Stop beating yourself up Jason. We haven't posted on your videos in a while. If you recall we did basically the same thing. We sold everything and moved from Georgia to Maine. We've been here a little over a year and while we're making progress you've made remarkable progress. Yes, everything has cost way more than expected. We did, not because we planned on it, had a foundation put in for our Amish cabin from sturdibilt. It cost way more than we expected. We still don't have running water. But we were blessed in getting a well drilled last week. But it's just a hole in the ground right now. No pump no running water yet. Everything has taken so much longer and cost so much more than expected but we're getting there. You've made great progress. We're proud of you. We've moved out of our tent and into the cabin but it's not finished on the inside. It's just a shell. You're doing a great job Jason.
Thank you for the kind words and continued support! It’s great to hear from you. In an effort to be transparent as possible I wanted to share our mistakes… We get up every morning with the promise to ourselves of making progress….to keep moving forward… small wins are still wins and that’s progress in my book. By the way Mardens (Houlton) has submersible well pumps, at a great $. Keep on moving on my friend. 😊
@@HanbleceyaRanch I wish I had known that about mardens. I would have checked in Calais or made a trip up to houlton. I ordered one and probably paid too much. Lol
Hey Dude shake it off. Everyone no matter where they live ….woods in Maine heart of New York City make mistakes. Life is a learning journey young or old. You have learned some things and are working to make a difference, you got this…😊
@@DawnMillington-i9t Thanks for the kind words and support! Sharing some of our mistakes from our journey will hopefully let others know that’s it’s OK to make mistakes. Brush it off, learn from it and keep moving forward 😊
Wow!!!! Excellent advice all the way around. I wouldn’t want to do all the work that you do, but my husband and I are 69, and 65. We do what we can on 15 acres. We heat with wood 3 to 4 cords a year. We will be splitting and stacking until the snow flies, but we will have what we need. I do a small garden to eat from until it’s done. Stocking up on dry goods now and toilet paper and paper towel. I don’t like to buy anything except what I absolutely need during the winter. We live in RI. Not a lot of snow, but it does get cold. We have generators for those nasty power outages. I do use electricity, but not a lot. Keep up the great content. Really love all the videos, Jason.
Hi Donna! Jason and I knew we wanted to attempt this journey before “retirement age” because it wasn’t going to be easy. Especially since we had to build our homestead first. Sounds like you and your husband are doing it. Cutting and splitting wood, garden, etc. Not everyone’s journey is the same but you are doing an amazing job on yours! Have a great weekend! 😊
Thank you for all the great information. Just when I think I have some of my move to Maine figured out, then I have 100 more questions and 20 more things to think about and wonder about. As for the quiet, I'm looking forward to that. I was surprised to hear, what I thought was a plane, flying over. I didn't think you would hear them. I live 25 miles from an airport, I will not miss the plane noise at all, lol. God bless you both!
You are welcome! We want to share not only our successes but our failures as well. We quietly is something you have to get use to! We do have an occasional plane or helicopter (border patrol) flying by. The dogs go nuts because it’s not a “normal” sound out here. Thanks for watching! Have an amazing weekend!
I just found your channel this morning and have so many questions that are probably answered in other videos. I'm now 74 and living in Maine, having brought some skills and wisdom from when my first husband and I up and sold all our belongings, and along with our two little kids, headed out to Minnesota to carve out a homestead. We spent 7 years of our lives doing just that, starting from 26 acres of woods and brush. I'd love to know where your homestead is. Maybe we can meet one day and share stories and ideas for success. Best wishes to you in making your dream a reality.
Hi!👋 So happy you found us!! I’m impressed! I don’t know if I could have done this when we had little ones!! We are in Aroostook County. Near Houlton. If you are ever in the area just reach out!! Email us at hanbleceyaranch@gmail.com
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I'm in that "watching a ton of videos" stage. Honest truths such as yours help me stay grounded. I enjoy looking online at properties and think "I can afford that" but then I have to factor in just how much more money/time/energy it will take to make it work. Buying land is the easy part, I can tell. Also, you touched on it a little bit, but I'd be interested in what you bought ahead of time that you regret. I'd understand if you don't want to share that much detail.
We appreciate your support! Buying the land is the easy part! We added a link in the description of this video to the playlist of our pre move purchases. I think that they pretty much cover everything we basically bought. Any questions let us know. Have a great night!
