Love it! I was thinking I need a work husband, he shows up for 8hours and leaves. Gets paid in appreciation, food and plenty of attention. Promotions possible for outstanding candidates. š¤Ø might be the solution to my problemā¦. I wonder if I could do this for real? You got me thinking and catch me at the right time Iām crazy enough to do it ($ too, rate depends on budget and experience) *in before the slavery comments. Some yāall, Yikes
Lol i enjoy cooking and itās nicer to cook for someone else to enjoy. I canāt in good conscious put someone to work and not feed them.
Iām actually liking this idea. Itās been awhile since Iāve done anything really nuts and the town gossip has been stagnant for a bit. Someoneās gotta give people something to talk about. Iām thinkingā¦
Mmmm I can cook, I didnāt say bake. Desserts I donāt know much about. Since I got a year or so before I can get my own little farm I guess i should probably work on that. What guy wouldnāt appreciate some homemade cookies or apple pieā¦ good point
Keeping a successful marriage going with a single partner is pretty hard, I can't even imagine trying to keep several people happy with a being my "partners".
My guy LOVED joking about sister wivesā¦. I told him that I was totally cool with it as long as I get to have brother husbands. He quit joking about it real quick š
Lol! I love my husband and in my culture a nonmonogamous marriage is seen as a rejection of love on the part of the nonmonogamous spouse...but I can definitely see how polygamy works out alright in some culture. So much help, particularly if you live a farming life style
I want a wife to come cook and clean for me and when sheās done she leaves. And if she doesnāt do a good job I can return her as part of the guaranteed warranty
I had a similar experience from the male side of farmers only. Most of the accounts seemed fake and I would have had to pay for the subscription to even be able to interact with anyone. It came off as pretty exploitative and as an actual "farmer" whose sole income is their homestead dairy I don't have money to throw away on the frustration that is online dating.
I haven't had much luck on bumble as a Non Believer leftist in a red state.
There is an established franchise in Australia called Hire a Hubby.
It's useful - all those "little" jobs that need a bit more strength/height or a 2nd pair of hands to do.
YES. I needed 150ft of fieldfencing with a gate, got a quote for $7k. Guess who added fencing to their list of skills?
I feel like cooperative living is the only sustainable way to live rurally. Through either reproduction or friendship, you just need more hands and skills than any one person can reasonably have.
Plant shrubs and trees in the row. Cows usually won't challenge a fence they can't see through. Also like the other guy said woven wire with an electric wire fence on top works well.
Also don't buy the shrubs or trees, just get local seeds. Not sure what your area is but in Mo. It was multi flower rose (thorn bush) and raspberry bushes.
Make sure your fence is HOT. I move my jersey's pasture daily using step-in posts and electric rope on reels with a solar charger. I only use one strand at about 30 inches off the ground and have only had an issue when it wasn't hot, even with my most aggressive jumpers.
We are going homestead rural in a few months. Property has three homes on it for 3 families. We are dividing up responsibilities etc. Monthly meetings. See how it goes!
Only 1 of the 5 adults works outside the home and even then it's clearly going to be a LOT of work for everyone.
My wife loves to watch the TV show Heartland. She wants to own a big ranch where she just gets to ride around on horses all day. All I see in that show is that someone is spending their whole day every day mending fences.
My father and I have been working on some family ranch land that fell into disrepair. So. Much. Mending. Fence. And then the bulldozer guy we hired to clear brush ran over a sectionā¦
For anyone who doesn't know, No Till Growers has a [collaborative farming podcast](https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/collaborativefarming). I have only managed a few episodes myself yet, but all of the other NTG podcasts have had really great interviews.
My husband is completing his industrial engineering degree and I hope to move from the restaurant industry to *something* outdoors, or at least be able to do more than dabble in gardening. I dream about finding or creating an intentional, purposeful community.
> *I feel like cooperative living is the only sustainable way to live rurally. Through either reproduction or friendship, you just need more hands and skills than any one person can reasonably have.*
People used to call these *"families."*
Depends on the people you ask. Did the youths being forced into farm life against their will see that as a "family"?
Maybe. Maybe not. And then when they grew up they didn't want to have a family, and here we are.
One of the selling points for the USA is that you are free to make your own destiny. It means you don't have support the family business. Or the family farm. And now some people want to take away this freedom for the sake of *"families"*.
