Sharon Kirkpatrick

A craft and music community? Excellent idea! Establishing the kind of relationship it takes to make that work will certainly pay off later.

I have noted that many long-established small communities / towns are not always eager to welcome newbies. So, if you come in with a money-making venture that does not disturb the current way of life, but does help the town thrive, then, I would bet that you would have a much better chance of being accepted by the local residents. They are often much more like you than you might think.

Not to sound like a screaming survivalist, but, in the long run, should there be any kind of disruption of the current society, having people around who are part of a larger group to which you belong seems a good way to make it through a period that might not be so easy to navigate on your own. There is strength in numbers. This applies to the basic day-to-day life while establishing your homestead, as well as in times of strife. Applying the Golden Rule to your new life just seems smart on so many levels. I might eventually help you when your goat becomes ill, help you repair a leaky roof, help you figure out why your chicken aren't eating or your eggplant is not growing well, and, it might even save your life. And, in turn, of course, you reciprocate, using your skills to help wherever and whenever possible.

Plus, having big ol' community dinners and events with good neighbors is a marvelous way to spend a long weekend afternoon or evening.

Just sayin... :O)
Sharon

This is a good thread and this is my first reply to these forums.

It's good to know that there are those who are thinking of how to use their abilities to create things to add to one's income. I am fixing two treadle machines for use when straight stitches are fine and electricity is scarce. I think there will always be a need for sewists, spinners, weavers, crocheters and knitters, as well as good cooks, handipersons and gardeners.

I have seen so much about other types of preparation, but I feel like there are lots of people who are jumping into an effort at sustainable living without having some basic skills with which to, at the very least, barter with others. I’ve sewn for many years, I can hand or machine quilt, I can spin, cook, garden - all of these are things that can be used as income-producing as well as life skills.

Seems to me that, if you want to live successfully in any area, you need to be in good stead with whatever neighbors you may find around you. To do that, you need to ::be:: a good neighbor. Just stands to reason that if something happens, good neighbors will be there to lend a helping hand, while those you have shunned may not give a whit what happens to you. Therefore, if you are planning a money-making endeavor, why wouldn't you want it to possibly include locals who are already there? For instance, a craft or gardening coop that works together to sell their wares to other locals and to tourists, etc.? By the same token, if you sew and your neighbor makes jam, you can barter by making something for your neighbor in return for some jam for your freshly-baked bread. Labor can be bartered, also, as well as time. And, in the doing of this, you form bonds and relationships that make you a viable neighbor, which could mean a lot in a disaster or an emergency.

I’ve drawn up a pretty flexible business plan to include whatever I may find when I settle in on the farm.

Just thinking about what may come. . .

Anyone else given this some thought?

Sharon