Appreciate your honesty. For me, I'm not sure I would have picked this land. Lots of second growth forest in need of brush cutting. I believe age has a lot to do with surviving in this environment. Marshes are great, as long as you have plenty of dry high ground with it.
There are pros and cons with every property and as such we found many more things to love about ours than not. In my experience, having the will to dream and the fortitude to pursue it, is the single most important starting point for any change…and we are living proof of it. 😊Thank you for the comment and support! 😊
@@HanbleceyaRanch I've been thinking about doing something similar. Questions I ask myself include how far am I from a VA clinic, Home Depot, Walmart and major grocery store. Your videos are valuable to me. I'm a former contractor. I agree with you on the foundations and I would have ditched the cathedral ceilings in favor of more ceiling insulation. You're from Chicago. So I don't need to warn you about COLD. Frost heaves could have been minimized with a foot or two of crushed stone under your piers. Piling up snow against your skirts is a good idea. I do the same thing. But again, your floor also needs more insulation. Wish you all the best and happiness.
I think the mentality is sometimes, in every day life, but I would imagine especially in homesteading that you can go hard and get it done and then sit back and enjoy it.. but the truth is, there is never an end to the chores or the goal or the problems that pop up-- and this is a hamster wheel existence.... Blessings to you and all who follow their path, even when it is winding and you cannot see what is around the bend.
Hey Jason and Jenn. My hubby and I have been watching your channel for several months, and we enjoy your videos. We have had the dream of moving to Maine (Aroostook County) for several years. The dream of having a small homestead and a little piece of dirt is still in our hearts. We thank you for making this video to show the reality of this lifestyle and that it's not as easy as some other channels make it out to be. So, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day to share your videos. Keep the faith in the dream.😊
Hi Lynn! Thank you so much for your support! We are so glad to hear you are enjoying the videos! Follow your dreams! It isn’t an easy lifestyle but it is so worth it!! You only live once!! We have been blessed to be living our dream and being able to share it! Have a wonderful weekend!!😊
The real work doesn't start until you actually start. No one can totally be prepared for the unexpected. Sounds like you got taken in by fake homestead channels. They are making money off getting others to buy from big suppliers. More than a few dont even really live the life they are trying to portray. Its nice that you are willing to share your mistakes. You can save others a tremendous hardships or loss of money on things they never needed. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.
Thank you for the kind words and support . We made it through and are living on our terms these days. There is a very real challenge to transitioning into this lifestyle and we hope we can shed some light on that through our own journey 😊
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences so far,we've been looking for a place in Maine for a few years now Really appreciate your honesty about the lifestyle, I believe that most people (including myself)have a notion that they will be living a relaxing and laid-back life but it's a lot of real work Thank you again for sharing your experiences,thoughts and insights,very helpful information
read through the comments, dont need to add to em, your channel keeps it real, your smiles say more than you realize, i challenge you to put out a video, with no sound, if ya need to add a comment use subtitles, nature is truly a blessing to be heard, kinda hoping someone would of named that bud yo held out, mainer here and have no idea what it is myself, perhaps a neighbor can help. ? keep the faith, seize the moments.
Thank you for the kind words and support. This life we’re on is challenging and exciting enough without all the “fluff”. I like your idea… I’m sure we could make it work. 😉 I’ll find out what that plant was 👍
This is perfect timing for us to see this... We are going to look at a 20 acre pc of property innorthern Minnesota ... it is already home steaded but its in rough condition... tho the price is right!! It will be a huge change in life for us... thank you doing this video!!!
I think you guys are awesome . I so respect this video. I know you're not alone, most people just aren't truthful enough, evens to themselves sometimes, to talk about it. Those are the ones that just disappear all of a sudden. I will support you in the only way I can right now, by watching your videos and will go take a peek at Jen's blankets. I wish you guys well and will keep you in my prayers.
Hi Barbara!👋 Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate you watching our videos. It means the world to us!! If you have any questions about the blankets feel free to contact us at hanbleceyaranch@gmail.com Thanks again! Have a blessed weekend!♥️
Billy Joel said, "Honesty is such a lonely word", and "hardly ever heard".......it`s something we don`t see everyday. I appreciate yours. I would like to move to northern Maine or New Hampshire full time, but I don`t think I can convince my wife to do it. Maybe she is smart enough to look ahead and see some of the things you talked about. I`m not sure she could handle the isolation, either. Because of that, I`ve thought of buying something small with a cabin, off grid, and just coming up part time, because she could handle it better in small doses in the beginning. Thanks for giving me some things to think about.