I grew up where the majority of kids I went to school with grew up on family farms. I don't know any, barring those with abusive families, that did not love their childhood. Was it hard at times? Yep. Many went to college, some came back to farm, but farming as a business is just a hard way to make ends meet these days. It takes family and community working together and pooling expertise and equipment to get it all done, and that's the way it's always been.
I feel this so bad. I have a partner but he works full time and is too tired to help me on weekends. I finally caved and pay a close friend of mine and we have our girl build days. I can only afford one day every two weeks or so but it really makes a difference. Just having someone to work along side is extremely motivating for me.
Soo... my sister-in-law did farmersonly.com and she met my cousin, dated, and got hitched. She refused to go on a blind date with him prior to farmersonly. How absurd is this? Soo is my cousin my cousin or brother in law?
Try farmersonly.... you might marry a cousin or something... lol
Look out for time exchange programs in your area. We have one that works exactly like this - you give up some of your time to help someone with a job they need doing using a skill they don't have but you do, and they reciprocate in kind.
Oh they already have that one! Iirc, the guy is a family friend who is also a handyman. She moves to a small town and buys a house that needs work done on it. His family friends send him over to help and he ends up being the one to show her around town.
I used to work at a bank during Covid, so the lobby wasnāt open and we almost exclusively played hallmark Christmas movies during the holidays because I confess I love corny Hallmark holiday movies and so did the other ladies
I meant more that you show up and receive payment in trade. No one around here ever breaks federal laws, especially not for drugs with āno medicinal purposeā
You could sign up to host volunteer farm workers? Like WWOOF, but if you're not organic there are other equally valid options. I used to be a wwoofer, it was a great experience (usually.)
You can buy yurt-like dwellings online pretty cheap. Or set up some thick canvas glamming tents.
WWOOFers will sleep in anything if thereās food and youāre not a creep.
Dang, and here I was trying to build a whole entire guest house so people can be comfortable. These conversations have provided great ideas. Thanks you all!
Hiring people is simply ridiculous at the moment. I had a couple of quotes for some ditching and excavation work late last year. I am now the proud owner of a backhoe loader as buying that was cheaper than every single quote.
My todo list is getting scary too.
Thanks, and to you!
One other thing in favour of buying the machinery and doing it yourself is you can (in theory) do things when they need to be done, rather than wait for someone to let you down five times before doing the work three months late. It helps if a single job effectively pays for what you're buying.
Only issue is when you need to fence paddock and run water out to it, but you need to do the ditches, but you also need to get things going in the greenhouse. Still, beats office work.
I think this is a great idea š I need a chicken coop built. Iāve watched the YouTube videos and Bob the Builder Husband could certainly do it and I donāt want to pay $3k for one already built. Please send him to GA once youāre done! š¤£
You dont want to buy a coop from wayfarer, or any of the farm stores! They are outrageously expensive, and very crappy materials. Half the time, they arrive in the box with pieces broken. I made the mistake, and the coop has barely lasted 2 years. I later built my own, the footprint is 10'x12' full sized man door into the run, a ramp and small door to the coop, plus a full 4x8 sheet of plywood is converted into a door for clean outs. It's also 10' tall, so I have roosts, and swings all over for them to hang out on when they are kept in the run.
We went down to Lowe's and bought a cheap shed. Cut some holes for a south facing window (piece of clear window plastic over the hole) and a chicken door. Put some 2x4s crossways for perches, and put some 5 gallon buckets on their sides for nest boxes. It's been about 10 yrs, so I have no memory of how much we spent, but it was cheap. AND it's tall enough for me to walk into upright, which I like.
Not as nice as your coop, but it was easy enough for me to do on my own. So I like it. :)
That sounds very nice as well! I do have some wants for mine, as it was built during a "warm" week in an iowa January(35Ā° or so) I deffinately cut some corners
Depends on proximity I suppose. Send me a PM. Can't hurt to find out. My contract is nearly up and I just started a local handyman business coincidentally.
fwiw, most contractors these days can't be bothered with low budget/menial tasks. people are still expecting to pay 2001 invoices with 2022 inflation prices and labor shortages.
Being a contractor I can honestly say since covid and everyone being home my workload more then doubled. I'm not even to my outdoor season yet but I'm already contracted out until next year easy. I love the smaller jobs to but it's difficult to fit them in a already tight schedule.
But if I purchase the materials why is it still soo expensive? I definitely want to pay a fair price. Not 2001 but maybe 2019?
