a shower bench cheap I’m just gonna buy it. I also highly recommend higher toilets. I replaced the toilets in our home with ADA wheelchair height toilets and they’re much easier to get on and off of.

Hi there S! Made me a bit emotional reading your reply. MS is a very strange way to go through life but your plan sounds rock solid.
Landrace varieties are an overlooked progression by many. I planted three different varieties of tomatoes this year but have at least eight.
I’m lucky to have started my permaculture journey before any real symptoms started. I saw a link to a hugelculture video Paul posted and immediately signed up on the forums! I’ve been hooked ever since. Instead of a large permaculture farm I’ve now narrowed my focus to my yard and will expand beyond that gradually. My yard is a half an acre but things pretty much go by themselves these days. My instagram page is Stiller_Permacuture if you ever want to see what I do. It’s all informative instead of people taking selfies holding a tomato or something. You can always reach out to me through the Purple Mooseage part of the site as well.
For now be sure to get your vitamin D3 and omegas through either fish or flax oil. I look forward to keeping up with your progress! Scott

S Greyzoll wrote (among others here on permies):

like building a 12” platform to raise our washer and dryer up to a more usable height.

Our platform is lower, but it has sturdy wheels on it so if something goes wrong, or you even just want to clean up the dust bunnies, it's easier to move. The front wheels can have "locks" on them if you're worried about the equipment shifting (washer on spin in particular), but ours are on thin carpeting so it hasn't been an issue. Our freezer is similarly equipped, although our newest one has a platform wide enough for the freezer and me to stand on as that makes reaching in much easier.

This concept can easily be applied to outside equipment. Being able to store things but still move them out of the way, or just move them to create an open space for a bigger project, can often be accomplished with a little advanced planning.

We are slowly switching our door knobs to lever type, dark stained finish for exterior doors, so easier to use and requires less cleaning! Working on moving to our downstairs. We bought a mini split  because dealing with firewood, electric splitter or not, was very difficult now... and we don’t expect it to get easier.

Some of these changes started because we looked at aarp’s home fit guide. Currently apparently not available at the website, but due back 9/2020.

We decided on a timetable, of changes we will make, up to retirement. Mostly replacing aging equipment: the well bladder was the last one. We stopped waiting so long: looking for a better deal, rehabbing what we have . We’re thinking about equipment replacement, because retirement is at the most a few years away now... this includes painting the interior a room or two at a time with Farrow and Ball paint, as I’m sensitive to VOCs.

We bought ahead supplies which won’t go bad, more than previously: paper products, cat litter, etc.

We culled the business clothes to a minimum.

We dedicate one income stream to paying down debt.

That’s all I can think of off the top.

At 60, just shy of 61, I retired from 28 years or so of desk job. My wife and I had bought twenty acres of woodlands in SW MI. August 12, 2020, we poured the foundation for the strawbale infill round wood timber frame house I am building. I'm typing this standing among the timbers I have collected in the course of clearing land for the house, our kitchen/market gardens and the reflecting pond. Today's primary objective is to move some of these timbers around and organize them a bit for the joinery phase that begins soon. I've invested in a couple of power winches for doing this kind of work, but it's still physically demanding and my normal workday is no more than six hours. During the desk job years I peaked at 245 pounds, on a sturdy 6 foot frame. These days I'm about 175. In order to keep doing what I am doing - I keep doing what I am doing ;)

Hi S

Without the DC of MS I find it wise to limit my outdoor activity in July and August.

Hi Jay,

I have spent the past few months attacking our barn while I am still pretty healthy.  I am trying to arrange things with mobility and accessibility in mind.

Hi Jennie,

I like you approach to food.  As a long time homesteader, we have a good supply of food put up.  But, now we are looking toward balance with regard to what we actually use. We consider the "what if's" of not being able to get off our property for a while.

Hi Peter,

Most if the time I have homesteader I have held a desk job.  Within the first year of leaving my full time job I dropped 50 pounds.  

Another thing re food, specifically, I deliberately put aside, freeze, dishes which can be made up in more than one way. Tomatoes, for example. I put them aside pretty much unseasoned, and then figure how much of what type of seasoning I’ll need for a set amount. For 2c of tomatoes, etc, I use 1c fresh seasoning. But I put aside 3 types: Italian, Mexican and savory. If I want pasta, we’re good. Chili?  Also good. Pot roast or just soup? You got it. So I get the maximum taste and virtue of the CSA’s organic veggies, etc. and store a lot less.

Hi Jeanie,

Same here. We dont season anything we can.  It is too difficult to figure out how the taste will be impacted by the canning process.

