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by humblefactory
1607 days ago
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Another thing that hasn't been addressed completely below is the challenge of agriculture being an activity where investment needs to be made in large chunks, at somewhat unexpencted times. The OP question implies that homesteading is like purchasing shares of stock or crypto, when as folks have mentioned here, investments tend to be things like land in 10 acre scale increments (which is a big chunk of money wherever you are) and things like equipment, seasonal labor and seed/seedling trees/breeding stock, which can be as in the thousands to tens of thousands (or much more!), depending on what your plans are. All of these costs tend to be big - maybe bigger than you have to spend from your work income that year. But they may have to be spent to participate in the season that year. Often, it doesn't make economic sense to plant 1/10 as much seed, or graft over 1/10 of your orchard, since there are some fixed costs that don't reduce. And in some cases (like combines) there just aren't good alternatives to the big guns for smaller farms - that's a reason you don't see many homesteaders growing cool ancient grain varieties, because it doesn't make economic sense to harvest them by hand, and you can't get a teeny tiny combine easily. Obviously it's not impossible - if you can do it, do it. We need more creative, small farmers more than just about anything else (in the US especially!). But just don't think it's like going online and putting 20% of your paycheck into Coinbase. |
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Agreed
Land is def not cheap but it can be. Living and Vancouver BC, I would look to the N east of Canada because is was beautiful and much more within my what i could almost afford. Family, friends, laughed at my interest in NS. and would say why this and that; most living in housing and several families to a single home to save money. One guy I worked with said he had said the same thing many years ago and not doing it was the biggest mistake he made. I remembered this. Acreages with livable homes on them were was literally for sale 10k-100+; this was in 2009-2010. fast forward to 2018...prices were still about the same. purchased a farmhouse on over 100 acres for about 100K. Covid hit and the area land prices have went through the roof; in some places 30-60%.
That said a convention loan or various money strategies such as owner finance, leasing, work for living is real. It has been my experience that i watch my friends and family purchase various things, via cash/ borrowing etc... but they turn their nose at purchasing land because its a lot of work; as been mention throughout this thread. Crazy enough the land on a farm is no different from purchasing 2Bth 4Brd home when things start to need servicing or replacement, many just pay some else to do the work. Def belive in paying for knowledge or how to do but this is often not case.
"things like equipment, seasonal labor and seed/seedling trees/breeding stock, which can be as in the thousands to tens of thousands (or much more!), depending on what your plans are. All of these costs tend to be big - maybe bigger than you have to spend from your work income that year. But they may have to be spent to participate in the season that year." is a often not true...but what one thinks they have to do when land is sought or secured; you do way to much work BC your a "farmer" now. This is one reason, why many land owner in US are in debt prompting a high suicide rate while the soils lack nutrients and are tree/weed less in the west. Scale is often measured commercially for sure. life you said, creativity is important and being able to to say... i don't know what I'm doing let me ask a senior/elder or study a method/approach that works for my situation.