Country Downshifting - a word of warning....

[farmerdrea]

the ramshackle place where every single thing has a story that you and the family can recall, and where everything is soaked in your blood, sweat and tears?

I am amazed at how many people just don't get this, Stonehead, including members of my own family (not immediate family, but extended family, who think we are mad for all the "work" we do to keep our place going... the "work" makes my heart sing, without it, I would be a shell. It's something that's almost a physical need in me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything...).

Andrea
NZ

[farmerdrea]

Wow, all very inspiring stuff. But I have two practical qestions from a young ish person wanting to live the life:
How do you tell you rmother that you dont' want a 'career' and you don't want to be full time house wife?!
How do you go self sufficient when you do not have the captial to buy property outright
Very different questions but both extrememly difficult?

Or do you have to start with the baby steps and move on?

HI, Cassiepod -- I have always wanted to do what I'm finally doing; I only wish I'd been able to start it 20 years ago, and not now when I'm not as fit as I once was!!!

I would start telling your mother now, so she has a chance to get used to the idea. I went along with my parents' desires for me, went to uni (which I would still have done either way, because I recognised that, for me, it was a step I needed to make to make a break from home as well as meet people from many walks of life and tuhs expand my horison further), started in a degree programme THEY wanted me to take - eventually changed from that one to one I wanted to do.

You could do as someone else suggested, and try something like WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms - which began in the UK in the 1970s, I believe), where you get your room and board for free, usually, in exchange for about 4 hours a day of your labour (we are WWOOF hosts, and have met some fabulous people from all over the world that way). You can learn very practical experience that way, and possible have a part time job on the side, saving your earnings to put toward your dream. I think, knowing what I know now (I'm 42), that's what I would have done then (when in my early 20s).

It's taken us (my husband and I had been dreaming and planning for our own small farm for about 15 years before we were able to make it happen, and we've been doing it for abour 6 years now) a long while, many mistakes over the years, but we've made it. And still have a long way to go, but love what we're doing.

One of my favourite quotes (though not a true translation from the original German by Goethe, but I like it anyway):
"What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it"

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[yugogypsy]

Don't give up yet,

I've been at this 5 years, and each year has brought its frustrations in one form or another, no car-so couldn't get supplies, no money either, just enough to scrape by on.

Room mates who would eat the produce but not work in the garden (or pay their rent )

Its been a struggle, but now I have a car and I've been gradually gathering up bits of stuff. I'm supposed to have a mini-van by the end of the month-that will be better. Stuffing hay bales into a Hyundai Pony is a laugh

This year we're a bit ahead and I'm hoping for a darn good garden and a super harvest

Lois

[Wombat]

Room mates who would eat the produce but not work in the garden (or pay their rent )Lois

That should be a hanging offence

Nev

[yugogypsy]

Well, not hanging, but its definitely annoying when you're trying to instil a "Live Here, Work Here" ethic on people that you are supposedly in a community with.

So now we're a couple and much happier about it and the household bills aren't eating me alive

I still want an intentional community here, and I'll continue to work towards that, but I'm going to have to do thorough interviews and see references first!

Because I don't want anymore talkers, just doers!

Lois

[Millymollymandy]

Lois, what is your avatar photo? A bicycle with hanging baskets attached? It is hard to see when so small!

[yugogypsy]

Yes , its a bike with baskets-was going to build one myself only some blighter stole the bike out of my yard!

Lois

[Ireland-or-bust]

Hi all,

Update since last post...

House is complete (99.9%)

Land is cultivated and veg in plots. all raised.
I will link to a couple of pictures FYI.

My last job was only temp and ended after 3 months.

Note to Cass, Tell your mum your going to be a farmer, sounds better...
Bit like resting actors.

I'm only 33. I've done all the city work i want to do already.
I was very lucky in that i invested all my cash in houses when
the market was low. So i'm rent/mortgage free the last 7 years now.
I've been renauvating and moving on for the last 3 years to work up
to the house i have now. I got someone to do the jobs i could not
hope to complete ie plumbing and plastering.

I did do nearly all the joinery, all the wiring, all the design work
and a load of other stuff thats been covered up.

:::::NOTICE:::::
I am starting work on renauvating a small barn i have.
Its going to be one bedroom plus a shower and kitchen/living room.
I'm doing all of this myself except plumbing and plastering again.

If anyone is interested, its going to be to let. I can even provide
a small amount of land. But there is already a decent fruit/veg patch
to use. I'm in Co Wexford Ireland.

Interesting facts about Ireland 101...

Dole..(most important if you have a decade of IT experience)
€185 a week as a single person
€309 as a couple

Diesel €1.02 a litre
Petrol c€1.08 a litre

Bread €1 garage 35c aldi nasty bread ( i feed it to the chickens)
Milk €1.85 2ltr garage/shop €1.00 aldi//lidl

Second hand cars are expensive but cheap ones are still available.
I have a 1998 Toyota Liteace van, and it was only €500.
Passed its test with only €50 to spend on it.

Road Tax €165 a year for vans.

Car = CRAZY MONEY don't buy one. They go upto nearly 3 grand a year.
A 1 litre car is about 165 a year but it goes up sharply.

COUNCIL TAX = THERE IS NONE !!!!!! HORAY

WATER RATES = THERE IS NONE !!!!!! HORAY

Income tax starts at about 14,000 euro a year.
Most low paid jobs pay no tax at all !


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Here is my kichen the first day i arrived........
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Here it is today................
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Thats all for now.
If anyone is interested in a barn my email/msn is iplopmypants@hotmail.com

Mark.

[Ireland-or-bust]

The kitchen units are second hand
The panelling i found in a skip
The Stairs are second hand
The table was a cast off
The kicker boards were from a laminate floor board pack i found in a skip
Fridge = Skip
Washing Machine = Skip
Wall shelves behind camera = Cast off

Amazing the stuff i find.
Skips = The MASSIVE pile of stuff taken to local electrical shops for recycling.
I take it from them and test it. if it works i have it.
If not i take it to the council recycling depo and they recycle it for free anyway. WIN WIN

Mark.

[Millymollymandy]

Ireland sounds like a good place to be on the dole in!

You're doing a good job there with your renovating and recycling.

[Cassiepod]

Congratulations! it looks beautiful cosy and comfy.

[Annpan]

Wow Mark looks amazing

I've done the renovating thing myself and don't you get 100 times more satisfaction from that than if you had worked in the city for 2 years?

I also did the working thing, worked for the same shop for 4 years, was turned down for promotions then begged to go to interviews for other promotions that they had me ear-marked for. When I eventually left, they gave me crappy treatment during my complicated, painful and difficult pregnancy, then I left and I they didn't even give me a leaving gift (its the thought that counts)

Any way 4 years renovating (in the weekends and evenings) and I feel much more satisfied and now we can afford for just one of us to work, and hoping to reduce hours

[the.fee.fairy]

it looks great! And you figures make it tempting to move to ireland!!

I've been to Dublin - is it super-expensive there? or is that average?

[Ireland-or-bust]

Hi,

Dublin its crazy money. Terraced houses go for 750k routinely.

Where i am you can get a house with half an acre for 250k quite easily.

Its the opposite way around here. Houses in the country are cheaper
because the irish way of thinking is that you are further away from town...

...oh they have it to come.....


Mark.


PS all priced in euros.

[Bonniegirl]

Wow! Great job on the kitchen!
I just wanted to pull out chair and have a nice cup of coffee with ya then!