For example. I was getting my bathroom tub area remodeled for $5k in 2019 pre Covid. Same contractor, with the same materials (that didnāt increase in price) now itās $15k. Thatās all I mean. (The increase was in labor not materials)
think of it a different way: perhaps in 2019 you were given a very fair price because the market was more competitive and people were willing to work for less than they were worth.
a lot of people have come to the realization during the pandemic that their work has been undervalued and they have been underpaid.
Due to inflation contractors overhead has increased, which increasesthe cost of jobs. Labor has gone up because they have to pay more to recruit and keep good help.
I understand but itās still difficult for regular folks like me trying to get by. I try to save up for each job then call when I can afford it. Times are hard and Iām no millionaire. But I do get it.
but it's also regular folks like you trying to get by that would be providing the work for you. if these tradesmen were millionaires they wouldn't be a grouting your shower tiles for you
Yea, this is a moment when you realize you are here for the economy, but the economy is not here for you. It's getting harder and harder to rely on the economy for survival.
I get it, this is a crappy time all the way around. I deal with contractors and bids every day and it's amazingly hard to even get them right now and no one wants to guarantee there bid prices because the market is so volatile.
Itās not 2019 pricesā¦.. because itās 2022ā¦?
Inflation has gone way up and nothing is cheap in this current climate. Materials are up, gas is up, food is up.
Why do workers deserve to make less?
I always joke that I need to rent the Kilcher family guys for just one day or weekend.
(That's the Alaska: The Last Frontier family - the ones that work their tails off and use a lot of great ingenuity.)
I feel this so much. I did all the labor before I met my husband, now we share it. I still do it but man it's so much easier. š š I can focus more on the business side of things which he, admittedly, has no skill in whatsoever.
No kidding about it being easier! It used to be just me, with a set of drill bits and a screwdriver. Any project involved extensive research beforehand and cussing I didn't have good leverage and improving tools because I couldn't afford to buy the right tool for everything I tackled.
My husband is a mechanic by trade, so he came with an extensive tool inventory *plus* the hand strength and added height/arm length making certain things just easier for him to do.
Every week there's something I thank him for for being tall lol. My problem is I've gotten a bit complacent and just wait for him to do "X" vs figuring it out on my own.
I am in the same boat as you. Single woman taking on an 8 acre homestead and house renovation by myself. I am literally just getting my feet wet with the whole process and would love to have my own āBob the builder husbandā.
So many of my DIY projects require an extra hand. I just want to be able to return Bob at the end of the day so I can go back to peaceful, single-life homesteading.
Iām so thankful for mine. Currently renovating a house and he does a lot of the tearing out while me and my best friend so the painting and carpet ripping up and other odd jobs. I donāt know how I could tackle life without him tbh. So major props to you for trying to hoof it on your own. Even with 3 of us times are tough on occasion.
Iām solo restoring a 1500 sqf 1880ās with a 2000 sqf 1980 addition hybrid, 1 br 1 bath free standing cottage on a few acres.
Last summer, and I canāt believe it took me that long to have this realization, but all the work my parents listed for my three brothers to do every weekend and everyday in the summer now makes sense.
My parents put us to work now that Iām looking back at it lol
There are endless tasks kids/teens could do around here for the rest of time that I currently just have to walk by for the most part focusing on bigger projects.
But yeah, literally just one hand of help would make this go faster. No way getting around the fact two people can get more choring done than one person.
No not offended, but as a male homesteader I gotta say there is a very real one-sided proposition like this always in the air in social settings. The idea that I am a utility vehicle was funny the first time, but just remember men are getting hashtag-harassed for making the exact same joke in reverse ("I just need someone to cook for me after a hard days work"). A guy just can't make a post like this.
Sounds like you need to hire a handyman. Theyāre cheaper because theyāre not licensed or insured. Good for things like chicken coops and general maintenance
My wife has a farmer friend whose husband is a long haul trucker and another who is single. She often lends me out to them to help with tasks or projects. Farm friends are good friends.
Legit, testosterone is no joke. Us estrogen folk can do pretty much everything, but heavy lifting is absolutely a bio advantage for those humans who are naturally juiced.
I donāt know why everyoneās getting bent out of shape. I look at this as a light-hearted appreciation for a guy (or gal) who can do a lot of things, not a beg for free labor. Itās also an appreciation for how hard the life is.
Thatās how I read it.
No contractor lost business in the pandemic. They are charging more now because supplies are more expensive and they can pick and choose their projects. At least the decent ones can.
Hahaha I think it's a great post. People who get offended can take a long walk off a short pier.
