rty007 winemaking Q

[rty007]

Let me ramble just a little bit...

Why the SS / off-grid living

I know it won't be easy, but we all know, and all of you admit, that there are literally HUGE lists of little projects to make your life easier that needs to be done, but they get pushed further down the list, due to money issues, time issues things that emerge and need being done NOW. I do have that luxury that someone on this forum was mentioning, of being independently wealthy, couse there is some serious money around my family... And sometimes I feel like I am trapped in that bubble of a wealthy world, like I can't breathe, like the whole world is just closing down on me... everyone around is expecting me to get a degree, which I agree is a very useful thing ( hence the 3,5 years limit), but more importantly I promised it once to a person I truly valued so I do intend to get one, but then everybody and I mean friends, family, everybody expect me, pressures me to get that degree, to get a monkey suit job, lead a monkey suit life, and be a happy, nine to five, white collar worker. I sure as h**l can't do that, I mean I am a computer geek so I can do some odd jobs for some additional income such as making web pages, or even writing some computer applications from time to time but just as a additional job.

Why thinking of moving?
I mean when you think about it... it is a complete nonsense, we don't have quakes, tornadoes, the climate is pretty much perfect for farming ( hot enough, rare droughts, land in most cases is quite fertile) it would actually be also as it turns out a lot cheaper to start a farm around here or even buy one with buildings on site , you may want to have a look... why not feel free to ask any questions ( private message) if any translating is needed:
1 acre = 4064 m2
1 $ = around 3 PLN ( zloty)
http://en.otodom.pl/index.php?mod=search&act=searchResults&qid=47761778&activeTab=search
But the gov makes loads of trouble when you're trying to go off-grid. Waiting, bureaucracy, and again waiting asking pleading, for a permit or certificate of any kind is just complete nonsense.
Besides there's also envy of people around, I mean maybe it is wrong,but from my own perspective I see that in U.S. if you succeed people sure do envy you, but think of how to earn on that idea, how to become a subcontractor a partner whatever to earn of it too. I mean I know it is wrong to say that, that I should be more of a patriot but it really eats me that the envy overwhelms people, that when they see on the telly, that someone did succeed and earn a lot of money, when that somebody is a foreigner " oh yeaeeeh... he worked hard, he earned it" when it is a fellow Pole "Hyyyh... hes probably a thief and a corrupt SOB" and they start diging dirt on him, start telling some crazy as* stupid bul**og just to make his life miserable. Ok... I vented, you sure do understand that is a bit of overstatement, but you get my drift I guess. Besides I have to admit that I do have some skeletons in my closet so to speak back from my gambling days, they're not anything really relevant especially now, but I do want them to stay in the closet. That might not be possible if I start trying to do my thing, building eco-domes, starting mandala gardens, creating a fully organic, permaculture farm. That would draw a lot of attention from the media, you have to remember that Poland is a lot smaller then US and that nearly nothing goes by unnoticed, and I just want a quiet life, leaving my past behind and moving on.

the rest of the rambling will come some other time.

 

[xpc]

You sir have the ramblings and thoughts of most people here, your english writing skills are excellent and better than most college students I have met, my town has 7000 of them.

If you want to move to the USA and are in need of an American sponsor just ask around. You will need a good trade (job skill).

Good luck

Just looked at the real estate link you posted and for the most part the cheaper ones are close to what is available here, but you sure don't have much to chose from.

 

[Farmfresh]

Welcome rty007

One word of advice here. When you are making a huge move like you are describing I would do several things.

First research climate. Move somewhere that the climate is at least similar to what you are used to. In my own family history we have some family members that immigrated from FRANCE to Wisconsin and were miserable in the cold climate and another group of immigrants, lumber jacks by trade, that moved to central Kansas were there is not a tree in sight. Of course both ended up losing money and moving again.



Second when you think you have the right location. Contact the local City Chamber of Commerce and get info sent to you. Subscribe to the local paper. Finally, come on over and just rent and live a while BEFORE you try to buy anything. The best deals are always the local ones you find yourself!

Hope to here more from you!

 

[rty007]

You sir have the ramblings and thoughts of most people here, your english writing skills are excellent and better than most college students I have met, my town has 7000 of them.

well... thank you very much. I really do not mean it to be offensive, but I heard it somewhere and like it a lot so let me tell ya... "kissing a*s on the hill is a skill"

And let me just rumble a little more...

Why buy a flat as in not built on land and build yourself.

I think, I have already said that, but let me rephrase... when I build my house, barns, pens, fences and so on... I chose where they go, I have them done exactly as I WANT em to be, including all those little things that make the everyday life easier. I can bet ya, if you sat down, and jotted down all those little thing, and approximately how much time it would take of your day routine, it would add up to an hour easy. I mean things that you could iron out, if you did some initial work, that you would have now done if building a house, but you moved in, so not to much to say there...