Great analogy and much appreciated! Good luck with your future plans. Maybe getting a part time place will help your wife see how amazing this lifestyle is! Either way we wish you the best!! Thanks for watching!!
Thanks!👍 We added a link in the description of this video to the playlist of our pre move purchases. I think that they pretty much cover everything we basically bought. Any questions let us know. I will give Jen that hug!😊
I grew up in Northern MN. I miss the trees something terrible. I love NH and Maine. I live in ND, and I understand the frost and isolation. Where I live in ND, unfortunately we lack the trees so you can see the isolation….we joke you can watch your dog run away for a week because it is so flat and no trees. I yearn for the trees again to help block the wind.
Hi! We understand your wanting the trees…it’s so nice hearing the breeze going through the trees. Love the joke…I’m sure missing trees doesn’t help but it was funny! 🤣 The trees do help with the winds but we still get some nasty ones. Especially in the winter when a nor’easter hits! Have a great day!!
A fantastic video, just what I needed to hear. Thanks Jason. Oh P.S. Congrats on commercials in your vid, that is a first for me, has to be good news for your YT exposure. -Jim
Hey Jason. On a garage pad, well having been to your area a few times and still here in SE Michigan......the frost heave is a REAL problem even with a pad. Our pad is at least 8 inches thick but I don't think they used rebar, so after a couple decades we have very large and deep cracks and water comes up every time it rains heavy.....so maybe its $ saved? We also went nuts buying too much crap (3 generators due to sales and 31 charge controllers) yeah many on sale or return items, but I feel your pain but our dreams of moving are just that (still a dream). But at least you are living yours but nothing worth having comes without blood, sweat, and money. The wife and I have decided that having more than five areas is more than enough and we also don't want to be a slave to the dream......life is too short but the quiet of nature is great.....we feed a squirrel every other day just to say thank you and even squirrels need a helping hand....lol
I’ve seen similar pads here in Maine as you described yours. We knew about frost heave but it wasn’t till our first winter that we appreciated how bad it was. It’s mind boggling how much stuff we accumulated over the years while we prepared… It’s ok though, we’re making it work for us as you folks are for you. Happy to hear you have a neighborly squirrel 🐿️ 😊 Thanks for the comment and support
@@HanbleceyaRanch Not sure where you are in Northern Maine, I'm on the coast, Penobscot bay. Houlton Area while cold, big difference if you head toward Fort Fairfield, Madawaska etc. Anyway a 6 inch slab won't stop a frost heave, that slab without a proper foundation will move up and maybe not go back down where it was originally. The key to frost heave is frost susceptible soils. When it freezes ice lenses will form and nothing will stop that ice from lifting whatever is there. Search Videos with Prof Dick Hill, He used to do a lot of research at UMaine on frost. Search Hot and Cold which was a show on the radio with another Maine guy Tom Gocze . Another thing is, you are learning thru the school of hard knocks most of the videos you have watched the folks learned the same way you have. Good luck on future endevours . I have a small piece of property and grow some food, have some chickens and a large solar array.
@@jonathan79231 Hi Jonathon, I’ll take a look at that, thank you for heads up. I’ve seen quite a few cracked slabs around here, so I’m not surprised by your comment. Funny enough we also have a massive boulder growing in our driveway from the frost. It’s remarkable to see some of the damage we’ve seen from the frost. Being on the coast, do you folks have as much heaving issues as we do up north?
Thank you for doing this. I live in Maine close to sebago lake. I have lived in maine all my life.I wouldn't change it for the world. However, I would have loved twenty years ago to have the land that you have and to do what youre doing, okay, maybe thirty years ago😅😅 Sometimes it may not feel like you're fortunate but I think you know, you really are. Good luck, love the videos.
Thank you so much for the kind words and support! We have been blessed to be able to be on this journey and to be able to share it! Have a wonderful evening!! 😊
Hi Jason, if you're looking to re-do some foundations, look into doing sonotube concrete and rebar piers. You'll need to power auger at least 48 inches down, maybe 60, to ensure you're footer is below the frost live, but this method uses a lot less concrete $$$ and it's easier to diy than a slab with deep footers. You'd need to read a bit or chat with a construction expert to figure out how many to put in for each structure but that's what I'd do. Appreciate you offering your advice with candor. Valuable.
