It's been a while, compounders!
I've been busy scouting places and figuring out what my girlfriend and I am looking for.
The biggest question is:
How much land do you really need?
At first, I was fully convinced that I needed 20 plus acres. Then as I laid out my plans (veggies and fruits, some hunting, some harvesting of firewood, the possibility of zoning in land for neighbors) I realized that under 10 acres would be perfect. It may be a case of compromise in some areas based on cost, effeciency of running the land and it's uses, and the overall project we are looking at.
Taking a note from Jack Spirko's book, I think the final result will be 3-5 acres, partially wooded with the ability to expand. Spirko talks about having 3 acres. He's got some veggies, fruit trees, ducks and quail that are producing plenty. I think my goal is to utilize about 1 acre for veggies, 1 acre for fruit trees and berries, and 1 acre for a longer term crop like hardwoods for harvest and regrowth. At some point, I'll be addressing the idea of building and creating a food forest to surround the house. Foraging would be an interesting experience, provided you've set the forest up for success.
It isn't all about veggies and gardening (although it is fun), I'm looking to create a compound where I can entertain guests, get some shooting done, lift some weights and practice jiu jitsu. A large outbuilding is going to be a great source for all that in addition to a studio for podcasting and recording.
Let's hear some ideas in the comments about what your idea of the usage of this land should be for!
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
In the last post, I started with a quote that came to me:
"With Purpose, On Purpose"
That's the goal here, doing something with a purpose.
With a goal in mind.
The goal is to talk about and develop a plan, while simultaneously chronicling it. As this plan develops, it'll get more detailed. For now, it's all table talk. On that note, I want to share the over-arching theme of a conversation with my good friend Tom.
(Shameless plug, Tom has really kicked some butt with his project, and I recommend you all go give it a read/listen. He's got some great podcasts up on the site, as well as ITunes. From gardening to life simplifications, he's really growing quickly. The site is www.smallscalelife.com/, go give him a read and listen.)
I'll be keeping this blog largely apolitical. I will, however take a moment to use the recent Hillary Clinton email investigation to point something out. If you aren't aware, she was not indicted by the FBI for some mishandling of emails. These emails had classified information, and it was considered a large breach of justice and security of information of the USA. The theme of the conversation, which really opened my eyes to the importance of this Condo to Compound project is...
On a local level, this really doesn't matter. This means nothing to you or your goals.
This doesn't change much of anything that you're going to do to get away from a city, plant a garden, grow your own food, and learn to utilize the land while bouncing ideas off your tribe. Regardless of what is going on "Inside the Beltway", focus on your world. You know, the one that's right in front of you.
As Tom and I spoke, we realized something simple, a real road to freedom is getting out there and building your life EXACTLY the way you want it. This involves planning, finance, and setting goals that you are going to reach.
I've been moving rather quickly through Jean-Martin Fortier's book, The Market Gardner. I have to admit that this book has been a really great read, but more importantly, the knowledge in this book is priceless because it's fitting for the size of project I'm working on. We may end up with more land within our property lines, but the main goal of having a large, productive vegetable garden will not change. As I employ various methods for this project, I'll be using resources like Fortier's book to expand the size. The goal initially will be to have enough to support my family with fresh fruits and vegetables and work on expansion of the garden with the goal of sales or getting involved in a CSA. At this point, it's sketches in a notebook and reference, but my tribe and drive to get away from the city is proving to be stronger every day.
So to sum up, instead of getting all worked up about political garbage you cannot change, focus on your goals that are right in front of you. Those are absolutely what matter. You'll end up with less stress, more productivity, and the ability to improve the world around you, instead of the one you can't.
From Jack Donovan's Becoming a Barbarian:
"To leave the Empire behind and take on a tribal mind, you must choose to perceive that transformation not as an act of self-negation, but as a process of becoming and personal evolution. Belonging in a tribe is becoming."
"Ask, 'If I invested all of my time, energy, and resources, up to and including my own life, to change this one thing, would it be reasonable for me to expect to alter the outcome of the situation?'"
"With Purpose, On Purpose"
That's the goal here, doing something with a purpose.
With a goal in mind.
The goal is to talk about and develop a plan, while simultaneously chronicling it. As this plan develops, it'll get more detailed. For now, it's all table talk. On that note, I want to share the over-arching theme of a conversation with my good friend Tom.
(Shameless plug, Tom has really kicked some butt with his project, and I recommend you all go give it a read/listen. He's got some great podcasts up on the site, as well as ITunes. From gardening to life simplifications, he's really growing quickly. The site is www.smallscalelife.com/, go give him a read and listen.)
I'll be keeping this blog largely apolitical. I will, however take a moment to use the recent Hillary Clinton email investigation to point something out. If you aren't aware, she was not indicted by the FBI for some mishandling of emails. These emails had classified information, and it was considered a large breach of justice and security of information of the USA. The theme of the conversation, which really opened my eyes to the importance of this Condo to Compound project is...
On a local level, this really doesn't matter. This means nothing to you or your goals.
This doesn't change much of anything that you're going to do to get away from a city, plant a garden, grow your own food, and learn to utilize the land while bouncing ideas off your tribe. Regardless of what is going on "Inside the Beltway", focus on your world. You know, the one that's right in front of you.
As Tom and I spoke, we realized something simple, a real road to freedom is getting out there and building your life EXACTLY the way you want it. This involves planning, finance, and setting goals that you are going to reach.
I've been moving rather quickly through Jean-Martin Fortier's book, The Market Gardner. I have to admit that this book has been a really great read, but more importantly, the knowledge in this book is priceless because it's fitting for the size of project I'm working on. We may end up with more land within our property lines, but the main goal of having a large, productive vegetable garden will not change. As I employ various methods for this project, I'll be using resources like Fortier's book to expand the size. The goal initially will be to have enough to support my family with fresh fruits and vegetables and work on expansion of the garden with the goal of sales or getting involved in a CSA. At this point, it's sketches in a notebook and reference, but my tribe and drive to get away from the city is proving to be stronger every day.
So to sum up, instead of getting all worked up about political garbage you cannot change, focus on your goals that are right in front of you. Those are absolutely what matter. You'll end up with less stress, more productivity, and the ability to improve the world around you, instead of the one you can't.
From Jack Donovan's Becoming a Barbarian:
"To leave the Empire behind and take on a tribal mind, you must choose to perceive that transformation not as an act of self-negation, but as a process of becoming and personal evolution. Belonging in a tribe is becoming."
"Ask, 'If I invested all of my time, energy, and resources, up to and including my own life, to change this one thing, would it be reasonable for me to expect to alter the outcome of the situation?'"
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