I might Move

[JTknives]

Well i have been getting restless here in the Utah city and have been getting this gut feeling that it's coming time to move and make some changes. Barbara (bubba-doll and i talked and she told me that if we got married she would move down with me to my home state of Washington to my family's property. its property that has been in that family for a long time. my parents bought it when thy where very young and just moved from California and before i was on this earth. but i seam to be the only one in the family that is really drawn to it. I feel very strong ties to it and would love to move back there. i will post some pictures of it so you can see how nice it is. it is 45-50 acres on the top on mingo mt that over looks the Columbia river. its close to the Canadian border in a small town of kettle falls. bubba-doll was 100 percent serious that she would love to go there with me with one stipulation that i get her a horse . she even said that as long as she had hot water to shower with she would not mind living in a tent while we build our cabin over the summer, and shop of course . I have really been wanting to simplify my life and become more self sufficient and start a family, as who knows whats ahead in the world. I just had to tell my friends how excited i was about this possibility. here are the pictures. where i going to put the cabin is not in the pictures but its on a very nice wooded area on shelf that has a clear view of the river.

this is our field that is behind where i am putting my cabin

this is the view that the old cabin had where my parents lived. the cabin is now gone as it was very very badly run down and not at all worth repairing. my spot looks kinda like this but there is no field in front of it. it just drops off as it is the side of the mountain and has a very good view of the river.

This is the garden area that my dad farmed

here is the drive way

My parents always thought thy would retire there when the kids got older but thy have been living in Hawaii for so long now that thy really love it and dont want to leave the married kids alone out there so it seams like this place falls into my hands.
as you can see it is a dream and to think i could end up living there with the girl i love so much just makes me so happy. what else could i ask for.

 

[go mike]

That looks wonderful! I would move there in a heartbeat. I don't know what your living conditions are right now, but I would say that moving would be a ton better.

 

[Sam Salvati]

Go for it JT, follow your dreams!

 

[Dan Pierson]

Beautiful country. I certainly wish the two of you all the best if you decide to do it.

 

[JTknives]

there is a lack of jobs up there as it is a small town but the land is payed for and if we can get rid of our debt there is not much else that would cost us a lot of money. maybe go full time knife maker and sell produce at the local farmers market. man that would just be the life i tell you what.

 

[go mike]

I would love to see what kind of work you would make as a full time knifemaker. I mean, it's already good now, but if you worked ALL day on a knife, it would be amazing!

 

[silver_pilate]

Wow. I've often dreamed of owning a piece of land like that. I'll have my parents land someday, but it's 160 acres of flat dirt with a poor irrigation well on it . The view of the sunsets, sunrises, and tornados are quite spectacular, though.

I'm very happy for you, JT. Take some time and think it through. GET RID of that debt before you quit your job. Do some planning. Save a buffer against hard times, and when the time is right, follow your dreams.

Good luck, and God bless you. That's a piece of God's country if I've ever seen it!

--nathan

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Sweet property JT. What's the elevation and latitude? What's the climate like? Do you have utils , water? Do you like the cultural context and community? How about school and stuff for your kids?

No mortgage and debt is good. Having some building and startup capital is better. Having a nest egg to cover day to day living expenses for a while is good too. Health insurance coverage might be an issue for you two what with a baby and all the dangerous DIY building work, etc.

All the best, Phil

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I'm with Phill, on that there is a lot more to moving to the country than learning the theme song to "Green Acres".,...... But it is definitely a wonderful life.

So, I have what you need , and will give it to you as a gift......
3,12,19,27,32,41

Stacy

 

[sunshadow]

JT, sounds like a great long term goal, also you should marry Bubba-Doll. now reality,
setting up a cabin in the middle of nowhere requires serious skills, and a fair amount of capital. I have lived with a city girl who decided to go unplugged and homestead, also my wife's parents did the whole leave New Jersey and go back to the land thing in the 60s and early 70s, building a cabin in the woods with no electricity, trying the subsistance farming thing.
If you are serious about this, get Eric Sloan's "Museum of Early American Tools" book, build most of them, learn how to use them, find a general contractor, learn structural carpentry, plumbing, and electrical, learn to fix your own vehicles, you're gonna break down. you're gonna have a broken vehicle at the wrong end of that magnificently long driveway with an emergency at the other. It happens. Get the book "A ship's Medicine Chest" and both of you need as much first aid and related training as you can get.

My wife says you are crazy, she spent 8 years of her childhood on her parents homestead before they divorced
she says outhouses in the winter suck! from my experience with my ex girlfriend's homesteading attempt I can coroborate.
she says lay in twice as much firewood as you think you will need and double it, have a backup plan for heating when that runs out, it will.
She says don't can food you're not likely to eat, you'll spend your entire spring and summer putting in firewood, and your fall canning food, when are you going to make knives?

Have fun

-Page

 

[Jack O'Neill]

one of the best Fillet Mignon I ever had was in Kettle Falls . There is work in Colville , just next door and there use to be a mill there . Heck they even have a radio shack . They had a pretty harsh winter this year I hear .

I sure would try and make the move work but then again I hate the cities . We use to have 10 acres in Colville but did not want to deal with the snow anymore so we sold it .

 

[Troop]

Everything sounds great except the "M" word. Don't do it again.