Why US?

For one, I can for better or worse speak some English... so a English speaking country is a good choice AND the diversity of climate... I mean boy... can you choose from nearly anything you want. Diversity of offers, I mean a state is nearly as big as my whole country...

Am I sure about moving out of Poland?

Not really, just looking, checking, researching some options.

 

[rty007]

I have to tell you, that my mind is spinning... so many questions, issues, things to consider, I mean... just like farmfresh said, if I were to make a move to US ...or Canada but c'mon minus fre**ing 40, it would be a kind of a big deal, huge move.

That is why I think I will stay here, in my very own country, Poland after all. Let em look at me like a 3headed alien... "whatever" that is what I am telling them, they probably would in the US too anyways.

So... now lets think about plans for the next 3years.

-learning how to make soap
-learning how to make cheese, I was a rat in the previous life I tell you I know it is all fat and all that. but I still love it... with wine, on a fresh baked roll... yuuuum
-trying out aquaponics on some minor scale
-multiplying/localizing seeds and I want some serious weirdos if you ask me

There are some more, but that is what I have planed for that year/moment....

 

[xpc]

I have to tell you, that my mind is spinning... some many questions, issues, things to consider, I mean... just like farmfresh said, if I were to make a move to US or canada.. but c'mon minus fre**ing 40 it would be a kind of a big deal, huge move.

Looking at a weather map of Poland right now and parts of your country are colder (-6C) than here in west Kentucky which is about 4C. Looking at the yearly statistics Poland is close to identical in weather to more then half the USA. Yes -40C does happen in the states but it is usually a rarity in any but the top coldest states like Wisconsin which is where I was from and have seen it many times but it is fleeting. I have also winter camped the boarders of Canada and seldom saw it that cold for more than a day at a time and can make getting out of a sleeping bag a real chore.

The lowest temperatures ever recorded in Poland were -41*C in Siedlce (in 1940) and -40.6 *C in the Zywiec Basin (in 1929). The highest temperature, +40.2*C, was recorded in Pruszkow near Opole in 1921.

 

[rty007]

I got a link with some real estate through private message from someone around here. I do not know if it is OK to post it in here, but I have to say that I found some pretty sweet locations, and I am wondering if there are any ONLINE places where I can research things like:

-average taxes for some area (I know it may vary.. but it will at least give me an idea, to calculate APPROXIMATE annual costs.

-average ground water depth ( in order to drill a well)

-rules about cutting down trees on your own property. Using your own wood for ... hmm well... evaporation I do not know the name for that process in English but provides you with both heat and electricity through a little bit modified diesel motor

-and local rules about... well keeping animals for one, Around here we have strict rules about nearly everything, the density of all the animals in enclosures, density on pastures if you're trying to claim to raise a grass-feed, pastured cattle/ free range chicken...

-whether there are any irrigation limitations.

 

[rty007]

I know I could have edited the previous post, but decided to bump it up.

but inspired by someone, saying something about a private island I found this, even though it is more of a crazy talk... but:

http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/sale/site/html/cms_de-sale_detail_en-1212/Hobson+Island.html

Can you imagine that I mean I most certainly can... 4 families

40 acres forested in some rotation in order to use the wood to generate both heat and electricity

8 acres to take care of, for each family, dividing duties between each of em. But the selection would need to be quite strict according to skills in order to get help from "mainland" as little as possible.

8 acres for fruit trees


from what I read this region has a perfect climate ( by perfect I mean very similar to what I am accustomed to)...

I am not talking about financial site couse that would need some serious thinking in the long run, and it would really take some people you KNOW you could rely on... but when just for now dreaming... WHY NOT??

 

[xpc]

I used city-data.com to research the area and taxes

The first page gives all the weather and crime statistic and just about everything else
http://www.city-data.com/city/Milan-Tennessee.html

Clicking the zip code near the top of the first page will show demographics and property taxes. In this example the average house pays $463 a year in taxes.
http://www.city-data.com/zips/38358.html

To get an idea of what is available and price I used this site
http://www.realtor.com/

It took me several years to find this house and kept my search within 500 miles so I could drive out and look at them on weekends. On property farther away it is best to rent an apartment in the area that you want to live, move there and get a job, then spend the next year finding what you want locally. This way you can get an idea of what the neighborhoods are like and not accidentally move next door to a bunch of redneck hillbilly's like me.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have to tell you, that my mind is spinning... so many questions, issues, things to consider, I mean... just like farmfresh said, if I were to make a move to US ...or Canada but c'mon minus fre**ing 40, it would be a kind of a big deal, huge move.

Where I am in Canada, it NEVER reaches -40 C. but real estate is expensive here as compared to northern Ontario, where the temps do go down to -40. I have lived there before there also, and I would take the northern -40, to our average of -15 to -20 winters any day.