Co-Homestead/Ecovillage ? Seeking opportunity to become more self sufficient and rural, raising a fa

[Xanatos]

I'd like to find an opportunity in a no-building-code area (why? read below! - 1*) Where I can grow my own food and possibly earn a living doing so. I run a hot dog cart currently in central NC, but looking to get more rural (eastern TN possibly)

But I'm very nervous about trying to break into farm-income-living from a city life. I seek opportunity and especially opportunity in the form of possibly helping take over a retiring farmers farm, or co-op sharing land with someone with more experience making a profit. I'm here for advice, Once again, although this time not about chickens! (I first found this website years and years ago, and have had 200+ chickens since!)

Dustin



1* - I like no building code so I can skip the costs and use my skill to build a home above/exceeding codes standards but illegal or overly expensive in most places that have permit /licensure requirements for us) Current options are missouri, eastern TN in parts, and certain parts of TN possibly.

 

[cavemanrich]

Not to dampen your hopes, but maybe you are born 100 years too late. There are some like you out there and maybe you can find them. What will you do to cover your TAX payments. That and the other thing are 2 things that are GUARANTEED.
I AM WISHING YOU BEST REGARDLESS.

 

[SleepyHollowFnF]

Unfortunately, thanks to the natural process of a government, the freedom that you are describing has been largely pushed to extinction. Chief among these insidious factors is that owning land is literally impossible unless you hide. Buying land doesn't mean you own it, it means that you have bought the right to pay rent (tax) to the government.

You can fly pretty low under the radar but it isn't easy. Basically the best way to do that without spending literally all your time trying to pay for the land is to cut your costs as extremely as you can. I live off of about $25 a week, but I currently make significantly more than that working around town and buying and selling things. It's not as easy as it used to be to be free, but you can still come close.

If you're looking for a place that you can still live free of that sort of interference, you'll have a hard time finding that in the USA. If you don't mind learning french you could consider La ZAD. It's an absolutely magical place that separated from France about 6 or so years ago. You can go wherever you like and build whatever you like (no building codes) as long as it isn't being used by another resident. The types of community dynamics, innovation, artistic expression, and just plain cool stuff that goes on there makes one of very few places left on earth like that. I almost considered moving there when I visited, but I really like being close to my family and friends, so it was just a wonderful visit.

Hope you manage to get what you're looking for. Just remember, you've gotta be creative and you've gotta stay positive.

Attached is a little picture of the inside of the house I stayed in during my time there. It's amazing what people can build when they're allowed to and don't have to spend their entire lives slaving away just to afford to not starve to death.

Cheers!