Hi 👋 I’ve looked into pillars and have spoke to quite a few folks around us and the consensus is that because we live in a very wet area (water table is 3’), pads seem to do much better. That said, I’ve also found a technique that we used on our 8x12 shed where we drove 5’ rebar at angles, into the ground then made concrete blocks with the ends of the rebar in the concrete. It has worked but as I showed in this video I measured them wrong and one is now sinking lol
@@HanbleceyaRanch I do remember that video. An update on our end... We're under contract for 10 acres on a very beautiful bay in Addison in Washington county... Wish us luck!!!!
All great points and said perfectly Jason! We just got back from our 8 days searching from Lincoln to just north of Houlton. Found a place that would have been perfect but we were literally a day late and it had sold. Ah well we were mainly on an area search versus actual property search but its hard not to look while your there. Thoroughly enjoyed everything that is Maine and already planning on heading back in a month or so if i can swing the time off between projects at work. Being only 47 I knew i was going to need to find as you said "something, anything" which was my plan all along and your experiences just solidify that! I had my eye on that Kioti dealership by walmart too 😅 Was all i could do to not stop and crawl up in one of them cabs just to "test fit" 😂 Anyway thanks for sharing as always and I hope you can get that roof on before the snow flies. Hate i cant be there to see it this year but maybe next!
Don’t get discouraged on the property hunt. We always say that things happen for a reason. When the right one comes along it will all work out!! Maine is an amazing state! That Kioti dealership is a dangerous place!🤣 Can’t wait for the roof to be put on the garage! We have more projects to complete before the snow flies! Thanks for your support and watching! Have a great weekend!!😊
$476 for a forever 18" culvert sounds good to me. I had to put a 36" culvert in our driveway in midcoast Maine. BTW, do you have a culver under your driveway at the road? It seems( on video) that the driveway and road elevation is the same, Without a culvert and a swale along the road is no bueno. Ruby Throated hummers fly to Mexico and Central America. Ours left this week, too.
I suppose I hadn’t priced them before so I had no experience to compare the price too. Now I’m glad I got this one for that price! 😊 We don’t have a culvert under our driveway…stay tuned for an explanation in an upcoming video. We still have one more hummer flying around, I think he’s a late bloomer 😂
Just started watching your videos and they are great. Without going through all your videos, how far are you from a city and stores if you need supplies? Also, how do you generate your power?
@@Traveler1965 glad you found us! We’re on solar and ~30 mins from town. We’ve created a playlist which starts from the day we arrived here in Maine, we hope you enjoy it. 😊
Wait you were willing to get a job? You obviously aren't a millennial. I retired 3 years ago and got two small part-time gigs to cover extras on the farming I do. Congratulations on being a survivor. Someone who knows how to do what needs to be done
That’s amazing!! 😊 Ours was a really nice trailer and we were able to recoup some of what we paid into it, but for us, we wouldn’t have needed it had we not stocked up on stuff that we would later come to find out was unnecessary. Thank you for sharing and the support! 😊
Stop beating yourself up Jason. We haven't posted on your videos in a while. If you recall we did basically the same thing. We sold everything and moved from Georgia to Maine. We've been here a little over a year and while we're making progress you've made remarkable progress. Yes, everything has cost way more than expected. We did, not because we planned on it, had a foundation put in for our Amish cabin from sturdibilt. It cost way more than we expected. We still don't have running water. But we were blessed in getting a well drilled last week. But it's just a hole in the ground right now. No pump no running water yet. Everything has taken so much longer and cost so much more than expected but we're getting there. You've made great progress. We're proud of you. We've moved out of our tent and into the cabin but it's not finished on the inside. It's just a shell. You're doing a great job Jason.
