GoCountryRural

Natural building has a lot of different approaches – one that we find particularly fascinating is cob building. Here are some links:

1. Nice slideshow

2. The Cob Cottage Company

3. cobprojects.info

It sure would be fun to build a small homestead from scratch!

Not a lot of people really understand what a blessing it is to have running water, electricity, convenience of nearby shopping, restaurants and other modern life amenities. However, all of these things come with a price – let’s examine everything in a bit more detail:

In order to live in the city, you need a job. You might or might not like your job but either way, you must have it. To get to your job you need a functional vehicle. It has to be reliable and in order for it to be reliable, it needs to be maintained. Maintaining it costs money. In addition, the newer the vehicle is, the better it is but unless you paid for it in cash, you are likely owing money on it. Then comes the issue of traffic – most of us spend a few hours a day trying to get from home to work and back.

What about housing? It is pretty unlikely that you built your own home when you moved to the city, chances are very high that you purchased it from a builder new or from a previous owner used. Unless you are in the 10% of the wealthy population, most likely you borrowed money from the bank to buy this house. So, now you already owe money for a car and a house – the job is a must.

What about food? Most likely (and probably because of your job), you don’t have the time to grow your own food. This means buying food in the grocery store, food that you don’t know anything about! Where was it grown? How far was it shipped to be sold in your area? How much carbon was spent in the process? What pesticides and chemicals have been used on it to make it appear healthy? This is all assuming you are buying basic ingredients and cooking your meals at home. Sure, there are organic stores but organic food costs money (need a bigger job!) and most of it is still shipped in from far away. Most likely (because of that pesky job and the time you spend in traffic getting to it and back), you don’t have the time to cook anyways and you are eating processed food. How many people bother to read the labels to see what is in their food? Not many, who has the time and the energy after working all day and driving in that traffic?
So, when you finally get home, you like most Americans eat your processed dinner and then watch TV or browse the Internet.

Most of us city people invariably end up in the Dr.’s office after a lifestyle like the above: not much exercise, tainted food supply, sedentery lifestyle and the constant threat of having to have a job we don’t like in order to pay back the bank. It is no wonder that the stress and the lifestyle combined take a toll – who profits at the end? Pharmaceutical industry and the health care providers, that’s who! There is a pill to put you to sleep, to wake you up, to keep you going to the bathroom and to keep you from going to the bathroom! There is a pill for blood pressure, cholesterol, weight loss etc. Then there are vitamin supplements. Pill after pill after pill, they all pile up. Granted, they might make you live longer but they also might kill you.

Why live a rural lifestyle? First off, you won’t have much since there will be no fancy job. There will be no luxury, no fancy restaurants, no 200+ channels of TV to keep you blissfully dumb and dumber. But, there will be no stress, no polution, you will grow your own food, maybe ride your own horse, breathe clean air and move around all day long. Most likely, you will never need a cholesterol lowering pill, blood pressure lowering pill, an anti-depressant or a pill to help you fall asleep. All you need is to work for your everyday survival, be happy with it, have no bank breathing down your neck for the monthly mortgage, forget about the traffic rush and inconsiderate drivers. Your stress will be lower, you will eat basic foods that you have grown and know are healthy,  you will be outside all day exercising (even though it is not formally exercise), breathing clean air and having a clear understanding of what life is about. Then, my friend, and only then, you will achieve true peace and will need no Doctor to tell you how you feel.

ognen@gocountryrural.com

Legalese: The below is our own personal experience. Use your own best judgment when buying a house or a lot of land. We can not be held liable for any damages to you resulting from following the below advice.

The story: Not everyone can afford that 20+ acre lot in the mountains, the solar setup, the well and the independence that comes with it. Most of us have to work for a living and that probably means being close to a city. However, even then one can be smart about what they buy and where! Do your homework – there are bound to be rural areas around the city within a driving distance to work. In our neck of the woods (or palmettos), we settled in on a 1.5 acre lot near West Palm Beach, a part of an equestrian, unincorporated community. 1.5 acres are plenty for two horses, a few dogs and for a garden that could fulfill most of your needs. You have enough space to even have some chicken. It is our personal experience that 1.5-2 acres are probably the optimal land lot size for a working family. Anything smaller and you would probably not have the option of having a barn and a paddock, a chicken coop and a small organic garden at the same time. Anything larger and you would be stuck mowing the grass, cleaning debris and maintaining a too large of a property most of the time (work and no fun…)

Here are some issues to think about when looking for an acreage near town:

1. Access: how many different roads lead in and out of your community? We currently have two completely unrelated two-lane roads, one going north and one going south.  Obviously, if there is serious construction on one of these roads, the other one will be backed up and it could affect your daily commute for time to come. The occasional traffic accident will also shut down one of the roads. Make sure you understand this before you buy.

2. Water and utilities: Our community allows for private wells and we like it that way. We have cable TV/internet and there is enough competition in this sector so that there is not one single, poor-quality monopoly.

3. Schools and Hospitals: There are a few in the area. If they are important to you, inquire before you buy. If you are older, quick access to a hospital could be a must.

4. Hardware stores, grocery stores: We have a few in the 20+ miles radius – the usual suspects like Lowe’s and Home Depot come to mind. If you don’t have one close by, it will make you plan your projects better since every trip will have to count!

5. Gas stations: We have only one in the 10 mile radius. They know it, judging by the fact that gas and diesel is WAY more expensive at that gas station than anywhere else – location and convenience are what you are paying for. Some careful planning will allow you to avoid paying extra for the convenience (you should plan on picking gas up on your way to work or back, wherever it is cheaper).

6. Crime: “Unincorporated” means (to some people) the same as “I can do whatever I please”. This includes drinking, loud music, people riding ATVs at any time of day or night, people growing illicit plants… We were lucky that our street is quiet and that we have a Sheriff’s deputy living next door. You might not be that lucky! Open your eyes! Maybe go back a few times to the same house you are thinking of  buying. One of our experiences was looking at a beautiful home in the same neighborhood: the house was all marble, really pretty backyard. But then (it was a Saturday morning) a huge rumbling noise came from the outside and with it the smell of diesel. It was the neighbor with his dune buggy! Clearly you might not want to buy your dream home and spend your weekends listening to the neighbor rev up his engines. Moral of the story? Go back a few times, only then will you know everything you need to know. Go back at night on a Friday, go back on a Sunday morning, Saturday morning, weekday morning. See the surroundings in all possible lights and at all reasonable times.

7. Weather: Here in South Florida it rains a lot in the summer – sometimes for months. This is the ideal time to visit your lots/house of interest. Why? If there are low lying spots where water will aggregate, this will be the right time to spot them. Buying in winter (during dry season) will not reveal the entire story. In the mountains of the West you want to go during rainy season too – how much do the local arroyos swell up? Are they uncrossable and do they make your property inaccessible? If you are buying in Arizona, go during dead of summer – if you are looking for greenery and are stuck on Arizona, this time of year is least green. If you can live with that, every other time will be even better! If you are wanting to buy in Colorado go during winter – how much snow are you willing to take?

8. Nature: how much nature do you have around your community? None? Within 10 mile radius? 20 miles? Where we bought we have a Wildlife conservation area within 5-6 miles from our house. It is accessible on foot, on horseback or in a vehicle. It is about 60,000+ acres connected to other horseback trails and areas. The ocean is within a 30 minute drive from home and less than 5 minutes from work. Yes, we live in Paradise. So, decide what is important to you and search for it.

Above was just something to think about before you make the plunge into the semi-homesteading life you always wanted. You can also always hire us to help you

ognen@gocountryrural.com