Jules Harrell

Oh I totally hear you. We care take our land here to ensure we have hay and gardens each year.

That's why we purchased 40 acres here in Upstate NY next to my neighbors 1500 acres, and also adjacent to State Land. We have fought the state to keep them from logging the land, and also managed to keep the poachers gravel pit miners and cell towers off this land. It's a battle. The VT land of 80 acres is enough to protect the center should we decide to build there. Somehow the wind turbines missed our mountain but not by much.

I feel you. I agree with you. We are open to 30 acres or so, there's lots of options in the Old Town area of Maine, we are in no rush to buy. Right now living large, just looking for a parcel so that we can camp out and stay a while with our community in Maine. Should we sell VT I'll have plenty of cash available. If not, we will look at a smaller parcel and keep the VT land.

Jules

Hi there thanks for your response. We plan to build a small strawbale house. We have our homestead farm on 40 acres here on the MA/NY/VT border with horses mules llamas dogs cats and bees. We also have 80 acres in VT. Our friends and community are around Montville/Bangor. We are interested in raw land with elevation, pasture, woods and good water. Kind of a small extension of our place here.

40 acres with water woods pasture preferred. Contact Jules via Moosage. Check out my other posts about our VT land. Thank you. Jules

We are looking to purchase 40 or so acres around the  Montville ME area. Jules

Our lovely property is again on the market. We periodically consider selling it as we have a lot of land nearby.

Looking for people who will preserve the precious forest, trees and fresh water. For sale at present for $150k.

Ours is the last large parcel left in Readsboro as all the others have sold.

Check it out.

Jules

https://www.landwatch.com/default.aspx?ct=r&q=readsboro+vermont&pg=1

Saying all women are bad and ruin lives is extreme. Obviously there are many women homesteaders leading the way. I do believe that partnership is critical, and its true we have all also seen dreams shattered as described. There is truth in almost everything written in this thread (with the exception of 'all women are bad'). The lessons are: Always hold onto your homestead dream, and be careful who you build your homestead dream with...

Yes. You will want a variety tho and be prepared to use traditional if needed. Heres my suggestions: Diatomaceous earth in their grain. Molly's Herbals sells excellent wormwood blends sweetened with stevia. Hydrogen peroxide is sold at Guardians of Eden which diluted can be included in their water. We use garlic powder in their grain. We chain drag and scoop poop daily. Our horses are roaming on 20 acres. Jules

Great topic. I'm a mountain girl myself, and my husband, when he moved in after we were married 13 years ago, came from a town/city lifestyle. He sold his house in town and moved to the country. I owned this place already, and had a vision for where we would be today, which is pretty much accomplished. Making our homestead the beautiful space it is now required a lot of work on both our parts, but I held the vision, while he dragged his feet.

This went on for years, yet we managed to stay married. It was PAINFUL. Finally after 13 years he has joined in fully in the vision, and we can enjoy this place which requires a lot of work daily to maintain. Gardens, horses, llamas, fencing...trail clearing, cutting wood. We both also work so you can imagine. We also hosts woofers and permies each season to share what we know. I'm still in charge of the vision, the animal doctoring, the garden mulching as he hasn't fully learned what he needs to know, but he's getting there.

What I'm saying here is, the bottom line, in my opinion, has nothing to do with being married to a non-homesteader, but is more about the fact that the area you live in is unaffordable for the vision you carry. I suggest you look around farther than the next town, and find yourself a piece of land you can afford to purchase now while you have the funds and the vision. Continue to rent and know that you have your piece of land. What type of work do you do? Can you afford to find another job in the future?

You may or may not ever get to homestead it, but at least you will have your future plans in place. I can see why your wife is attached to her mom, especially with a toddler (does mom babysit?). Not having running water while building the homestead on a dime in an area where the land costs are out of your budget seems to me not financially feasible. Her attachment to her mom may never end, which leads you to your plan and your future. AND the future of your son, who will appreciate having an inheritance in the country.

