Homesteading | Questions To Ask Yourself

Have You Asked Yourself: If I Move Here, Can I Do What Matters Most To Me?

In regards to finding that perfect place to call home you need to ask yourself, what am I really looking for?

Am I looking for a full-time place that I can live in year-round, will we be just weekend warriors, or do we plan it to be a place for vacation getaways a few times a year.

Will I be off-grid? 

 If I want to raise a garden, is it large enough? (personal example, will critter's be a problem?) We now put our dog out at night to chase the deer away....He needs to earn his keep! He's a working farm dog!

If I plan to raise animals, do I have pastures, barns, existing building for them, will I need to put up fencing? What sort of fencing! Will I need hay? Will I put up my own hay or will I buy hay? Will I need a tractor? Am I mechanically inclined and know how to fix it when (not if) it breaks down?

How do I plan to heat my home? if I want to burn wood, do I have enough woods to do my own cutting or will I have to buy wood. Is there free natural gas?

 If I  am a sport enthusiastic, who likes to hunt and fish, can I do it here?

 Do I want a creek running through my property, how about a pond. Will I use it for irrigating my crops?

Does the property have an existing house? If it is a fixer-upper, do I know how to do that kind of work or will I have to hire a contractor. If I have to outsource this, can I afford it? Is there an existing well? How about septic? (We had to rewire our entire home, the septic was originally a pipe out to the creek)

How close are my neighbors? Are they within a stone's throw? Or do I prefer them down the road, not a neighbor is sight?

Is there a lot of traffic? (Example, when we moved here, there was not much but after the gas company added a pumping station the traffic is more than we like, our chicken's who free-range often are killed by drivers driving way to fast.....something to consider)

How far away are near-by stores, restaurants, church, bank, schools, your job? Are you o.k with a 2 hour commute for errands?

Just a few thoughts to ponder on, before your leave the rat race!  We left the rat race 10 years ago!

Image courtesy of Carlos Porto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net