For the last year or so I have been planning out what I want to do with our homestead. So far I have even managed to keep the wife on board with most of my ideas. The thing were not really sure on is where we want to be. While we dont mind it where we are now, the sheer amount of laws that are getting pushed through or have been pushed through are making us wonder if we really want to stay in what is, unfortunately, quickly becoming the Peoples Republic of Wisconsin. The question is, what do you think are the real benefits and drawbacks for yor state when it comes to things like homesteading, homeschooling, and the such? Any insight you could provide would be appreciated.
Thanks
RED
Question For current and former homesteaders.
Hi Red, welcome to the homesteading forum!
I don't think I can be much real help, though I'm certainly sympathetic to your concern. It does seem like there are more and more laws to hamper self-sufficiency and self-determination, but most of the ones I can think of are on a federal level, like NAIS and the recent restrictions on farm to restaurant "boutique" growers.
Just this evening I was reading an article about how more and more school districts are going to 4-day school weeks to save money. Everytime I turn around, it seems like they're just giving us one more good reason to homeschool.
Do you have land where you are?
My wifes step father has quite a bit that he has indicated that he would be willing to sell to us relativly cheaply, but with wisconsin going full steam ahead on a fully implemented NAIS system, among other wonderful "public saftey laws," it kinda makes me question the wisdom of putting down roots in rotten soil surrounded by asphalt (figurativly speaking).
This message was edited Mar 8, 2010 10:28 PM
I am not aware of any exceptionally outrageous laws in Texas, and NAIS is pretty much dead here. However to find affordable land you will need to be far away from any of the major cities as everyone and their dog is moving here from who knows where, and builders are buying up ranchland to build more and more subdivisions.
Well, I'm fairly new to my current state (just over a year) and I don't know about homeschooling laws, but rural TN still has some reasonably priced land and I am not aware of any radical homesteading law/issues so far. The people are warm and neighborly, the soil is good; lots of commercial farming around though. Good water via wells, still plenty of woodlots around too. Prices vary depending on who is selling and what it is close to. Employment is sketchy, particularly in the rural areas where prices are better. High speed internet is available in many rural areas, as well as satellite internet connectivity.
Best wishes in your homesteading search!
Wisconsin is going with wholesale animal tracking? Eeesh, how'd that happen?
What are you planning on raising on your homestead?
The state wont admit that they are going to go for the full program in public, but the general concensus is that they will because they already took the payoff, i mean gennerous funding incentive, from the USDA and they are afraid that they will have to pay it back.
But if the USDA is no longer doing NAIS?
I confess, I haven't been keeping up with that... there's just too much to keep track of, and it's getting to be planting season. So my most pressing concern right now is figuring out how to do soil blocks. lol
It was my impression that the whole program was on hold as it seemed impractical as originally presented.
I know, it makes no sense to implement a program like this when the rest of the country is on hold, and some states are just downright saying they wont comply (good for them by the way), but some of those in state government and Dave Obey and his cohorts are determined not to let their program die. Our best hope is that the Emanuel Miller JR case derails them permanantly. They more or less admitted their program wont do anything other than give them someone to blame and fine, and will do nothing to enhance "food saftey."
This country is so seriously broken...
it's just a pure pity to watch it going down the tubes. =0(
East TX is pretty country ~ a lot like the north country without the cold. OTOH, land prices have gone ballistic, especially smaller tracts and outside employment is slim in the rural areas. What were your plans for providing income?
I am well past homeschooling but would if I had children. I think you would find TX to be receptive to homeschooling but I am sure there are standards that must be met. I know quite a few children and adults that have chosen to do that. There was a recent article in Countryside magazine about a couple in TX that homestead and homeschool on just one acre. If you hadn't read it, I might be able to find a link.
I think you will find as you move around the country, everything pretty much stays the same except the names and the faces. Originated in the peoples republic of MN and left there many moons ago.
Folks, Ya'll had better wake up, NAIS is going to pass no matter what. It may take them a little longer than they had wanted but, with Obama in office, anything socialist IS GOING to be implemented, sooner or later. Personally, I intend to simply ignore it. If enoough Americans refuse to abide by it, they cannot possibly enforce it against everyone.
I don't know what is going on elsewhere, but in Texas it is considered to be dead.
It's deader than dead in NM....
hello all, forgive me what is NAIS? I`m new to all this.Does apply to Missouri? `Caus I`m headed that way.
"National Animal Identification System"... the legislation that would require registration of every cow, chicken, rabbit, etc., even if you only had 4 backyard chickens.
The bill in the original form failed, but it is being re-written. The 'intent' was said to provide a means of tracking pathogens in meats back to the individual culprit.
This site allows discussions of some things political, like NAIS, but not the politicians, political party, etc. that are controversial.
I agree that we should have better assurances on the safety of our foods but in all my years of research I have never seen any deaths from organic, local small-farmer-raised products. I personally think it's the confined, large-scale, inhumane feed lots... BigAg with deep pockets and empty scruples. Why do you think there are more than 42,000 paid lobbyists in Washington, DC?
National Animal Identification System... it's pretty much dead[for the time being, anyway], but it applied everywhere, being a federal system. There's pros and cons, but it really put the bite on small and hobby farmers/ranchers.
Best bet is to contact the brand inspector and feed stores in any area that you're contemplating... you'll get a lot of low-down info from those folks, in my experience. My experience with the county extension office is so mixed, tending towards the negative, that I wouldn't rec'd them unless the small farmer's in the area do... it really depends on who's in the local office as to whether they're any use at all.
