Although our move in 2011 to Vermont came as a surprise to some people, we had actually been considering a life change for at least 3 years. There was the germination of the dream/idea long before that. In thinking about what this might look like, we did a lot of research. We collected and read a ton of books on various topics. We talked to farmers, visited farms and farmer’s markets. We participated in several CSAs in Chicago. Along the way we realize there are many others who share the dream of homesteading or small-scale agriculture. Some are way ahead of us on the path, some are in a similar spot and for some the idea is just a spark.
I thought it might be helpful to share not just our journey, but also many of the resources we’ve found helpful. So I’ve been developing a whole section on my personal site (swartzentruber.net) devoted to farming/homesteading information. Here are some direct links to get you started.
Farming Resources Main Page – This is an overview and includes my Google Maps Interesting Farms custom map, a list of farms we’ve visited and some Vermont-specific farming websites.
No GMO Seed Search – a Google custom search to find seeds, targeted some of my favorite heirloom, organic and no-GMO seed companies.
Individual Sections
These are pages devoted to specific topics, containing recommended books and links. These are books I’ve actually read and have in my library for the most part. Some have already been put to practical use and others are waiting in the wings.
I also have some Twitter lists focused on specific topics that you might want to follow.
I hope you’ll find this information useful. If so, please drop me a line or ping me on Twitter at @skills0.