This post caught my attention immediately. I've just turned 61 and my husband is 67. We're both fit and healthy and love to work hard, especially in the garden. But my husband's  double bypass surgery two years was a wake-up up call and I have ongoing sciatic pain which is made worse if I lift anything heavy.

We live in the western suburbs of Chicago on a lot 50 x 165. We've converted about 2/3 of our back yard into growing space for food over the years. Last year my husband built me a raised bed 22in high and this year he created two terraces on our hill so that we could plant some fruit trees. I do find that working the raised bed tends to trigger my sciatic pain, while squatting down at ground level is OK as long as I change positions often. Perhaps I need the raised bed to be higher but then it's not useful for taller growing plants as someone has already pointed out. Since I started to mulch in earnest a few years ago, weeding has almost become a non-issue. That alone makes a huge difference. I also like to garden barefoot so that I benefit from  "earthing". I really feel the difference.

Once the terraces were finished and my husband saw how quickly I filled them with vegetable plants (it was too late to plant fruit trees) he said we should be in earnest about finding a place with a bit more space to grow things, something we have been talking about for a long time. So that's what we are doing - looking for a ranch house with a gently sloping yard (not the hill we live on - in flat Illinois!) where we can live out our days, nearer family, warmer (longer growing season and less snow shoveling) and we can design the garden with ease of care in mind. Probably North Carolina. Hence I am reading all these post carefully and appreciate all that people are sharing.

On a side note, one of my aunts is 96 yrs old, has lived in the same house all her life. It is a large property and she has been gardening since childhood - I learned a lot from her when I was young. Of course the amount of gardening she does has diminished over the years, but she still gets out there weeding, tending plants, digging a potato for her dinner etc. One thing she can do that I think makes all the difference is she can squat with ease, something most people half her age can't do. I couldn't really squat until an excellent PT I was working with about 10 years ago got me to do it.

The last thing I would like to say is how important it is to take care of ourselves - regular therapeutic massage, Physical therapy, yoga, Tai chi etc. I am a bodywork by profession, specializing in NeuroMovement  (Anat Baniel Method or Feldenkrais Method.) I work mostly with older folks (like me and older - wait, I'm not old yet!) and it makes a huge difference in their mobility and ease in getting up off the floor. Of course when I get busy, I'm like most people and don't do what I'm preaching. I need to do the work for myself especially now when I feel the need for it more than ever. Once our  house is ready for sale I'll get to it, I'm promising myself!

Thanks for all the other posts- great topic!

Here is the gardening stool my wife got me

Hi Sile,

You make some great points. If we do live to be 96 like your aunt, what are we going to do to assure it is a quality 96 years?

My husband and I bought a ranch house on 2.5 acres 15 minutes outside a small city.  It is zoned agricultural and we do not have a barn or a garage which saves us property taxes and accumulating excess clutter.  We went smaller and closer to the city because I have a connective tissue disorder that is fast tracking my body into little old lady decades faster than I would like. We are far enough away to have quiet and farms for neighbors but close enough that I can get an Uber to an appointment. I can't always safely drive so I am glad we didn't buy in the middle of nowhere when I could still reliably drive.  It would have been a major problem when I started having vision problems 2 years ago.  

As we renovate the house we will be making in easier to age in place with adaptations that will work for us as my physical limitations grow.  Others have mentioned changes to the bathroom, doors, and hallways.  I also want to make my kitchen easier to work in while sitting down.  I cook from scratch all the time and I want to be able to prep food, wash dishes, and use the stove top while sitting.  When it comes to replacing my  wall mounted oven the new model will have the door hinges on the side so I spot staining my damaged shoulders getting things in and out of the oven.

I also have an adjustable height table and chair in the kitchen for prepping foods.  This is a huge help.  I am also all about finding good ergonomic kitchen tools that I can use with less pain and go in the dishwasher if possible.  I used to hate small kitchen appliances and now I can't handle the garden production with out them.  I have been putting the food processor, electric dehydrator, dishwasher, kitchen Aid mixer with its grinding attachment, the coffee grinder, and electric tea kettle to good use preserving everything that is coming out of the garden these days.  I couldn't even come close to dealing with all in part because I am losing functionality of my hands too.  

The garden is raised beds that I can sit on a small stool and easily work at. They are 2 to 3 feet wide and about a foot tall.  They also have wide pathways so I can stumble around them safely when my proprioception is really off.   My husband mulches the pathways with wood chips to reduce weeds and watering needs.  We are lucky we can get free wood chips from our town recycling center so my husband makes good use of this when we can't get wood chips delivered.  


We also have made making the garden pretty an important part of the design. It is so calming to go and sit by the garden pond and chill out.  The pond is hooked up to the rain gutters and the over flow is to a swale just above our main annual garden.  


