How to Transition from City to Homestead Life - A Great Guest Post

Moving from the city to the country can be a scary experience for anyone. While the open country roads with the vast cornfields can look pretty, some think that it can get boring pretty fast, especially if you have to drive 30 miles to the nearest shopping district.  However, if you're planning a move to the homestead life, then there's probably a good chance you're going to literally be in the "middle of nowhere." On top of this, you may want to have a sustainable lifestyle where you can grow and raise your own crops and food.


To help you transition, here are some tips to make the move as smooth as possible:

Learn About the Life

Adapting to the country isn't going to come easy. Since you're not expected to run out, plant some seeds and watch things grow overnight, you're going to want to make sure that you're doing things right. Remember, like with anything in life, it's going to take experience to get things right and frustration will come with this.  To make sure that you're getting on the correct path before you even attempt something, try to read as much material as possible. You can find great resources on YouTube, the local library and even in person. If you know of someone that lives in the country and is doing something similar to what you want to do, see if you can ask them a few questions. It also doesn't hurt to join various communities on the web to interact and share ideas.  If you want to get hands-on experience, highly consider joining a local community garden to learn the ropes of how things work.

Here are the basics you may want to learn:

• Raise animals (horse, cows, pigs, chickens)

• Garden

• Chop wood

• Raise fish

• Shoot a rifle

• Weld

• Troubleshoot common problems

If none of these scare you, then great! You may be on the right path already.

The Land

If you haven't bought your property yet, there are a few things you're going to want to take into consideration first.

These things include:

• How large of a lot do you want?

• Will your garden be large enough to supply your family?

• Do you plan on raising animals? If so, do you know of the local restrictions?

• Look at the soil. You'd be surprised at how many areas are really bad with growing crops. You want fertile soil. The government will often have soil reports.

• What are the zoning laws?

• Are there restrictions you should be aware of?

• How close are the neighbors?

• How much work is needed to achieve your goals?

• Where is the closest hospital? Grocery store? Attractions?

• If you're working, what is the commute like?

If you're unfamiliar with the land or the area, you may want to consider renting for a short period. By
asking these questions and finding the right property, it can make the transition a lot easier. Buying the
wrong land can put a large damper on your living situation.

How do I know if the life is for me?

If you talk with anyone who has moved to the country and started the homestead life, most will tell you that it was their "calling." Whether it was a camping trip in the woods or a visit to their Grandma's house, you're going to want to trust your gut with this move. If you're uneasy about the situation or don't know if you'll like it, then again, you may want to rent for a short period to see if you like it.

Be sure to keep these thoughts in mind to really succeed:

• Be energetic

• Be friendly

• Be involved

When you live in the country, you often deal with an independent, caring community that wants to see you succeed. If living in the country has been in the back of your mind, why not give it a shot?

Stephanie Lynch is from the country in Michigan.  In her free time, she enjoys cooking, the outdoors, her garden, scrapbooking and her lovely children.  Stephanie works for HowMuchIsIt, a large collection of more than 4,000+ cost helping guides. If you ever want to know what things cost in life, be sure to keep her website in mind.