Howdy from the mountains.

Hello, Permies.

I don't know why I haven't sought you guys out sooner. I come from a long line of subsistence farmer's, one generation removed, in SW VA.
In my early twenties I became enamored of the life style my grandparents had lived, especially before cars and electricity, and had dreams of homesteading myself, but it was not to be.
But I have returned to gardening in the last few years, and nearing retirement age, so who knows what might happen.
I'm really a plant person, for food, medicine, and plain beauty. Never cared much about animal husbandry, though I did have a tropical fish store back in high school, some honey bees for a few years, and have thought I might dabble in bees and aquaponics at some point.
Making cider with some friends a few years ago, got my hands back in the dirt. I went out and bought 18 fruit trees in Feb 2012, most of which are doing fine, and are ready for pruning.
From there I, tilled about 7-8000 sf and started building raised beds, put cover crop on most of it, raspberries, asparagus, tomatoes, fall carrots, and greens the first year.
Now I'm closing in on 1300 sf of raised bed area and want to start a small collection of Old Garden Roses this year with my food crops.

Thanks for having me,
JJ

Howdy JJ Jessee and welcome to the Permies forums!

Sounds like you have a real leg up getting stated. I know if I'd ever been able to keep my fishtank from turning into a water grave as a kid I'd probably be an aquaponics master by now! Thanks for introducing yourself and don't be a stranger, there's plenty of helpful folks hanging out around here.