Mat Baker

I'm having a really tough time. I just got dumped by the neatest woman I've ever dated, and the first woman that I've felt a real connection with in about 20 years, someone that actually wanted to homestead, garden, and hike... All over my stupid job. She decided that she wanted to be with someone that can be there all the time, and I am currently working a rotating schedule (14 on, 7 off) in ND. I enjoy the job but not particularly in love with it, but I don't know what I would end up doing in her area (Helena Montana).

I've battled loneliness my entire life, never dated in high school, got crushed and used by my first (and only) real girlfriend in college, and have not dated much since (I'm 41) because I haven't been able to make a connection with anyone with common interests.

I'm sick of being alone, sick of the empty house, sick of the empty bed, but I have no idea how to fix it. I'm never going to be able to afford land much-less build anything without working, but the jobs destroy my chances at relationships.

Here are a couple of pictures, one with my best friend's kid (my head minion-in-training), the other is me on top of Mt. Evans in the Pintlar Wilderness in MT.

I'm a 40 year old single (monogamous, straight) guy, currently located just inside N.ID and working in Butte. I'm an underground miner by trade, BS in Mining Engineering by education (please do not jump on the hate wagon before talking to me!), struggling in the current economy and really looking for a change. I grew up beekeeping (it goes back as far as anyone knows on my mom's side in Slovenia), my mom was a closet hippie that was following a lot of permaculture principles in what she called her "Crazy Garden" clear back into the 80's. Philosophically I am a libertarian, as long as you aren't doing anything to hurt anyone I could care less what you do and will defend your right to do so. Religiously I am pretty much a non-denominational pagan, bugs bees flowers and trees! Politically I think the whole bunch are seriously scary clowns that need to go. I hunt and fish, backpack and attempt to snowboard. I am pretty much a Swiss-Army knife when it comes to skills, engineer, surveyor, heavy equipment mechanic, welder/fabricator/machinist, good with timber work but not finish carpentry (my cabin would probably survive a nuke blast but have crooked doors). I don't do any drugs, not an alcoholic (but love a good IPA or single malt!).

What I am after in life is to find a decent piece of land in MT to homestead...preferably somewhere off the interstate. Location could be honestly anywhere between Missoula and Red Lodge. My big criteria are accessibility to water, southish exposure, no covenants and not on the interstate or in town. I'd like to build a minimalistic timber frame house to sleep, shower and cook in, and build a decent shop as a workspace. Food forest and natural beekeeping right off the bat. I'm determined to get out of the rat race and be able to literally support myself instead of surviving on the whim of the markets and big business.

I've never had much luck with relationships, it seems like I am too much of a greenie tree-hugger for one crowd, and too much of an earth-raping carnivore for the other bunch. I haven't given up on a family, and kids love me! I'm really looking for a partner in crime or just friends with common interests!

That is all I can think of for now, thanks!

Sadly a lot of them had already been connected by beekeepers in France around 2003.

What amazes me is that these pesticides were ever considered smart in the first place. Has everyone forgotten the lessons from DDT? This crap is environmentally persistent and even if they stop using it right now it is going to take time for it to go away (I have seen references of two year half life in some soil conditions) and allow the pollinators to recover.

I second finding a mentor, the older and crustier the better. I'd recommend avoiding anyone that does migratory beekeeping, look for a small beekeeper that sells honey at the local farmers markets and such.


For a technical text the bible for years has been the The ABC and Xyz of Bee Culture by Roger Morse. Out of print but worth tracking down.

The American Bee Journal is another good place to start (http://www.americanbeejournal.com/)

You should look at the old Stanley Steamer cars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Motor_Carriage_Company

I don't have any hand's on experience with steam engines or turbines, but I passionately love steam. Growing up in Southern Colorado the family business was beekeeping, and we used steam for everything. Heating, cleaning equipment, warming granulated honey, rendering old combs for bee's wax, etc. All with a wood fired boiler. Like a lot of the old ways it requires a lot of work and attention, but it is worth it. Keeping it fed with wood, keeping pressure up, keeping it full of water, and all of this is a side operation to whatever you are using the steam for. I can understand why people fall in love with old locomotives, a boiler is like a living organism, it eats & breathes, creaks and groans, and you can tell a lot about what is going on just by listening.