Best US states for becoming self-sustainable/a small farmer (need to move ASAP)

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It is very likely that if you have to ask an internet forum for ideas/reaffirmation as to where to move, you are just romanticizing the idea. If you had true intent, you'd just do it.
 

Goat-e

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Another option is to sell goats you don't want to Mexicans
Might be difficult as I don’t live on the same continent;)

But seriously, nobody wants male cows from milking breeds because they eat a lot and don’t produce good meat, and trying to sell Billy goats is even worse - these are animals which don’t provide a whole lot of meat, will hump anything they can, are supreme escape artists and can ruin an entire large scale vegetable garden in a couple of hours. Also they pee into the wind so their beard gets urine-soaked because they think it makes them smell better to the opposite sex. Basically it comes down to this, you want diary you’re going to have to deal with slaughter.
 

frannybananny

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Might be difficult as I don’t live on the same continent;)

But seriously, nobody wants male cows from milking breeds because they eat a lot and don’t produce good meat, and trying to sell Billy goats is even worse - these are animals which don’t provide a whole lot of meat, will hump anything they can, are supreme escape artists and can ruin an entire large scale vegetable garden in a couple of hours. Also they pee into the wind so their beard gets urine-soaked because they think it makes them smell better to the opposite sex. Basically it comes down to this, you want diary you’re going to have to deal with slaughter.
I once had a nanny goat with her one kid Annabelle for years. The kid grew up and I kept milking....as long as the female has had one kid she will keep producing milk endlessly. I milked morning and night and got over a quart and a half each time....more milk than I or my partner could even consume! Depends on how large of a family you want to have but I can assure you, the milk won't dry up and the female does not need to keep being bred and having more offspring (billy goats).
 

Inaut

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This thread was a fun read. Now back to reality for me (onterrible)
 

Dean

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3 options to look into while wandering around rural areas that interest you:

1) get hired on (or volunteer) as a farmhand to learn some skills, make connections with people grounded in a variety of practical skills beyond (but including) food production and animal husbandry.

2) pick a small town and rent an apartment downtown (lots of the abandoned or not downtown businesses have had apartments built above them.). Meet some people there who still have a commitment to making their town or local-based living work or are trying to learn too. Take notice of all the single family homes around the downtown vicinity that are falling down around the people living in them. You might happen into some mutually beneficial opportunity (i.e. unused, overgrown yard that can be gardened). Someone to cooperate with.

3). Find a Mennonite or other traditional Anabaptist community and start frequenting their store or farm stand. They are in pretty dire need of workers and husbands. They are as practical as people can be. Be honest and direct.

A couple frustrations you'll come across:

1). Rural people have come to hate real food even more than the general population.

2) The young people you come across involved in local ag/slow food movement, etc. are gonna be real lefties. You're going to have to be tolerant and learn your pronouns. They do tend to be more reasonable than the left-at large. That's what getting your hands dirty will do for you.

:Edit: (to add)

Also, given how reserved rural people can be it may behoove you to stay in your native region? Having the same mannerisms and sayings and traits like that can help clear some hurdles. If you want to move on from NY, what about PA?
 
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Goat-e

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I once had a nanny goat with her one kid Annabelle for years. The kid grew up and I kept milking....as long as the female has had one kid she will keep producing milk endlessly. I milked morning and night and got over a quart and a half each time....more milk than I or my partner could even consume! Depends on how large of a family you want to have but I can assure you, the milk won't dry up and the female does not need to keep being bred and having more offspring (billy goats).
That does sometimes happen, but you can't rely on it unfortunately. Most will top out at three years, though some can go much longer. Depends on the goat.
 
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JamesGatz

JamesGatz

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By the way my family just bought a place in South Carolina and were all moving down there in 1-2 months

It's in the middle of nowhere but Its my spot because I got plenty of space and freedom to run experiments and everyone there is deeply conservative and I'd rather be around 500 South Carolina women than 8 million NYC women 🤣🤣🤣

NY is a manifestation of everything wrong with the world and the women here are LOST - the people here are HORRIBLE

And we already got the plans for a Chicken Coop and I'm in the process of looking at beekeeping as well so

TO ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING HOT IN MY THREAD ABOUT how I'm "not serious" and how I'm "not going to do it"

YOU'RE GOING TO EAT YOUR WORDS because I'M DOING IT - And I'm going to grow my own crops too

I AM GOING TO find out all the secrets to life and the world through my own experimentation since all the REAL SCIENCE is hidden
 
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JamesGatz

JamesGatz

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Somewhere down the line I'll get some goats or sheep as well - I've spent my whole life around sheep living in NY so I'm used to it
 

Regina

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By the way my family just bought a place in South Carolina and were all moving down there in 1-2 months

It's in the middle of nowhere but Its my spot because I got plenty of space and freedom to run experiments and everyone there is deeply conservative and I'd rather be around 500 South Carolina women than 8 million NYC women 🤣🤣🤣

NY is a manifestation of everything wrong with the world and the women here are LOST - the people here are HORRIBLE

And we already got the plans for a Chicken Coop and I'm in the process of looking at beekeeping as well so

TO ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING HOT IN MY THREAD ABOUT how I'm "not serious" and how I'm "not going to do it"

YOU'RE GOING TO EAT YOUR WORDS because I'M DOING IT - And I'm going to grow my own crops too

I AM GOING TO find out all the secrets to life and the world through my own experimentation since all the REAL SCIENCE is hidden
Congratulations!
Sounds like horse country too.
 
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nobody

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By the way my family just bought a place in South Carolina and were all moving down there in 1-2 months

It's in the middle of nowhere but Its my spot because I got plenty of space and freedom to run experiments and everyone there is deeply conservative and I'd rather be around 500 South Carolina women than 8 million NYC women 🤣🤣🤣

NY is a manifestation of everything wrong with the world and the women here are LOST - the people here are HORRIBLE

And we already got the plans for a Chicken Coop and I'm in the process of looking at beekeeping as well so

TO ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING HOT IN MY THREAD ABOUT how I'm "not serious" and how I'm "not going to do it"

YOU'RE GOING TO EAT YOUR WORDS because I'M DOING IT - And I'm going to grow my own crops too

I AM GOING TO find out all the secrets to life and the world through my own experimentation since all the REAL SCIENCE is hidden
You've struck gold brother :) Kudos to you! I too am on my way out of this filthy dungeon to somewhere more forgiving. I envision you will be a master of your domain if you choose the sheep herding route considering your amount of time spent among them!
 

Perry Staltic

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By the way my family just bought a place in South Carolina and were all moving down there in 1-2 months

It's in the middle of nowhere but Its my spot because I got plenty of space and freedom to run experiments and everyone there is deeply conservative and I'd rather be around 500 South Carolina women than 8 million NYC women

NY is a manifestation of everything wrong with the world and the women here are LOST - the people here are HORRIBLE

And we already got the plans for a Chicken Coop and I'm in the process of looking at beekeeping as well so

TO ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING HOT IN MY THREAD ABOUT how I'm "not serious" and how I'm "not going to do it"

YOU'RE GOING TO EAT YOUR WORDS because I'M DOING IT - And I'm going to grow my own crops too

I AM GOING TO find out all the secrets to life and the world through my own experimentation since all the REAL SCIENCE is hidden

What part of SC? coast, lowlands, piedmont, mountains?
 
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JamesGatz

JamesGatz

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What part of SC? coast, lowlands, piedmont, mountains?
Its around SummerVille - on this map I believe I'm in the Woodlands/Lake/Swamp area on the bottom right

B401F86B-B9FE-4C9C-9273-BE7A49F4EFB4.jpeg
 

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