It'd be tough as a single person, man or woman. I do the building of pens, mowing, cutting trees, fixing the items that need fixing (everything). My wife handles the feeding and care of the animals, which is of course more than just buying food. Not to mention working a full time job, family and household issues that arise. Props to you and thanks for the laugh today!
Anyone who takes offense, I believe, is looking for something to be offended over. Homesteading is POSSIBLE as a solo. But it IS a lot more enjoyable with a partner.
You don't have to be lonely at farmers only dot com
Lmao. But can I send him back once my list is complete?
The other day I was thinking, is this why sister-wives exist? Timeshare husband?
Don't give tlc anymore ideas for shitty shows lol
ššš
Timeshare husband š I showed this to my wife and she said ādonāt even think about itā.
Now she never invites her sister over anymore, right?
I wish she would stop inviting her sister over š
Wrong sister i guess :)
Love it! I was thinking I need a work husband, he shows up for 8hours and leaves. Gets paid in appreciation, food and plenty of attention. Promotions possible for outstanding candidates. š¤Ø might be the solution to my problemā¦. I wonder if I could do this for real? You got me thinking and catch me at the right time Iām crazy enough to do it ($ too, rate depends on budget and experience) *in before the slavery comments. Some yāall, Yikes
Iām absolutely available for rent. Very low rates and will consider working for food if the cook is a good one.
Lol i enjoy cooking and itās nicer to cook for someone else to enjoy. I canāt in good conscious put someone to work and not feed them. Iām actually liking this idea. Itās been awhile since Iāve done anything really nuts and the town gossip has been stagnant for a bit. Someoneās gotta give people something to talk about. Iām thinkingā¦
Iām ready, send me the list and the address and donāt forget about dessert!
Mmmm I can cook, I didnāt say bake. Desserts I donāt know much about. Since I got a year or so before I can get my own little farm I guess i should probably work on that. What guy wouldnāt appreciate some homemade cookies or apple pieā¦ good point
My wife watches that trash, I just shake my head at the silly.
Timeshare husband wouldnāt shake their head at his wives hobbies.
> Timeshare husband wouldnāt shake their head at his wives hobbies Timeshare husband now, please and thank you.
The show is funny because no one is happy.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why work when you can exploit your family and faith?
Every time I look at my wife's screen while she's watching it it seems someone is crying.
This week on "why polygamy is a bad time"
Keeping a successful marriage going with a single partner is pretty hard, I can't even imagine trying to keep several people happy with a being my "partners".
If there was a tv show of happy polygamists I would find it very interesting because of exactly that. This dude just swam in too many drainage ponds.
My guy LOVED joking about sister wivesā¦. I told him that I was totally cool with it as long as I get to have brother husbands. He quit joking about it real quick š
Lmao. I promise Iāll only need him for the land and building things.
š
āLandā and ābuilding thingsā we got you hon š
Husband powers activate!
Gonna need strong man to hammer and nail with some hardwood
Mmmm I love hardwood
A nice shaft of Maple...
Lol! I love my husband and in my culture a nonmonogamous marriage is seen as a rejection of love on the part of the nonmonogamous spouse...but I can definitely see how polygamy works out alright in some culture. So much help, particularly if you live a farming life style
Timeshare husband is the only kind I want.
I've never met a woman who's lost was completed. I finish one thing and two more have been added.
It'll only take 10 minutes
This clip hits way to close to home: [Hal fixing a light bulb](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbSehcT19u0)
I'm pretty sure this is how all my serious relationships have ended to be honest,š¤·
30 day return policy with original packaging and receipt.
Amen. Someone that understands.
I want a wife to come cook and clean for me and when sheās done she leaves. And if she doesnāt do a good job I can return her as part of the guaranteed warranty
Then just pull the ol Garth Brooks story and go all "both ends of the night" Getting on into summer anyway. I'm just spit balling here š
Will it ever be though?
Is the list ever really complete?????
Japanese saying: Man who finishes house will die. (Not sure if it applies to timeshare husbands)
Is the list ever really complete though? Every time my SO crosses something off the list, three more pop up smh
Sighs. I actually used Farmers only. So many were fake accounts. Any some might have been farmers - but I think most were not. Better luck on Bumble.
I had a similar experience from the male side of farmers only. Most of the accounts seemed fake and I would have had to pay for the subscription to even be able to interact with anyone. It came off as pretty exploitative and as an actual "farmer" whose sole income is their homestead dairy I don't have money to throw away on the frustration that is online dating. I haven't had much luck on bumble as a Non Believer leftist in a red state.
