How to Find Your Dream Homestead

After contemplating the comment by S.L. Burwell, I would like to submit to readers a possible remedy for the problem of aging and waning strength. In times past, it was not strange to live in the same place with one's parents, grandparents, other relatives, or even helping hands. As the older generation waned, the stronger generation gradually took over the responsibilities of the home. I believe that investing in deep, close, and lasting relationships especially with one's own offspring pays off manifold in the later years of a person's life. Society today is so impersonal, much to our detriment. I appreciated this article very much and found it full of practical help.

I wanted to weigh in on the article in the Guide to Country Skills "Finding Your Perfect Country Property." We were able to buy a small farm as 20 somethings and move back to the land. Thirty some years later, having had my chickens, horses, cows, pigs and all other manner of critters, we have pared down to what is on about two acres around our home. My advice to add to this article is think for the long term: Can you picture yourself older and perhaps with physicial or health problems that may hinder your giving full attention to the needs of your purchase? While we have no regrets, we have found our older bodies are not quite as able to keep up with everything that we would like to. Paring down has worked for us and we enjoy the country setting that we live in. Will we sell down the road? Perhaps: That country home further south beckons as a retirement dream. Keep up the good work, M.E.N., I enjoy reading the magazine and the web content.