Bartow County Georgia...newbie seeking others!

I have been "studying" for couple years now alternative sustainable ways of living! I have been a member of this forum for months...this is my first post...will admit I am a slow starter about some things! I keep finding myself in the world of people such as Holzer, Lawton, Wheaton, Salatin, etc...okay, so now I am "hooked" and am finally to a point that I need some "adult" conversation from others who will not look at me like I have three heads when I say the words permaculture, polyculture, water harvesting, sustainable ecosystems, etc! I am a young at heart empty nester who is at a point in her life that I am desperate for some serious change! I have two beautiful pieces of property in Bartow county to work with and I am not doing enough! I am married to a fossil fuel addicted hoarding ostrich...Geoff Lawton's videos are helping a lot to bring him on board but I need some more persuasion there...such as others who are also convinced this is a sustainable logical way to try to live?!

My main residence is in a residential neighborhood, a 30 yr. old doublewide on almost an acre close enough to walk to Lake Allatoona...zoning is not my friend right now! I am as obedient as I can be with zoning laws but I am not allowed to even have rabbits and as of right now I have rabbits and ducks...I want chickens but suppose I am pressing my luck enough as it is! I have 2 hugelkultur beds, 3 raised beds and another one in the process of building...rabbit poop makes a lot of "gold" for my beds! We have finally taken down all the sick pines in our yard...I have enough sun to work with now! I am excited and have finally convinced hubby that water harvesting is really necessary...we are on county water and my germinating seeds really do not like it! I have so many plans and every day I find myself wanting to know more and needing that outside influence and knowledge!

I have found so much on this forum and the net that I can get lost in the "wishing and planning" and not get enough practical work done! I am north of Atlanta and can help anyone in need of help, I am willing to sweat and work for you and am in pretty decent shape for a 50 yr. old woman! I am a big believer in putting back more than you take and I want to meet others with that attitude! I look forward to posting more here! I have learned so much and I plan to continue on this path of sustainability and look forward to sharing with others! My email Gingerdidi (at) aol (dot) com. A heartfelt thanks for this forum and all the ones who keep it going!

welcome to the boards. I am in gainesville and feel you pain with the animal restrictions. No chickens for me either, HOA and all. Keep pushing with the videos and feeding fresh veggies. If great food doesnt make him see the light, nothing will. That is how I started.

Nice to meet you, John! I will be in your neck of the woods this week! I will say thank goodness I do not have HOA...we are a very eclectic neighborhood...next door is a condemned single wide and around the corner a million dollar home! They are installing sewer and treatment plant in our neighborhood now...that seriously scares me! We have "inhabited" this piece of property for over 30 years...long time we have been here! We do have 7.5 acres further out in the county zoned AG...but it is just empty property...we do have a light pole with electricity and are tied into two neighbors wells, couple RV's and I call it the hubby's "parking lot" because pretty much that is all it is! That is also an eclectic piece of property...front borders Hwy. 411 (would seriously like to do a fruit/produce stand there), middle of property is divided by CSX, and back of property is GA Power! It consists of probably 2 acres of swamp, several acres of pine, several acres of decent pasture and then a mountainside with a sightline of the highway and power lines! Access to the back 4+acres is almost impossible without four wheel drive...it borders a 1,000acre hunting lease...and we have four wheelers and tractors and earth movers and all the "toys"! So, needless to say I am the owner of two pieces of properties that are seriously degraded and need some serious site repair and building and infrastructure put in place!

Hubby is a truck driver, so it is pretty much me...he is a very gifted human being, though! And, he is my hoarder...he collects things such as earth movers and big trucks. And, once I can find someone who needs pallets that is willing to help load/unload them...well, you would not believe the pallets this man of mine brings home! He just built our ducks a fence with one of his pallets...I have to put some pics up soon...it was set in place with a roll back wrecker! You talk about over kill! I have finally tried to put my foot down about his bringing home "stuff" until I can find enough creative minds with willing backs to handle it all!

I hope you have a great day and thanks for responding! I read some of your posts earlier this morning...bees, I want bees so bad but hubby is still not so sure and I am "pushing" over enough other things here lately that I will gradually just magically appear hives as I am prepared for them! Poor man!

There is a place called earth friendly farms in ellijay. I took their bee class and got the bees from them. They were a lot easier than I expected. I had them in to shady of a spot. The honey was amazing. Sounds like you got your work cut out for you with that land.

We have a local Bartow county bee club...I went last year to one of the meetings...once I get closer to more "civil disobedience" readiness, I have found a couple local people who I will get started with. I do have carpenter bees like crazy...that has been interesting keeping them off the house! But, they have enough habitat now and we have painted enough that they are now a blessing! I am making a gradual shift from ornamentals to anything else that seems more practical and the more blooms I produce the more bees we get! It has been amazing to watch the changes!

I just came home from vacation...spent a couple days in Helen, and ended up visiting several places in NGA! I went to Blairsville hit the Logan Turnpike Mill...had to bring home some fresh cornmeal! And, I also visited several of the orchard stores in Ellijay, Blue Ridge and just had a blast! It was cold! Especially the last day! I could live up there! Oh! I love the mountains! The dogs loved it, too! We have some friends on JotemDown Rd., that is where my vacation began, there is an auction over there...have you ever been? I am going to research that, don't know a thing about animal auctions! Not sure I like that idea though.

Thanks for the well wishes! I will continue to move this mountain one table spoonful at a time! I am a firm believer that the good Lord will not put more on you than you can handle and I am so very blessed! Have a great day!