You have made a critical decision that I fully agree with. You have decided to NOT GO INTO DEBT for a house you do not want. I know people who have done that for a spouse and regret it later as they are still paying for the house and their dreams are shattered. Hold onto your dream. You may or may not remain married in the long-term, but chances are your vision will remain. IF your wife never ever gets around to wanting to homestead, and you continue to carry your vision in the years going forward, you may part ways. It happens to the best of us.

I had to move away from mom finally for good at 29 years old. I disliked (hated) the town where I was raised (Lawton, OK) and relocated first to the West Coast, then to the great Northeast, where one can still afford to find land with water, grow gardens in the front yard, enjoy a wonderful organic movement, and get a good job. I have held my vision my entire life, and my first husband shared my vision. We split after 9 years, but I kept the land and house (and I paid the mortgage, he filed a quit claim). My husband of 13 years never had my vision, but yet here we are, living in the same place I originally bought with someone else. And in case you are interested, this place was not even remotely paid off, so I assumed the debt, and paid for it myself. My ex did not.

Follow your dream, and don't sell your soul. If you have a chance, find a house in the country in an affordable area and purchase it. The land/town with shady people where you live now may not be in your future.

Think outside the box. Find another job in a state where you can afford to follow your dream. Move forward with your vision.

Jules

Jules

More photos

Hi everyone. I have had multiple inquiries about our property in VT. I'd like to provide more details about the general area, what you can expect, and what we are willing to offer. First, let's discuss southern VT. Bennington, VT is the largest city/town in the area, with Rutland VT farther north by about an hour. Bennington, VT is about an hour from Albany, NY, where most of the decent paying jobs are located. We are surrounded by forest, the Green Mountains, the Adirondacks, the Berkshires, the Taconics, and then to the south, the Catskills and Shawangunks. Major lakes in our immediate area include Somerset and Harriman reservoirs. Skiing/Snowboarding mountains include Killington, Stratton, Mt Snow, Okemo, Magic, Bromley and many more. This area absolutely is hands down the most stunning and fresh place I've ever lived. We have year round water, no problem, with good snow most years, and long enough growing seasons in the summer for many many organic farmers here. The slow food movement combined with a higher consciousness of what real food can be provides the market for a sustainable permaculture movement. More and more young people here are returning to the family farm and continuing the legacy of their ancestors. These young people who are new farmers are the reason why we are and will continue to be wwoof and permies hosts (Cherry Plain Sanctuary Farm).

Our land: I bought the property to preserve the wildlife on this mountain. Other owners have the same vision. We have moose, bear, cats and the usual assortment of critters here. The springs feed off the mountain directly onto our hill slope. We have 30 acres of south facing property abutted by a nice high ridge, where the hawks soar immediately overhead. Our property is in the VT Land Use program and our forester is Lynn Levine, a noted wildlife tracker. We are working towards making our wildlife sanctuary official.

Within this sanctuary we have room for a few like minded individuals. However, we are not willing to hold a note without a big down payment. We are willing to subdivide 10 acres (or more) to the right folks, if they are willing to do the legwork and come up with the cost, which is $2000 per acre. Many people have contacted me, I've made appointments, shown the land, I've spent hours on the phone and emailing, and at this stage I feel communicating up front is needed. We bought this property and have debts ourselves, although this land is paid off, our farm is not. We live nearby on the MA/NY/VT border. We have jobs, horses, llamas, gardens, our own scene here that takes up so much time.

Because our property is in the Land use program, our taxes for VT are only $300 per year. It costs me literally that much to hold onto this land. As you can see, my incentive to keep it so far outweighs any desire to let it go. If you are SERIOUS and have enough to afford to buy property, I'm happy to discuss with you further. Please keep in mind we have our own debts and this is not a free come live here and develop the land offer. I'm open to a subdivide with the right folks who hold the same vision and won't let their land get repossessed or sell it to a developer. Trust must happen.

I hope this clears up any questions folks may have. Please google white road ruba readsboro VT to see the approximate location. Thank you, Jules