One young Catholic family on a Journey towards Intentional and Communal Sustainability. One Artist, one full time Mama and two babies, we'll tell you about all our successes, and failures, as we try to make it in our overly Consumeristic society on just the bare necessities.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Thoughts

So, the homestead is going great, or as great as we can expect out of this beautiful, suburban, desert.  We got our first radishes from the garden last night and they were DELICIOUS.  Seriously, SO good.  We also have lettuce, and swiss chard.  Oh, we have Chard out the wazoo, but we have decided not to consider the chard a "first fruit" as it's actually last year's crop held over from the mild winter.  And by mild I mean that it was only covered under 2 feet of snow for a couple of weeks at a time. :)

But---  we're starting to reach our limitations on this little piece of property.  We are already keeping illegal chickens, and we dream of one day having a goat or 2, but I won't risk THAT- plus we just don't have enough yard for her.  We planted a bunch of fruit trees this year, and we've been planting in the front yard too, but nothing we plant seems to grow- it just stays 3 inches tall.  The soil is so nasty.  I will say this for our little yard, though- its alive!  I came home from the park with the girls the other day and there were bunnies, robins, black birds and squirrels all roaming my yard at noon day.  It made me feel like Snow White- now if only I had 7 dwarves who did my bidding....

So we've been putting serious thought into where our new homestead- possibly a permanent one- should be.  We had new friends over last night talking about the possibilities, and we're doing our research.  And praying.  Our requirements are simple, but not easy: within a day's drive of family, fertile soil, artistic AND Catholic communities, within an hour and a half of a major city- yeah, see simple, right?  Not.

So does anybody have any idea of how to look for such a place?  And do you want to come with us? 

5 comments:

  1. Move to NC. Farmland and acreage for a large homestead galore!

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  2. Always leave room in the yard for the kids to play in, too.

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  3. Megan- yeah, we're looking!
    Kum D- we moved the kids to the front yard this year. Maybe I'll take pictures and show you soon. But our backyard is a horrible, uninhabitable desert, and our front yard has wonderful shade and luscious grass. So we put the swing in the tree, and the kid's picnic table on the front porch, and I've been really enjoying the ability to let them play out there knowing how much safer it is, ironically, than the back yard.

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  4. ooooh pick me! I have the same dreams, are we separated sisters from birth? I miss you and pray that your dreams do come true! If you ever feel like road tripping we will be here in the great Northwest!

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  5. Brittany, I'm not sure where you're located right now, but I live in SW Louisiana and it's got everything you're asking for. We live in a suburb of a medium sized city (100k or less) and there are no regulations where we are. We have free ranged chickens & guineas, we could have a goat if I wanted to go to the trouble. We have 4 season growing (though mid summer is only good for eggplant & okra LOL) and the winters are mild. The area where I am is predominatly Catholic with the Catholic lifestyle ranging from those who homeschool and are very traditionally minded, to those who send their children to a classical education Catholic school, to the typical parish Catholic school as well. We have a huge music festival in the spring that attracts French speaking people from around the world as well as artists locally and internationally. Music and good food is important to Cajuns and the homesteading way of life has never really left this area at all. My own father was living on a self-sustaining farm as late as the 1960s and has taught and shown me a lot of things!

    Good luck in your search. I forgot to mention, there is plenty of empty land as well as developed land available here. If you want to chat more, you can email me at my work email p bellman at sshcoteau dot org

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