Hi Marie. I'm Barbara. Welcome. Yes, this forum moves very very slowly!

Unfortunately, I don't own a farm, but I'm from upstate NY. Does that help?!

Anyway, welcome from sunny Tampa Florida.

Barbara

hello Barbara,

Thank you for the welcome. Florida sound nice and warm. I would like to move to a warmer state someday. I am kinda sick of cold new york. seems months are wasted indoors in the winter.

So where are all the gardening men in here??? ...lol

We're here. We just hang out and read the posts. Most are male bashers so we just sit back and stay out of it.

We aren't ALL male bashers!
(just SOME males lol)

Jean

Please don't catagorize all of us...

ok, sorry. Not all are male bashers.

Great topic Marie! I don't homestead but I'm thinking about it. One of my best girlfriends has 40 acres in NY. She has a very handy boyfriend! And tons of family not too far away who help out too. But she does a lot of the work herself, she just loves it. I'm wondering about the security issues. I'd love a cabin in the woods, but in a new territory I'm hesitant. My friend's boyfriend got her a shotgun for her birthday. My luck I'd shoot myself in the foot. I don't think guns offer that much safety anyway. I wonder about a dog, maybe a shepherd. My idol Anne LaBastille always writes about her german shepherds.

I have another friend who has a farmstead for her and her daughter. But again, she has family nearby, including her ex-husband who helps with the daughter. She does park maintenance for a living so if she can't do it, she has connections to someone who can. But really, my biggest worry is security. Ya know 99% of the time it would be fine, it's just that 1% that worries me. I've backpacked alone, and have never ran into trouble but gotten creeped out enough times to curtail my enthusiasm for it.

Alas, security concerns are probably why a lot of gals don't post that much here. At least that's the case for me. It's a shame you have to worry about such things, but you do if you're female, it's just a fact of life.

Hi Marie, and Welcome!

I too am single, and live in the country on 40 acres. The cropland is cash rented to a farmer, and there are no farm animals...just 4 big wonderful dogs.

I'm retired and on a fixed income...one paycheck at the first of the month and a few other ships (dividends) that come in at different times of the year.

I pay bills first, save some, donate some, and have the rest for whatever I want/need. I have been frugal most of my life, so that helps. I am over buying/acquiring 'things', and my splurges are on truly useful items, and plants and flowers.

There is a wonderful Money Saving Tips Forum, and a Household Finances (link provided below) There is also a Homesteading forum

There's plenty for everyone here at GW.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Household Finances