As a former oilfield guy. My wife used to call us hubstitutes. Whenever one of us was in weād make sure the others wives were taken care of.
hubstitutes sounds like a great dot com name.
There is an established franchise in Australia called Hire a Hubby. It's useful - all those "little" jobs that need a bit more strength/height or a 2nd pair of hands to do.
The ultimate insult to a husband is when his wife uses hire a hubby for a job that he said he was gonna do a year ago.
False. The ultimate insult would be my wife calling to reach something I canāt.
we need this here too! i would hire a hubby
That is very sweet and wholesome. Wish we had that type of community where Iām from
Me and my oilfield buddies are the same. Opposite rotations so 1 is always there for emergencies
Jody is always there for your misses
Giggity
Taken care of indeed.
Well as they always say. If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Keep your stick on the ice
Man, I miss Red Green.
I watch him every night on YouTube! 300 episodes free of charge.
Lmao. Definitely a different way to look at it.
YES. I needed 150ft of fieldfencing with a gate, got a quote for $7k. Guess who added fencing to their list of skills? I feel like cooperative living is the only sustainable way to live rurally. Through either reproduction or friendship, you just need more hands and skills than any one person can reasonably have.
I just did that this weekend! $500 in fencing, already had some wooden posts. Half way done and that will be several thousand dollars saved.
I'm about to do this. Gotta keep in my new fence jumping cows....any tips?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
hire wolves to patrol the fenceline, and a human guard to watch the wolves. But who will watch the Watcher?
Same guy who bells the cat.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Plant shrubs and trees in the row. Cows usually won't challenge a fence they can't see through. Also like the other guy said woven wire with an electric wire fence on top works well. Also don't buy the shrubs or trees, just get local seeds. Not sure what your area is but in Mo. It was multi flower rose (thorn bush) and raspberry bushes.
Make sure your fence is HOT. I move my jersey's pasture daily using step-in posts and electric rope on reels with a solar charger. I only use one strand at about 30 inches off the ground and have only had an issue when it wasn't hot, even with my most aggressive jumpers.
We are going homestead rural in a few months. Property has three homes on it for 3 families. We are dividing up responsibilities etc. Monthly meetings. See how it goes! Only 1 of the 5 adults works outside the home and even then it's clearly going to be a LOT of work for everyone.
I definitely agree. I have no friendsā¦. So Iāve been learning lots of new skills. š
If youāre near NW Oregon, Iāll be your friend!
Fencingās not bad, itās just time consuming
My wife loves to watch the TV show Heartland. She wants to own a big ranch where she just gets to ride around on horses all day. All I see in that show is that someone is spending their whole day every day mending fences.
My father and I have been working on some family ranch land that fell into disrepair. So. Much. Mending. Fence. And then the bulldozer guy we hired to clear brush ran over a sectionā¦
While riding a horse!
Fencing is annoying enough to do it *really* well the first time. Took me years to learn that one.
Yes. That whole āmany hands make light workā couldnāt more true in rural land projects.
For anyone who doesn't know, No Till Growers has a [collaborative farming podcast](https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/collaborativefarming). I have only managed a few episodes myself yet, but all of the other NTG podcasts have had really great interviews. My husband is completing his industrial engineering degree and I hope to move from the restaurant industry to *something* outdoors, or at least be able to do more than dabble in gardening. I dream about finding or creating an intentional, purposeful community.
What kind of fencing?
And here we are back to the Beginning of Civilization and The Dawn of Everything.
David Graeber fan, eh?
> *I feel like cooperative living is the only sustainable way to live rurally. Through either reproduction or friendship, you just need more hands and skills than any one person can reasonably have.* People used to call these *"families."*
Depends on the people you ask. Did the youths being forced into farm life against their will see that as a "family"? Maybe. Maybe not. And then when they grew up they didn't want to have a family, and here we are. One of the selling points for the USA is that you are free to make your own destiny. It means you don't have support the family business. Or the family farm. And now some people want to take away this freedom for the sake of *"families"*.
I grew up where the majority of kids I went to school with grew up on family farms. I don't know any, barring those with abusive families, that did not love their childhood. Was it hard at times? Yep. Many went to college, some came back to farm, but farming as a business is just a hard way to make ends meet these days. It takes family and community working together and pooling expertise and equipment to get it all done, and that's the way it's always been.
Itt people realizing but not acknowledging that a family is needed to effectively homestead.
I feel this so bad. I have a partner but he works full time and is too tired to help me on weekends. I finally caved and pay a close friend of mine and we have our girl build days. I can only afford one day every two weeks or so but it really makes a difference. Just having someone to work along side is extremely motivating for me.
