Wanting to homestead in Alabama ( and sorry about the rant)

Here is the breakdown of me and my "hows" and "whys". I wanna say hello folks and thanks for taking the time to read this. Our time is precious and you spending yours here with me, i am greatfull.
so, when i was 15, i moved to a Rainbow commune in central Ga. I lived there, built a home, got to know some pretty interesting folks, and had even stranger experences. I left the "Farm" when I was about 21 or so. I did some traveling and ended up in Az taking care of my father who had cancer ( he is great health now). For some reason or another I ended up enlisting in the US ARMY. Basic training started for me Jan of 2001. I spent some years in the ARMY with the thought of serving my country and all of its people was an honnor and for me personaly, earning my part of America and the freedoms ( however few they are and may be) that I get to benifit from. Now that part of my life is over with......
......say hello to free thinking again. since I have gotten out of the ARMY, I have lived in a suburb of Birmingham, Al.. I have learned a very important lesson. I REALLY REALLY dont like being in a city. I dont like the dumb people that use smart phones. why is there a law against texting and driving? this is a no brainer, the Alabama state drivers manual states that both hands need to be on the wheel. Again, i refer the the dumb people and their smart phones. the left lane is for passing, not for hardly keeping pace with the car a lane over. by the way, if its rush hour and you think you can still get that left turn and block the opposing traffic, making matters worse, I automatically dislike you and think you need your license revoked for being plain stupid ( and im sorry if i hurt your feelings). if the total points against your license is greater than your IQ and the value of your car is more than what i make in a year, you just need to be walking.

Im sorry, i got a little carried away there.

now im 35, and im ready to leave. I want 5 acres of decent land to live on with my family and work. thru some bad choices and really not caring, i have a credit score just slighty lower than the deep end of a shallow pool. needless to say, unless i find an owner that would finance it to me or I am able to do a property deed, Im gonna need to be paying for my land in cash. shoulda woulda coulda

and why homestead in Alabama you may ask. well, its pretty here and my wife is from here. so by default this state has become my perment residence. But I want to do things on my terms. i want to wake up and not hear traffic, or an ambulance with horns and lights going off at all hours of the day. I wanna sleep with my doors open all night with the windows up. I want to not wake up in the middle of the night to my windows rattling from someones speakers. i want my house to be built by my hands, i want the food that i eat to come from my garden. i want the satisfaction of knowing that there are no synthitic hormones going into my family, myself or the animals that I raise for food. i want to know that the noise outside to be that of a deer in the night, a raccoon, a form of wildlife and not a worry of any type. i want my kids to play outside without the worry of someone poping the cub and hitting my mailbox ( again; and i have yet to balance out the math to re-enact the event accuratly).

Like the freedoms I feel I have truly earned, I want to earn my lifestyle. i dont want to work for the dreams of someone else.

Im not one to plan but i am not going into this venture unprepared. i have drawn out the plans and most of the measurements of the timber frame/ log home that i want to build. I read alot of diffrent books ranging from canning to blacksmithing to knitting. i have ideas that can be accomplished with a almost co-dependent nature. without these ideas, i will not survive, and without me this idea of a lifstyle would be nothing.

for those who overstand, i dont have to explain it, you know just what i mean. its a feeling of satisfaction that no words can discribe. so please please please, if anyone has any advice to pass on to me on how to get the land i seek, or any other matters feel free to do so. and now im gonna let my dreads grow and read a book about mortis and tenion joints. looking foward to hearing from ya'll.

thanks, Chris

Sorry if this is a reality check but do you know what you want to do to support your family in a rural area? There is always a need for revenue, if nothing else to get a start on the land. It is HARD to break into the workforce in a rural community.

I would start looking for some type of employment in a rural area first. Then property to rent, then start shopping for land. I guess in this manner putting the cart behind the horse.

Please be understanding but the folks in rural areas have been burned on new folks moving into their area for many years. This mindset is not new and began with the hippie culture in the 60s. The rural areas are not that receptive to new people whether it be hiring, renting or selling to them. Be patient and persistant.

Even if you chose to start your own business, it will take time to become established and for the wary community to trust and patronize you.

Yes, I am speaking from experience and after almost fourty years we still find it rewarding but also understand the mindset of a rural area regarding newcomers.

What you can do now is the reading (as you are doing) as well as acquiring the needed skills and tools.

You will find garage sales and secondhand stores to be a source for used tools, cooking, canning equipment, etc. that will be needed and costly to purchase new.

