Why not anchor earnings into homesteading? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#11

Post by Thebothersuman » Sun, Jan 16, 2022, 11:36 PM UTC

giantg2 wrote: post #5

It's hard to turn a good profit with small scale agriculture today. One has to do it for the love of it, or self sufficiency like homesteading. The biggest issue is land and location. Good land is expensive and it's extraordinarily expensive in the areas where many if the highly compensated devs live. Remember that the median US dev salary is around $110k. That doesn't provide much land. The ones who do have the mone…

yes, I found this out selling everything and getting back to doing the work. folks simply don't want to pay for " low grow" various other practices. Location is essential. I think a lot of land is available but many realtor and other deter folks from purchasing/mortgaging land within the metro areas; assuming they even know what their looking for. I purchase two pieces of property from seniors... first first the owner would not sale to any " city person" so she loved what i wanted to do and that i agreed to give her what she was asking. the other land piece is a beautiful property to which the owner stated his family didn't want anything more to with it. both places... i researched and travel and went myself to see and acquire. currently, i've given up on bring the property to scale as there so much set work im doing and the often overlooked piece is people... you need people. some seasons I've had more than i could do with few purchasers. good thing my children are now growing and eating quite a bit but i still have the same problem... finding people. if your ever in the Metro ATL area or near the Cabot Trail in NS, let me know maybe we can work together.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#12

Post by Thebothersuman » Sun, Jan 16, 2022, 11:43 PM UTC

cercatrova wrote: post #6

One reason is that those who like to work with their mind (so to speak) with minimal physical activity are probably not the demographic that are also interested in a physically taxing job like agriculture.

that was a piece i was trying to illustrate in my question; passively though. many think farm/agro work is physical it is but I'd hedge that its more "mind" work than physical. from marketing strategies, being able to communicate, laugh, enjoy the space etc. Moreover now folks like myself in the space are seeking to develop awesome digital/and physical bartering systems. Thing is when one really works land your realize that you need the folks ( Plants, animals etc) to which (mainstream)MS excludes from the space.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#13

Post by Thebothersuman » Sun, Jan 16, 2022, 11:51 PM UTC

codingdave wrote: post #8

Some of us are. I spent 8 years on a small 3 acre homestead learning the ropes, and we moved to a 40 acre property last spring. Now that we are settled in, I'm planning out the vision for the next 3-5 years to build up everything we want to do here. But that also answers your question of why not - who in their right mind wants to spend all their free time and energy for years just to learn skills and build out your v…

Def thing folk jumping in the space of growing/living your own. Def thing its not a free time thing its something your have to do (full time) and spend your "free time" doing something other than it... I set the land of for when I am 150yrs old so I can always do the work while it should be work. broadband internet is a big deal in the NS Canada area where my property is. thing is folks whom own "land grants" or land secured and recorded in land forestry as AR or with particular uses cannot use that land for much other thing nor do most trust the government to allow much of anything put onto their property. so it would be good but is nice having to walk to the neighbors and speak when the animals get out. its been much hard to work and ten to the properties for me, as i had to jump back into the workspace. now i have cut ties with the to become full time again; remote work is helping.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#14

Post by giantg2 » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:03 AM UTC

Thebothersuman wrote: post #11

giantg2 wrote: post #5

It's hard to turn a good profit with small scale agriculture today. One has to do it for the love of it, or self sufficiency like homesteading. The biggest issue is land and location. Good land is expensive and it's extraordinarily expensive in the areas where many if the highly compensated devs live. Remember that the median US dev salary is around $110k. That doesn't provide much land. The ones who do have the mone…

yes, I found this out selling everything and getting back to doing the work. folks simply don't want to pay for " low grow" various other practices. Location is essential. I think a lot of land is available but many realtor and other deter folks from purchasing/mortgaging land within the metro areas; assuming they even know what their looking for. I purchase two pieces of property from seniors... first first the owne…

You can't mortgage raw land. You need a special land loan which tend to require significant down payment and have very short terms. It's much easier to find land in ATL area and it's cheaper. Land around here goes for $50k-$100k per acre.

