I have been on my homesteading journey for over 3 years now. I homestead the very property I raised my children on. It is the same property my daughter got married at, 2 of my grandchildren were born at, and many a lifelong pet has been buried. Now after all these years I am having to make some homesteading choices that may make all these life journeys I have been on soon become a memory. This is one of the biggest decisions I will ever make, and it will affect everything I do for the rest of my life.
How These Homesteading Choices Came About
This year has been the most difficult year yet in my 47 years. My father has made 13 or so trips to the ER and was diagnosed with dementia. He has required 24-hour care since about February. My mom is overwhelmed and so I have stepped in and tried to assist with his care. My daughter in Pennsylvania had tumors found inside her head and had to have surgery. I ended a long and unhealthy 4-year relationship this year. I started my blog and website and a homesteading business this year. And I found out that my oldest daughter and her family that currently live with me are moving back to Pennsylvania after Christmas.
That’s a lot of changes in less than 11 months in one’s life. It has made me step back and realize a lot of things and really changed my outlook on life. I realize that at almost 50 years of age, I may not be able to do what I want to do in the next 20 years, especially since I am single and do it all pretty much myself. With that said, I have two choices to weigh out.
Homesteading Choices #1
I have been offered to go and live in Pennsylvania with someone I have known a long time. He recently lost the mother to his son and needs the help. I can work there, homestead on the property, and pretty much do what I am doing now.
It is within minutes of all of my children and all 6 of my grandchildren. That’s always a plus having family close by and being able to establish a warm and loving relationship with my grandchildren that I currently hardly ever see. It would mean all the family together again for the holidays.
I can continue growing my homesteading journey and even my business to be whatever I choose for it to become, another plus. I have a lot of friends and family up there also, which means more support and maybe more opportunity.
But there is a downside too. I hate cold weather and it gets cold there. It also means giving up on the very place that I call home, where I raised my children, where I am comfortable. I would have to leave my father and mother alone in a state where they have no one. It means that everything I have started here may have to be given up on because I obviously can’t take it all, (my many animals) with me. It would be like starting over again. I don’t know if I want to start over again at my age. Check out Mid Life Blogger for more info on homesteading when your my age and up.
Homesteading Choices #2
My other alternative is to stay where I am at, in my comfort zone. I love the 15 acres I live on. It is perfect for me and what I want my homestead journey and my business to become. I have my animals, my home, my sheds, and my gardens established and I can burn, play music, build, decorate and whatever else I so choose to do. I love the weather here in Florida. Other than some rare very cold days the weather is perfect for me. I have learned many lessons about homesteading, you can read about those here.
I am debt-free and can only move ahead being here. The property is paid for and the taxes are very affordable. My homesteading journey has already started and I am pretty established with what I have here.
On the downside, with my parents being the age they are I may not have them for very long. When they pass away I will be totally on my own. No support, no one to share the harvest and no one to talk to. 15 acres is a lot of property to take care of by myself. Homesteading alone has its pros and cons trust me, you can read about them here.
In Deep Thought…
I guess I need to weigh out my options and figure out where my permanence will be. Only after I make the decision of where to be can I make the decisions to move ahead. I have to weigh out the good and the bad and determine the path that I should take. To stay, to go, to keep the comfort level or start a new path. It is a hard decision to make and one that will determine my level of happiness for the rest of my life. My homesteading choices matter now more than ever before.
Making homesteading choices that determine your future is tough! Life is hard. It is filled with many ups and downs, hard decisions, and tribulations. I pray for the answer and I talk to friends but in the end, I have to make the decision that is best for me. And only I could know what the best decision is.
Do you have advice? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear other points of view. Thanks for allowing me to share a small part of my personal life with you. Maybe you can help answer the dilemma to my homesteading choices.
Thank YOU for sharing your dillemma with us! My thoughts: stay in the moment and do what would produce the most good. Secondly, we have a ‘policy’ of not following our ‘kids’. Their lives are still fluid and we know others who have left their established lives and relocated to their ‘kids’, only to have the ‘kids’ move away! So, based on what you wrote, the ‘best good’ would be helping your parents cope with their (scary) circumstances. Then, when their need is supplied, you can re-think your circumstances and choices. Perhaps, since you seem to be debt-free, you can find competent sitters for your homestead and budget for regular trips to PA. That way you maintain what you’ve built up, continue to live in the climate you love while enjoying your family. As believers we look for peace in decisions we make. May you find peace in yours!
Thanks Connie for your wonderful words! I love the idea of budgeting to visit and staying here. I have leaned towards here because I feel like I have roots planted fairly deep and they grow deeper day by day! Wonderful advice and thanks for taking the time to read my post and allow me your kind words!
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful post on the Homesteading Hop, as one of the co-hosts I will be featuring your post tomorrow! You have some difficult decisions to make I pray the Lord will direct your steps and give you peace in whatever decisions you make. My husband and I have moved around and lived in Maine, Connecticut, Florida and Vermont where we currently are. However I have lost both parents in the last four years and all four of our children are grown and all living in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t believe in following the children but our house is on the market and we are going to move to the PNW when it sells. I want to be part of the lives of my grandchildren, I am not content to just have a twice a year visit. I look forward to hearing what you decide to do!
– Nancy ( Nancy On The Home Front )
Thanks so much Nancy! I will be putting a blog post up next week and let everyone know my decisions. It is nice to hear someone else shares my feelings towards my grandchildren. I wish you the best of luck in your move.