I have very much enjoyed reading most of the posts here. Up here in wisconsin we a re faced with the decline of the small town as farming is becoming a very small part of the economy. There are not enough manufacturing jobs to attract or even hold people.

A very interesting social transition has taken place especially in rural western Wiscosin. People are retiring from all over the country and buying farms. Examples of these people: A retired 54 year board chairman, International shipping exec.' airline pilot, investment banker from Chicago. These people are living year round on these farms, usually building a very comfortable home. The reason they give is that they just had to get away from the city.

We have large Amish community here and they are great help to these people giving advise on raising a variety of livestock. I never thought one couple from Marin Co. Cal would make it through thier first winter but they have bee here 4 years and have a variety of animals, organic gardens, poultry, and beef cows. They do not want to travel or ever leave home again.

I find this facinating. While the community is graying, it attracting prosperous, ambitious, wealthy people who strive for a simpler. John

-- John Clark (johndiclrk@Elroynet.com), April 04, 2002

Answers

John,

An article in the Mercer Country farm paper here in IL said about the same thing. Retired people buying the farms and the price of farm land has risen 5% this year. Just hope they don't start huge factory operations.

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), April 04, 2002.

Greying of the country....

unfortunately it might make property values go up,since small plots of land for farmhouses generate more tax income than do a huge 300 acre farm.... . in some cases it also creates more jobs, especially at the bingo halls and senior center (J/K) dont kill me ....

now one of the things to remember, is these new to the country folks are soemtimes very unknowledgeable about country living.... thats sometimes a problem , and they vote, and get elected, so you may end up with odd "city" laws in the country... no home butchering..no pigs... etc..... just something to keep an eye out for... as a former northwoods of wisconsin resident, i cannot emphasize how important it is to attend them town meetings!!!,

you cant be heard if youre not there..... i remember the one meeting i went to they were talking about easements, and lo and behold the trees growing in the easements, luckily none of ours were, but our neighbor lost thier huge pine tree, because it was 3 ft too close to the road....

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.

lol

wealthy homesteaders ...it sounds like an oxymoron!

anyway, I am so far from the definition of wealthy, I dont even remember the meaning.

-- najia (najia274@yahoo.com), April 04, 2002.

Hello neighbors! I am one of those wealthy homesteaders. Actually I don't consider myself a homesteader but I am sure you would. I am retired at 37 (well I do work for the state of wisconsin as a computer network manager 40 hours a week) but every night I retire to my land and home. I try to spend all of my money plus what ever I can from the bank right here in the local area see swisstown.com I have traveled as well but prefer to stay home with the livestock.

There are many of us young families in Southern Wisconsin that are purchasing small plots and playing with horses, sheep, pig, chickens etc. I am not sure that is the best use of the land but that is how it is going. I know my land in Wisconsin should NOT be growing corn or soybeans. See my post on "What should I plant?"

I have many retired neighbors.

ANyway Hello.

-- BossNass (chrisnass@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.

Well Hello to All. I am glad to get a few responses on this. Thanks for all your comments. A few more observations: Most of these people's children think they are nuts. The folks I know of are doing a great job of land husbandry. It seems to me like a good use of the land. It would be easy anywhere in our area to break these farms up into 15-20 acre parcels and sell them. Most of these folks are acquiring large pieces (40 to 250 acres) and maintaining the rurual countryside. Interesting to me and I am glad to get your thoughts and cautions. John

-- John Clark (johndiclrk@Elroynet.com), April 04, 2002.

Unfortunately I'm aware of this trend and have nothing good to say about it. Retired wealthy folks buy property out in the country and then try to turn it into the city! They want new regulations 'to protect their investment'. They raise up the price of land and then limit what you can do on it. They holler that the grocery store is so far to drive...we need to put one out here where it is convenient. For the most part all they want to do is raise horses(no offense to the horse folks out there but I don't want one...can raise 3 cows on the same amount of land as 1 horse)....and ride 4 wheelers all over the place. About the only up side I can see is that it does provide a few of the good ole boys some money putting up those high dollar welded fences and building those big houses. Where I grew up in east Tx we were considered way out in the boon-docks....until the wealthy started buying up property out our way(3 golf courses within 10 miles). When I was little our nearest neighbor was a mile away. When I finally gave up and moved out of the area it was beginning to resemble a subdivision. I can't blame anyone for wanting to get out of the city but it does frustrate me that they want to come out to the country and turn it basically into a city with stables.

-- Amanda (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.

Someone mentioned that the "wealthy" homesteaders families think they are nuts to do this type of living. You don't have to be wealthy to have your family think that. My sister hasn't been to visit for 4 years...reason...no shower..fresh veggies (she brings her's in a can) and her white shoes get dirty in the barn. But yet again...she's is family and I love her. Someday they will understand it all !! I hope ??

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), April 05, 2002.

I gotta weigh in on this one cause i just might be in that catagory. The government tells me so by putting me in the max tax bracket. I live in the city and make a six figure income. As I enter my 60th year and look forward to retirement in two years I long to get back to the hills and hollers of appalachia where I grew up. (My mother is still there) I want a few acres where I can grow my own vegatables and raise my on pigs and chickens. I want to turn off the lights at night and not see those of any neighbors. I just want to age quietly with dirt under my nails and manure on my boots.

-- paul mccloud (vonmantik@yahoo.com), April 05, 2002.

Well said Paul!!

-- rog (rw285@isoc.net), April 05, 2002.

Amamda, sorry to hear that your country is changing for the worse. The folks I am talking about wouldn't be caught dead on a four wheeler, don't have any horses and are pretty good neighbors. They work hard physically which for some of them is the first time in thier lives I'm sure. I never thought some of them would make it, but by God they have survived and seem happpy and doing well. The laswt thing I want is turning Gods country this coulee country into a horsee subdivision. They seem to be maintian the size of the farms.

They are almost fanatical about fixing up old barns and tractors. My experience is only with 7-8 families but so far I think it is a benefit. John

-- John Clark (johndiclrk@Elroynet.com), April 05, 2002.

John I wish I had some folks like that for neighbors. I hope you are right and there is a trend starting. I just haven't had any experiences with the type of folks you are talking about. Unfortunately my experiences with neighbors have led me to try and get as far away from others as possible.

-- Amanda (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.

Another reason is that many people see and understand the massive changes about to occur to our country and way of life. Some for religious reasons, others economic or safety reasons; these people have decided that the last place they would want to be is in an urban environment when the "balloon goes up". Preparedness has become a way of life to my wife and I. Our other family members thought we were kinda nuts but as they see all the signs of the times beginning to add up...they all want to stay close and are waiting for us to give them the high sign to high tail it out of the cities.

-- B.T. Clowne (lakebreezefan@yahoo.com), April 05, 2002.

B.T. I couldn't agree more. In the city I think the average person feels absolutely helpless and powerless. I know myself that I finally figured ou that living each day is not a dress rehersal, its one less day on the clock. There is a jopy and satifaction with hard physical field work, both mentally and physically, at least you can see what the hell you have done when your finished. It may well be homesteading with a safety net, but what the hell. John

-- John Clark (johndiclrk@Elroynet.com), April 05, 2002.