Practice on a small scale what you will be intending to do while providing for your family. Learning under the stress of necessity is probably the single thing that has sent many folks packing back to where they came from.

Spend your weekends/vacations rambling through the rural areas. Talk to folks and dig deeper into these areas to see more than what is on the surface. Look at their libraries, schools, if you homeschool look for those support groups, doctors, hospitals, churches, etc.

Oh yes, those idiots on cells and texting and lack of turn signals and ... they live in a rural area too. Just not the same volume so we add old fogies that poke along and stop and visit with their neighbor blocking both sides of the highway and... you get the picture.

The only thing that changes is the names and the faces. Best wishes with your endeavor.

You give good advice, Pod!

Thanks but I didn't mean to discourage anyone else, including a Dragonfly.

Posting reality isn't discouraging. It's discouraging that folks drop by here, post a thread, and never come back.

I have noticed that quite frequently and agree.
After all, if I pose a question, I am anxious for answers, ideas or encouragement.
Oh well...

After "Sandy" they may not have access? just a thought.

Dyson, "Sandy" didn't hit Alabama...

Well I am sorry that you feel as you do Pod. I limit my internet usage to weekend use only. Personally I am not depentant enough to need to get back on my computer thru the week. If there is something that I want to know about, I like to use these objects called books. I find that I can get quite more out of them, and I dont need to increase my carbon footprint. The earth cannot afford it and neither can my wallet. I came by this site by a refrence from a friend of mine thats stationed overseas. He told me that I would get alot out of it, I can assure you that I have.
As far as my overstanding of how a homestead works, what it takes to operate one to its potential, dealing with people that live in and off the country and how to get along with them and still generate an income, I think that I have that covered. I respect ALL people. So far, that has carried me along in life fairly well, and will continue to do so. I overstand that this is no small feat that I am taking on. But overstand as well, Im not leaving tomorrow or next week, nor in a month. This is a life changing act that affects not only myself, but my family as well, and its my job to make sure that everyone is taken care of. What I was hoping for was some sort of idea, or something that I didnt think of.
Currently I am building a timber frame table. As its my first large creation this is taking some time. Hand hewn mortise and tenons are time consuming, but the reward is worth the work. I was able to get some freshly cut pine timbers from one of the clients that I work for ( Im a landscaper and learning horticulture). I estmating that it will take about 2 weeks to make, as im only working on it after work and on the weekends. I dont want to rush it, making sure I get everything square, flush, plumb, and level. I have about 65 feet of usable wood, it ranges from 6" to 12" in diameter. Ideas anyone? Let me know, Im thinking a bedframe, but Im worried that the logs may be a bit too big.
Thank you for taking your time to read this and help me along.

I see that a correction of names are needed. The opening statement was made toward Dyson. Sorry Pod

I had a cousin once who built a log house (had it built) and then decided he would build log beds for the house. The beds were nice but for the fact he didn't let the wood dry properly and the frames mildewed. He had to scrape them and refinish them. It was a boatload of work but they turned out nice.

I don't know much about building other than nailing scraps together to make pens, so I can't help with any idea. Sorry.

Being a landscaper and studying horticulture should help lots with your future gardening and crop raising.

When you say Rainbow commune, what is that?

Glad your Dad is healthy now. My Momma passed away Oct. 13th from a brain tumor. Miss her a whole lot.

What part of AL are you looking to settle in? I have family in Mobile and Anniston.

I like books. Got lots of em but I do more reading on the computer. I am interested in lots of different things and I'd not have room for all those books. I'd just as soon read it on the net and save a tree or two. Mayhap Sandy Claws will bring me an Ereader. Hey! A girl can dream. LOL

Looking forward to following your adventures.

with a little luck, hope an alot of planning and hard work you can do it ADragonfly...

good luck dragonfly! You will be living my dream! I grew up on a farm in Missouri and after city living I would love to return to my roots. Unfortunately I could not do it alone and my Brooklyn born hubby thinks I'm nuts! (although he loves my food that comes out of the garden and appreciates that I don't meed a smartphone or a 600 dollar purse). He would love to have it all in one women but prefers my love of mud and bugs to a love of makeup and expensive shoes. That being said he is content to bring home the bacon so to speak and I will provide the veg. I am just barely content to imagine what it would be like to have enough land to grow fruit trees and fantasize about chickens and root cellars. Currently we have a small house, 1/3 acre, 3 kids, 2 dogs and I am making the most of it. Every year we have less and less lawn and more and more food! I hope you find all the success in your venture and IMO it's better to try and fail than to never try at all. Good luck!!!