Thank you for the kind words and continued support! It’s great to hear from you. In an effort to be transparent as possible I wanted to share our mistakes… We get up every morning with the promise to ourselves of making progress….to keep moving forward… small wins are still wins and that’s progress in my book. By the way Mardens (Houlton) has submersible well pumps, at a great $. Keep on moving on my friend. 😊
@@HanbleceyaRanch I wish I had known that about mardens. I would have checked in Calais or made a trip up to houlton. I ordered one and probably paid too much. Lol
Been there!🤣
Hey Dude shake it off. Everyone no matter where they live ….woods in Maine heart of New York City make mistakes. Life is a learning journey young or old. You have learned some things and are working to make a difference, you got this…😊
@@DawnMillington-i9t Thanks for the kind words and support! Sharing some of our mistakes from our journey will hopefully let others know that’s it’s OK to make mistakes. Brush it off, learn from it and keep moving forward 😊
Thank you for that brutally honest video. I think your willingness to be honest with us and yourselves will go a long way toward ensuring your success
Thank you for the kind words and support 😊
Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!👍
Wow!!!! Excellent advice all the way around. I wouldn’t want to do all the work that you do, but my husband and I are 69, and 65. We do what we can on 15 acres. We heat with wood 3 to 4 cords a year. We will be splitting and stacking until the snow flies, but we will have what we need. I do a small garden to eat from until it’s done. Stocking up on dry goods now and toilet paper and paper towel. I don’t like to buy anything except what I absolutely need during the winter. We live in RI. Not a lot of snow, but it does get cold. We have generators for those nasty power outages. I do use electricity, but not a lot. Keep up the great content. Really love all the videos, Jason.
Hi Donna!
Jason and I knew we wanted to attempt this journey before “retirement age” because it wasn’t going to be easy. Especially since we had to build our homestead first. Sounds like you and your husband are doing it. Cutting and splitting wood, garden, etc. Not everyone’s journey is the same but you are doing an amazing job on yours! Have a great weekend! 😊
Thank you for all the great information. Just when I think I have some of my move to Maine figured out, then I have 100 more questions and 20 more things to think about and wonder about. As for the quiet, I'm looking forward to that. I was surprised to hear, what I thought was a plane, flying over. I didn't think you would hear them. I live 25 miles from an airport, I will not miss the plane noise at all, lol. God bless you both!
You are welcome! We want to share not only our successes but our failures as well. We quietly is something you have to get use to! We do have an occasional plane or helicopter (border patrol) flying by. The dogs go nuts because it’s not a “normal” sound out here. Thanks for watching! Have an amazing weekend!
I just found your channel this morning and have so many questions that are probably answered in other videos. I'm now 74 and living in Maine, having brought some skills and wisdom from when my first husband and I up and sold all our belongings, and along with our two little kids, headed out to Minnesota to carve out a homestead. We spent 7 years of our lives doing just that, starting from 26 acres of woods and brush. I'd love to know where your homestead is. Maybe we can meet one day and share stories and ideas for success. Best wishes to you in making your dream a reality.
Hi!👋
So happy you found us!!
I’m impressed! I don’t know if I could have done this when we had little ones!!
We are in Aroostook County. Near Houlton. If you are ever in the area just reach out!! Email us at
hanbleceyaranch@gmail.com
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I'm in that "watching a ton of videos" stage. Honest truths such as yours help me stay grounded. I enjoy looking online at properties and think "I can afford that" but then I have to factor in just how much more money/time/energy it will take to make it work. Buying land is the easy part, I can tell.
Also, you touched on it a little bit, but I'd be interested in what you bought ahead of time that you regret. I'd understand if you don't want to share that much detail.
We appreciate your support! Buying the land is the easy part! We added a link in the description of this video to the playlist of our pre move purchases. I think that they pretty much cover everything we basically bought. Any questions let us know. Have a great night!
Excellent, honest, blunt and perfect. Thank you
Thank you for the kind words 😊
Appreciate your honesty. For me, I'm not sure I would have picked this land. Lots of second growth forest in need of brush cutting. I believe age has a lot to do with surviving in this environment. Marshes are great, as long as you have plenty of dry high ground with it.
There are pros and cons with every property and as such we found many more things to love about ours than not. In my experience, having the will to dream and the fortitude to pursue it, is the single most important starting point for any change…and we are living proof of it. 😊Thank you for the comment and support! 😊
@@HanbleceyaRanch I've been thinking about doing something similar. Questions I ask myself include how far am I from a VA clinic, Home Depot, Walmart and major grocery store. Your videos are valuable to me. I'm a former contractor. I agree with you on the foundations and I would have ditched the cathedral ceilings in favor of more ceiling insulation. You're from Chicago. So I don't need to warn you about COLD. Frost heaves could have been minimized with a foot or two of crushed stone under your piers. Piling up snow against your skirts is a good idea. I do the same thing. But again, your floor also needs more insulation. Wish you all the best and happiness.
