i was raised in fort lauderdale, in the most rural 5 mile block in the city (which means we had a whole acre of land). i grew up working on ranches and in barns, trading my time for the right to ride the horses. i had more pets than anyone i knew, guinea pigs, chickens, birds, you name it. one of my friends had pigs, and i can remember playing barefoot in the muck inside the pig pen as a kid. when i was 12, my parents bought my sister and i our own horse, which we kept a few blocks away at a barn but had to take care of 100% because my parents couldn't afford room and board for her. we rode bareback through orange groves every day, for years. for living in south florida, i was practically a farmer.
matt was born in a tiny fishing town in maryland and moved to west palm beach--very upper middle class--with his mother as a kid. he never had a pet. he had never ridden a horse until we were married and i took him out on mine.
at some point during our relationship we both came to the same conclusion independently: we wanted to back away from the modern world a little bit, to simplify, to "homestead" it, to become as self-sufficient as we possibly can... someday.
with the birth of our daughter this year we starting feeling the urge to do it now. we not only want her to grow up learning about gardening, animals, and various practical skills, but also to have an appreciation for a simpler life. the stars have aligned and the opportunity has arisen for us to move onto our own land--5 acres--before the end of the year. the land is owned by my parents, just about 2 miles from their own 20 acre plot, in a "neighborhood" (all 10-20 acre parcels) full of the rest of my mother's family. we're starting modestly by building a mobile home and getting a few animals, and we plan to add things like a greywater system, rain barrels, possibly some solar panels and whatnot over the years as time and finances permit.
for me, moving means staying at home with my daughter full-time to care for her along with the gardens and animals. it also means running our home businesses full-time to help with income as much as possible. for matt, it means a 45-minute commute to work 60 hours a week in gainesville. it won't be easy, but we are committed to making it work.
i hope you learn something here, either by our mistakes or successes, and i hope you will share your knowledge and ideas with us as well.
this blog is dedicated to my parents, whose generosity and faith has made our hopes a reality. someday perhaps we will find a way to thank you enough.
matt was born in a tiny fishing town in maryland and moved to west palm beach--very upper middle class--with his mother as a kid. he never had a pet. he had never ridden a horse until we were married and i took him out on mine.
at some point during our relationship we both came to the same conclusion independently: we wanted to back away from the modern world a little bit, to simplify, to "homestead" it, to become as self-sufficient as we possibly can... someday.
with the birth of our daughter this year we starting feeling the urge to do it now. we not only want her to grow up learning about gardening, animals, and various practical skills, but also to have an appreciation for a simpler life. the stars have aligned and the opportunity has arisen for us to move onto our own land--5 acres--before the end of the year. the land is owned by my parents, just about 2 miles from their own 20 acre plot, in a "neighborhood" (all 10-20 acre parcels) full of the rest of my mother's family. we're starting modestly by building a mobile home and getting a few animals, and we plan to add things like a greywater system, rain barrels, possibly some solar panels and whatnot over the years as time and finances permit.
for me, moving means staying at home with my daughter full-time to care for her along with the gardens and animals. it also means running our home businesses full-time to help with income as much as possible. for matt, it means a 45-minute commute to work 60 hours a week in gainesville. it won't be easy, but we are committed to making it work.
i hope you learn something here, either by our mistakes or successes, and i hope you will share your knowledge and ideas with us as well.
this blog is dedicated to my parents, whose generosity and faith has made our hopes a reality. someday perhaps we will find a way to thank you enough.
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