Lack of labor, or margins too small to pay labor, are a major problem.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#15

Post by Thebothersuman » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:19 AM UTC

sentientforest wrote: post #10

I have been working remotely as a software developer and building out homestead and growing systems since 2014. We left the SF Bay area and moved to the Sierra foothills in California. Close enough to drive back for work if needed, but where (at the time) housing (and land) was much more affordable. I only have two acres. I'm not doing anything commercial. Our home was someone else's retirement dream originally - cus…

great post. I made the jump about the same time dec 2014...after realizing that I couldn't do it anymore; the it being trying to grow veggies in S.FLA and have iguanas eat through them/ and the standard 9/5. Id wanted to return to nature as my family on both side were worked the land and lived in balance; and was raised heading and from the property in the sugarcane fields and the farm in S.Ga. its a lasting experience growing from land to plate. But the nature offers endless knowledge... the priceless night skies, feelin seasonal changes and shifts; over looking the deer, foxes and the hawks (whom grabbed at least 10 of our turkeys in the first first year and several of our bird) it s cool soulful experience. one thing I always enjoy when acquiring new plants or animals is traveling to other farms... we talk and talk. discussing each others set up, why we do what we do ete etc. more often when in the middle of no where or hours from my home, me and strangers find ourselves smiling at the world's illustrations as if we knowing are defying the odds. its def not easy and you have to see yourself in it. timing too is important. farmland is very hot now. "after years to trying to do too much" is where the work is or has been most in my experience. when i take a step back, dream, think and plan the work shifts in weight

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#16

Post by Thebothersuman » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:20 AM UTC

mikewarot wrote: post #4

Another route would be to get into machining. Like in agriculture, it's very important to be aware of the potential for losing a limb in milliseconds if you don't respect the tools. You also end up with useful stuff that you can see, instead of commits to a git somewhere.

yes, folks always need machines repaired, rented or serviced.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#17

Post by humblefactory » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:20 AM UTC

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.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#18

Post by Thebothersuman » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:36 AM UTC

jbc1 wrote: post #9

So I can't speak to the putting earnings in to or being financially stable because I'm a broke student self learning software development while bleeding savings. I have however been looking for casual work "getting my hands dirty" as you put it. Something physical and outdoors to unplug while I earn some money, and there's either basically none or its not listed on regular job boards. This has been at a time where Om…

"Or just ruin your land or tractor, or kill your livestock or find out you've had them walking around in pain this entire time for X reason you didn't know to check for." this is true and comes with or behind the fabulous IG post and MS making thing look easy breezy.def is a shortage here in the state. "I don't blame the guy who needs someone to throw sacks on/off a truck a few times a week for not bothering to post on indeed and instead just letting it be known amongst friends and family that he could use a hand until someone offers up a nephew." As this guy I can do a better at posting on different job boards because family does not do the work... and a wise man told me don't count on my children helping or picking up where i left off, rather allow them to have fun enjoying the experience through play and discipline. So it just Me and my wife doing what she can and learning as we go.

I do believe folks want in and are out here but its hard reach the people. one site i like is

https://www.goodwork.ca/jobs

it can be helpful and has been close thing i see that tailored toward "getting hand dirty" and the agro industry on various levels.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#19

Post by Thebothersuman » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 12:48 AM UTC

fred_is_fred wrote: post #7

Where the is available land there are not a lot of jobs, and where there is available super cheap land there is either no internet, no water, or both.

this has been true and more true when I allowed and waited for my realtor to find a property. he couldn't and did not find any such type of property. I did and was able to find a gem. he didn't even want to waste our time by showing it we had to make him. often the land, which is unincorporated is not on the "listing email list." also senior or folks whom are alone and often struggle to present the home to motivate the a listing agent. watching the county un paid tax sell off often are where land ends up or in probate. one experience the listing agent seem to be unmotivated to sell me the acreage rather wanted me to purchase the higher prices turnkey up the street. Jobs are def a issues. what is working for me and has is acquiring the land and working into it as a steady pace. my little property was a mess and my mother told me to purchase a RV, bus or live in the van while you work and work on the home.. best advise i never took . now as I've learned i have the with me. water is another issues but again, if you have look and study what to look for your learn many communities have great water supplies but no one to install, maintain the wells. so you plan for this; also need to have water tested.

Re: Why not anchor earnings into homesteading?

#20

Post by Thebothersuman » Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 1:31 AM UTC

humblefactory wrote: post #17

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…

"But just don't think it's like going online and putting 20% of your paycheck into Coinbase."

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.