Hi, my name is Annie. I have been lurking here for the past couple of weeks and reading the archives. What a wonderful group with such a wealth of information! It's like a big family (with the squabbles and hugs alike). I finally got brave enough to answer a couple of the posts today :) I'm kind of shy, even on the 'net. Here is my question: I will be ready to start homesteading next spring. I think I can do it on my own (I am a single mom with a 6 yo daughter) But what I would truly like to do is get together with like minds/kindred spirits and do it together. I am not talking about a commune or anything like that. What I am thinking is we could share the big resources like equipment, animals, outbuilding or anything else that requires a big cash outlay that you don't use 24/7. Also, help each other out with the kids, animals, garden, etc. Maybe even build houses ourselves barn raising style. Is anyone out there even remotely interested in this idea? Thanks for listening. Auntie Annie

-- Annie Hamett (sahamett@msn.com), June 30, 2001

Answers

Annie- I think it's a great idea. Remember, plenty of pioneers and some present-day groups such as the Amish survive(d) because they joined forces, especially on big projects like house and barn raisings. I think it would greatly enhance the quality of life for all involved is a couple, or more, single people and/or single parents could get together. I tried to get someone to help me at my place last year- had lots of responses but in the end none of them wanted to live in Florida, where I am. Good luck to you.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 01, 2001.

I think it's a great idea also. We would love some help up here, we have so much, much more than just the 2 of us need, and a lot more we could do also. Not many people want to do this anymore though. Tell us what state you are in or what states you are looking at. I still want to start a homesteading community, maybe some day, I'll keep praying. (p.s. My one neighbor with 12 acres is a bachelor. he he)

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 01, 2001.

There was a guy who answered the bankrupt thread who was single raising 2 children in la I think ?I would love to see him get it together and have some help .Seems like he has had some hard knocks and could use a boost .Hope he reads this and gets some ideas.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 01, 2001.

There is also a thread a few down the list from a gal who wanted to know if single parents could homestead.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 01, 2001.

Might want to consider at least some men for the heavy work? ;) Or perhaps an eunich or two?

You actually sound alot like how I thought moving to the country was going to be. Several familes bought around us, and here I thought we could all garden together, build barns, and quilt etc. Nothing is further than the truth! Soap operas and driving to the malls, and the kicker was when they all got together and joined a health spa to get exercise! Geeze come help me clean the barn! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 01, 2001.

Vicki, what good is a eunuch? Seems to me that'd be eliminating the only truly useful thing about a man ...

(just kidding guys)

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), July 01, 2001.

yes Patty, that would be me, the guy who was ranting in the bk thread(sorry, been a rough week ;) I've had the same kind of idea for quite a while but damned if I can find anyone with similar goals. I have met a few single mothers but they were more concerned with pawning their kids off on someone so they could party. When I first became a fulltime single parent and had a 3bd house, I tried going the nanny route. I offered her a nice home, her own bd/ba, all the food she could eat, spending money, etc. All I wanted in return was childcare, no cooking, cleaning, etc. My kids are very low maintenance too. Not only did she have drunks and druggies hanging out at my house, she never paid attention to my kids, made way more mess than both my kids put together and ran my phone bill up 100s of dollars. Needless to say, that only lasted a month. I know somewhere out there is a fulltime single parent interested in helping each other out without being intimately involved but how to find them is a different story. I don't go to bars or other typical social scenes so I don't get to meet many people. From my experiences people assume I have a woman or that I'm a weekend father. My kids are with me wherever I go and I run into those assumptions alot. I've also been told straight up by a few people that since I'm a able bodied blue eyed white male, I can't expect much sympathy to our situation because people like me have it so much easier in life. It doesn't seem to matter that my only credentials on paper are a GED, 10 yrs of hard labor type work that left me with a blown disc, and a failed business for the last 6 years. After getting that response last year when I got weak and went to social services in hopes of finding housing, I gave up on that route. I wish someone would direct me to where I can sign up for that easy life the world supposedly owes me because of my looks. Anyway, of course I'm open to anything so if someone has an idea, email me at DSMAIL1@earthlink.net

-- nobody (nothing@nowhere.no), July 01, 2001.

given all the troubles I've gotten from my associations with women, I may soon be interested in that eunuch postion...

(mostly kidding ;)

-- nobody (nothing@nowhere.no), July 01, 2001.

Dear nobody, nothing @ no where, please consider a different screeen name; your reenforcing depression on yourself, your alive: your mission on earth is not finished.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), July 01, 2001.

Partnerships of all kinds, are hard to sustain. Abilities, dreams, energies, morals and needs are bound to come in conflict. Especially when one or more partners are under stress.

As far as support goes, check out your neighbors before you buy. Ask directions, or history, or land use or condition. Tell neighbors what you want to do and do they know any problems you might encounter. One of the best questions, is to ask them about their neighbors.

Country living just isn't country living without good neighbors. With good neighbors, you can overcome every challenge. Not that all neighbors are good, but the good ones can make the bad ones seem not so bad. They are also a pretty good connection to good available men or women). You see, they will only fix you up with someone they would like living near them.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), July 02, 2001.

Thank you, everyone, for all of your input.

-- Auntie Annie (sahamett@msn.com), July 04, 2001.

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, or maybe I should start a new thread? But I have a friend, a single lady, soon to be mom, who has a homestead and needs a caretaker / friend in exchange for a place to live and space to use. She doesn't have a computer, off the grid, for that matter, but I can get responses to her or she can be called at (509) 684-4415 by anyone seriously interested. She lives in northeast Washington state, and is building her own home on her wooded property. Thanks for any input or replies!

-- Fran Ogren (trumpkinland@plix.com), July 05, 2001.

hi, i'm out here on my own in sw wisconsin. i could use some help too, but it ain't coming! the place is a mess, i have a broken tractor, i'm behind in my taxes and i have 1 friend who doesn't think i'm crazy because of my lifestyle (and the caps key keeps sticking on my keyboard LOL) on the other hand, the weather has been decent, the garden is growing, the animals are producing and my dogs love me. i guess its not so bad after all dianne

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), July 06, 2001.