I think the mentality is sometimes, in every day life, but I would imagine especially in homesteading that you can go hard and get it done and then sit back and enjoy it.. but the truth is, there is never an end to the chores or the goal or the problems that pop up-- and this is a hamster wheel existence.... Blessings to you and all who follow their path, even when it is winding and you cannot see what is around the bend.
Very wise words!! Thanks!!😊
You're here and you're doing and learning. Nothing is perfect and even us seasoned people make mistakes.
Thanks so much for the kind words!! We really appreciate them and your support!!
Mistakes happen. You live and learn. 😊
We sure do. 😊
Hey Jason and Jenn. My hubby and I have been watching your channel for several months, and we enjoy your videos. We have had the dream of moving to Maine (Aroostook County) for several years. The dream of having a small homestead and a little piece of dirt is still in our hearts. We thank you for making this video to show the reality of this lifestyle and that it's not as easy as some other channels make it out to be. So, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day to share your videos. Keep the faith in the dream.😊
Hi Lynn!
Thank you so much for your support! We are so glad to hear you are enjoying the videos!
Follow your dreams! It isn’t an easy lifestyle but it is so worth it!! You only live once!! We have been blessed to be living our dream and being able to share it! Have a wonderful weekend!!😊
The real work doesn't start until you actually start. No one can totally be prepared for the unexpected. Sounds like you got taken in by fake homestead channels. They are making money off getting others to buy from big suppliers. More than a few dont even really live the life they are trying to portray. Its nice that you are willing to share your mistakes. You can save others a tremendous hardships or loss of money on things they never needed. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.
Thank you for the kind words and support . We made it through and are living on our terms these days. There is a very real challenge to transitioning into this lifestyle and we hope we can shed some light on that through our own journey 😊
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences so far,we've been looking for a place in Maine for a few years now Really appreciate your honesty about the lifestyle, I believe that most people (including myself)have a notion that they will be living a relaxing and laid-back life but it's a lot of real work Thank you again for sharing your experiences,thoughts and insights,very helpful information
You are very welcome!! 🙏 We set out to be as transparent as we could, without the “fluff” 😊 Thank you the support and best of luck on your journey!
read through the comments, dont need to add to em, your channel keeps it real, your smiles say more than you realize, i challenge you to put out a video, with no sound, if ya need to add a comment use subtitles, nature is truly a blessing to be heard, kinda hoping someone would of named that bud yo held out, mainer here and have no idea what it is myself, perhaps a neighbor can help. ? keep the faith, seize the moments.
Thank you for the kind words and support. This life we’re on is challenging and exciting enough without all the “fluff”. I like your idea… I’m sure we could make it work. 😉
I’ll find out what that plant was 👍
Jobs can have a social benefit too, and for integrating into the community. Good call.
So true!!😊
This is perfect timing for us to see this... We are going to look at a 20 acre pc of property innorthern Minnesota ... it is already home steaded but its in rough condition... tho the price is right!! It will be a huge change in life for us... thank you doing this video!!!
Good luck with your journey. Hope it all works out for you!! It is a huge change. It’s hard work but so worth it!! Thanks for watching!!😊
I think you guys are awesome
. I so respect this video. I know you're not alone, most people just aren't truthful enough, evens to themselves sometimes, to talk about it. Those are the ones that just disappear all of a sudden. I will support you in the only way I can right now, by watching your videos and will go take a peek at Jen's blankets. I wish you guys well and will keep you in my prayers.
Hi Barbara!👋
Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate you watching our videos. It means the world to us!! If you have any questions about the blankets feel free to contact us at hanbleceyaranch@gmail.com
Thanks again! Have a blessed weekend!♥️
@@HanbleceyaRanch Thank you!
This video came at the perfect time! We just bought property in Crystal and what you had to say hit home and I thank you. Definitely helped.
So happy to hear this! Thank you for the support! 😊
Billy Joel said, "Honesty is such a lonely word", and "hardly ever heard".......it`s something we don`t see everyday. I appreciate yours. I would like to move to northern Maine or New Hampshire full time, but I don`t think I can convince my wife to do it. Maybe she is smart enough to look ahead and see some of the things you talked about. I`m not sure she could handle the isolation, either. Because of that, I`ve thought of buying something small with a cabin, off grid, and just coming up part time, because she could handle it better in small doses in the beginning. Thanks for giving me some things to think about.
