This year, we are looking for land–probably on the outskirts of Houston–although we have friends who are “homesteading” land within the city. They found land at a city auction and just had to pay the back taxes. We also have a mayor who is willing to let groups of people use abandoned land for community gardens and other public uses. So we have other friends who run a large community garden called “The Last Organic Outpost.”

My new adventure is that I am planning to leave my position as a senior English teacher and writing coordinator at a large International Baccalaureate high school . I have worked out a budget that I can live on (and still save money!); and I only need to make one-third the salary that I make now. I am nervous and anxious about this plan (on the negative side) . . . but on the positive side, I am excited. I already have an interview to teach college classes as an adjunct; and I have a lead on a steady part-time job at Whole Foods. If all works out well, I will have more time to spend on radical homemaking and writing (I’m a poet with several publications out).

In the co-op group I’m in, I have already taught some of my group what I know about canning, cooking, and sewing. And I am learning from others more about successful gardening in the subtropics, fixing “stuff,” and drying food.

It’s a late in life adventure and quite rewarding.

I think (and hope) that after years chasing, chasing, chasing we’ll be able to ‘just be’ and live with less stress and a guilt free conscious!

Can’t wait for the book to ship!

I can relate to that in a big way. While I have yet to summon the courage to totally break away from the “rat race” I do find our little 6 acre “hobby farm” a pleasant and effective distraction from the artificiality of the corporate world. Caring for the horses, mowing lots of grass, preparing meals from food we grew ourselves–it’s the perfect antidote. I’m hoping to muster the courage to cut the evil umbilical and return to sanity full-time by the end of the summer. Thanks to all of you for your inspiring comments!

My wife and I planted a large garden last year, and it took a lot of work. We’ll expand it this year. We are considering chickens too. We live in town and have neighbors – who are usually very nice.

The ideas surfacing here are very inspiring. Thanks so much!

Stephen Mark
Menopause Relief

I am moving from NY to my husband’s hometown in Orange, Massachusetts which is about 40 minutes from Brattleboro. There are a lot of people from that area who live alternative lifestyles (around the Warrwick and Wendell area — there is a joke that old hippies don’t die, they just move to Wendell) – we are five years out of college and I just started gardening last year but my mother-in-law knows people who dabble in homemaking (they all still have day jobs, cars, and electricity). You should come by for dinner sometime in May or anytime over the summer as I would be interested in learning more about your lifestyle. The nearby neighbours have an organization called Seeds of Solidarity (seedsofsolidarity.org) and you may want to connect with them. There is also a great festival called the Garlic and Arts Festival held at harvest time each year (http://garlicandarts.org) where you might meet like-minded people- it will be held over the weekend of October 1-2 this year. You may also want to connect with Bekki who has The Roundhouse in Colrain, MA (http://www.roundhouseculture.com). I do not know her but I am friends of friends and recently spent a few hours there over a fiddling retreat/party. She might have more connections to the RH community. You might want to connect with the people at The Farm School (www.farmschool.org) which is a school where the students also work the farm in addition to lessons… the staff might also be good contacts/connectors.

You can reach me at daniella.i.brown@gmail.com.

Talk to you soon

-Daniella