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years ago when i first started out on my little farm, back in the mid 90's, i started reading countryside mag. i read all about Wendy and her daughter and their semi-underground home. i've followed her blog for years. and her daughters, as i unschooled all my young'uns too.<br><br>i read many forums relating to all thats discussed here. i got side tracked for a few years in the city making a living, but have been back on the farm for about 7.<br><br>i was sure a greenhorn back then but didn't know it..LOL<br>i had a custom van i bought for $400.00, that needed a part fixed. its was my friends son who fixed it, he was an ace mechanic. i asked him what he wanted for his pay, he said "just git me a muntin dew and a pak o smokes an we'll call it guud"<br>LOl i loved him, he was a good friend, passed on last year.<br><br>so the van was brought home, loaded up with whatever i thought we'd need for a few weeks trip. i took this old desk that was lightweight and had 3 drawers on each side and a long drawer in the middle. basically lifted it up, opened the back door of van and put it against the back seat (bed that folded down). i put the cooler in the hole left and in the drawers were all the dishes, cook stuff, flashlights, first aid, toiletries, washrags, etc, whatever. it sure made travel easier. <br>beside that i had 2 5-gallon jugs for water. <br>the kids slept on the queen bed in back, i slept in a captains chair. we had a little tv/vcr combo i plugged into the cig lighter for 2 hours at night for a movie for us after a long day out in the woods.<br><br>we camped near streams or in parks with dry toilets and a spicket. one day a man camper came and gave us a huge load of rainbow trout he had caught, cleaned and fried for us! he reminded me to watch out for the copperheads..i said "whats a copperhead?"..<br>we swam, bathed, brushed teeth, washed hair and dishes in the stream. never saw a snake, God was watching out for us..LOL<br><br>one morning in May we were camped at our favorite place in MO. it was Mothers Day. for 3 days prior, my tiny little 10 yr old daughter kept asking to stop at thrift stores. i didn't know why.<br><br>that morning she got herself up at day break. went out and started the campfire under the grill. made eggs, toast, instant grits, and coffee..set it all up on a tray with a dixie cup of wildflowers..and brought it to me in the van. on the tray was a little handmade card that read: "Happy Mothers Day Mom, I'm sorry i couldn't find you an axe"..<br><br>hehehe..love that story. i'd broke my little wood chop hatchet. she was looking for replacement.<br><br>we had an old board game "map of the states". said daughter kept this with her and marked every place we went. i still have it.<br><br>we did this traveling for about 4 years. i could sit and tell stories all day about it and the places went, things we did. and on a pretty lean budget too. <br><br>our favorite meal was "campfire stew". a pound of hamburger, a big can of ravioli and a big can of baked beans, with some fresh bread on the side.<br>doesn't taste as good cooked on my wood stove now, but still good.<br><br>thanks for letting me share. i am actively planning this lifestyle as winter comes to a end here. <br><br>edit to add: i bought a small shasta TT for 600$ around that time. i used to bake bread in the oven in it during the winter. one time i had the idea to take it on a trip with us. we packed it all up, hooked to the van hitch. started down the road..got 2 miles and next thing i know i hear this big bump sound (it was after dark) and there goes the camper sailing past us down the road...<br>