 

[JTknives]

thank you for all your comments and concerns. I am from the country, born and raised a farm kid. i know about the wood as that was my job to keep the fire going 24 hrs a day in the winter. my dad is a general contractor so i have done a bunch of construction growing up till i was 19 i think. i can to plumbing, electrial and most anything else except lay carpet i have never done that . I do all my own car repair as i worked at a semi truck shop for a little while. i have a green thumb and love to garden. bubba-doll is not technicality a city girl, she does nit like the city. she is from the country originally as well. she is the kind of girl that could live in a nice large tent and be happy. she absolutely loves the out doors. Ya there is always more to it then cutting ship and bailing out. Most of my relatives live in Colville, its a nice town. ii guess there just running a skeleton crew at the lumber mill right now. as for utility's, there is 3 wells on the property and there is power run to it as well but my plan is to run solar in the future but that would not be right away.

 

[oldrifleman]

Nice area! I love the view, and the open areas. I would love to move to a place like that, but I like to eat (Way too much!), also wife and kids would not like being out there. One thing, looking at the road, I bet that your Mini gets traded real quick.

 

[JTknives]

Nice area! I love the view, and the open areas. I would love to move to a place like that, but I like to eat (Way too much!), also wife and kids would not like being out there. One thing, looking at the road, I bet that your Mini gets traded real quick.

yep the mini would go. i asked my mini yesterday if it would like to move to the county with me, it told me very strongly that it wants to stay in the city but not to take it in a bad way because it was not my fault but that she was the one with the problem .

 

[Steve Hayden]

Nice area! I love the view, and the open areas. I would love to move to a place like that, but I like to eat (Way too much!), also wife and kids would not like being out there. One thing, looking at the road, I bet that your Mini gets traded real quick.

I don't imagine eating would be any trouble. As far as I know that part of Washington is full of elk and deer. Steak doesn't come any finer than off a young elk.

 

[JTknives]

I don't imagine eating would be any trouble. As far as I know that part of Washington is full of elk and deer. Steak doesn't come any finer than off a young elk.

when my parents lived there thy lived of there own garden and dear that thy harvested all year long :foot:

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

JT,
This additional info makes a much better picture. It will still take some serious planning and funding, but with electricity, friends and relatives, and local familiarity you may do OK.

If you want my advice ( which you can take or leave) I would set a five year plan.
In the mean time you should get yourself set up as a known maker. Concentrate on nothing else but working hard, saving money, being good to Barb, and taking an annual two week trip to WA to work on the new place. Forget making a lot of new shop tools, guns, skating, etc.
Year 1) Site planning, brush and tree clearing, making local contacts ( including the bank), getting friendly with the relatives.
Year 2) More site prep,build a small workshed/barn. It can be pretty basic, but should be strong, reasonably weather tight, and big enough to hole a bunch of equipment and supplies.
Year 3) Scout out a local deal on a travel camper or small mobile home trailer. Move it to the site. Bring in the power to a temporary construction pole and box. Grade the site, and pour the foundation footings. Make the pre-loan qualification with the bank for next year. Dig the drainfield.
Year 4) Get the loan. Buy a used truck. Build the house/cabin. Make it look like a cabin outside, but it needs to be a fully insulated and functional house inside. Use 2X6 studs and 6" insulation ( trust me on this one). Try to line up a tentative job for next year.
Year 5) pack the shipping crates and ship everything for delivery to the site on a specific date. Have a goodbye party and leave for WA. Plan to spend at least six months settling in. Work a job at least 30 hours a week and work on the homestead the rest of the time. Barb might want to look for work,too.
Stacy

 

[sunshadow]

As usual, Stacy delivers great advice. 5 years should be your minimum timetable. Above all, build your relationship with Bubba-Doll, there is nothing more important to a self employed knifemaker than a strong supportive intelligent wife (or if female husband) who can keep a cool head when things go wrong and make sure the details get taken care of, not to mention getting you medical help if you need it.

I would not be able to function successfully as an artist without my wife

-Page

 

[JTknives]

JT,
This additional info makes a much better picture. It will still take some serious planning and funding, but with electricity, friends and realtives, and local familiarity you may do OK.

If you want my advice ( which you can take or leave) I would set a five year plan.
In thge mean time you should get yourself set up as a known maker. Concentrate on nothing else but working hard, saving money, being good to Barb, and taking an annual two week trip to WA to work on the new place. Forget making a lot of new shop tools, guns, skating, etc.
Yerar 1) Site planning, brush and tree clearing, making local contacts ( including the bank), getting friendly with the relatives.
Year 2) More site prep,build a small workshed/barn. It can be pretty basic, but should be strong, reasonably weather tight, and big enough to hole a bunch of equipment and supplies.
Year 3) Scout out a local deal on a travel camper or small mobile home trailer. Move it to the site. Bring in the power to a temporary construction pole and box. Grade the site, and pour the foundation footings. Make the pre-loan qualification with the bank for next year. Dig the drainfield.
Year 4) Get the loan. Buy a used truck. Build the house/cabin. Make it look like a cabin outside, but it neds to be a fulluy insulated and functional house inside. Use 2X6 studs and 6" insulation ( trust me on this one). Try to line up a tenative job for next year.
Year 5) pack the shipping crates and ship everything for delivery to the site on a specific date. Have a goodby party and leave for WA. Plan to spend at least six months settling in. Work a job at least 30 hours a week and work on the homestead the rest of the time. Barb might want to look for work,too.
Stacy

Thanks very much for the 5 year plan stacy. it sounds very good and doable when put that way. I just want to move forward with my life instead of just floating along and a plan is important to make that happen.