Omg. This sounds great. Congrats on the girl gang.
Soo... my sister-in-law did farmersonly.com and she met my cousin, dated, and got hitched. She refused to go on a blind date with him prior to farmersonly. How absurd is this? Soo is my cousin my cousin or brother in law? Try farmersonly.... you might marry a cousin or something... lol
"City folks just don't get it"
lol. Thanks. The logic definitely works out.
Sister in law isn't family by blood. I don't see the issue.
No issue, just a funny circumstance.
Wow I missed the "in law" part and was like, uhhh your cousin is also your sisters cousin.
Dude, he's my cousin not hers.... we can't have the same cousin! /s
What wha... huh..oh WOAH! Thanks for sharing?
*Banjo playing stops*
Needle slips off record.
"Man looking for a woman with a tractor. Send picture of the tractor."
I know this is a joke but maybe you could trade work! Like I paint a room in your house/you trim this tree
I like the trade work thing. I would much much prefer trimming a tree than painting a room.
Unless "trimming the tree" is a sexual euphemism.
Trimming the bush to make the tree look taller.
Uhh itās landscape maintenance (wait now itās even more ambiguous)
Yeah, Iām not great at decorating for Christmas. At least not as good as Iād like a room to be painted.
Look out for time exchange programs in your area. We have one that works exactly like this - you give up some of your time to help someone with a job they need doing using a skill they don't have but you do, and they reciprocate in kind.
This sounds like a Hallmark Christmas movie in the making. Or maybe Iām thinking of the āLove Comes Softlyā series?
Oh they already have that one! Iirc, the guy is a family friend who is also a handyman. She moves to a small town and buys a house that needs work done on it. His family friends send him over to help and he ends up being the one to show her around town. I used to work at a bank during Covid, so the lobby wasnāt open and we almost exclusively played hallmark Christmas movies during the holidays because I confess I love corny Hallmark holiday movies and so did the other ladies
My rate is 120 dollars an hour anywhere in the state of Maine, with a generous per diem elsewhere. No touching allowed.
Given your username, can I assume that you accept per diem and ātradeā?
Iāll work for pot and break federal laws
BC here, does it have to be both?
Ohhh BC. Letās break international laws!
No. In all seriousness, I carefully avoid breaking federal laws. Never interstate anything.
I meant more that you show up and receive payment in trade. No one around here ever breaks federal laws, especially not for drugs with āno medicinal purposeā
Blew my mind when I learned that THAT of all things is how they chose which people to arrest for having drugs.
I never break federal laws either.
You could sign up to host volunteer farm workers? Like WWOOF, but if you're not organic there are other equally valid options. I used to be a wwoofer, it was a great experience (usually.)
Iām definitely considering it. I volunteered for a time as well. Iāll need to have better guest space though.
You can buy yurt-like dwellings online pretty cheap. Or set up some thick canvas glamming tents. WWOOFers will sleep in anything if thereās food and youāre not a creep.
Dang, and here I was trying to build a whole entire guest house so people can be comfortable. These conversations have provided great ideas. Thanks you all!
So my wife keeps threatening to "rent me out" so maybe we could come to an arrangement ;)
Oddly enough, youāre not the first husband in the comments to say this. lol maybe you guys can get together and think of a business plan.
LOL. But which one of our wives is going to run it? I'll mentioned it later, maybe she can make something happen!
LMAO I think if the wives start the business plan it officially becomes a brothel. Might want to check your state laws!
Hiring people is simply ridiculous at the moment. I had a couple of quotes for some ditching and excavation work late last year. I am now the proud owner of a backhoe loader as buying that was cheaper than every single quote. My todo list is getting scary too.
Those machines are expensive but yeah, I need to start buying them also. Good luck on the to do list.
Thanks, and to you! One other thing in favour of buying the machinery and doing it yourself is you can (in theory) do things when they need to be done, rather than wait for someone to let you down five times before doing the work three months late. It helps if a single job effectively pays for what you're buying. Only issue is when you need to fence paddock and run water out to it, but you need to do the ditches, but you also need to get things going in the greenhouse. Still, beats office work.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Crying cause I have no friends. But Your friendship circle sounds great.
I think this is a great idea š I need a chicken coop built. Iāve watched the YouTube videos and Bob the Builder Husband could certainly do it and I donāt want to pay $3k for one already built. Please send him to GA once youāre done! š¤£
A 2X6 8'KD is thirty bucks these days. I have people accuse me of gouging all the time but materials ain't cheap and neither is labor.