Great analogy and much appreciated! Good luck with your future plans. Maybe getting a part time place will help your wife see how amazing this lifestyle is! Either way we wish you the best!! Thanks for watching!!
Great video Jason. What soecific items other than the trailer did you find that weren't needed when you got to the homestead? Give Jen a hug from us!
Thanks!👍 We added a link in the description of this video to the playlist of our pre move purchases. I think that they pretty much cover everything we basically bought. Any questions let us know.
I will give Jen that hug!😊
I grew up in Northern MN. I miss the trees something terrible. I love NH and Maine. I live in ND, and I understand the frost and isolation. Where I live in ND, unfortunately we lack the trees so you can see the isolation….we joke you can watch your dog run away for a week because it is so flat and no trees. I yearn for the trees again to help block the wind.
Hi! We understand your wanting the trees…it’s so nice hearing the breeze going through the trees. Love the joke…I’m sure missing trees doesn’t help but it was funny! 🤣 The trees do help with the winds but we still get some nasty ones. Especially in the winter when a nor’easter hits! Have a great day!!
A fantastic video, just what I needed to hear. Thanks Jason. Oh P.S. Congrats on commercials in your vid, that is a first for me, has to be good news for your YT exposure. -Jim
Thank you for your support! We’re glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Thanks for sharing some of your challenges . Wishing you success with your lifestyle. Nothing worthwhile comes easily.
Thanks for watching!! You are so right!! The best things in life don’t come easy!! Have a great weekend!😊
Live and learn! I am all about the cedars on my property!
Absolutely!! We have a lot of cedar, it just isn’t easy to get at yet. Once we put some trails in it will be easier!!😊
@@HanbleceyaRanch I can relate, I am in the same situation.
Hey Jason. On a garage pad, well having been to your area a few times and still here in SE Michigan......the frost heave is a REAL problem even with a pad. Our pad is at least 8 inches thick but I don't think they used rebar, so after a couple decades we have very large and deep cracks and water comes up every time it rains heavy.....so maybe its $ saved? We also went nuts buying too much crap (3 generators due to sales and 31 charge controllers) yeah many on sale or return items, but I feel your pain but our dreams of moving are just that (still a dream). But at least you are living yours but nothing worth having comes without blood, sweat, and money. The wife and I have decided that having more than five areas is more than enough and we also don't want to be a slave to the dream......life is too short but the quiet of nature is great.....we feed a squirrel every other day just to say thank you and even squirrels need a helping hand....lol
I’ve seen similar pads here in Maine as you described yours. We knew about frost heave but it wasn’t till our first winter that we appreciated how bad it was. It’s mind boggling how much stuff we accumulated over the years while we prepared… It’s ok though, we’re making it work for us as you folks are for you. Happy to hear you have a neighborly squirrel 🐿️ 😊 Thanks for the comment and support
@@HanbleceyaRanch Not sure where you are in Northern Maine, I'm on the coast, Penobscot bay. Houlton Area while cold, big difference if you head toward Fort Fairfield, Madawaska etc. Anyway a 6 inch slab won't stop a frost heave, that slab without a proper foundation will move up and maybe not go back down where it was originally. The key to frost heave is frost susceptible soils. When it freezes ice lenses will form and nothing will stop that ice from lifting whatever is there. Search Videos with Prof Dick Hill, He used to do a lot of research at UMaine on frost. Search Hot and Cold which was a show on the radio with another Maine guy Tom Gocze . Another thing is, you are learning thru the school of hard knocks most of the videos you have watched the folks learned the same way you have. Good luck on future endevours . I have a small piece of property and grow some food, have some chickens and a large solar array.
@@jonathan79231 Hi Jonathon, I’ll take a look at that, thank you for heads up. I’ve seen quite a few cracked slabs around here, so I’m not surprised by your comment. Funny enough we also have a massive boulder growing in our driveway from the frost. It’s remarkable to see some of the damage we’ve seen from the frost. Being on the coast, do you folks have as much heaving issues as we do up north?
Thank you for doing this. I live in Maine close to sebago lake. I have lived in maine all my life.I wouldn't change it for the world. However, I would have loved twenty years ago to have the land that you have and to do what youre doing, okay, maybe thirty years ago😅😅 Sometimes it may not feel like you're fortunate but I think you know, you really are. Good luck, love the videos.
