Can anyone help me?

[breezy]

I may soon be able to move back to Montana. I want to purchase a small chunk of land and plop a modular on it. Can anyone tell me what things I need to know and what I need to ask as I begin looking? I am also interested in finding out just how much land I need. I want to be able to grow enough food to sustain myself for a year from each growing season. I have a bit of an urban farm thing going now but its one thing doing what you can in a city yard and another doing what you need to live and planning that out. Any other information that anyone can share that would be helpful would be most appreciated. Share mistakes too please so I can learn from others experiences.
Thanks!
breezy

 

[MoonShadows]

You can find a lot of information in publications like:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/

http://www.grit.com

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/living-off-the-land

 

[cookfamilyfarm]

Hi breezy. Some folks ask me what's my favorite chicken when they buy chickens from me and I say " If I had to pick one, it's the white Leghorn. Then just go on to say if I wanted to get the most (eggs) out of the feed I buy or grass they have access to, the white leghorn gives me the most eggs . It does get cold in Missouri too, and since you are in Colorado moving to Montana you will get some advice about Rhode Island reds being cold tolerant. ( I sell them too) They are , but if you get lets say 10 or so they will keep each other warm through bitter winter as long as there isn't a harsh draft directly on them. Then if you want birds to eat, raise the Rhode Island reds. ( Keep separate from the Leghorns.) Next, get as much land as you can afford. The reason I say this is the land holds a lot of native resources that grow on their own. Berries, hay for some sheep if you like, and other edible plants that you won't have to plant. When, you plant try to can as much as you can. Also, start to dig a root cellar for those things that can't be canned. Before you leave Colorado maybe start seed saving that would be a good way to get a jump on your new garden and not have to sink a lot of money into it. Your little seed supply will be easily transported. ( Very little weight and space in your car/truck.) And, maybe some baby chicks. There will surely be hatcheries and other folks that have them, but your chicks from where you live at now will not be as closely related or you may find a breed you like that is not as available in Montana. Some of these chicks/chickens that you can trade with. You might say" You know I got these from a guy that lives in Colorado and they are good stock. Or from a hatchery that is from along ways away." Since ,I'm staying where I am I sometimes have to travel to find a milk sheep that's not related to mine, or order day old chicks from a hatchery that is several states away taking a chance that some of them won't make it or they come and are just too weak from such along trip. Just to introduce new blood. If its possible , it would be great if you talked to some locals on the internet too. Make an acquaintance or two. I know the older I get the harder it is to make friends, I think its a trust issue. The internet seems to break the ice especially if its something you have in common . Like chickens. I know you want to know more about acreage. I would try to attain at least 15 acres, maybe more if you intend to have grazing animals. One of my favorite things is rain barrels. When my wife came to live with me she wasn't crazy about the rain barrel outside the back door. I have two others but the one at the back door looked tacky to her.(Plastic) One night she came down stairs and a can of wasp killer got knocked off the steps. When it hit the top spray nozzle came off and sprayed into the waterheater gas flame. Its not open, but its not airtight. That can rolled around and caught the wall on fire. I grabbed a bucket ,dunked it in the barrel and put it out. Our old house has old materials and is very dry. Then there was the ice storm of 2009. It came such an ice storm that it snapped not just power lines but poles too. The ice covered barrels were full and icicles hanging from the roof. I would break the surface ice get a bucket of water and that's what we used. Icicles were melted on our gas stove top and provided drinking water for our sheep. The girls washed their hair with it and I would flush the toilet with it. ( I went outside to save water.)

 

[cookfamilyfarm]

I have lots to say as you can see and thought I would start another post. Our well that pumps water runs off electricity. When , I can get the money I would like a backup energy source. You may have already thought of this. J.D.