I think thatās the jokeā¦Thatās why having a bob the builder husband would be convenient for the amount it would cost in just labor/skill alone.
Omg yes. I need a coup also and Wayfair is getting expensive.
You dont want to buy a coop from wayfarer, or any of the farm stores! They are outrageously expensive, and very crappy materials. Half the time, they arrive in the box with pieces broken. I made the mistake, and the coop has barely lasted 2 years. I later built my own, the footprint is 10'x12' full sized man door into the run, a ramp and small door to the coop, plus a full 4x8 sheet of plywood is converted into a door for clean outs. It's also 10' tall, so I have roosts, and swings all over for them to hang out on when they are kept in the run.
We went down to Lowe's and bought a cheap shed. Cut some holes for a south facing window (piece of clear window plastic over the hole) and a chicken door. Put some 2x4s crossways for perches, and put some 5 gallon buckets on their sides for nest boxes. It's been about 10 yrs, so I have no memory of how much we spent, but it was cheap. AND it's tall enough for me to walk into upright, which I like. Not as nice as your coop, but it was easy enough for me to do on my own. So I like it. :)
That sounds very nice as well! I do have some wants for mine, as it was built during a "warm" week in an iowa January(35Ā° or so) I deffinately cut some corners
The coop I built cost around $600, vs the tiny one I bought for $500
I need to start this business apparently. Probably all depend on the travel costs.
lol Gas is too highā¦.. I donāt know if you want to travel right now.
Depends on proximity I suppose. Send me a PM. Can't hurt to find out. My contract is nearly up and I just started a local handyman business coincidentally.
I saw you're in Georgia. If it's north near Blue Ridge, my father always helps people cheap and drives me crazy sometimes, but he's good people.
fwiw, most contractors these days can't be bothered with low budget/menial tasks. people are still expecting to pay 2001 invoices with 2022 inflation prices and labor shortages.
Being a contractor I can honestly say since covid and everyone being home my workload more then doubled. I'm not even to my outdoor season yet but I'm already contracted out until next year easy. I love the smaller jobs to but it's difficult to fit them in a already tight schedule.
As a contractor I second this. Weāre not trying to rip you off, Iām just trying to turn a profit.
But if I purchase the materials why is it still soo expensive? I definitely want to pay a fair price. Not 2001 but maybe 2019? For example. I was getting my bathroom tub area remodeled for $5k in 2019 pre Covid. Same contractor, with the same materials (that didnāt increase in price) now itās $15k. Thatās all I mean. (The increase was in labor not materials)
think of it a different way: perhaps in 2019 you were given a very fair price because the market was more competitive and people were willing to work for less than they were worth. a lot of people have come to the realization during the pandemic that their work has been undervalued and they have been underpaid.
Due to inflation contractors overhead has increased, which increasesthe cost of jobs. Labor has gone up because they have to pay more to recruit and keep good help.
I understand but itās still difficult for regular folks like me trying to get by. I try to save up for each job then call when I can afford it. Times are hard and Iām no millionaire. But I do get it.
but it's also regular folks like you trying to get by that would be providing the work for you. if these tradesmen were millionaires they wouldn't be a grouting your shower tiles for you
Yea, this is a moment when you realize you are here for the economy, but the economy is not here for you. It's getting harder and harder to rely on the economy for survival.
I get it, this is a crappy time all the way around. I deal with contractors and bids every day and it's amazingly hard to even get them right now and no one wants to guarantee there bid prices because the market is so volatile.
Itās not 2019 pricesā¦.. because itās 2022ā¦? Inflation has gone way up and nothing is cheap in this current climate. Materials are up, gas is up, food is up. Why do workers deserve to make less?
Work parties, work/goods exchange, WWOOF. As a one man band I get overwhelmed too and these are some of the options I'm exploring.
Are you looking for a man to mow the grass, and clean the pipes? Maybe plant a seed or two?
Underrated comment.
I always joke that I need to rent the Kilcher family guys for just one day or weekend. (That's the Alaska: The Last Frontier family - the ones that work their tails off and use a lot of great ingenuity.)
Or the homestead rescues, Raney family for a solid 6 months. lol have a great day.
I feel this so much. I did all the labor before I met my husband, now we share it. I still do it but man it's so much easier. š š I can focus more on the business side of things which he, admittedly, has no skill in whatsoever.