Thank you so much for the kind words and support! We have been blessed to be able to be on this journey and to be able to share it! Have a wonderful evening!! 😊
Good decision!
Thanks!!😊
Hi Jason, if you're looking to re-do some foundations, look into doing sonotube concrete and rebar piers. You'll need to power auger at least 48 inches down, maybe 60, to ensure you're footer is below the frost live, but this method uses a lot less concrete $$$ and it's easier to diy than a slab with deep footers. You'd need to read a bit or chat with a construction expert to figure out how many to put in for each structure but that's what I'd do. Appreciate you offering your advice with candor. Valuable.
Hi 👋 I’ve looked into pillars and have spoke to quite a few folks around us and the consensus is that because we live in a very wet area (water table is 3’), pads seem to do much better. That said, I’ve also found a technique that we used on our 8x12 shed where we drove 5’ rebar at angles, into the ground then made concrete blocks with the ends of the rebar in the concrete. It has worked but as I showed in this video I measured them wrong and one is now sinking lol
@@HanbleceyaRanch I do remember that video. An update on our end... We're under contract for 10 acres on a very beautiful bay in Addison in Washington county... Wish us luck!!!!
All great points and said perfectly Jason! We just got back from our 8 days searching from Lincoln to just north of Houlton. Found a place that would have been perfect but we were literally a day late and it had sold. Ah well we were mainly on an area search versus actual property search but its hard not to look while your there. Thoroughly enjoyed everything that is Maine and already planning on heading back in a month or so if i can swing the time off between projects at work.
Being only 47 I knew i was going to need to find as you said "something, anything" which was my plan all along and your experiences just solidify that! I had my eye on that Kioti dealership by walmart too 😅 Was all i could do to not stop and crawl up in one of them cabs just to "test fit" 😂
Anyway thanks for sharing as always and I hope you can get that roof on before the snow flies. Hate i cant be there to see it this year but maybe next!
Don’t get discouraged on the property hunt. We always say that things happen for a reason. When the right one comes along it will all work out!! Maine is an amazing state! That Kioti dealership is a dangerous place!🤣 Can’t wait for the roof to be put on the garage! We have more projects to complete before the snow flies! Thanks for your support and watching! Have a great weekend!!😊
Thumbs Up
Thank you! 😊
$476 for a forever 18" culvert sounds good to me. I had to put a 36" culvert in our driveway in midcoast Maine. BTW, do you have a culver under your driveway at the road? It seems( on video) that the driveway and road elevation is the same, Without a culvert and a swale along the road is no bueno. Ruby Throated hummers fly to Mexico and Central America. Ours left this week, too.
I suppose I hadn’t priced them before so I had no experience to compare the price too. Now I’m glad I got this one for that price! 😊 We don’t have a culvert under our driveway…stay tuned for an explanation in an upcoming video.
We still have one more hummer flying around, I think he’s a late bloomer 😂
Just started watching your videos and they are great. Without going through all your videos, how far are you from a city and stores if you need supplies? Also, how do you generate your power?
@@Traveler1965 glad you found us! We’re on solar and ~30 mins from town. We’ve created a playlist which starts from the day we arrived here in Maine, we hope you enjoy it. 😊
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Always nice to see you! 😊
Maybe that plant was milk weed? I'm further north than you and I haven't seen any here.
We looked it up and it told us a Willow pinecone gall midge. 😊
Wait you were willing to get a job? You obviously aren't a millennial. I retired 3 years ago and got two small part-time gigs to cover extras on the farming I do.
Congratulations on being a survivor. Someone who knows how to do what needs to be done
You have to adapt and be willing to change to get to your goal!! (And work hard!😉) Have a great weekend!
@@HanbleceyaRanch you have done the same. Great job. Wish I was in Maine
@@robertbates5537thank you so much!! As they say…
Maine…the way life should be!!😊
Hemlock is almost as good as cedar if you have any of that.
We do have lots of hemlock. We have used it in quite a few of our projects.
I lived in a trailer identical to yours for 3.5 years, doubled my money when I sold it, just saying.
That’s amazing!! 😊 Ours was a really nice trailer and we were able to recoup some of what we paid into it, but for us, we wouldn’t have needed it had we not stocked up on stuff that we would later come to find out was unnecessary. Thank you for sharing and the support! 😊
Being in maine was your first mistake
@@TimJameson-jg8sl Not if you came from IL. 🤷♂️ We love Maine!