It seems to me that one of the major problems is not being addressed, and that's the processing plants. If they didn't batch veggies, and actually followed the guidelines for sick or downer cows, etc. then the hazard of E. coli/samonella contamination and mad cow would be A) minimized, and B) traceable. But that comes back to lobbying, no doubt.
As for my advice above, I meant to say that it's good to check out the local conditions... which include county, state and fed regs and how well they are inforced... at local sources. Though NAIS is not in effect, there are other regs that may have an impact on you that play out different region to region.
they gotta keep their grubby lil hands into everything. wont be long till you'll have to keep a record of how many times u potty during the day. then they'll figure out how to tax you for that. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Gently, gently... just a reminder to keep your wits about you here. This is a public forum and every one from little kids to the revenoors could be reading your postings.
Trust me... I and others have been censored by the site moderators in the past, and I'd hate to loose you guys. =0)
We are not all adults here, however you want to take that. LOL
hehee very true, please excuse my point blank attitude.
Well, point blank is just hedging yer shot. Can't miss then. LOL
Texas would be the place if you asked me, but being fifth generation I might be a little biased. LOL
Frankly I like CoreyR1969’s attitude ….. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Oh yeah, I'm with that. My warning is more about 'colorful' language, and adult pastimes... I was censored because I said what I was drinking while I was typing, and another person was censored for posting a picture of two llamas making more llamas... on the livestock forum. Oh, let's see, and I got warned for a crack about Democratic/Republican chickens not laying.
It's amazing what some folks will take as offensive...
very true Jayryunem, some folks got nothing better to do ... hehee
you never know 'who' is watching. near miss, i do hate spoiler shots. LOL
That’s why Political correctness should be deposited in the same hopper Sailer mentioned early.
Well, I'm not so sure it was political correctness... it seemed to have a more puritan flavor. Apparently a couple of women wanted to continue to imagine that they'd conceived by immaculate conception and a little randy barnyard talk (and it was nuthin' like we know how that talk can get... more like giggly coffeeshop talk) got them all atwitter and flustered and nigh on to bursting their bubble with too much reality (now there's something oughta be outlawed!).
OK, maybe the chicken crack was called on PC principles, but that wasn't management, so it doesn't quite qualify.
Frankly, I think the liberals and the religious conservatives can just duke it out over the moral high ground. I, personally am perfectly happy in the swell swale of moral ambiquity and situational morality. Seeing as all my life I've heard I'm somehow single-handedly responsible for the destruction of the American Family (right up there with immaculate conception, in my book) , I've decided to rest on my laurels and try and figure out how to grow broccoli instead (now that I've got spelling it under my belt).
Skippy, skippy, happy, happy, it's all good....
LOL
Jay
What you get for being so nit-picky lol
But your right again, its all good and I'm still boss inside my own fence. With DW's blessings of course.
Whew, Jay, that appeared to get you riled up a bit. LOL
Well, it just makes for such a marvelous opportunity to climb up on a soap box and use all the big words I know! I'd hate all that money spent on my education to go to waste! LOL
I have spent my life gettin' chewed out by the conservatives and chewed out by the liberals and it's true, every now and then I just cave in to the urge to chew back.
Call me weak.....
LOL
Wut did he say ? LOL
Actually, I think it's great that you get on your soap box once in awhile. Makes people like me pay a little more attention to what's going on outside "our fence". I'm terrible about living in my own little world, and forgetting that there's people out there making decisions that can take away my freedoms. No lectures please, from anyone, concerning my head being...hmm...in the sand.
Robin, your head is in the greenhouse! LOL
Here's a gem from today's reading...
"People might have in the past loved sex; I think now they love indignation more. Indignation seems to thrill."
Ian McEwan
Not to mention you can do it in public without getting arrested... well, most of the time. If you gather a crowd (an indignation orgy?) then you need a permit. =0)
Oh, and hey look.... the great-times-four granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt has written a book about her upbringing in one of the most priviledged families in America, called "Dead End Gene Pool". I doubt I'll read it, but you gotta love the title. LOL
Hey Jay, here’s another reason pc’ness should die.
One of the deputies had a prisoner admitted to one of the larger Houston hospitals a little while ago and got into a hassle with the charge nurse on the unit. She, being from another country, demanded that he be replaced because he was wearing cologne (sp?) Seems that wearing cologne and/or deodorant is offensive to people of that country. She was a little miffed to learn she was stuck with the nice smelling deputy since we all had some sort of smell good stuff on. Wish I could have said what I was really thinking. LOL.
This message was edited Mar 27, 2010 3:52 AM
This message was edited Mar 27, 2010 3:59 AM
Arkansas is a state with just about the lowest priced land around. But with that goes the lack of jobs of course. It's beautiful - lots of different types of trees, etc. grow naturally. I've been here 30 years - came from CA - and I like everything except the bugs. I have HAD IT with the bugs! I too am in the process of looking for a farm, and plan to drive around the country this summer, but I don't think I can afford anywhere but here. I live in northwest arkansas where it's mountainous/hilly, but if you get east or south it's flat delta land - much better dirt, but also much hotter in the summer! At least in NWA it cools off in the evening - in the delta it's 105 when you go to bed and 95 when you wake up. Here it's maybe 90's - 100 in the day and gets back down to the 70's at night. If you get outside of the city limits, there's really no rules about what you can build or keep.
Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. We really appreciate it.
Hey, Luanne, you might check into Eads, CO... no jobs there either! LOL On the east plains of CO. Bought a donkey there once.