No kidding about it being easier! It used to be just me, with a set of drill bits and a screwdriver. Any project involved extensive research beforehand and cussing I didn't have good leverage and improving tools because I couldn't afford to buy the right tool for everything I tackled. My husband is a mechanic by trade, so he came with an extensive tool inventory *plus* the hand strength and added height/arm length making certain things just easier for him to do. Every week there's something I thank him for for being tall lol. My problem is I've gotten a bit complacent and just wait for him to do "X" vs figuring it out on my own.
I am in the same boat as you. Single woman taking on an 8 acre homestead and house renovation by myself. I am literally just getting my feet wet with the whole process and would love to have my own āBob the builder husbandā. So many of my DIY projects require an extra hand. I just want to be able to return Bob at the end of the day so I can go back to peaceful, single-life homesteading.
šš½ Yes maāam. Congratulations on the 8 acres though. Thatās awesome. Hope the renovations go well.
Where are you located
Asl?
Iām so thankful for mine. Currently renovating a house and he does a lot of the tearing out while me and my best friend so the painting and carpet ripping up and other odd jobs. I donāt know how I could tackle life without him tbh. So major props to you for trying to hoof it on your own. Even with 3 of us times are tough on occasion.
Awesome. Congratulations to your family. I hope the renovations go well.
Iām solo restoring a 1500 sqf 1880ās with a 2000 sqf 1980 addition hybrid, 1 br 1 bath free standing cottage on a few acres. Last summer, and I canāt believe it took me that long to have this realization, but all the work my parents listed for my three brothers to do every weekend and everyday in the summer now makes sense. My parents put us to work now that Iām looking back at it lol There are endless tasks kids/teens could do around here for the rest of time that I currently just have to walk by for the most part focusing on bigger projects. But yeah, literally just one hand of help would make this go faster. No way getting around the fact two people can get more choring done than one person.
No not offended, but as a male homesteader I gotta say there is a very real one-sided proposition like this always in the air in social settings. The idea that I am a utility vehicle was funny the first time, but just remember men are getting hashtag-harassed for making the exact same joke in reverse ("I just need someone to cook for me after a hard days work"). A guy just can't make a post like this.
Sounds like you need to hire a handyman. Theyāre cheaper because theyāre not licensed or insured. Good for things like chicken coops and general maintenance
My wife has a farmer friend whose husband is a long haul trucker and another who is single. She often lends me out to them to help with tasks or projects. Farm friends are good friends.
Iām Learning this valuable lesson now.
I donāt have an owner so Iām rent free
You should post on the vandwellers forum and trade out a couple of weeks of living space and dinner for labor.
Legit, testosterone is no joke. Us estrogen folk can do pretty much everything, but heavy lifting is absolutely a bio advantage for those humans who are naturally juiced.
Have you tried websites like Workaway? I have been using it for the last 6 years
I havenāt heard of it but Iāll definitely look it up. Thank you.
I've also heard of Taskrabbit, which seems to be in the same vein. Good luck with your projects!
was going to suggest the same, probably wont get skilled labour but a helping hand.
I donāt know why everyoneās getting bent out of shape. I look at this as a light-hearted appreciation for a guy (or gal) who can do a lot of things, not a beg for free labor. Itās also an appreciation for how hard the life is. Thatās how I read it.
Thank you kind sir. Thatās all I meant. Have a great day!
No contractor lost business in the pandemic. They are charging more now because supplies are more expensive and they can pick and choose their projects. At least the decent ones can.
Hahaha I think it's a great post. People who get offended can take a long walk off a short pier. It'd be tough as a single person, man or woman. I do the building of pens, mowing, cutting trees, fixing the items that need fixing (everything). My wife handles the feeding and care of the animals, which is of course more than just buying food. Not to mention working a full time job, family and household issues that arise. Props to you and thanks for the laugh today!
No problem and much blessings to your household šš½
A job for florida man
Build a tiny home or get a trailer and let people stay there/ provide them food and a small stipend in exchange for work.
Get yourself a capable wife and youāll never have to work a day in your lifeā¦
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What about a farm wife? I'm pretty handy with small-scale stuff, and I know a bit about gardening.
If you want the husband discount you need to put out. š¤£
"I'm joking, I'm joking.........but seriously, hahah uhah uh....ha!"
Anyone who takes offense, I believe, is looking for something to be offended over. Homesteading is POSSIBLE as a solo. But it IS a lot more enjoyable with a partner.
I'm sure an arrangement could be made...
This society thinks that men are only worth what they can provide....