Our chicken run is our composting system and we use wood chips as our carbon source in the part of the run closest to the coop.  The coop and run is close enough to the house that it is one path to clear when it snows.  That path also accesses the shed, water spigot, trash cans, and the spot we need to clear to have oil delivered. Simplifying and condensing chores saves energy and time. The coop has an automatic door on it so I don't need to be up at sunrise to let the birds out. We also have a multi day feeder that they have to stand on to open.  This means we only have to check on the chickens once a day to collect eggs, change water, and other chicken chores.  

We plant dwarf trees or shrubs anywhere close to the house and semi dwarf further out.  I prefer shrubs because they are proving to be less work and more productive than our trees.  They also have far lower pest issues than the fruit trees here in Northern New England. The long term goal is to add a green house, more trees and shrubs, walking paths, another pond and fencing around the entire property.

One thing we have learned is it keep things flexible and modular as possible.  We keep finding we need to change redesign, or move things to make life easier.

We don't plan on adding a lot of animals. We currently have bee hives and laying hens and that is about all we can handle right now. We are fortunate to have great options for meat and diary from local farms so we buy from them.
 

Jay Angler wrote:S Greyzoll wrote (among others here on permies):

like building a 12” platform to raise our washer and dryer up to a more usable height.

Our platform is lower, but it has sturdy wheels on it so if something goes wrong, or you even just want to clean up the dust bunnies, it's easier to move. The front wheels can have "locks" on them if you're worried about the equipment shifting (washer on spin in particular), but ours are on thin carpeting so it hasn't been an issue.

Jay, thank you for the wheels suggestion! I will include wheels. I hadn’t considered it. I do plan to build in drawers, but I hadn’t considered what I would do when a sock fell behind the dryer with this big heavy platform and two appliances on it. really thank you for chiming in!

This is to ANNIE.  When I turned 70 I told my children , When I get to old to take care of myself don't think about any of you trying to take me in. I have been my own boss for to long to change.  Just put me in a nursing home, I will enjoy it .My oldest SON said, I cant do that to them mom' You will just get those other people organised and GO OUT ON A STRIKE.  

Margaret, I want to be like you when I'm your age!

I really love this forum! All sorts of people giving freely of their knowledge without argument. Something I can’t quite find anywhere else. Thanks, Scott.

A note about finding mobility and medical equipment, it helps to live in Florida where every other person has had at let one joint replaced. When my daughter had bilateral knee replacement earlier this year (don't ever do this!) we were able to cheaply pick up or borrow everything she needed. If you don't live in Florida, and nobody really wants to these days, you can probably find things at garage sales, in want ads, etc. Like folks here have said, it's good to be prepared.

What I would really like to have is one of those service dogs that can help with laundry. My hound is about a fifteen watt so this is unlikely to ever be part of his skill set. But he makes sure that I get plenty of exercise. He is sure that the deer are going to kill us all, so I keep tight hold of his leash. As long as I outweigh him we're good.

I am consider many ways to adapt my land so that I can stay beyond 60 years of  age.

Margaret Moon wrote: This is to ANNIE.  When I turned 70 I told my children , When I get to old to take care of myself don't think about any of you trying to take me in. I have been my own boss for to long to change.  Just put me in a nursing home, I will enjoy it .My oldest SON said, I cant do that to them mom' You will just get those other people organised and GO OUT ON A STRIKE.  

The last time a family member was in the paper ? He did that. Because the food was so bad...

lyndon Fluegel wrote:I am consider many ways to adapt my land so that I can stay beyond 60 years of  age.

Welcome, Lyndon!  Glad to have you!  Feel free to post your ideas or questions.

Hi Scott,

It is the golden rule.  If someone does say something out of bounds,  I do not escalate it by responding.  The staff will catch it and take appropriate action.  Or, i can always report it myself. I find that most questionable comments are simply the result of sloppy wording.

When we bought our property 1.5 years ago, we had the option of buying the seller's tractor that is equipped with a front end loader and a bush hog.  We decided to splurge on that, and I am sure glad that we did.  Having the front end loader helps tremendously with digging or turning the compost pile.  It also helps with hauling heavy items around the homestead as opposed to using a wheel barrow.  

Hi Joshua,

When we bought our tractor, my wife insisted on a front end loader. It is our most used attachment.  

John F Dean wrote:Hi Joshua,

When we bought our tractor, my wife insisted on a front end loader. It is our most used attachment.  

Your wife sounds like a smart woman!!

Hi Joshua,

You know, you aren't making my life any easier.  

Hi Lyndon,

Welcome to the site!