No matter when you plan your retirement from a regular job, do you know what you want to do then? If you are only looking forward to watching more TV or traveling, is that going to be enough?
Too Old?
During my 50’s, my mom passed away after having Alzheimer’s for many years. Several years later, I saw my dad succumb to his heart medications. Even though they both lived a long time, I was dismayed at how much time they spent sitting in their final years. My father lived to be 92, but I don’t want to end up the same way at that age if I can do something about it.
I am in my early 60’s and still work full-time, which I find enjoyable. My husband and I plan on homesteading as a “working” retirement. We won’t be spending all day sitting and watching television. This is what my parents did. It definitely contributed to reduced mobility in their final years. At the end, they could barely do anything else.
Regular Exercise & Healthy Food
Regular activity has been proved to keep people young. In a recent study by the National Institutes of Health, it was found that even low levels of activity can increase life expectancy 4.5 years, regardless of body weight. A great example of this was the popular exercise enthusiast, Jack LaLanne, who stayed active until he died at age 96. This seems to be the best way to enhance the years we have left.
Currently, my husband and I exercise daily with programs that include weights, balance and aerobic activity. We eat lots of vegetables and fruits and mostly drink water. When I tell people my age, they rarely believe it – this is the best indication I have that I am doing the right things.
Our Homesteading Decision
We chose to homestead after I did the Permaculture Design Course (PDC). I was surprised at the many ways land could be used to create abundance. At the time, we didn’t own any land. Our community has restrictions against many activities, including growing plants in our backyard. Obviously, goats, chickens or enough food to feed two people are not possible on a 4’x 8’ patio.
Shortly before I finished the PDC, we decided to buy some land where we could grow our own food. We found four acres we could buy without exceeding our reserves which was relatively close to our current home.
Our New Project
We researched possible energy efficient houses and started planting edible plants that live all year long. Once our house is built, we will implement the design for the land to include ducks, rabbits, goats, bees, gardens, berries and fruit trees.
Until the house is finished, we will continue to work on our property on weekends. It’s a lot harder than sitting in front of our computers. Each time we go, we get lots of physical activity. Sometimes, we move wheel barrows full of wood chips to put on our driveway. Minimally, we water our plants with gray water collected at home and add kitchen scraps to the soil in our garden. Each time we are there, the joy of being in the sunshine and breathing fresh air is real.
An Active Retirement
What we are currently doing, work-wise won’t last forever, so we are planning to reduce our expenses and improve our quality of life at the same time. Growing our own food will reduce one of our biggest monthly expenditures and we will also know exactly how the food is grown. This is the best reason for homesteading as an active “retirement.”
The Benefits
With an energy-efficient house, solar power and our own well, our monthly utility bills will be significantly less. We also plan on solar cooking and clothes drying to make the most of Florida sunshine. Our current residence will also generate rental income. The less we rely on the government, the more self-sufficient we can be and the easier to handle our finances.
Sounds great, but the reality of the situation also has to be confronted.
Our Investment
The investment in the land and a new house is significant. Working provides some funds, but we had to be careful in our choice of location. The price an hour away was about 1/10 what unimproved land costs in our current area. The house is a major expense that we hope to complete without using all of our savings. A house with land would have had its own problems.
The Downside
Being away from our church, family and friends was a sacrifice that we had to be willing to make. We look forward to meeting new people and participating in the community, so there is a trade-off. But with a new house, it will be fun to invite friends and family to visit us there.
Having four wooded acres in the country includes biting and stinging insects that live there. Encouraging bats and planting mosquito-repelling plants will help. Finding a way to discourage these bugs without toxic chemicals is important to us.
Sweat Equity
We still have lots of work ahead of us for many years to come. Our “sweat-equity” may not be the same as a younger person. However, we feel great about clearing weeds or watching our fruit trees grow. We know we will have better food and water. It’s wonderful to be outdoors and work hard to accomplish our dreams. All this and meeting new people will keep us from feeling like couch potatoes when we do watch some Netflix.
